Urban Studies

Overview

The Standard Track of the Master in Urban Studies is jointly organised by Vrije Universiteit Brussel and Université Libre de Bruxelles. The 120 ECTS curriculum combines the attractiveness of a flexible, modular and interdisciplinary programme that allows you to focus on your own interests, with a common core of compulsory courses to ensure that you develop the necessary urban skills and competences.

Following the successful completion of the Master in Urban Studies, students will be able to:

• Demonstrate advanced knowledge and understanding of the key concepts and theories in urban studies and related fields of research in the social sciences, humanities, architecture, planning and design.
• Demonstrate understanding of the interdisciplinary nature of urban studies as a field of research, education, policy, and practice, along with specialized knowledge of at least two of the subdomains of urban studies.
• Critically reflect on their own positionality as researchers and practitioners within the field of urban studies and to develop original and creative insights on this basis.
• Demonstrate an empirically grounded understanding of the similarities and differences, and connections and relations between cities and processes of urbanisation across Europe and throughout the world.
• Evaluate the role of governments, businesses, and civic actors on different scales (local, regional, national, supranational) in urban development projects and strategies.
• Apply critical and original analysis to primary sources such as policy reports and regulations, architectural designs, interviews, fieldwork observations, maps, corporate accounts, archival documents, photography, and film.
• Apply qualitative or quantitative methods and techniques commonly used in urban studies and related disciplines in order to answer complex urban questions.
• Execute a basic or applied research project by developing a research question and plan, conducting a literature review, collecting and interpreting data, and presenting research results in written, visual, and oral formats.
• Operate professionally, cooperatively, and with a strong sense of social and ethical responsibility in interdisciplinary, international, and diverse settings.
• Communicate research results and an advanced understanding of urban issues to a wider professional as well as popular audience, using a variety of presentation techniques and media.

Accreditation

All degree programmes offered by VUB are accredited by the Dutch-Flemish Accreditation Organisation (NVAO), ensuring that they meet the highest predefined quality standards. Alongside this official quality control system, VUB has an internal Quality Control Commission in charge of permanently monitoring the quality of education.