Overview

This Urban Development Planning MSc aims to equip participants to work effectively as development planners / practitioners in urban contexts through imparting a deeper understanding of the processes that generate urban change. The programme aims to enhance participants' diagnostic and strategic capacities to respond to such change within a framework of socio-spatially and environmentally just urban governance.

What this course will give you

This programme argues that planning is key to dealing with urban problems and opportunities presented by rapid urbanisation, globalisation and climate change but that its potential cannot be harnessed without a critical understanding of the processes that generate urban change in specific contexts.

The programme seeks to equip students with the capacity to develop critical diagnoses of urban issues, as a basis for developing propositional responses within the framework of socially, spatially and environmentally just urban governance. The programme promotes a deeper understanding of community-led and partnership-based urban development planning. Students also benefit from the Development Planning Unit's longstanding and geographically expansive alumni and partner network.

The foundation of your career

The programme aims to help University College London (UCL) students:

prepare balanced and critical analyses/arguments, attentive to the particularities of place, based on theoretical insights and empirical evidence
undertake well-supported diagnoses of the problems and opportunities in given urban development contexts, in ways that reframe strategic opportunities for action
formulate systematic and well-supported strategic action planning proposals, aimed at responding to complex urban development situations, including organisational and institutional development
build presentation, advocacy and negotiation skills
develop research skills including interviewing, conceptual framework formulation, and the ability to analyse a range of information sources
deliver group projects, and negotiate the dynamics of working in diverse teams
operate professionally in unfamiliar environments, including in Global South contexts

Programme Structure

Courses included:

Post Disaster Recovery: Policies, Practices and Alternatives
Transforming Local Areas: Urban Design for Development
Society and Market: Private Agency for Development
Critical Ideas of Development: Conceptions and Realities
Contemporary Approaches to Development Management
Urban Environmental Planning and Management in Development
Sustainable Infrastructure and Services in Development

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 12 months
Part-time
- 24 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2026-09-28 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-06-26 00:00:00 , International
- Apply before 2026-08-28 00:00:00 , National

Language

English

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IELTS

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Credits

180 alternative credits

Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

London, United Kingdom

Disciplines

Architecture Urban Planning View 114 other Masters in Urban Planning in United Kingdom

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Academic requirements

GPA

Lower Second Class

English requirements

TOEFL^® IBT

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PTE Academic

Schedule a PTE test!

IELTS

Prepare for Your English Test

Cathoven AI IELTS Preparation

Learn your IELTS Score

AI-powered IELTS feedback. Clear, actionable, and tailored to boost your writing & speaking score. No credit card or upfront payment required.

Trusted by 300k learners
98 accuracy using real exam data
4.9/5 student rating

Other requirements

General requirements

The normal minimum qualifications are a second-class Bachelor's degree from a UK university or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard. A minimum of six months work experience is also recommended.
Applicants who do not meet the minimum academic requirements may, in exceptional cases, be admitted to the programme if they are able to demonstrate considerable senior-level professional experience in planning or a related field and an ability to engage academically with the subject matter.
The English language level for this programme is: Level 2

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are shown in and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.

International Applies to you

Applies to you

Non-residents

33000 GBP / year

≈ 33000 GBP / year
Domestic Applies to you

Applies to you

Citizens or residents

20500 GBP / year

≈ 20500 GBP / year

Additional Details

Part time

UK: £10,250
International: £16,500

Living costs

London

United Kingdom

1137 - 2157 GBP / month

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Funding

Win a €10000 Scholarship! Deadline: 30 June 2020

Embark on your journey with the Studyportals Scholarship! We're giving away a total of 20,000 euros to help you achieve your dream of studying abroad.

Win a €10000 Scholarship! Deadline: 30 June 2020

Embark on your journey with the Studyportals Scholarship! We're giving away a total of 20,000 euros to help you achieve your dream of studying abroad.

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Scholarships Information

Below you will find Master's scholarship opportunities for Urban Development Planning.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

On this page

About

Overview

What this course will give you

The foundation of your career

Programme Structure

Key information

Duration

Start dates & application deadlines

Language

Prepare for Your English Test

Credits

Delivered

Campus Location

Disciplines

What students do after studying

Academic requirements

English requirements

Prepare for Your English Test

Other requirements

General requirements

Tuition Fees

International Applies to you

Domestic Applies to you

Additional Details

Living costs

London

Funding

Scholarships Information

Available Scholarships

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