Overview

As the world becomes increasingly urbanised, cities face mounting challenges, including climate change, inequality, housing crises, infrastructure pressures, and more.

Drawing on insights from anthropology, geography, planning, architecture, political science, sociology, and more, you'll gain a rich, nuanced understanding of how cities function and how they can be transformed.

You’ll explore the political, social, economic, and environmental forces shaping urban change, and engage with cutting-edge debates about power, justice, inequality, and sustainability in the city.

From global megacities to smaller urban centres, this course challenges you to think critically and creatively about what the urban future could and should look like.

Career opportunities

The Urban Studies programme offered by the The University of Manchester brings together a diverse set of analytical tools, research methods, and theories to better understand how cities are confronting the challenges to securing an inclusive, just and sustainable set of futures.

By studying this MSc, you will not only gain an understanding of key concepts and theories in the interdisciplinary field of urban studies, but also develop a range of intellectual, practical and transferable skills to proceed into your chosen career path.

Studying MSc Urban Studies provides opportunities to draw upon a range of interrelated disciplines, including geography, planning, sociology, political science, architecture, anthropology and more.

You will therefore develop the knowledge, understanding and skills necessary for employment as researcher or practitioner in urban studies, or for progression to post-graduate research in urban studies, including initiative, independent learning, personal responsibility, and decision-making in complex situations.