MSc Planning

The fully accredited postgraduate pathway has been designed to offer a comprehensive understanding of the factors influencing the formulation and delivery of spatial planning policy across the built and natural environments. You will be prepared to develop or enhance a career as a chartered town planner in a rapidly changing world. Choose to take this programme either full-time over one year or part-time over two years.

Key features

• Develop broad-based, multidisciplinary and cross-professional approaches to place making and the planning and management of the built and physical environment for sustainable development.
• Deepen your understanding through specialist options.
• Explore planning issues of particular relevance to south-west England, set within the context of national and international experience.
• Expand your skills through applied and experiential learning, including fieldwork, practicals, case studies, role play, debates and engagement with professional practitioners.
• Benefit from a supportive learning environment with an emphasis on small-group teaching and high levels of staff-student interaction.
• Fully accredited by the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI).
• Develop the key skills and professionalism to prepare you for an effective contribution to the workplace, including lifelong learning and preparation for the RTPI’s Assessment of Professional Competence (APC).

Develop a comprehensive knowledge of planning, enabling critical evaluation of evidence from a range of perspectives related to the natural and built environment. As an RTPI fully accredited postgraduate pathway, core modules cover the general foundation of spatial planning (including urban design), and specialisms reflect planning issues relevant to south-west England and existing strengths within the University. Our programme will enable you to develop a professional career in planning in the public, private or voluntary sector. We offer a supportive learning environment with small-group teaching and extensive interaction with our staff, emphasising the critical skills necessary for professional effectiveness in planning-related careers.