This programme covers theory & practice, and enables students to build critical capacities in sustainable urbanism, across research, planning, and delivery.

About the course
The MSc Sustainable Urbanism:
- brings together theory and practice of sustainable urbanism,
- covers the multiple challenges posed by urbanisation today, &
- focuses on how to work for future sustainability.
This programme enables students to build critical capacities, across:
- research in sustainable urbanism - the latest thinking and debates on sustainable development,
- planning for sustainable urbanism - study of places, challenges, and evaluation of responses
- delivery of sustainable urbanism - engaging with plans, designs and creating projects
Graduates will engage with the conceptual complexity and enormous significance of the field, and be equipped for diverse research, policy and regulatory activities.
Who should apply?
Urban professionals from a range of fields – planning, property, design, landscape and transport – who want to gain understanding of sustainable processes and practices. It’s also valuable for those completing their initial professional training who wish to specialise in this field.
Accreditation
The MSc in Sustainable Urbanism is fully accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). It’s also accredited by the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI), but only when taken as a specialist year after an accredited three-year planning degree.
More information
- For key information, including how to apply, visit the UCL Graduate Prospectus
- Browse the sections below for more detailed course information
- Structure
The programme structure diagram shows the structure of the one-year full-time MSc programme. The programme can also be taken flexibly over two to five years in which case students would normally complete the modules marked PT1 before moving on to the modules marked PT2.
Further details of these modules can be found in the UCL Module Catalogue.
Compulsory Modules
Further details of these modules can be found in the UCL Module Catalogue.
BPLN0042 Urban Design: Place Making
Credits: 15
Assessment: CourseworkBPLN0050 Critical Debates in Sustainable Urbanism
Credits: 15
Assessment: CourseworkBPLN0058 Sustainable Urban Development: Key Themes
Credits: 15
Assessment: CourseworkBPLN0106 Sustainable Urban Development: Project
Credits: 30
Assessment: CourseworkBPLN0016 Sustainable Property: Valuation, Investment, Development
Credits: 15
Assessment: Coursework and ExamDissertation
BPLN0039 Dissertation OR BPLN0052 Major Research Project
Credits: 60
Assessment: Dissertation / ProjectElective Modules
BPLN0051 Sustainable Urban Design
Credits: 15
Assessment: CourseworkOr other modules delivered in the Bartlett School of Planning. Further details of these modules can be found in the UCL Module Catalogue.
Field trips
The programme includes a residential field trip during which themes relevant to the course are explored in different place contexts. This is an opportunity to consider built environment issues in real world settings and network as a course community.
The cost of travel and accommodation for the field trip are covered by UCL although students will need to cover meals and other personal expenses.
- Staff
Programme Director
Dr Lucy Natarajan
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Send Lucy an emailStaff teaching on the programme currently
Professor Matthew Carmona
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Send Matthew an emailProfessor Robin Hickman
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Send Robin an emailProfessor Yvonne Rydin
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Send Yvonne an emailDr Tse-Hui Teh
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Send Tse-Hui an emailProfessor Catalina Turcu
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Send Catalina an emailProfessor Jo Williams
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Send Jo an emailDr Filipa Wunderlich
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Send Filipa an email- Careers and employability
Graduate students from the Bartlett School of Planning have been very successful in gaining subsequent employment. There is growing demand for our masters’ graduates from a wide range of both public and private employers. While the main source of employment remains in local government and central government planning and in planning-related consultancy, graduates are also employed in the following areas:
- housing and transport sectors
- planning, urban regeneration and environmental agencies
- public and private utility companies
- teaching and research
Still can't find what you're looking for? Get in touch with the Programme Director, Dr Lucy Natarajan or the Adminstrative Teaching Team.