Planning studies MPhil/PhD

The Bartlett School of Planning is internationally distinguished within the planning field and offers a unique hands-on learning environment for students, involving interaction with some of the leading urban planning academics and practitioners, through close supervision, creative project work and teaching innovation. Our research areas span housing crises, urban and community regeneration, transport and active travel, sustainability and resilience, health and wellbeing, circularity and climate change. If you have a planning research idea in these area a Planning studies might be the righ path for you.

We are ranked:
#1 for Built Environment studies in the world according to the QS World University Rankings (2024).

A world-class research enrivonment

Research excellence

You will join an interdisciplinary School that shapes intellectual debates in the fields of urban planning, urban design, and real estate and champion cutting-edge thinking and practice. Our research spans housing crises, urban and community regeneration, transport and active travel, sustainability and resilience, health and wellbeing, circularity and climate change. Our faculty is where the UK’s most ‘World Leading’ and ‘Internationally Excellent’ built environment research is undertaken in the UK (REF 2021).

Dedicated support

You will benefit from UCL’s Doctoral School, a cross-university support platform for our postgraduate research community. They are committed to enhancing your UCL research experience offering many resources, guidance, training opportunities and more to help you succeed.

London as your urban laboratory

Not only is London the world’s best student city (QS Besti Cities 2024), it serves as an ‘urban laboratory’ for your studies. London is a global city, a political and financial centre filled with built environment related organisations. With its historic city core and garden suburbs, regeneration areas, proximity to historically significant new towns the city provides a rich resource for urban and planning research.

How to apply

Step one: Contact a potential supervisor

Before applying formally, we encourage prospective applicants to discuss their research with only one potential supervisor from our list of academics at The Bartlett School of Planning. If you are unsure who to contact, please email the Director of Graduate Studies, Susan Moore, with a selection of academic staff who you deem suitable potential supervisors, and Susan can then advise you. 

When contacting a potential supervisor, we recommend that you supply:

A short summary (one to two pages) of your research idea, including a title, specific research question(s), indicative method and any key references A short CV (one to two pages).

Step two: Submit a formal application to UCL

If you are interested in studying a Planning Studies PhD at The Bartlett School of Planning, you must submit a formal application to UCL which should include a research proposal (maximum 3,000 words) outlining:

• The subject of your proposed research The questions you hope to answer
• Why you think this knowledge will be of value Your intended method and the sources you will use. 

 While it is not essential to nominate a potential supervisor on your application form, it may help to speed up your application process. Any gaps and queries in the application will also delay the time taken to process it.

Please note that applications received outside of term time will take a little longer to process. You should allow at least three months from your application to the date of final decision from the university. 

In addition to the proposal, the admissions procedure takes account of your general educational background and evidence of your ability to meet the academic entry requirements, your references and other criteria. You may be invited for an interview as part of the application process.

Clearly indicate the school and MPhil/PhD programme to which you are intending to apply - in this case, The Bartlett School of Planning for the Planning Studies MPhil/PhD.

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