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Shelter is one of the most basic human needs, but the provision of that shelter - the development of enough housing of the right type and quality in the most appropriate locations - is a challenge that few, if any, governments in the Global North have fully addressed. This MSc offers an interdisciplinary perspective on the 'housing question' in advanced economies, with contributions from across the faculty and from external practitioners.
Key information
Programme starts
September 2021
Modes and duration
Full-time students study for 37.5 hours per week during term time. Typically, lectures and seminars occur on two days per week. Part-time and Flexible students normally attend half this amount but this may include taught sessions on more than one day per week
Application dates
Tuition fees (2021/22)
Note on fees:
The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Fees for subsequent years may increase or otherwise vary. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website: ucl.ac.uk/students/fees. Fees for flexible, modular study are charged pro-rata to the appropriate full-time Master's fee taken in an academic session.
The programme is fully accredited by RICS so all students completing the full MSc are eligible for licentiate membership of the RICS.
The programme has 'specialist' accreditation from the RTPI so students who have an RTPI accredited undergraduate degree in planning who then complete this programme are eligible for licentiate membership of the RTPI (the 3+1 route).
Entry requirements
An upper second-class honours Bachelor's degree (or higher) from a UK university or an overseas qualification of equivalent standing is required. Admissions tutors may, at their discretion, consider applications from students who have not achieved this but hold professional qualifications (e.g. RTPI) or can demonstrate substantial work experience in the field of housing development, planning for housing, or housing design. (Applicants will still be expected to meet the minimum UCL requirement of a 2:2, however.)
English language requirements
If your education has not been conducted in the English language, you will be expected to demonstrate evidence of an adequate level of English proficiency.
The English language level for this programme is: Good
UCL Pre-Master's and Pre-sessional English courses are for international students who are aiming to study for a postgraduate degree at UCL. The courses will develop your academic English and academic skills required to succeed at postgraduate level. International Preparation Courses
Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.
International students
Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website.
International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below.
Select your country:
About this degree
Students will develop appropriate design, analytical and presentational skills, and work on practical cases that test their capacity for creative thinking and problem-solving. The curriculum covers UK-specific policy and practice as well as a range of international case studies and globally relevant debates in the provision of housing.
Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.
The programme consists of six core modules (90 credits), two elective modules from across The Bartlett School of Planning or beyond, subject to approval (30 credits) and a dissertation/report (60 credits).
A Postgraduate Diploma, six core modules (90 credits), two elective modules (30 credits), full-time nine months, is offered.
Upon successful completion of 180 credits, you will be awarded a MSc in Housing and City Planning. Upon successful completion of 120 credits, you will be awarded a PG Dip in Housing and City Planning.
Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability is subject to change.
Compulsory modules
- Planning for Housing: Process (15 credits)
- Planning for Housing: Project (15 credits)
- Sustainable Housing Design Principles (15 credits)
- Low Energy Housing Retrofit (15 credits)
- Economics and Finance for Housing Projects (15 credits)
- Management of Housing Development Projects (15 credits)
- Dissertation in Planning (60 credits)
Optional modules
In order to obtain professional accreditation, students must take the two optional modules listed below: Spatial Planning: Concepts and Context (15 credits) and Critical Debates in Housing Planning (15 credits).
- Spatial Planning: Concepts and Context (15 credits)
- Critical Debates in Housing Planning (15 credits)
- Or any other available module in The Bartlett School of Planning or the wider Built Environment Faculty
Dissertation/report
All students undertake an independent research project which culminates in a dissertation of 10,000 words
Fieldwork
There is a field trip in the Reading Week of Term Two (February).
Teaching and learning
The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, tutorials, projects and problem-based learning. Assessment is through a mix of essays, group projects, problem-sheets, individual projects, classroom tasks and the dissertation.
Additional costs
Travel and accommodation costs for the field trip are included in the programme fee.
Accessibility
Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble accessable.co.uk. Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support & Wellbeing team: ucl.ac.uk/students/fees-and-funding.
Funding
UCL offers a range of financial awards aimed at assisting both prospective and current students with their studies.
Any additional funding available from the Bartlett School of Planning and the Built Environment Faculty Office are advertised on the respective websites.
Scholarships relevant to this department are displayed below.
Bartlett School of Planning Centenary Scholarship
- Value:
- £9,200 towards tuition fees (1 year)
- Eligibility:
- UKOverseas
- Criteria:
- Based on both academic merit and financial need
For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website.
Careers
There is a growing demand for our Master's graduates from a wide range of both public and private employers in the UK and overseas. Many have taken up posts in local and central government planning, others have moved into planning related consultancies. Past students have also found employment in numerous specialist sectors: in housing and transport, planning, urban regeneration and environmental agencies, public and private utility companies, and also in teaching and research.
Employability
As well as preparing students for careers in planning practice and housing delivery, all of our programmes offer an introduction to research and to key research skills.
Why study this degree at UCL?
Based in the heart of London, students are at the forefront of policy-relevant critical debate, empirical study and research-led teaching. The academic staff are multidisciplinary and are actively involved in shaping the theories and debates covered in their teaching. Our annual public lectures attract pre-eminent speakers from around the world and our student body has a broad international profile.
The Bartlett is the UK's largest multidisciplinary Faculty of the Built Environment, bringing together scientific and professional specialisms required to research, understand, design, construct and operate the buildings and urban environments of the future. The strong research focus across The Bartlett, and links to professional practice, feed into this programme, ensuring engagement with live issues and continual renewal of the subject material.
Students also have the opportunity to spend a period of the programme at a partner institution elsewhere in Europe, North America or Australia.
Accreditation:
The programme is fully accredited by RICS so all students completing the full MSc are eligible for licentiate membership of the RICS.
The programme has 'specialist' accreditation from the RTPI so students who have an RTPI accredited undergraduate degree in planning who then complete this programme are eligible for licentiate membership of the RTPI (the 3+1 route).
Department: Bartlett School of Planning
Application and next steps
Applications
Students are advised to apply as early as possible due to competition for places. Those applying for scholarship funding (particularly overseas applicants) should take note of application deadlines.
This programme requires two references. Further information regarding references can be found in our How to apply section.
There is an application processing fee for this programme of £90 for online applications and £115 for paper applications. Further information can be found at: ucl.ac.uk/prospective-students/graduate/taught/application.
Who can apply?
This programme is directed at urban professionals and graduates from the fields of planning, property, architecture and project management from around the world who are wishing to train as planners, or develop perspectives on residential development from construction management angles, and specialise in the area of housing development.
Application deadlines
- All applicants
- 30 July 2021
International students who require a Tier 4 visa are strongly advised to submit their application before 15 June 2021.
For more information see our Applications page.
Apply nowWhat are we looking for?
When we assess your application we would like to learn:
- how your academic and professional background meets the demands of Housing and City Planning
- why you want to study Housing and City Planning at graduate level
- what particularly attracts you to this programme
- where you would like to go professionally with your degree and how this programme meets these needs
Together with essential academic requirements, the personal statement is your opportunity to illustrate whether your reasons for applying to this programme match what the programme will deliver.
UCL is regulated by the Office for Students.
Page last modified on 17 December 2020
