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The Inter-disciplinary Urban Design MRes is a faculty-wide one-year research degree designed to allow students to tailor their own learning and research to their background and future aspirations. Students can construct their study in an inter-disciplinary manner, enabling them to explore urban design as a critical arena for advanced research and practice.
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.
Entry requirements
A minimum of an upper second-class Bachelor's degree in a cognate discipline or a relevant Master's degree from a UK university or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard.
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
This programme provides an interdisciplinary space in which students can examine the challenges of urban design from comparative and cross disciplinary perspectives; students are exposed to the latest cutting-edge urban design research and teaching at The Bartlett, UCL and are offered the opportunity to conduct a substantial piece of individual urban design research, receiving training in methodologies appropriate to the conduct of urban design and urban scale research.
Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.
The programme consists of two core modules and a suite of 75 credits of elective modules. The core modules are Urban Investigations (30 credits) and Urban Design Research Project (75 credits). In parallel, students choose from a wide range of elective modules available across the different schools of the Bartlett and other UCL departments, eg. Geography and Anthropology departments
Upon successful completion of 180 credits, you will be awarded a MRes in Inter-disciplinary Urban Design.
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
- Urban Investigation (30 credits)
- Urban Design Research Project (75 credits)
Optional modules
Students will choose from a suite of urban studies, design and planning focused modules at the Bartlett, summing up to 75 credits. Information on the different streams / areas of research particular modules fit into, including examples of modules taken by previous students will be found at the Bartlett School of Planning website. For guidance on the choice of modules and an extensive list of urban design, urban studies and urban planning focused modules, please contact the programme director and administrator.
Please note that whilst this MRes offers huge flexibility and choice, the final choice of elective modules may be restricted by the UCL timetable, which is not fixed until the summer preceding entry. In addition, some modules have specified prerequisites and others are not available every year. The student meets with the course director at the start of the academic year to discuss and get approval for their choice of electives.
Dissertation/research project
All students undertake an independent urban design research project culminating in either a dissertation of 15,000 words or a 10,000-word research-based design proposal.
Teaching and learning
Methods of delivery will vary (because of the flexible nature of the programme) but a typical student might encounter studio teaching, formal lectures, analytical modelling, small-group tutorials and discussion, formal presentations, and site visits. Student performance is assessed through individual and group work, essays, and project work.
Additional costs
The purchase of books many constitute an additional cost, but there is no requirement to purchase any book as part of the programme. Optional modules may incur additional expenses.
For more information on additional costs for prospective students please go to our estimated cost of essential expenditure at Accommodation and living costs.
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.
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 Promise Scholarship - Master's
- Note:
- Deadline: 31 May 2021
- Value:
- Tuition fees plus £15,364 maintenance/yr (Duration of programme)
- Eligibility:
- UK
- Criteria:
- Based on financial need
Bartlett School of Planning Centenary Scholarship
- Value:
- £9,200 towards tuition fees (1 year)
- Eligibility:
- UK, Overseas
- 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
The programme opens up a range of future opportunities for participants along two primary paths:
- It provides an opportunity for students seeking to further their professional careers, to specialise in urban design and, within that broad arena, to engage deeply with a particular research agenda of direct relevance to their future professional practice
- For students seeking a research or academic career, the MRes provides the ideal training for a PhD and eventually an academic or other research position.
Employability
The programme is globally unique and will give students an important employment edge in allowing them to tailor their studies to their own individual circumstances, building on existing strengths or extending their knowledge. It will deliver a research training in urban design whilst also helping to build a unique and first-class portfolio of work in which the student, rather than syllabus, is the driving force.
Why study this degree at UCL?
The UCL Bartlett brings together dozens of urban design focused research and professional specialisms required to research, understand, design, construct and managed the urban environments of the future.
This degree allows the student to tap into both taught and research learning and training of their choice, accross the various Schools of The Bartlett, via a bespoke programme diet.
The MRes IUD is a unique and in-depth research programme allowing the student to experience the academic research world in a short period of time. It trains the student professionally as well as academically, offering insights of what the experience of doing a PhD may be like, and that of being an academic researcher.
This MRes is a faculty-wide programme, and students are able to access perhaps the largest global concentration of urban design related researchers and professional expertise.
The programme has a simple and highly flexible structure, designed to allow students to tailor their learning both to their own background, and how they wish to specialise in the future.
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.
Who can apply?
This programme is an interdisciplinary degree, so it will consider applicants from all different backgrounds. It may be particularly suitable for students from architectural, planning, urban design, landscape, civil engineering, geography, environmental studies, yet also of further interest to students from eg. political sciences, sociology, anthropology, media and communication, and the creative arts, with a particular interest for the built environment, urban places and urban placemaking.
Application deadlines
- All applicants
- 31 May 2021
Please contact the Programme Leader, Dr Filipa Wunderlich (f.wunderlich@ucl.ac.uk) before applying for this programme.
For more information see our Applications page.
Apply nowWhat are we looking for?
When we assess your application we would like to learn:
- why you want to study Inter-disciplinary Urban Design at graduate level
- why you want to study Inter-disciplinary Urban Design at UCL
- what particularly attracts you to this programme
- how your academic and professional background meets the demands of this programme
- where you would like to go professionally with your degree
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 10 May 2021
