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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 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 2020
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.
Application dates
Tuition fees (2020/21)
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. 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
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 disciplinary perspectives; students are exposed to the latest cutting-edge urban design research and teaching at the UCL Bartlett 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 three compulsory modules. Interdisciplinary Urban Design (75 credits) is a 'blackbox' module wherein students can choose from a wide range of modules available across eight UCL departments. Part-time students must complete this in their first year. Students also undertake Urban Investigations (30 credits) and Urban Design Project (75 credits).
Upon successful completion of 180 credits, you will be awarded a MRes in Inter-disciplinary Urban Design.
Compulsory modules
- Interdisciplinary Urban Design (75 credits)
- Urban Investigation (30 credits)
- Urban Design Research Project (75 credits)
Feeder modules
For Interdiscipinary Urban Design (75 credits), students choose from a range of 'feeder' modules, which include those listed below. For a full list, please see the Bartlett School of Planning website.
- Anthropology of the Built Environment (Anthropology)
- Digital Infrastructure: Materiality, Information and Politics (Anthropology)
- Spatial Cultures (Architecture)
- Architectural Phenomena (Architecture)
- E-merging Analysis and Design Project (Architecture)
- E-merging Design Research (Architecture)
- Space Syntax Methodology and Analytical Design (Architecture)
- Design as a Knowledge-Based Process (Architecture)
- Principles of Analytical Design (Architecture)
- Introduction to Urban Design Theory (Architecture)
- Social Dimensions for Sustainability (Environmental Design and Engineering)
- Geographic Information Systems and Science (Geography)
- Migration and Urban Multicultures (Geography)
- Detailed Urban Design (Architecture)
- Smart Cities: Context, Policy & Government (CASA)
- Urban Stimulation (CASA)
- Transforming Local Areas and Urban Design for Development (DPU)
- Participatory Processes: Building for Development (DPU)
- Critical Debates in Urban Design (Planning)
- Transport Planning and the City (Planning)
Please note that whilst this MRes offers huge flexibility and choice, the final choice of 'feeder' 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.
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.
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 dissertation and a 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.
Accessibility
Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble. 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.
Brown Family Bursary
- Note:
- Applications open in January
- Value:
- £15,000 (1 year)
- Eligibility:
- UK
- 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 literally dozens of scientific and professional specialisms required to research, understand, design, construct and operate the buildings and urban environments of the future.
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.
Who can apply?
This programme will be particularly suitable for students from architectural, planning, urban design, landscape, real estate or civil engineering backgrounds, although others might also be considered
Application deadlines
- Full-time
- 24 July 2020
- Flexible/Modular
- 28 August 2020
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 17 December 2019