International City Planning MSc

London, Bloomsbury

The International City Planning MSc provides a strong international and comparative focus on planning, urban theory and practice. The scope of the programme primarily encompasses Europe, North America, Australia, South Africa and the Far East, and increasingly China and South-East Asia.

UK students International students
Study mode
UK tuition fees (2024/25)
£17,300
£8,650
Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.
Overseas tuition fees (2024/25)
£34,400
£17,200
Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.
Duration
1 calendar year
2 calendar years
5 calendar years
Programme starts
September 2024
Applications accepted
Applicants who require a visa: 16 Oct 2023 – 28 Jun 2024
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Applicants who do not require a visa: 16 Oct 2023 – 30 Aug 2024
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Entry requirements

A minimum of an upper second-class Bachelor's degree from a UK university or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard is required.

The English language level for this programme is: Level 2

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.

Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.

Equivalent qualifications

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. Please note that the equivalency will correspond to the broad UK degree classification stated on this page (e.g. upper second-class). Where a specific overall percentage is required in the UK qualification, the international equivalency will be higher than that stated below. Please contact Graduate Admissions should you require further advice.

About this degree

Students develop an appreciation of planning approaches and systems, alongside an understanding of planning as a culturally specific, context-dependent activity taking different forms in different countries and regions. The programme aims to provide students with a broad range of skills and knowledge in planning and urban theory in a global context while offering them the opportunity to develop a specialisation.

Who this course is for

The programme is intended for students who want an international perspective on planning systems and cultures or are likely to develop careers outside the UK after graduation, in planning or related fields such as housing, urban regeneration, transport planning, and urban design.

What this course will give you

UCL's Bartlett School of Planning has a strong history of teaching and research. The school has been at the forefront of planning research and teaching for nearly 100 years and is one of the foremost planning schools in the United Kingdom, with an international reputation. UCL is ranked #1 in the UK for Construction, Surveying and Planning according to The Guardian Good University Guide 2024.

This MSc programme is fully accredited by the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) and the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).

Based in the heart of London there is much for students to learn from being at the forefront of policy-relevant critical debate, empirical study and research-led teaching. The staff profile is multidisciplinary and teaching staff 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 foundation of your career

Recent graduates of the International City Planning MSc have successfully found employment internationally, across the public sector (overseas local, regional, and central government), the private sector in planning-related consultancies working globally, and international bodies (UN Habitat) and the non-profit sector (NGOs and Community organisations) working locally or globally. Others have continued their professional career in planning-related sectors, specialised for instance in urban regeneration, transport, or housing, also in leading London-based planning and urban design consultancies, UK-based local authorities and government offices, and academic research and teaching.

Employability

International City Planning graduates have been very successful in gaining subsequent employment in various sectors. At present, there is a growing demand for our graduates from a wide range of both public and private employers in the UK and abroad. They are employed in both local and central government internationally, in global planning-related consultancies, as well as in a wide range of other related sectors, such as housing, transport and urban regeneration, as well as in public and private utility companies, teaching and research.

Networking

The Bartlett School of Planning and UCL's dedicated Careers Network are here to assist you in exploring your career options, gaining valuable skills and experience, and guiding you through the job application process. You will be given the opportunity to participate in various events and training tailored to your industry, such as alumni and industry insight panels, career taster sessions, masterclasses, careers fairs and more.

Accreditation

Successfully completing the International City Planning MSc (as a full MSc rather than a PG Diploma*) will make you eligible for ‘licentiate’ membership of the RTPI and RICS.

Teaching and learning

The programme offers a multi-disciplinary education that intersects various disciplines from urban planning, and urban design, to sociology and economics, more in general, but also studies on governance, regeneration, housing, infrastructure, smart city, or heritage, as specialisation. To this end, the programme encompasses a multiplicity of teaching and learning methods, including lectures, seminars and tutorials, project work and field study visits, a field trip outside the UK, culminating with the preparation of a dissertation, as an independent research study. The combination of individual-work and group-work is designed to develop a broad range of planning and design-relevant skills and knowledge, founded in principles of comparative study, as well as a path towards specialisation, and/or pursue a research career. It is a principle- and theory-driven programme which gives students both conceptual understanding, and the skills needed to tackle practical problems 

The programme is delivered through a combination of individual and group project work, skills-based practical and IT work, traditional lectures, tutorials and seminars, field trips and direct practitioner involvement. Student performance is assessed through individual and group work, essays, examination, and skills-based practical work.

For full-time students, typical contact hours are around 12 hours per week, supplemented by 24 hours of self-directed study.

Modules

Full-time study takes place over 1 year.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.

The programme consists of six core modules (90 credits), two elective specialist modules (30 credits) and a research dissertation (60 credits).

Part-time study takes place over 2 years.

Students undertake a total of 60 credits in their first year, consisting of four 15 credit taught modules (BPLN0038, BPLN0040, BPLN0042, BPLN0046). Students take the remaining 120 credits in their second year, consisting of the 30-credit BPLN0002 module, as well as their two linked 15 credit specialism modules and the dissertation (BPLN0039).

Modular/flexible study takes place over no more than 5 years.

The structure will be discussed between the student and the programme director dependent how long they wish to study for, but would usually start with module BPLN0038 in the first year and finish with the dissertation (BPLN0039) in the last 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 are subject to change. Modules that are in use for the current academic year are linked for further information. Where no link is present, further information is not yet available.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits. Upon successful completion of 180 credits, you will be awarded an MSc in International City Planning.

Fieldwork

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 visas, meals and other personal expenses.

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 and Wellbeing team.

Online - Open day

Graduate Open Events: School of Planning

Whether your ambition is to design better buildings, plan better cities, build sustainable communities or help meet the challenge of climate change, The Bartlett Faculty of the Built Environment could be a big step towards it. Join this session to learn about the master's courses offered by our School of Planning.

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Full-time Part-time
Tuition fees (2024/25) £17,300 £8,650
Tuition fees (2024/25) £34,400 £17,200

Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.

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. The cost of the field trip (flights and accommodation) will be covered by UCL.

For more information on additional costs for prospective students please go to our estimated cost of essential expenditure at Accommodation and living costs.

Funding your studies

UCL offers a range of financial awards aimed at assisting both prospective and current students with their studies.

In our faculty, The Bartlett Promise Scholarship aims to enable students from backgrounds underrepresented in the built environment to pursue master's studies. Please see the UK Master's scholarship and Sub-Saharan Africa Master's scholarship pages for more information on eligibility criteria, selection process and FAQs.

Any additional funding available from the Bartlett School of Planning and the Built Environment Faculty Office are advertised on the respective websites.

For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website.

Bartlett Promise Sub-Saharan Africa Masters Scholarship

Deadline: 3 April 2024
Value: Fees, stipend and other allowances (Duration of programme)
Criteria Based on financial need
Eligibility: EU, Overseas

Bartlett Promise UK Master's Scholarship

Deadline: 31 May 2024
Value: Tuition fees plus £15,364 maintenance/yr (Duration of programme)
Criteria Based on financial need
Eligibility: UK

Next steps

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.

When we assess your application we would like to learn:

  • why you want to study International City Planning at graduate level
  • why you want to study International City Planning at UCL
  • what particularly attracts you to the chosen programme
  • how your academic and professional background meets the demands of this challenging 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.

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate programmes (or one application for the Law LLM) in any application cycle.

Choose your programme

Please read the Application Guidance before proceeding with your application.

Year of entry: 2024-2025

Got questions? Get in touch

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