the United Kingdom
Heriot-Watt University| The award | How you will study | Study duration | Course start | Domestic course fees | International course fees |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MSc, Postgraduate Diploma | Full-time, Part-time, Distance | find out | September, January | GBP 5360 | GBP 14520 |
Planning guides the future development and use of land. It is about where development should happen, where it should not and how it affects the quality of our surroundings. Urban and regional planning strives to design and deliver equitable, inclusive and sustainable communities where people can live, work and enjoy their leisure time. This involves promoting and facilitating development while
protecting and enhancing the natural and built environment.
Our Urban and Regional Planning degree is designed to equip you with the knowledge and practical skills needed to work as a professional planner. You will develop the ability to ask the right questions and find creative solutions to the challenges facing communities and the built environment.
Flexible study options
This course can be studied full-time, part-time or via Independent Distance Learning (IDL), ideal for those in employment or with other commitments, providing flexible study options that fit around work or family.
Mode of studyDurationStart date Full-time 1 year September Part-time 2 years September Independent Distance Learning (IDL) 2-7 years* January/September*On average, our Diploma courses studied via IDL are completed in 2-3 years, while the MSc is completed in 2.5-7 years. Most students intend to complete their studies via IDL within 2-3 years.
Career opportunities
This course equips you with the knowledge and skills to work as a professional planner. Our strong links to practitioners and employers are a vital part of developing these skills as well as your network of connections.
Students have the opportunity to engage with industry through guest lecturers, site visits and on research and coursework projects:
Industry links
This course is delivered by the Royal Academy of Engineering Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Building Design. One of only four Centres established at UK universities and the only one in Scotland, forming a national network to demonstrate and exchange best practice in teaching and research for the sustainable built environment.
Our students and graduates
6 months after graduation in 2016, 100% of students surveyed from MSc Urban and Regional Planning have secured graduate level jobs across the UK, German and Nigeria.
Employers include:
Hear from some of our graduates:
Accreditation
This course is accredited by the Royal Town Planning Institute which offers excellence links with local employers through their Partnership Board.
* If you are unsure which category you fall in to, you should complete a fee status enquiry form, which allows us to assess your fees.
Additional fees information
**Students pay £1185 per course and £1690 for the Dissertation.
This course consists of 8 modules with MSc students also required to submit a Masters dissertation.
For questions about IDL fees, please contact our Distance Learning Office: [email protected]
Scholarships and bursaries
We aim to encourage well-qualified, ambitious students to study with us and we offer a wide variety of scholarships and bursaries to achieve this. Over £6 million worth of opportunities are available in fee and stipend scholarships, and more than 400 students benefit from this support.
View our full range of postgraduate taught scholarships.
Masters (MSc) level entry applicants must have:
Corporate (or chartered) membership of relevant professional institutions will also be considered.
PG Diploma level entry applicants must have:
Candidates who do not meet the above entry requirements or have no formal academic qualifications will be considered individually based on their CV and interview. Admission via this route will be at the discretion of the Director of Admissions and the number of successful applicants will be restricted.
Recognition of Prior Learning
Heriot-Watt University is committed to providing opportunities to applicants who have a wide range of prior experiences through Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). Prior learning at postgraduate level is normally recognised to gain exemption from individual modules within a course based on an existing academic qualification. Note that the prior learning must have been rated at the level of the modules for which RPL is sought, yet credits from an award already held by an applicant can only contribute to a higher award in the same discipline, e.g. from PG Diploma to MSc. If you believe that you qualify for RPL, please contact the Learning & Teaching Support Team via [email protected], who will guide you through the RPL application procedure.
The school will only consider students' requests for RPL at the time of application for their programme of study.
English language requirements
If English is not the applicant's first language a minimum of IELTS 6.5 or equivalent is required with all elements passed at 6.0 or above.
Applicants who have previously successfully completed courses delivered in the medium of English language may be considered and will be required to provide documentary evidence of this. Examples would be secondary school education or undergraduate degree. A minimum of at least one year of full time study (or equivalent) in the medium of English language will be required.
We offer a range of English language courses to help you meet the English language requirement prior to starting your masters programme:
Distance learning students
Please note that independent distance learning students who access their studies online will be expected to have access to a PC/laptop and internet.
Distance learning students can choose to start their studies in January or September. The January intake is not available to students studying on-campus.
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Find out more about studying in the United Kingdom
As an international student you may require a valid visa to study at Heriot-Watt University. Read more about the requirements in our Guide to the United Kingdom International Student Visa Requirements.
