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Spatial Planning, PG Dip

Newcastle University, the United Kingdom

Newcastle University

Study options for this course

The award How you will study Study duration Course start Domestic course fees International course fees
PG DipFull-time9 monthsfind outfind outfind out
PG DipPart-time21 monthsfind outfind outfind out

About Spatial Planning, PG Dip - at Newcastle University

Our Spatial Planning PGDip gives you the academic and professional core knowledge, understanding and skills to enable you to practise professionally as a town and country planner.

Planning is about understanding places and place making. This ensures that we can achieve the best social, economic and environmental outcomes. We offer a friendly and supportive environment for you to make the transition towards a career in:

  • planning 
  • wider built environment professions

Through our high quality research and teaching we provide you with a complete planning education:

  • academic core knowledge
  • understanding
  • skills

This equips you to embark on your professional planning career. You will be able to apply your planning knowledge and deal with the rapidly changing context of real world planning and the problem solving this requires.

The course is a conversion degree so you do not need to have studied planning before. It is for anyone with an interest in planning - thinking about how people, places and the environment interact. The course attracts students from a range of backgrounds and nationalities.

Delivery

Leading planning academics teach our modules. They are members of planning teaching staff in the School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape. Their world-leading research informs the teaching programme.

We teach the course on our Newcastle campus. You can study full time over 9 months or part time over 21 months.

If you study full time you are usually expected to attend 12 hours of taught contact time per week. You will need to allow around 28 hours of independent study per week. Contact hours and independent study times will vary depending on modules.

Part time study consists of the same modules and options as the full time programme. If you study part time, we timetable teaching for day release (one full day per week).

The majority of the course consists of a series of compulsory modules. They will introduce you to the core values and principles of planning. You will build on these throughout the rest of your studies and professional life. The main focus of these modules is the UK system complemented by international examples.

You will also have a choice of optional modules. These help you to develop a specialisation in planning practice informed by the latest research.

We deliver knowledge and skills through a series of lecture-based modules in semester one and two. We also deliver teaching through:

  • workshops
  • seminars
  • tutorials 
  • optional international field trips (depending on the module)

Accreditation

This course has partial (spatial) accreditation from the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI). The RTPI is the UK's leading planning body for spatial, sustainable and inclusive planning. It is the largest planning institute in Europe with over 23,000 members.

Facilities

You will have access to a dedicated social space for planning students, with computing and printing facilities. This is in the School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape.

    How to Apply

    Use our Applicant Portal to apply for your course. We have a step-by-step guide to help you.

    Start dates

    The course starts in September. There is no application closing date for this course.

    We suggest international students apply at least two months before the course starts. This is so that you have enough time to make the necessary arrangements.

    Deposit

    If you live outside the UK/EU you must:

    • pay a deposit of £1,500
    • or submit an official letter of sponsorship

    The deposit is payable after you receive an offer to study at Newcastle University. The deposit is non-refundable, but is deducted from your tuition fees when you register.

    Notes about fees for this course

    See our course fees and funding webpage - http://www.ncl.ac.uk/postgraduate/courses/degrees/spatial-planning-pgdip/#fees&funding

    Entry requirements

    A 2:2 honours degree. International students need a qualification equal to a 2:1 honours degree. Your degree can be in any subject, but preference is given to graduates of a related discipline such as:

    • planning
    • geography
    • urban studies
    • sociology
    • history
    • politics
    • economics
    • architecture
    • law
    • modern languages

    Applicants who demonstrate significant knowledge and professional experience in UK town planning are welcome. We will consider your application if you have lower or non-standard qualifications and demonstrate aptitude for further study.

    International Students

    To study this course you need to meet our Band 4 English Language requirements:

    Direct Entry: IELTS 6.5 overall (with 6.5 in writing and a minimum of 5.5 in all other sub-skills

    If you have lower English Language scores, you may be accepted onto a pre-sessional English course. 

    Our typical English Language requirements are listed as IELTS scores but we also accept a wide range of English Language tests.

    The equivalent academic qualifications that we accept are listed on our country pages.

    Pre-sessional English Course Requirements

    • 6 week Pre-sessional entry: IELTS 6.0 overall (with 6.5 in writing and a minimum of 5.5 in all other sub-skills)     
    • 10 week Pre-sessional entry: IELTS 6.0 overall (with 6.0 in writing and a minimum of 5.5 in all other sub-skills)

    You can study a pre-sessional English course at our INTO Newcastle Centre.

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