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Sustainable Urbanism MSc

London, Bloomsbury

Sustainable Urbanism MSc brings together urban sustainability theory, policy and design to tackle the impact of rapid urbanisation on the environment and society. This urban planning master’s degree is designed to teach you the multidisciplinary skills and knowledge ready for a career in the built environment focussing on urban sustainability or sustainable development.

UK students International students
Study mode
UK tuition fees (2025/26)
£18,400
£9,200
Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.
Overseas tuition fees (2025/26)
£36,500
£18,250
Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.
Duration
1 academic year
2 academic years
5 academic years
Programme starts
September 2025
Applications accepted
Applicants who require a visa: 14 Oct 2024 – 27 Jun 2025
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Applicants who do not require a visa: 14 Oct 2024 – 29 Aug 2025
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Apply for this course

Entry requirements

Normally a minimum of an upper second-class Bachelor's degree (or higher) from a UK university or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard. There is no particular subject requirement as the MSc provides an 'initial' planning education for graduates with cognate or non-cognate degrees. Where candidates fail to meet the standard requirement (i.e. they hold a degree of a lower classification), the department will take into account professional experience in planning or a related field when deciding whether to admit a candidate. Applicants who do not hold a first degree may, in exceptional cases, be admitted to the programme if they are able to demonstrate considerable senior-level professional experience in planning or a related field. In such situations, a special qualifying essay will be set

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

Sustainable Urbanism MSc teaches you the skills and knowledge to build your career tackling sustainability challenges in urban environments. The degree explores the multiple challenges posed by urbanisation today, by bringing together sustainable urban development theory and practice to advance future sustainability of our towns and cities.

You will gain an understanding of sustainable urbanism research themes, critically analysing the latest thinking and debates in sustainable development. By exploring urban case studies from around the world you will explore the tensions and synergies between the institutional, environmental, social and economic objectives of sustainability. We draw from multiple disciplinary perspectives including urban planning geography, ecology, urban design and sociology to give you a holistic understanding of sustainability in urban environments. Through hands-on project work you will gain a practical understanding of the delivery of sustainable urbanism by engaging with plans and designs.

During your degree you will:

  • Gain the conceptual knowledge and technical skills ready for a career creating sustainable urban environments.
  • Gain hands-on experience through the project-based module, learning to apply sustainability models and concepts to an existing large-scale site, guiding the development of a sustainable and long-term spatial strategy.
  • Put theory into practice by engaging with real built environment sustainability issues during a residential field trip and site visits.
  • Pursue your own interests, choosing elective modules from across UCL, or specialist urban planning modules.
  • Undertake your own original research, writing a dissertation on a specialist topic of your choice.
  • Benefit from a research-led education, guided by experts from UCL’s Bartlett School of Planning, who are actively shaping sustainable urbanism in research, policy and industry.
  • Gain a degree fully accredited by both the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI).

Who this course is for

This course is designed for those looking to specialise in sustainability in urban environments. This could be urban professionals from a range of fields (such as planning, property, design, landscape, and transport), or graduates completing their initial professional training. We are particularly enthusiastic about supporting applicants with a demonstrable interest in gaining an understanding of sustainable processes and practices. 

Read about what it takes to study for a Master's at UCL

What this course will give you

World-class, research-led education
Our school has been at the forefront of planning research and teaching for more than 100 years. We are home to urban experts whose research is shaping sustainable urbanism in academia, policy and industry. Our faculty, The Bartlett, is ranked #1 for Built Environment studies in the world (QS World University Rankings 2024). The Bartlett is also where the UK’s most ‘World Leading’ and ‘Internationally Excellent’ built environment research is undertaken (REF 2021).

Immerse yourself in London
London the best city for students in the world (QS Best Student Cities 2025). With our campus located in the heart of this ever evolving city, you are surrounded by unique opportunities to study the complexities of sustainability in the built environment.

Build your career in planning
Through hands-on teaching and learning, field trips and site visits you will gain the skills and knowledge required to excel in your future job. From enrolment, through to three years after graduating you can also access UCL’s Careers Service to support you in finding the right path for your career ambitions.

Read about what you'll get out of a graduate programme

The foundation of your career

There is a growing demand for master’s graduates with specialist knowledge in sustainability from a wide range of both public and private employers around the world. 95% of graduates from The Bartlett School of Planning are in employment or further study within 15 months of further study (HESA Graduate Outcomes Survey).

They are now working in 44 countries around the world in careers across: 

  • Local government and central government
  • Planning, Engineering and Architecture firms
  • Planning and urban design consultancies
  • Urban regeneration and environmental agencies
  • Housing and transport sectors
  • Public and private utility companies
  • Academia

Employers of Sustainable Urbanism MSc graduates include Jones Lang Lasalle (JLL), Aecom, Department for Transport, Future of London, Oxford City Council Urban City Planning Research Centre, Beijing Institute for Architecture and Design and more.

Employability

You will gain many transferable skills required to build your career tackling sustainability challenges in urban environments. These include:

  • Systems thinking
  • Critical thinking
  • Urban design skills
  • Graphic skills
  • Professional report writing
  • Presentation skills
  • Numerical skills related to sustainable urbanism

Working with dedicated specialists in UCL's Careers Service and our careers specialist in The Bartlett School of Planning. We support you in exploring your options, gaining valuable skills and experience, demonstrating your hands-on experience and guiding you through the job application process. 

Networking

Throughout your degree you will have opportunities for networking with academics, practitioners, and others who share an interest in sustainable urbanism. Beyond networking through the course, The Bartlett School of planning regularly host public events and co-design workshops throughout the academic year.

The Bartlett School of Planning and UCL’s dedicated Careers Network are here to assist you in exploring your career options. You will be given the opportunity to participate in various events and training tailored to planning and the built environment, such as alumni and industry insight panels, career taster sessions, masterclasses, careers fairs and more.

Accreditation

Successfully completing the Sustainable Urbanism MSc will make you eligible for graduate membership of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). If you hold an Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) accredited undergraduate degree then successfully completing the Sustainable Urbanism MSc will make you eligible for 'licentiate' membership of the RTPI.

Learn more about urban planning degree accreditation ►

Teaching and learning

At UCL’s Bartlett School of Planning we teach through engaged and interactive learning. Alongside lectures, seminars and tutorials we include field trips, group project work, presentations and individual assessments. We also have significant input from industry experts and external contributors. These diverse approaches to teaching and learning are developed to enhance your experience on the Sustainable Urbanism MSc.

Throughout the academic year you will undertake assessments including individual and group work, essays, examination, skills-based practical work, and the personal project.

In terms 1 and 2 as a full-time student you can typically expect between 8 and 15 contact hours per teaching week through lectures, workshops and tutorials. In term 3 you will be completing your own dissertation research, keeping regular contact with their dissertation supervisors. Outside of lectures full-time students typically study the equivalent of a full-time job, using their remaining time for self-directed study and completing coursework assignments.

Modules

You will undertake modules consisting of five compulsory modules, elective module(s) and a research project/dissertation.

The Sustainable Urbanism MSc is organised around three core themes: 

  • Sustainable thinking 
  • Sustainable places
  • Delivering sustainability.

Each theme includes 30 credits worth of modules, the first being theoretical or lecture-based and the second being practical or project-based. The compulsory modules are:

  • Sustainable Property: Valuation, Investment, Development
  • Dissertation in Planning
  • Urban Design: Place Making
  • Critical Debates in Sustainable Urbanism
  • Sustainable Urban Development: Key Themes
  • Sustainable Urban Development: Project

Two further elective 15 credit modules are chosen from The Bartlett or wider UCL. The Bartlett School of Planning offers a suite of urban planning related elective modules, subject to availability each year. The themes of these specialist modules are:

  • Infrastructure Planning
  • Investigating Urban Transformation in Historic Cities
  • Planning for Housing
  • Planning for Sustainability, Climate Change and Inclusion
  • Planning for Urban Design
  • Smart City Theory and Practice
  • Sustainable Development Themes and Goals
  • Urban Regeneration

The course is completed with a 60-credit dissertation or major research project exploring your own interests within sustainable urbanism.

As a part-time student you will typically take your seven taught modules over a period of two years (four teaching terms) and will complete your dissertation/major research project in term three at the end of your second year.

You will undertake modules consisting of five compulsory modules, two elective module(s) and a research project/dissertation.

The Sustainable Urbanism MSc is organised around three core themes:

  • Sustainable thinking 
  • Sustainable places
  • Delivering sustainability.

Each theme includes 30 credits worth of modules, the first being theoretical or lecture-based and the second being practical or project-based. The compulsory modules are:

  • Sustainable Property: Valuation, Investment, Development
  • Dissertation in Planning
  • Urban Design: Place Making
  • Critical Debates in Sustainable Urbanism
  • Sustainable Urban Development: Key Themes
  • Sustainable Urban Development: Project

Two further elective 15 credit modules are chosen from The Bartlett or wider UCL. The Bartlett School of Planning offers a suite of urban planning related elective modules, subject to availability each year. The themes of these specialist modules are: 

  • Infrastructure Planning 
  • Investigating Urban Transformation in Historic Cities 
  • Planning for Housing 
  • Planning for Sustainability, Climate Change and Inclusion 
  • Planning for Urban Design 
  • Smart City Theory and Practice 
  • Sustainable Development Themes and Goals 
  • Urban Regeneration

The course is completed with a 60-credit dissertation or major research project exploring your own interests within sustainable urbanism.

Modular/flexible students can take their seven modules during term time and after completing these will move to their dissertation research. The modular/flexible approach can be completed in 2-5 years.

You will undertake modules consisting of five compulsory modules, two elective module(s) and a research project/dissertation.

The Sustainable Urbanism MSc is organised around three core themes: 

  • Sustainable thinking 
  • Sustainable places
  • Delivering sustainability.

Each theme includes 30 credits worth of modules, the first being theoretical or lecture-based and the second being practical or project-based. The compulsory modules are:

  • Sustainable Property: Valuation, Investment, Development
  • Dissertation in Planning
  • Urban Design: Place Making
  • Critical Debates in Sustainable Urbanism
  • Sustainable Urban Development: Key Themes
  • Sustainable Urban Development: Project

Two further elective 15 credit modules are chosen from The Bartlett or wider UCL. The Bartlett School of Planning offers a suite of urban planning related elective modules, subject to availability each year. The themes of these specialist modules are: 

  • Infrastructure Planning 
  • Investigating Urban Transformation in Historic Cities 
  • Planning for Housing 
  • Planning for Sustainability, Climate Change and Inclusion 
  • Planning for Urban Design 
  • Smart City Theory and Practice 
  • Sustainable Development Themes and Goals 
  • Urban Regeneration.

Compulsory modules








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 Sustainable Urbanism.

Fieldwork

The Sustainable Urbanism MSc includes a residential field trip where we explore themes that are relevant to the course throughout different contexts. This field trip offers our students an opportunity to consider built environment issues in real world settings and network within the community of the course. The cost of travel and accommodation for the field trip are covered by UCL although students will need to cover meals and other personal 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 and Wellbeing Services team.

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Full-time Part-time
Tuition fees (2025/26) £18,400 £9,200
Tuition fees (2025/26) £36,500 £18,250

Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.

The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Fees for subsequent years may increase or otherwise vary. Where the programme is offered on a flexible/modular basis, fees are charged pro-rata to the appropriate full-time Master's fee taken in an academic session. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website: ucl.ac.uk/students/fees.

Additional costs

For Full-time and Part-time offer holders a fee deposit will be charged at 10% of the first year fee.

For flexible/modular offer holders a £500 fee deposit will be charged.

Further information can be found in the Tuition fee deposits section on this page: Tuition fees.

This course includes one field trip. Travel and accommodation (including breakfast) for the trip will be covered by UCL, however students will need to cover the costs for visas, other daily meals and any other personal expenses. The exact costs will depend on the location and prevailing exchange rates; however, it is estimated that students would need to budget between £200 and £300.

During the course we will also attend site visits across London. Students will need to pay for their own transport to sites. Based on visits last year you should expect to budget up to £60 across the year to access sites by public transport. Sites are always within the TFL travel zones, and full-time students should be able to benefit from a student Oyster card for slightly discounted travel rates.

UCL’s main teaching locations are in zones 1 (Bloomsbury) and zones 2/3 (UCL East). The cost of a monthly 18+ Oyster travel card for zones 1-2 is £114.50. This price was published by TfL in 2024. For more information on additional costs for prospective students and the cost of living in London, please view our estimated cost of essential expenditure at UCL's cost of living guide.

Funding your 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.

We have given an overview of other funding options you may be eligible for on The Bartlett School of Planning and The Bartlett 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.

See all the ways you can fund your studies

Bartlett Promise Sub-Saharan Africa Masters Scholarship

Deadline: 28 March 2025
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 2025
Value: Tuition fees plus £15,864 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.

There is an application processing fee for this programme of £90 for online applications. Further information can be found at Application fees.

When we assess your application we would like to learn:

  • why you want to study Sustainable Urbanism at graduate level
  • why you want to study Sustainable Urbanism 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.

To support you in the application process we have written a guide on writing a personal statement for an urban planning degree. 

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: 2025-2026

Apply for this course

Got questions? Get in touch

Bartlett School of Planning
Bartlett School of Planning

bsp.pgt@ucl.ac.uk

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