Fees and funding

Fees

For entry in the academic year beginning September 2027, the tuition fees are as follows:

  • MSc (full-time)
    UK students (per annum): £14,900
    International, including EU, students (per annum): £32,000

The fees quoted above are fully inclusive of tuition, administration and computational costs.

Fees for entry are subject to yearly review. The University reserves the right to increase your tuition fee by up to 7% each year for courses lasting more than one year, including to reflect rising costs associated with delivering our educational and wider student experience. Postgraduate fees information .

Always contact the admissions team if you are unsure which fee applies to your qualification award and method of attendance.

International student CAS deposit

Self-funded international applicants are required to pay a deposit of £2500 towards their tuition fees before a confirmation of acceptance for studies (CAS) is issued. Some applicants will be required to pay a higher deposit. More information on tuition fee deposits .

Policy on additional costs

All students should normally be able to complete their programme of study without incurring additional study costs over and above the tuition fee for that programme. Any unavoidable additional compulsory costs totalling more than 1% of the annual home undergraduate fee per annum, regardless of whether the programme in question is undergraduate or postgraduate taught, will be made clear to you at the point of application. Further information can be found in the University's Policy on additional costs incurred by students on undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes (PDF document, 91KB).

Scholarships/sponsorships

We know that student finance can be complicated. The links below provide further information to help guide you.

Course unit details:
International Urban Design

Course unit fact file
Unit code PLAN60491
Credit rating 15
Unit level FHEQ level 7 – master's degree or fourth year of an integrated master's degree
Teaching period(s) Semester 2
Offered by Planning, Property and Environmental Management
Available as a free choice unit? No

Overview

This course unit aims to introduce students to how cities have developed and evolved on the global stage, providing a critical analysis of the key urban design theories that underpin the discipline and how they influence practice. The course will get students to think critically about the current and emerging challenges that face urban design both locally and internationally in different urban environments, introducing best practice examples from across the world. 

 

Aims

This course aims to:
• Develop an understanding of the historic and contemporary origins of a range of urban design concepts at the city level
• Consider the wider global and local challenges which urban design theory and practice must respond to, exploring real world international examples
• Understand the importance of local context within urban design practice and how that influences the translation of global urban design knowledge in a city
• Strategically think about emerging international urban design issues and the future role of the city
 

 

Teaching and learning methods

1. Lectures: Lectures will tackle 4 main themes a) Understanding the City- introducing the role of the global city and how urban form has developed over time; b) Towards an Urban Design Agenda- discussing the birth of the urban design discipline and the key theories/theorists influencing our understanding of cities; c) Key Issues in Urban Design- discussing challenges facing cities and urban design practice both locally and globally; d) Urban Design Futures – a critical reflection on the emerging issues in urban design and how cities might be improved through successful design interventions.

2. Seminars: The seminars are designed to engage students with, and explore, key issues/ideas related to international urban design case studies. Students will be exposed to a range of urban design concepts stemming from different built environments around the world and will develop knowledge of international best practice, gaining an appreciation of the benefits and problems of global urban design homogenisation practices.

3. E-Learning: The VLE will be used to engage students outside of the lecture hall with e-lectures and case study materials linking to best practice urban design examples and current global urban developments of interest.
 

 

Knowledge and understanding

  • Understand historical precedence in the design of cities, differentiating between different urban patterns and recognising key periods a city’s development.
  • Critically evaluate the ways in which urban design concepts are developed, adopted, and translated internationally
  • Be familiar with the challenges facing urban design and how global cities have addressed these and their own unique circumstances through urban design practices;
  • Develop comparative evaluation, discussion, writing, critical thinking, and design skills through seminars, essays, design critique, crits, and graphical analysis/representation
     

Intellectual skills

  • To apply urban design theory in real world examples
  • To understand principles of city analysis
  • To be competent in urban design presentation techniques
     

Practical skills

  • Design skills and drawing; city analysis techniques
  • Use of IT software to present in a professional manner

Transferable skills and personal qualities

  • Use of Adobe Creative Suite and other software to present ideas and concepts
     

Assessment methods

City Report Structure/Outline - 5 presentation slides (equivalent to 500 words) - 15% weighting

Urban Design (Visual) City Report  - 2500 words - 85% weighting

Feedback methods

Students will select the city that forms basis of Assignment report in Week 3 and receive immediate feedback with opportunity o book one on one session with Academic to assist in selection and rationale.

Week 9 allows for Report structure/outline feedback through TurnItIn with written feedback provided

Final assignment will have written feedback presented via TurnItIn
 

Recommended reading

  • Urban Design Group, Graphics for Urban Design 711.4/M446
  • English Partnerships Urban Design Compendium 729/E3 – also available online
  • Carmona, M. (2010). Public places-urban spaces. Routledge, London.
  • Carmona M & Tiesdell S Urban Design Reader 771.4 C374
  • Cuthbert, A. R. (2003). Designing cities: critical readings in urban design. Blackwell Pub.
  • Kostof S, The City Shaped and The City Assembled 711.4/K240
  • Le Gates, R. and Stout, F. (1996) ‘The City Reader’ 711.4/L443
  • Loew, S. (2012). Urban design practice: An international review. Newcastle-uponTyne: RIBA Publishing.
  • Lynch, K. (1960). The image of the city. the MIT Press, Cambridge, MA.
  • Moor M & Rowland J Urban Design Futures 711.4/M442

Study hours

Scheduled activity hours
Lectures 20
Seminars 10
Independent study hours
Independent study 120

Teaching staff

Staff member Role
Philip Black Unit coordinator

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