MSc Urban Studies

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Please submit the following documents with your completed application form:

• copies of English Language Certification, eg IELTS, TOEFL or Pearson test score report;
• copies of official degree certificates and transcripts of your previous study, showing the subjects taken and grades obtained.  If  these documents are in languages other than English, please provide official translations;
• your CV.

Ensure that you enclose all the necessary documents to avoid any delays.

Staged admissions process

As there is a high demand for our courses, we operate a staged admissions process with selection deadlines throughout the year.

Due to the competition for places and high quality of applications that we receive, we give preference to students from high-ranking institutions and with grades above our minimum entry requirements.

Please ensure you submit all supporting documentation with your application before the application deadline to avoid a delay in processing.

• Stage 1: Application received by 08 December 2023 ; Application update by 22 February 2024

• Stage 2: Application received by 03 March 2024 ; Application update by 25 April 2024

• Stage 3: Application received by 05 May 2024 ; Application update by 08 June 2024

• Stage 4: Application received by 01 July 2024 ; Application update by 25 July 2024

While we aim to give you a decision on your application by the deadline date, in some instances due to the competition for places and the volume of applications received, it may be necessary to roll your application forward to the next deadline date.

Applications received after our final selection deadline will be considered at our discretion if places are still available.

Please note, all places are subject to availability and if you apply at one of the later stages, some courses may already be reaching capacity or be closed to further applications. We, therefore, recommend that you apply early in the cycle to avoid disappointment.

As the proportion of the world’s population living in urban areas continues to grow, so do the challenges to secure an inclusive, just and sustainable set of futures. These challenges ask questions of traditional academic disciplines, such as anthropology, architecture, business studies, economics, geography, history, political science and sociology – solving these challenges is behind any single discipline. Instead, drawing upon concepts and methods from across these disciplines, the MSc in Urban Studies provides a sophisticated analysis and understanding of urbanisation. This interdisciplinary programme brings together a diverse set of analytic tools, research methods, and theories to better understanding how cities are confronting these challenges . 

This programme seeks students who care about the global urban world.  You will be committed, engaged, and informed about the current and future challenges facing cities across the planet.  Likely, with an undergraduate background in anthropology, geography, planning, political science or sociology, we also recognise that some applications might also have relevant life experience, and this is something we will value.

• Benefit from the interdisciplinary nature of urban studies as a field of academic research, education, and policy and practice.
• Have the flexibility to combine and mix optional course units from a range of disciplines. 
• Develop the knowledge, understanding and skills necessary for employment as a researcher or as a practitioner in urban studies, or for progression to postgraduate research in urban studies, including initiative, independent learning, personal responsibility, and decision-making in complex situations.  
• Study at a University home to world-class researchers and the Manchester Urban Institute (MUI).

Teaching occurs through lectures and seminars, meaning you will benefit from small and large group learning environments. Assessment happens through a range of individual and group presentational and written formats, enabling you to develop a wide range of skills, such as critical analysis and rigorous theoretical engagement, communication skills, creative presentations and information dissemination techniques, and more.

Those delivering the compulsory course units include:

• Dr Caitlin Henry (Lecturer in Human Geography)
• Prof Deljana Iossifova (Architecture)
• Prof Kevin Ward (Geography)
• Prof Cecilia Wong (Planning and Environmental Management)
• Dr Yawei Zhao (Geography)

Course units involve a range of formative and summative assessments, including individual and group work, oral presentations and long essays, project work and reports. The design of coursework allows you to pursue your particular areas of interest within urban studies.  In the summer semester, you work independently but in a supported manner, to undertake dissertation work based on primary and/or secondary data, or else a more philosophical/theoretical dissertation. 

Find out how our students feel about studying at The University of Manchester in Student Spotlights .

By bringing together work from across the arts and humanities, the social sciences, business and health, the MUI is committed to an increased understanding of the global urban condition and is positioning The University of Manchester as one of the leading global locations for urban research, with a combined and comparative focus on both the Global North and Global South.

The University's Main Library is the largest university library system in the UK apart from the copyright libraries and has a number of different working spaces. It is home to the University Map Collection, which comprises about 100,000 map sheets of every part of the world.

This programme brings together a diverse set of analytical tools, research methods, and theories to better understand how cities are confronting the challenges to securing an inclusive, just and sustainable set of futures. By studying this MSc, you will not only gain an understanding of key concepts and theories in the interdisciplinary field of urban studies, but also develop a range of intellectual, practical and transferable skills to proceed into your chosen career path.

Studying MSc Urban Studies provides opportunities to draw upon a range of interrelated disciplines, including geography, planning, sociology, political science, architecture, anthropology and more. You will therefore develop the knowledge, understanding and skills necessary for employment as researcher or practitioner in urban studies, or for progression to post-graduate research in urban studies, including initiative, independent learning, personal responsibility, and decision-making in complex situations.

Careers support

The University has its own dedicated Careers Service  that you would have full access to as a student and for two years after you graduate. At Manchester, you will have access to a number of opportunities to help boost your employability.

Careers support for international students 

The Careers Service provide specialist resources, advice and events for international students to help with career planning and making the most of your time while studying in Manchester. 

• Working in the UK after study
• Working during study
• Professional and alumni networks for international students 

Global networks 

The University of Manchester is proud to have the largest global alumni community of any campus-based university in the UK.

International alumni groups are a great way to keep in touch with fellow Manchester graduates in your country. It is an opportunity to build professional and social networks.