Course description
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.
Special features
- 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 and learning
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)
Coursework and assessment
Course unit details
The MSc in Urban Studies teaches you using a variety of teaching and assessment methods and allows you to tailor your degree choosing from a range of course units. It offers a broad training in urban studies concepts, methods, and theories. 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.
The programme consists of four compulsory course units and four optional course units offered through a range of departments, including business studies, development studies, geography, history, planning, and sociology. You will also complete a dissertation unit of 60 credits, which involves designing, conducting, and producing an independent research project on a topic of your choice related to urban studies.
The compulsory course units are:
- Critical issues in urban studies;
- Researching the city;
- Policy and politics in action in Greater Manchester;
- Global urban future.
Course unit list
The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.
| Title | Code | Credit rating | Mandatory/optional |
|---|---|---|---|
| Urban Studies Dissertation | URBN70000 | 60 | Mandatory |
| Critical Issues in Urban Studies | URBN70001 | 15 | Mandatory |
| Policy Making in Greater Manchester | URBN70011 | 15 | Mandatory |
| Researching the City | URBN70022 | 15 | Mandatory |
| Global Urban Futures | URBN70032 | 15 | Mandatory |
| Place and innovation, from Silicon Valley to Graphene City | BMAN62062 | 15 | Optional |
| Qualitative Research Approaches | EVDV70012 | 15 | Optional |
| Quantitative Research | EVDV70022 | 15 | Optional |
| Energy and the City | GEOG70201 | 15 | Optional |
| Sustainable Urban Mobilities | GEOG70971 | 15 | Optional |
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What our students say
Facilities
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.