MSc Transport and Urban Planning

If you’re considering a master’s at Manchester, there are a range of ways you can connect with us to find out more.

• Taught master's information sessions
• Taught master's guided campus visits
• Study fairs in the UK
• Education fairs overseas

For more information, see our page on meeting us .

Apply online

Please submit the following documents with your completed application form:

• copies of English Language Certification, such as IELTS, TOEFL or Pearson test score report. Applications without an English language qualification may initially be placed on a waiting list;
• 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 delays in processing your application.

The MSc Transport and Urban Planning is a unique course that brings together two interconnected disciplines, breaking intellectual discourse and practice boundaries typically encountered in both academic and professional settings. It takes an integrated and cross-disciplinary approach to critically examine, understand and address the grand challenges cities and their transport systems face today and in the future. The programme is research-led and practice-oriented and designed to equip you with knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to make a significant contribution to tackling the global challenge of creating towns and cities with better and fairer accessibility and more equitable and sustainable mobility.

You will be exposed to the latest thinking and debates in sustainable place-making, sustainable transport and mobility and complex systems analysis, and build a solid foundation to effectively function as transport and planning practitioners in various international contexts, for public, private and third sector organisations. With the transdisciplinary view of transport and spatial planning, and the strong global perspective you will develop, you will be able to work in project teams dealing with complex urban systems interventions in different planning and socio-economic contexts, and at multiple scales (neighbourhood, city, regional and global). You will develop the ability to think critically and enact solutions to help create more sustainable, efficient, and liveable urban environments with equitable transport systems.

This course is aimed at candidates interested in interdisciplinary work. Prospective students may come from diverse backgrounds, including transport planning, engineering, urban planning, or geography. The programme is well-suited for graduates aiming to pursue careers in either the transport planning or urban planning sectors, both within the UK and internationally, and across public, private, or civil society organizations.

The course is taught by world-leading researchers, including but not limited to:

• Ransford Antwi Acheampong (Dr.) : Future transport and mobility with a focus on Urban impacts of new and emerging transport technologies and associated mobility services; Transport integration (policy and technical dimensions); Transport service co-location and mobility hubs planning; Urban forms and transport systems interactions; Transport decarbonization and sustainability.
• Nuno Pinto (Dr.) : Decision support in urban planning, Urban simulation, Integrated urban and transport planning, Quantitative methods in urban planning, Big data in urban planning, Urban planning and planning policies, Urban design.
• Helen Zheng (Dr.) : Spatial planning; Geospatial data analytics; Social statistics; Machine Learning; Travel behaviour; Transport Decarbonization; Participatory methods.

As a student on this programme, you will experience the longstanding practice-oriented ethos of teaching and learning across all programmes in the Department of Planning, Property and Environmental Management (PPEM). The MSc is built on a sequential engagement with theories and concepts, methods and tools, and case studies that will converge towards an integrated, project-based approach to transport and spatial planning. The programme combines structured lectures, seminars, workshops and fieldtrips (daily and residential), and leverage online learning resources to offer as much flexibility as possible for students to self-direct their learning.

• Study an accredited degree that prepares you for careers in the fields of transport planning, urban planning and development.
• Have the flexibility to choose from a carefully selected portfolio of optional course units.
• Study in Manchester, a city where urban planning has been taught for more than 70 years, and urban development, transport and sustainability issues are on your doorstep.
• Develop professional skills through project work, and the application of specialist analytical, modelling and simulation tools and techniques.
• Participate in fieldwork opportunities in the UK and abroad, exploring real-life issues on one-day trips, site visits, and optional overseas residential visits.

Important notice: factors affecting fieldwork and placements

The School of Environment, Education and Development (SEED) recognises the value of fieldwork and placements. However, the safety and wellbeing of our students and staff remains our priority.

The School will assess on a regular basis the viability of any travel and fieldwork and communicate any significant changes to our students at the earliest possible opportunity.

The role of SEED

• changes to the rules and guidance on travel and activities implemented and published by the UK and overseas governments;
• a risk assessment conducted by or on behalf of the University identifying unmanageable risk;
• changes that enhance the educational value and student experience of the activity;
  changes to the situation of a placement provider (for example, which cause them to be unable to accept students);
• the unavailability of appropriate insurance cover;
• the unavailability of appropriate travel and accommodation and any significant changes to their financial costs;
• where fieldwork and placements are a compulsory element of the Programme, they will be replaced with something academically similar;
• where a trip or placement is not a compulsory element of the Programme, it may not be replaced.

We will consult with affected students at the earliest possible opportunity and explore the options available to them.

The duty of students

Preparation, attendance and conduct

Attendance at preparatory classes is a compulsory pre-requisite of the fieldwork and placements to ensure safety and learning outcomes are met.

Students who do not attend the compulsory preparatory classes may be prevented from participating in the fieldwork or placement. It is the duty of students to discuss any attendance issues with the field course or placement convenor.

Students are representatives of the university during their fieldwork or placement.

Behaviour deemed by the convenor to be unacceptable may result in students being sent home.

Where a student is unable to attend or complete the fieldwork or placement (e.g. due to mitigating circumstances), is prevented from attending due to absence from compulsory preparatory classes, or returned home due to poor conduct:

• a suitable alternative assessment will be offered (as appropriate) to ensure that the programme ILOs are met, and that the student is not academically disadvantaged;
• the University accepts no responsibility for any costs incurred by the student in relation to the fieldwork or placement.

Immigration, passport and visa requirements

It is the responsibility of the individual student to ensure they have:

• a valid passport to enter the destination country (including sufficient months prior to expiry);
• a valid visa (where required) and comply with its requirements.

The School cannot guarantee that visas required for fieldwork or a placement will be granted by the relevant authority. Please note that countries may change their immigration and visa regulations at short notice.

Where a student is unable to attend fieldwork or a placement because they do not have the required visa or passport:

• a suitable alternative assessment will be offered to ensure that the programme ILOs are met and that the student is not academically disadvantaged;
• the University accepts no responsibility for any costs incurred by the student in relation to the fieldwork or placement.

Assessment is largely project-focused to be carried out in groups or individually and combines essays, reports, policy briefs, presentations, and a dissertation. Students will receive continuous formative feedback (in both oral and written forms) from tutors and through practitioners in the fields of transport and urban planning. Assessment will leverage different formats and media (e.g., blogs, video presentations, data and code, visualisation tools) using the available set of tools (e.g., Padlet, Story Maps, course blogs, UoM Videoportal).

You can develop your practical skills in a wide range of field study locations, and computer suites with specialist spatial analysis (GIS) and transport modelling software.

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.

See facilities for more information.

The course prepares you for employment in professional practice in the fields of transport planning and urban planning in the UK or overseas and will provide you with the academic knowledge and professional skills for employment in the private (consultancy, development industry) and public (local authorities, development agencies) sectors.

More generally, graduates are popular with employers, particularly in consultancy, where the ability to analyse and propose policies and implement strategies is vital.

After London, Manchester hosts the largest number of planning, transport and development consultancies in the UK.

Our graduates have gone on to successful careers in areas including transport planning, urban planning and design, urban and regional development policy, central and local government, real estate development, environmental management and consultancy, international development, energy and water, non-governmental organisations.

Graduate employers include:

• AECOM;
• Arup;
• Atkins;
• WSP;
• BP;
• EDF Energy;
• The Environment Agency;
• Jacobs;
• Rolls-Royce;
• Transport for Greater Manchester;
• Greater Manchester Combined Authority;
• Local Authorities across the UK;
• several other international consultancy companies and agencies.

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.