
- UCAS course code
- K403
- UCAS institution code
- M20
Clearing 2022
MPlan Planning with Professional Placement / Course details
Year of entry: 2022
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Course description
MPlan Master of Planning with Professional Placement is a five-year enhanced undergraduate degree, which gives you real-world experience and key employability skills, and is accredited by both the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) and the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).
The curriculum of Years 1, 3 and 4 are the same as our BSc Planning and Real Estate, in which you will consider the issues faced by professionals in dealing with the planning, development and management of all aspects of our built and natural environments.
In the third year of study, you will normally embark on a paid work placement with an organisation engaged with planning, environment, urban design and/or real estate to apply the conceptual, digital and communication skills you practice.
The fifth year of study is at taught master's level and provides professional training in planning.
However, if you change your mind about your future career, you can choose to exit the MPlan after four years and graduate instead with a BSc Planning and Real Estate degree.
Effective planning, development and management of our towns, cities and natural environment is crucial in an age when governments and societies all over the world are struggling to deliver sustainable development.
Big data, real estate finance, spatial analysis, policy formation, environmental sustainability and public engagement are all key to this process and form the core principles of the programme.
Understanding and engaging with the problems facing the communities and places in which we live, work and play is at the heart of what we do in the Department of Planning and Environmental Management at The University of Manchester.
The Master of Planning (MPlan) satisfies the spatial planning curricula for initial qualification with the RTPI and the RICS Planning and Development pathway.
Manchester is a great place to study planning.
It is a major UK city undergoing rapid urban change, which provides an ideal base for exploring urban development pressures and how these shape economic, social and environmental futures.
Developing an appreciation of the interaction of people, the economy, and the politics of development are central to this process and your studies in Manchester.
The city is also ideally placed for you to learn about a wide variety of rural environments which have interesting implications, including three spectacular National Parks, areas of intensive farming and impressive coastlines.
Special features
Accreditation
This course is accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) - meaning you'll be well set-up for a professional career in planning or real estate after you graduate.
International fieldwork
This course has normally included a field trip to a European country during your second year, where you can put what you have learnt so far into practice.
Local fieldwork
Conduct fieldwork on a local scale, exploring the city of Manchester - and its surrounding areas - to supplement your studies and assessments.
Year in practice
Normally spend 12 months working within the dynamic world of planning, environment, urban design and real estate putting into practice the skills you learn on the degree helping you to gain your professional accreditation.
Teaching and learning
We combine traditional lecture-based teaching with tutorials, seminars and workshop sessions.
Practical subjects, such as Geographical Information Systems (GIS), Photoshop and SketchUp - as well as general computer skills - are taught in university computer suites.
This work is accompanied by group work and the occasional lecture session, giving you an overall hands-on learning experience.
Project-based learning, incorporating studio-based design work, field research and study visits are integral to our MPlan course.
These projects provide an excellent opportunity for you to integrate your knowledge and skills and apply them to real situations - exposing you to professional practice.
Important notice
The School of Environment, Education and Development (SEED) aim to run advertised fieldwork as planned and we very much hope that students will be able to enjoy the fieldwork experience in the usual way. The ability of fieldwork to proceed, and whether any changes to proposed fieldwork might be necessary, will remain subject to the current global situation and factors such as the:
- rules and guidance on travel and activities implemented and published by the UK and overseas governments;
- outcome of any risk assessments conducted by the University;
- educational value and student experience of the fieldwork, if significant changes to the proposed fieldwork would be necessary;
- availability of appropriate insurance cover;
- availability of appropriate travel and accommodation and any significant changes to their financial costs.
We will therefore assess on a regular basis the viability of any travel and fieldwork and communicate any decisions to our students at the earliest possible opportunity.
Any fieldwork that does go ahead will be subject to a rigorous risk assessment process and the implementation of any protective measures identified by the risk assessment to ensure the health and safety of all our students and staff.
If the fieldwork does not go ahead as planned, then the School's focus will be on seeking to offer a suitable alternative and ensure that the Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) of the programme are met.
Coursework and assessment
We place strong emphasis on coursework and continuous assessment.
Coursework takes a variety of forms - from essays and reports, to posters, oral presentations, team promotions, and project demonstrations (sometimes to practising professionals).
Your dissertation, which takes place in the fourth year, will draw together the different strands of the course and allow you to study a subject that really interests you.
You will work with an individual supervisor to conceive, plan, execute and write up an independent and novel piece of research.
Course content for year 1
Course units for year 1
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 |
---|---|---|---|
Designing Sustainable Futures | PLAN10031 | 20 | Mandatory |
Introduction to Planning and Development | PLAN10041 | 20 | Mandatory |
Applied Project | PLAN10092 | 20 | Mandatory |
Introduction to Real Estate | PLAN10201 | 20 | Mandatory |
Introduction to Urban and Environmental Economics | PLAN10352 | 20 | Mandatory |
Rural Planning | PLAN10362 | 10 | Optional |
Leases & Letting | PLAN10382 | 10 | Optional |
Course content for year 2
In Year 2, you will begin to specialise.
This course has normally included a field trip to a European country during your second year and you can also apply to spend one semester studying abroad at one of our exchange partners in Europe, the US, South East Asia and Australia.
Course units for year 2
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 |
---|---|---|---|
Sustainable Development Project | PLAN20072 | 20 | Mandatory |
Environment and Development Fieldtrip | PLAN20172 | 20 | Mandatory |
Plan Making & the Development Process | PLAN20181 | 20 | Mandatory |
Valuation & Appraisal | PLAN21012 | 20 | Mandatory |
Professional Placement | PLAN20090 | 20 | Optional |
Policy for Cities and Regions | PLAN20381 | 20 | Optional |
Environmental Policies and Designations | PLAN20401 | 20 | Optional |
Course content for year 3
In Year 3, you will normally undertake a 12-month paid work placement.
You will work in a planning, environment, urban design and/or real estate organisation to gain experience of applying the conceptual, digital and communication skills you have learned in real-world situations.
Placements in Year 3 can only be undertaken with UK-based organisations.
Students will research potential employers with the support of Planning staff.
To facilitate securing a placement, staff will utilise our database of existing contacts in local and national organisations.
However, there will be an expectation that students will research potential placements themselves, with Planning staff and the University Careers Service providing additional support to obtain their chosen placement.
Information regarding placements is currently disseminated via Programme Director emails from potential placement providers.
In addition, you will receive guidance via a non-credit bearing set of seminars/lectures in Year 2 to outline the process of obtaining a placement.
This will be delivered in both Semester 1 and 2 with the emphasis being placed on student searches in Semester 1 and Planning guidance in Semester 2.
Course content for year 4
In Year 4, you will develop your planning specialism further.
You will focus on career development and applying the planning concepts and skills to real-world situations.
Course units for year 4
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 |
---|---|---|---|
Dissertation (UG) | PLAN30000 | 40 | Mandatory |
Planning & Property Law | PLAN30072 | 20 | Mandatory |
Urban Theory, Planning Ethics | PLAN30081 | 20 | Mandatory |
Research Methods | PLAN30091 | 10 | Mandatory |
Professional Practice and Ethics | PLAN30221 | 10 | Mandatory |
Housing, Planning & Development | PLAN30512 | 20 | Mandatory |
Course content for year 5
In Year 5, you will continue developing your specialism and professional-related studies in spatial planning, environment, urban design, real estate, urban regeneration or international planning.
Course units for year 5
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 |
---|---|---|---|
Land and Development | PLAN40662 | 15 | Mandatory |
Applied Spatial Analysis | PLAN40761 | 15 | Mandatory |
Environmental Impact Assessment | PLAN40321 | 15 | Optional |
EIA Project | PLAN40332 | 15 | Optional |
Strategic Environmental Assessment | PLAN40341 | 15 | Optional |
Planning for Environmental Change | PLAN40391 | 15 | Optional |
Professional Practice and Placement | PLAN40470 | 15 | Optional |
International Fieldwork | PLAN40712 | 15 | Optional |
Applied Spatial Analysis | PLAN40761 | 15 | Optional |
Urban Development Planning in Cities of the South: an international perspective | PLAN40771 | 15 | Optional |
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Facilities
You can develop your practical skills in our project studio, model-making workshop, and computer suites with specialist design and spatial analysis software.
For more information, see Facilities .