- UCAS course code
- K431
- UCAS institution code
- M20
Early clearing information
This course is available through clearing for home and international applicants
Bachelor of Science (BSc)
BSc Planning and Real Estate with Professional Placement
- Typical A-level offer: ABB
- Typical contextual A-level offer: BBC
- Refugee/care-experienced offer: BBC
- Typical International Baccalaureate offer: 34 points overall with 6,5,5 at HL
Course description
I've done a site analysis project in one of my courses. We had to plan a site visit to a dam and produce an analysis of it and provide ways to improve it.
It was amazing as it enabled us to come up with creative but practical ideas to solve the problem. I found it challenging, yet also fun and interesting!
Kai Ho / BSc Planning and Real Estate student
BSc (Hons) Planning and Real Estate with Professional Placement is a four-year degree which will provide you with the core academic and professional training required to effectively plan, develop, and manage all aspects of our built and natural environments.
Effective planning, development, and management of our cities, towns, and natural environment is crucial in an age when governments and societies all over the world are struggling to deliver sustainable development.
Understanding and engaging with the opportunities and challenges 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, Property and Environmental Management at The University of Manchester.
The course is ideal if you:
- are passionate about the factors that influence society and want to learn about the economic, political and socio-environmental systems, and how to manage these interactions sustainably;
- want to take a vocationally led degree that equips you with a wide range of hands-on technical, design, critical, decision-making, and communication skills that make you highly employable;
- want to diversify your learning outside of lectures, enjoying a variety of field visits, work placement opportunities, working for 'real-world clients', and the option to study abroad for a semester.
The curriculum of Years 1, 2 and 4 will consider the issues faced by professionals in dealing with the planning, development and real estate markets.Each year will offer increased opportunities to specialise in aspects of planning and real estate policy, management and evaluation.
In the third year of study, you will normally embark on a 12-month paid work placement with an organisation in the UK engaged with planning, urban design and/or real estate to apply the conceptual, digital and communication skills you practice.
BSc Planning and Real Estate is accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) as well as a spatial qualification by the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI).
To acquire full accreditation by the RTPI, you must also complete a specialist qualification, which can be achieved by transferring onto one of our two integrated master's courses: Master of Planning or Master of Planning and Real Estate.
Manchester is a great place to study planning and real estate. 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 significant implications for planning and real estate markets, including three spectacular National Parks, areas of intensive farming, and impressive coastlines.
Special features
Accreditation
This course is fully accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) under two pathways; ‘Planning & Development' and ‘Commercial Property and Valuation'. The course is also partially accredited by the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) - meaning you'll be well set up for a professional career in planning or real estate after you graduate.
To acquire full accreditation by the RTPI, you must also complete a specialist qualification, which can be achieved by transferring onto one of our two integrated master’s courses.
Local fieldwork
Conduct fieldwork on a local scale, exploring the city of Manchester and its surrounding areas to supplement your studies and assessments.
International fieldwork
This course normally includes a field trip to a European country during your second year, where you can put what you have learnt so far into practice.
Study abroad
Apply to spend one semester studying abroad at one of our exchange partners in Europe, the US, South East Asia, or Australia.
Year in practice
Normally spend 12 months working within the dynamic world of planning, urban design or real estate development, putting into practice the skills you learn on the degree and helping you to gain your professional accreditation.
Teaching and learning
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.
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 and project demonstrations (sometimes to practising professionals). We also incorporate lots of opportunities for feedback on non-assessed work so that you can be confident about your progress.
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 |
GIS & Digital Tools for Decision Making | PLAN10092 | 20 | Mandatory |
Introduction to Real Estate | PLAN10201 | 20 | Mandatory |
Introduction to Urban and Environmental Economics | PLAN10352 | 20 | Mandatory |
Rural Planning | PLAN10362 | 10 | Optional |
Principles of Real Estate Law | PLAN10622 | 10 | Optional |
Place-making | PLAN10632 | 10 | Optional |
Course content for year 2
In Year 2, you will begin to specialise your knowledge and skills. This includes understanding policies, regulations and processes that guide development, introducing core principles on urban design and understanding how to value properties.
This year also provides you with an opportunity to start tailoring your degree to your specific interests with optional course units and gaining some work experience through taking an optional short-term placement. You can also normally apply to spend one semester studying abroad at one of our exchange partners in Europe, North America, South East Asia and Australia.
Year 2 also starts to develop your skills in collecting and analysing data ready for conducting independent research (i.e. dissertation) in your fourth year. As part of this, the course normally includes a residential field visit to a European country where you can apply your learning in a different context.
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 |
Applied Research for Planning and Real Estate | PLAN20172 | 20 | Mandatory |
Plan Making & the Development Process | PLAN20181 | 20 | Mandatory |
Policy for Cities and Regions | PLAN20381 | 10 | Mandatory |
Valuation & Appraisal | PLAN21012 | 20 | Mandatory |
Professional Placement | PLAN20090 | 20 | Optional |
Professional Placement (10 credits) | PLAN20190 | 10 | Optional |
Environmental Planning and Assessment | PLAN20521 | 20 | Optional |
Strategic Real Estate Management | PLAN26051 | 20 | Optional |
Course content for year 3
In Year 3 you will normally embark on a 12-month paid work placement with an organisation specialising in planning and/or real estate in the UK, allowing you to apply, in practice, the conceptual, practical, digital and communication skills you have learnt in the first two years of your degree.
You will be provided with the knowledge and skills necessary for securing work placements, including tailoring your CV and writing covering letters. You will then research potential employers and apply for individual placements with the support of academic staff including a specialist placement coordinator. To facilitate securing a placement, staff will utilise a database of existing contacts in local and national organisations and provide advice and guidance on the application process. However, there will be an expectation that you will research and apply for potential placements yourself, identifying organisations that best fit with your career ambitions, with the placement coordinator and the University Careers Service providing additional support to obtain your chosen placement where necessary.
Course content for year 4
In Year 4 you will develop your planning and real estate specialism further. This will include learning the fundamental components of planning and property law, exploring specific aspects of urban development such as housing provision and acquiring specific insights into the ethical perspectives of planning, vital for your move into the profession.
In this year, you will also undertake a piece of independent research on a topic of your choice - your dissertation. To help you through this process, you will be guided by one of our internationally recognised academics specialising in planning or real estate. Your research may be field-based, undertaking desk studies or making use of our specialist School laboratory facilities.
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 Theory and Professional Values | PLAN30081 | 20 | Mandatory |
Housing, Planning & Development | PLAN30512 | 20 | Mandatory |
Real Estate Investment & Finance | PLAN36011 | 20 | Optional |
Future Cities | PLAN36021 | 20 | Optional |
Rewilding: Principles and Practice | PLAN36051 | 20 | Optional |
Planning for Nature Recovery | PLAN36061 | 20 | Optional |
What our students say
Facilities
You can develop your digital planning skills in our computer suites with specialist design and spatial analysis software.
See facilities for more information.