MPlan Planning with Professional Placement / Course details

The curriculum of Years 1, 2and 4 are the same as our BSc (Hons) 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 your third year, you will normally embark on a paid work placement with an organisation in the UK working in the field of planning or real estate. Excitingly, you could be enhancing your employability by working for a private consultancy delivering large-scale developments or in local government helping to create more liveable communities. You also have the option to switch onto the one-year professional placement before the end of your first year of your study.

The fifth year of study is at taught master's level and provides professional training in planning, serving as a fast-track to your future career. You always have the option to switch between the degree programmes with the final ‘integrated Masters' year so you can transfer on or off the five-year programme at any point during your studies.

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 and Environmental Management at The University of Manchester.

The integrated Master of Planning with Professional Placement satisfies the spatial planning curricula for the RTPI and is therefore the fastest route to Licentiate Membership. The degree is also dual accredited, as it is recognised by the RICS Planning and Development and Commercial Real Estate and Valuation pathways.

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 significant implications, including three spectacular National Parks, areas of intensive farming and impressive coastlines.

This course is fully accredited by the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) and the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) on the 'Planning and Development' and ‘Commercial Property and Valuation' pathways - meaning you'll be ideally placed for a professional career in planning or real estate after you graduate.

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. You will also have the option to attend a field visit abroad in your fifth and final year.

Local fieldwork

Conduct fieldwork on a local scale, exploring the city of Manchester - and its surrounding areas - to supplement your studies and assessments.

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.

Practical and digital skills, such as Geographic Information System (GIS), Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator - as well as general computer skills - are taught in university computer suites.

This work is accompanied by group work in tutorials and workshops, as well as standard lectures, giving you an overall hands-on learning experience.

Project-based learning, incorporating applied 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) recognises the value of fieldwork. 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 ability of fieldwork and travel to proceed, and whether any changes to proposed fieldwork and travel might be necessary, will remain subject to 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.

All fieldwork and travel 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.

In some circumstances, it may become necessary to make changes to fieldwork or programme related travel. The University will notify you of those changes at the earliest opportunity. If any 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.

Please note that countries may change their immigration and visa regulations at short notice. The School cannot guarantee that where visas are required for fieldwork, they will be granted but we will take steps so that if a visa is refused, affected students are not academically disadvantaged.

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.

You can develop your digital planning skills in our computer suites with specialist design and spatial analysis software.

See facilities  for more information.