BSc Planning and Real Estate / Course details

BSc Planning and Real Estate is a three-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 environments 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 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.

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.

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.

Accreditation

This course is fully accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and 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 Austalia.

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 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 third 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.