MA International Planning and Sustainable Development

This course is aimed at built environment professionals and others with a relevant social or physical science background who wish to gain an in-depth understanding of planning and sustainable development, whether to improve career prospects in their country or enter international practice. Through the course you'll examine the growing problems of sustainable development facing cities, regions and communities in a rapidly urbanising world, subject to growing climate change and other environmental, economic and social pressures and risks.

Based in London, you'll have access to the internationally recognised experience of spatial planning for sustainable development, and explore contemporary theories, public policy thinking and good practice in planning in both the developed and developing worlds. The University of Westminster is the UK's first Habitat Partner University. We work with UN-HABITAT and other like-minded institutions to promote the socially and environmentally sustainable development of towns, cities and regions, in accordance with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and New Urban Agenda.

The course benefits from having strong links with the Max Lock Centre, an international development research unit, which is part of the wider Research Community for Sustainable Cities and Urban Environments. Associated research and consultancy focuses on the planning of cities and regions towards a sustainable and low-energy future and the exploration of the environmental and social impact of concentrating people and economic activity in cities and urban areas including the consequences for surrounding rural areas.

This course explores contemporary theories, public policy thinking and good practice in planning that spans both developed and developing world contexts, and offers you the opportunity to explore one area of specialism in a related field in some depth.

There are two Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) accredited pathways through the course. The Spatial Planning Pathway has a strong urban design component and an emphasis on the development planning process. The Urban Resilience Pathway provides a sustainable development-focused route with a core emphasis on climate change mitigation and adaptation planning. Urban design, planning and sustainability are mainstream elements across the course with the pathways providing an additional opportunity to specialise.  

Although there is an opportunity in the course to develop a range of communication skills including graphic presentation, pre-existing design experience is a strong advantage for those considering the Spatial Planning Pathway. The Urban Resilience Pathway offers an opportunity to explore this growing area of planning interest in a world facing a climate change and biodiversity emergency.