Urban Planning and Development Bachelor of Science (with Honours) - BSc (Hons)

What could be more exciting than the challenge and responsibility of shaping the places in which we live, work and play?

Accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and recognised by the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) as a spatial qualification, our BSc in Urban Planning and Development explores the social, economic and environmental challenges of creating better places to live.

Planning policy and practice impacts our everyday lives. From the homes we live in to the infrastructure that supports our health, wealth and wellbeing. From public and community spaces to professional and leisure spaces, and the ways we can travel between them.

You’ll examine how and why places such as cities, towns and the countryside change, and how they can be improved through meaningful planning practice and collaborative research. Modules that involve practitioners will also help you understand how your learning applies to the real world and consider how to develop your professional profile and employability.

Fieldwork and experiential learning are also key parts of the programme. You’ll develop practical skills through in-module field visits, group data collection and analysis assessments, graduating with the professional and academic grounding to build your career in a range of different sectors.

The skills and knowledge you gain, as well as the practical know-how, will open up a wide range of career opportunities in planning, development, surveying , transport, economic development, environmental policy, housing and urban regeneration.

This degree carries partial (spatial) RTPI accreditation. For full RTPI accreditation, once you have completed your spatial-accredited undergraduate degree, you need to complete a RTPI specialist-accredited master's degree.

Distinctive features of the programme

Enhance your skills

Develop technical and practical skills with software including GIS (Geographic Information System) and Edina Digimap mapping.

Professionally recognised

Accredited by the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) (partial) and the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).

Field-based studies

Apply your learning to real-world contexts and develop practical skills through field visits and field study modules.

Year abroad

Gain global experience and broaden your horizons by studying abroad with the 4-year course option available after enrolment.

Placement opportunities

Develop the skills, confidence and connections to accelerate your career.