Online Master of Design Studies in Urban Design
Boston, USA
Master degree
DURATION
4 semesters
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
15 Feb 2026
EARLIEST START DATE
Aug 2026
TUITION FEES
USD 1,464 / per credit *
STUDY FORMAT
Distance Learning
* additional fees may apply
Cities today face climate, housing, health, and equity challenges — including sustainability, resilience, and post-crisis reconstruction — that cannot be solved by traditional design education alone. The Online Master of Design Studies in Urban Design at Boston Architectural College prepares working professionals from diverse backgrounds to apply design thinking at the scale of urban systems, communities, and places.
Delivered fully online, this project-based program emphasizes applied learning, interdisciplinary collaboration, and real-world relevance — without requiring students to pause their careers or relocate. Designed for working professionals, the program combines flexible pacing with scholarship support to make advanced urban design education accessible while remaining rigorous and professionally focused.
The BAC Difference
- Design education grounded in real-world conditions: Students learn within an institution whose pedagogy is shaped by practice, realism, and professional relevance. Design is taught as a method for engaging real urban challenges — not as abstract theory detached from context.
- Interdisciplinary by design: Built on BAC’s strengths in Sustainable Design, Historic Preservation, Landscape Architecture, and Design Studies, the program prepares students to work across disciplines, sectors, and scales in response to complex urban issues.
- Purpose-built for global, professional learners: This fully online program reflects The BAC’s long-standing commitment to access and relevance, bringing design education rooted in real-world conditions to professionals wherever they live and work.
- Access without gatekeeping: Open admissions, flexible study options, and scholarship support reflect The BAC’s belief that talent is widely distributed — and that opportunity should be as well.
Work full time, and study from anywhere in the world as you prepare for the next stage of your professional growth. Graduates are prepared to pursue roles where design thinking is applied at the urban scale – increasingly focused on sustainability, resilience, housing, and recover-oriented urban design – including:
- Urban Designer
- Urban Planner
- Community Development Specialist
- Real Estate Development Professional
- Resilience and Regeneration Specialist
- Sustainable Design Consultant
- Public Realm or Streetscape Designer
- Studio Lead or Director of Urban Design
The curriculum is designed to help students think and operate at the scale of cities, connecting design, systems, and communities.
- Learn to operate at the intersection of urban design, planning, and sustainable development, applying design thinking to complex urban systems.
- Shape streets, corridors, districts, and regions while understanding the legal, economic, civic, and environmental forces that influence urban outcomes.
- Apply urban design strategies to challenges of sustainability, climate resilience, housing, and post-crisis reconstruction at neighborhood, district, and city scales.
- Develop strong design and visual communication skills, producing portfolio-ready work that demonstrates spatial thinking, systems awareness, and applied urban design strategies.
- Build the confidence and professional capacity to lead collaborative, interdisciplinary urban initiatives across public, private, and nonprofit contexts.
Earning the degree of your dreams is an important investment for you and for your future. The Boston Architectural College and our experienced Financial Aid staff are here to help you achieve this goal by providing you with plenty of resources and guidance along the way.
Scholarships and Awards
The Boston Architectural College offers our talented and deserving students a number of scholarships, honors, and awards to help make paying for college easier for them and their families. Grants and scholarships are open for all to apply.
The BAC will determine eligibility for each student for scholarships and awards; in many cases, you will be automatically considered and do not need to take further actions. We will reach out to you to let you know if there are next steps you need to take, such as writing an essay or submitting your portfolio.
- The Alumni Scholarship - Segment I Outstanding Student Award
- The Alumni Scholarship - Segment I Portfolio Award
- The Alumni Scholarship - Segment II Outstanding Student Award
- The Alumni Scholarship - Thesis Award
- Dean's Award
- Designers Lighting Forum Scholarship
- The William P. Francisco IV, B.Arch '04 Memorial Scholarship
- The Heenan Scholarship
- Robert Houseman and Richard Kirkham Scholarship
- IPAL Fellowship
- Memorial Scholarship
- The William E. Nast Scholarship
- The Richard Painter Scholarship
- The John Heman Pilling Architecture Design Scholarship
- The Robert Scagliotti, '69, '08 (HON.) Scholarship
- The Steffian Bradley Architects Scholarship
- Student Scholarships Award
- A. Anthony Tappé Fontainebleau Prize
Outside Scholarships
- AIA/ALNNJ
- AIA Rhode Island
- AIA Site Preservation Grant
- The American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS)
- American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) Worldstudio Scholarship
- American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) Foundation
- Archaeological Institute of America Grants and Awards
- Center for Architecture Foundation Scholarships and Grants
- The Charles E. Peterson Prize
- CINTAS Fellowship in Architecture and Design
- Conservation and Heritage Management Award
- Elizabeth Bartman Museum Internship and Scholarship Conservation and Heritage Management Award
- The Garden Club Federation of Maine
- Gensler
- Graduate Student Paper Award - Archaeological Institute of America
- Graduate Student Travel Award
- The Horticultural Research Institute Endowment Fund
- Houzz Scholarship Programs
- Jane C. Waldbaum Archaeological Field School Scholarship
- The MNLA Foundation for Educational Excellence Scholarship Program
- NEWH Scholarships
- The Plan NH Fellowship Program
- Society for American Archaeology Scholarships and Grants
- The Tradewell Fellowship