Tampere, Finland
DURATION
5 Years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Request application deadline *
EARLIEST START DATE
Aug 2025
TUITION FEES
EUR 10,000 / per year **
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* The application period for bachelor studies starting in autumn 2025 begins on 8 January 2025 and ends on 22 January 2025
** per academic year for non-EU/EEA students for bachelor’s programme | €12000 per academic year for non-EU/EEA students for master’s programme
Key Summary
Introduction
Built environment as a platform for sustainable development
Cities are inspiring arenas for business, culture, and everyday life. However, they face complex challenges related to the environment and the well-being of individuals. Bachelor's program in Sustainable Urban Development is a multidisciplinary program developing skills needed to address these challenges.
Urbanization is one of the biggest trends in the globalized world. It is estimated that 2/3 of humans will be living in urban areas by the year 2050. This transformation needs to be met with sustainable solutions that take into account not only climate change but also social justice among many other criteria.
Bachelor’s program in Sustainable Urban Development offers you a way to develop multidisciplinary expertise related to urban development and sustainability. This multidisciplinary program consists of three specializations: Administrative Sciences, Social Sciences, and Technology. The program includes basic and intermediate studies in each of the fields. Knowledge of these fields will help you understand the complex phenomena related to sustainable urban development from several perspectives. In addition to the studies that are common for all students, the program includes specialization studies, which develop the theoretical basis of the selected study field and create a professional profile.
In addition to stream-specific studies, a novel aspect of the program is the multidisciplinary teaching with other Sustainable Urban Development streams. Common courses with students from the social and administrative science streams help you understand the complex phenomena related to sustainable urban development from several perspectives, develop interdisciplinary thinking skills, and identify novel and constructive ways of solving complex problems.
Another unique aspect of this program is the style of learning. Through the challenge-based Urban Lab courses, students are engaged in real-life urban development projects in multidisciplinary teams. These projects are carried out in collaboration with companies and public organizations such as the City of Tampere, providing students the opportunity engage with – and learn from - local stakeholders and actors in urban development. For example, we utilize a real-world laboratory, Hiedanranta, which is a future city district and a testbed for innovative projects related to smart and sustainable housing, energy, transportation, and business.
Students of this multidisciplinary program select their specializationto (Administrative Sciences, Social Sciences, or Technology) when applying for the program. Although much of the contents of the program are common for all students, there are variations in the application criteria, study contents, and the name of the degree granted after completing the program.
Admissions
Curriculum
Study contents
The scope of the programme is 180 ECTS. It consists of the following elements:
- Joint Studies 35 ECTS; such as economics, information technology, language and communication studies and introduction to sustainable urban development
- Basic Studies 50 ECTS; such as research methods, mathematics, physics, chemistry
- Intermediate Studies in sustainable urban development 70 ECTS: such as economic renewal of cities and regions, politics and participation, organizational change, transport systems, water management and the bachelor’s thesis
- Free Choice Studies 25 ECTS; to continue to the Master’s Degree in the field of technology a technical study module is chosen and in addition, you can select freely from the offerings of the Tampere University community.
Program Outcome
After completing the Bachelor’s program in Sustainable Urban Development graduates will:
- Understand the various aspects of the built environment, sustainable urban development, and their societal significance.
- Know the key concepts and terminology and be able to follow the developments in the field of urban development.
- Recognize the central actors, questions, conflicts, and solutions connected to sustainable urban development.
- Be able to carry out development projects individually and in teams related to sustainable urban development.
- Understand the basic principles of academic research and be able to independently design, conduct and report academic research projects.
In addition, those focusing on the Technology field will acquire knowledge about mathematics and natural sciences, which are necessary elements of the Bachelor of Science in Technology Degree. Studies in the Technology field will also cover the basics of systems, information management, and project management in the built environment.
After completing the program you are eligible to continue studies for the Master of Science in Technology degree. You will automatically have the right to continue your studies in the Master's Program in Civil Engineering – Sustainable Transport.
After completing the Master's Program in Civil Engineering, students will be able to collect, understand and critically evaluate information. Students will also be able to solve complicated and unpredictable problems by applying scientific methods, organizational practices, and technological innovations in various expert, development, and leadership roles. Students can identify and assess the impacts of the built environment and develop ecologically, socially, and economically efficient and sustainable solutions through participation in public discussion and cooperation in multidisciplinary teams of experts.
By majoring in sustainable transport, the graduates will be able to:
- Understand the role of transport in developing sustainable urban areas and the critical role of transport in achieving sustainable development goals.
- Understand and apply transport and mobility principles as they relate to sustainable urban development and analyze their complex interrelations within urban systems.
- Apply leadership, collaboration, management, and engineering skills in multidisciplinary teams to advance sustainable transport systems in urban environments worldwide.
- Distinguish the central actors, questions, conflicts, and solutions in the field of sustainable urban development.
- Critically evaluate sustainable development projects and case studies in their global context and formulate the best practices in a local context.
- Conduct independent and collaborative academic research and communicate it to researchers, professional audiences, and the general public.
After completing the degree, the student is equipped to drive sustainable change, has abilities for lifelong learning, and is eligible for scientific doctoral studies.
Scholarships and Funding
Tampere University Tuition Fee Scholarships
Tampere University tuition fee scholarship is an exclusive opportunity awarded to a limited number of the best-performing applicants in each programme.
Tampere University tuition fee scholarships awarded at admission cover 50% of the tuition fees for the programme duration.
Early bird offer
While Tampere University scholarships are available to a limited number of applicants, the early bird offer is available at admission to all fee-paying students. The early bird offer gives a 1500 € reduction on the programme tuition fee during the first year of studies.
Gallery
Career Opportunities
Graduates of the Bachelor’s programs will obtain strong multidisciplinary skills and they will be well-experienced to work in a multicultural environment. The programs prepare the graduates to be professionals in matters related to sustainable urban development, an area that is growing and in demand.