13 Urban Design MA Degree Programs

Our MA Urban Design programme is jointly delivered by the Welsh School of Architecture and the School of Geography and Planning. The goal of this programme is to enable practitioners and scholars to transform the field of urban design through critical thinking and creative practice. Urban design is transdisciplinary, straddling professional fields such as architecture, landscape architecture, urban planning and public policy, and also disciplines such as politics, economics, sociology and cultural studies.

In an increasingly urbanised world, there is growing international demand for urban design graduates. This course will equip you with the knowledge and skills you need to participate in this rapidly expanding profession. Urban design involves shaping the physical setting for life in cities. The pace of urban change, and the challenge of making cities efficient, sustainable and meaningful, demands creative solutions to design and management. The urban design courses at Westminster provide a coherent approach to issues that face our cities, combining structured academic study with live design projects, allowing you to develop practical skills, a theoretical understanding and an informed approach to sustainable urban development. Our Urban Design MA is one of the longest established in the UK. It enjoys an excellent reputation, and our graduates are highly respected in the profession. Our students are from a variety of professions and backgrounds, including architecture, landscape architecture and planning, from the UK, Europe, and across the globe. They range from recent graduates seeking to expand their skill base before commencing their career or those considering a shift from an allied profession to established professionals seeking to specialise or develop a more informed critical approach. Our central London location allows you to interact with a huge variety of practitioners and organisations, as well as draw on the city's huge range of resources; you'll be at the heart of the debate over the future of cities.

On the Urban Design MA from Kingston University, you will have opportunities to work on live projects, such as European and local consultancy briefs, within the Landscape Interface Studio. You will also benefit from international workshops, external lectures and optional visits to London shows, museums and institutions.

Housing and Urbanism (HU) focuses on the key contemporary issues that drive urban transformation, and examines the role of architecture in promoting and supporting critical change. The programme offers MA (12 months) and MArch (16 months) options, and addresses the lived city and the central role of residential life in the urban process.

MA in Sustainable Landscape Design and Development. Is sustainable landscape architecture and development your passion? Have you already completed a bachelor’s degree program on this or a related topic, and want to deepen your knowledge through a master’s degree?

The Urban and Regional Planning MA will give you the skills, knowledge and abilities necessary to practise professionally as a spatial planner in a variety of private, public and third sector/ community contexts. Building on the University of Westminster's experience of delivering postgraduate courses in town planning for more than 80 years, it examines planning across diverse contexts and scales but focuses in particular on planning in, and for, towns, cities, and urban regions in the UK. You'll be taught by qualified and dedicated staff who possess vast industry, research and teaching experience, and moreover, you'll benefit from studying in a genuinely interdisciplinary academic environment with excellent industry links in the heart of one of the most vibrant cities in the world. The course is professionally accredited by the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) and covers both the ‘spatial’ and ‘specialist’ elements of the RTPI’s requirements for initial planning education. It is designed to accommodate busy schedules and offered for full-time or part-time study at our modern Marylebone campus in central London. The course's main objective is to create critical-minded, well-rounded, and highly employable graduates who can excel in a variety of career environments and possess the skills and competencies necessary for addressing the manifold challenges and opportunities associated with contemporary spatial development and planning. In addition to the MA qualification, Postgraduate Diploma or Postgraduate Certificate options are also available, enabling you to access the course at a point that is relevant to your circumstances, achieve credits and leave at a point that specifically meets your needs.

The Intelligent Mobility MA programme builds on the rich history of vehicle design at the RCA, and places this within the context of a number of emerging social, cultural and technical changes. These include the shift to autonomous systems, renewable power, demographic changes and the increasing synthesis between man and machine. The programme defines and describes a paradigm shift which brings together existing fields with a design-led approach that addresses both physical and virtual aspects of the mobility space as an integrated whole.

The Urban Design MA program is designed to help students develop the skills and knowledge needed to shape the built environment thoughtfully. It covers a range of topics including urban planning, sust...

The Urban Design MA program is designed to help students develop a deep understanding of how cities and urban spaces are shaped. It covers key topics such as sustainable development, community engagem...

The Master of Architectural Studies (5+1) degree is designed for students with a 5-year Bachelor of Architecture (First-Professional) degree who want to advance their knowledge of architecture through focused study and design-studio work. This one-year program builds on foundational knowledge in art and design and integrates thesis-based learning and coursework to explore architecture in the context of history and theory, tectonics, urban studies, and professional practice.

The Master in Urban Design program offers a comprehensive curriculum that combines theoretical knowledge with practical skills to address the complexities of urban environments. Students explore the p...

The Urban Mission pathway within our MA in Theology programme offers a unique opportunity to engage in creative and transformative endeavours in urban missions, all while nurturing continuous professional growth. Through exploration of diverse urban mission approaches and in-depth engagement with varied urban ministry methods, this pathway equips individuals with the skills and knowledge needed to decipher the multifaceted aspects of city life, including culture, environment, and demands. By partnering with the Seedbeds School for Urban Leadership, we deliver a curriculum that combines academic rigour with practical application, ensuring that our students have the tools to make a meaningful urban impact.

The Master of Architecture I (First-Professional) degree gives students with an undergraduate degree in architecture or a related field the opportunity to earn a professional master’s degree in architecture. Our program is recognized by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB) and the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) as part of the requirements for eventual architectural licensure.