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Introduction

Location

Headington

Course Length

Start dates: September 2023 / September 2024
Full time: 3 years or 4 years

Why choose this course?

Overview

Property development and planning is a dynamic, fast-moving industry with many opportunities for an intellectually challenging career. On our BSc (Hons) Property Development and Planning, you'll learn all the specialist skills you'll need.

We developed this course to help you work towards a career in planning consultancy. But the skills you learn could apply in other roles like quantity surveying, asset management, or even jobs outside the property industry. You’ll develop business skills and a useful network of contacts that will last you a lifetime.

With our practical focus, you’ll get experience working on real-world projects throughout the course. Site visits, guest lectures, and networking events will expose you to professionals working in industry. And the optional placement year gives you valuable experience of life at a planning consultancy or in a local authority.

Course structure

In Year 1 we’ll begin the course by getting you up to speed with essential industry knowledge. You’ll study topics like valuation and appraisal, construction law, commercial management, and spatial planning.

By Year 2 you’ll start to look at these subjects in more detail. You’ll take more advanced modules in areas like valuation and urban development. You’ll also develop your research skills in our Research Design module. Learn how to design surveys and gather data, and understand different statistical methods to use in your work.

In Year 3 there’s an optional placement year. We have great links across the industry so you could work with a planning consultancy or local authority to see how what you’ve learned applies in the real world.

Your final year brings all your knowledge together. You’ll study advanced topics like strategic planning and development viability. You’ll take optional modules in areas that interest you or are relevant to the area you want to work in. And you’ll complete a research project to study a subject in more depth.

Learning and teaching

We encourage active learning and our teaching methods include:

 projects
 group exercises
 seminars.

You’ll develop a range of skills, including:

 written skills
 verbal skills
 design skills
 financial assessment skills
 IT and computing skills.

Projects are a key part of our modules and you’ll visit sites and conduct surveys.


Your coursework assignments include:

 simulations
 graphic presentations
 writing essays and reports
 seminar papers
 group projects.

Modules


Year 1

Compulsory modules

• Foundation Development Law
• Economics of the Built Environment
• Cities in Historical Context
• Sustainable Development & Professional Practice
• Housing Matters
• Introduction to Valuation
• Introduction to Building Construction and Practice
• Introduction to Spatial Planning

Year 2

Compulsory modules

• Land Law
• Designing the City and GIS
• Planning and Development Practice
• Plan and Policy Making
• Property Law for Developers
• Valuation and Investment
• Research Design
• Professional Practice Skills: Development and Employability



Year 3 (Placement year)

Year 4 (or year 3 If no placement)

Compulsory modules

• Development Delivery: Planning and Viability
• Development Viability and Finance
• Strategic Planning and Policy
• Development Delivery and Professional Practice
• Research Project (double module)

Optional modules

• Independent Study in Planning
• Project Management for Development
• Real Estate Investment
• Applied Valuation
• Property Technology
• Redevelopment and Regeneration

ENTRY REQUIRED DOCUMENTS
Home Office Share Code
For EU students only.

IF no Qualification
Please provide CV with at least 2 years of work experience, and employee reference letter.

Entry Criteria

Entry requirements

Wherever possible we make our conditional offers using the UCAS Tariff. The combination of A-level grades listed here would be just one way of achieving the UCAS Tariff points for this course.

Standard offer

UCAS Tariff Points: 104
A Level: BCC
IB Points: 29
BTEC: DMM
Contextual offer

UCAS Tariff Points: 88
A Level: CCD
IB Points: 27
BTEC: MMM


We welcome applications from candidates with alternative qualifications, and from mature students.

Specific entry requirements

GCSE: Mathematics at grade 4/C; English at grade 4/C normally required

Our standard entry requirement is three A-levels or equivalent qualifications. In some cases, courses have specific required subjects and additional GCSE requirements. In addition to A-levels, we accept a wide range of other qualifications including:

 the Welsh Baccalaureate
 the Access to Higher Education Diploma
 a BTEC National Certificate, Diploma or Extended Diploma at a good standard and in a relevant subject
 the International Baccalaureate Diploma
 the European Baccalaureate Diploma
 Scottish qualifications – five subjects in SCE with two at Higher level or one at Advanced Higher level, or three subjects in Scottish Highers or two at Advanced Higher level
 a recognised foundation course
 T-levels*.
 * T-levels are a relatively new qualification but are already included in the UCAS tariff. We welcome prospective students who are taking this qualification to apply. For some programmes with specific required subjects, particular subject areas or occupational specialisms may be required.


Selection process

We value the personal statement. In this we are looking for evidence of motivation and commitment: what interests you about the subject and why you want to study it. Evidence of relevant work experience is useful, and let us know what you do in your spare time.

After reading personal statements and considering predicted grades, all eligible applicants will be required to attend a pre-offer assessment day (usually between November and mid-March). If invited to one of these, we usually do not make offers without an interview.

If you cannot attend the first suggested date offered to you, there will be provision to attend alternatives - please be communicative with the Faculty Programme Administrator.

English language requirements

If English is not your first language then you will need to show that your English language skills are at a high enough level to succeed in your studies.

The entry requirement for your course will be expressed as an IELTS level and refers to the IELTS Academic version of this test. We are now also accepting the IELTS Indicator test, you can find out more about the test on the IELTS Indication site. The University however does accept a wide range of additional English language qualifications, which can be found below.

The university’s English language requirements in IELTS levels are as follows:

Course IELTS level
All other undergraduate courses 6.0 overall with 6.0 in reading and writing, 5.5 in listening and speaking
Law, Architecture, Interior Architecture, English Literature (including combined honours), English Literature and Creative Writing 6.5 overall with 6.0 in reading and writing, 5.5 in listening and speaking
Health and Social Care courses 6.5 or 7.0 overall with 6.5 or 7.0 in all components (see individual entries for course details)
Nutrition BSc (Hons) 6.5 overall with a minimum of 6.0 in each component
Built Environment Foundation,
Computing Foundation,
Engineering Foundation 6.0 with 6.0 in reading and writing, 5.5 in listening and speaking
International Foundation Business and Technology,
International Foundation Arts, Humanities and Law 5.5 overall with 5.5 in all skills
International Foundation Diploma 5.0 overall with 5.0 in all skills
If you need a student visa you must take an IELTS for UKVI test.
International Foundation Diploma (Extended pathway) 4.5 overall with 4.5 in all skills
If you need a student visa you must take an IELTS for UKVI test.


Assessment

ASSESSMENT METHODS

1. INTERNAL ENGLISH TEST if you don't have an English accredited certificate
2. Academic Interview

We assess you through a combination of examinations and coursework. Many of our modules consist solely of coursework.

Career Opportunities


We’ll start preparing you for professional life from your first week. The course is packed with practical work that builds your skills and experience, as well as opportunities to network and explore different career paths.
Graduates from our property courses are working with companies including:

 Knight Frank
 CBRE
 Savills
 Cushman & Wakefield.

Graduates are also working in utilities or at niche property businesses, at house builders like Barclay Homes, or in the public sector with organisations like Network Rail. Some have started successful businesses.

The course is accredited by the Royal Town Planning Institute if you go on to postgraduate study afterwards. If you’d like to be professionally qualified, we’ll help you decide which route to take and give you the skills and contacts to get there.

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