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Introduction
Why choose this course?
Overview
Our Urban Design MA brings together theory and design practice to develop your urban design skills.
Urban Design applies to worldwide locations facing contemporary global issues. It combines the form production processes of place and socio-economic drivers that shape the urban realm. And links theory, practice and the urban experience.
You'll be part of an international cohort of students from planning, architecture, landscape architecture and other backgrounds. You will work in design studios with support from professional practitioners and research tutors.
The urban design skills you develop apply to a spectrum of locations and issues and you will be able to create liveable places for tomorrow. You'll also engage with contemporary and future urban issues such as:
 intensification and population growth
 climate change
 cultural design context
 biodiversity and landscape urbanism
 affordable housing
 urban public realm in the digital age.
On graduating you will be employable in professions in a range of fields related to the growth and liveability of cities.
Modules
Compulsory modules
Contemporary approaches to Urban Design (30 credits)
This module brings together theory and practice to support analytical development for use in problem-based learning design studios. The theoretical approaches establish a common intellectual and professional vocabulary across current socio-spatial, political, economic, environmental and ecological urban debates. Practice sessions develop skills and tools for critical analysis and design of frameworks for site assessment, morphology, graphics for communicating, as well as economic costs of development. For use in the design of public realm, practice sessions cover place-making strategies on streets to places, townscape (buildings, energy efficiency, sensory richness), and streetscape modelling.
Urban Design Masterplan to Public Realm (30 credits)
This design studio offers a live design site where the application of theory and practice can be tested. Skills, tools and critical analysis for designing across the range of morphological layers are covered in this module. Theory and practice are learned through application of design to produce professional quality master planning strategies. You’ll be supported in this work by a series of tutorials with academic staff and professionals in practice.
International Urban Design Theories for Design and Planning (30 credits)
This module equips participants with a broad understanding of the theory and practice needed for the design and planning of cities within a globalising world. Tools for critical evaluation of contemporary and future urban problems are covered in lectures on the history and theory of urbanism as well as contemporary debates and developments. This module includes; environment and climate change, technological innovations, socio-economic movements, spatial and physical shifts and innovations.
Urban Design in Challenging Contexts (30 credits)
This module provides a vehicle for students to engage in future-proofing their urban design and planning practice. The aim of this module is to develop students’ group and individual skills and knowledge of concepts, techniques and applications of urban design in challenging local and international contexts. The specific case studies used will vary from year to year to reflect developments in current concerns, and will include for example, dealing with high-density development, coding and briefing for local identity, community design involvement, designing for distinctiveness and applying good urban design in relation to climatic management.
Research methods in Design (10 credits)
This module advances students' knowledge and understanding of research methods available to urban designers, planners and architects. It engages with a variety of qualitative and quantitative research methods and provides a forum for debate about research as well as giving students the opportunity to gain practical research skills. General research strategies are complemented by a focus on urban design specific research techniques based on current practice. Through employing live case study research undertaken within the School, students' abilities to evaluate research and the role of research are developed.
Final Project
Compulsory modules
Design Dissertation or Major Project (50 credits)
In the dissertation module students develop the ability to conduct either an independent research project/thesis, or a critical evaluation of a proposed scheme related to the urban context (within the realms of design, planning and architecture).
Learning and teaching
We use a range of activities to deliver theoretical and practice-based content:
 peer-learning through group work and critical assessment of individual projects
 studio set-up and design based learning to mirror real environments in practice
 merged theory and practice modules which are applied in Design studio projects
 problem based learning to gain in depth understanding of urban issues and proposed solutions
 international projects to expose you to different cultures and urban phenomena
 independent research to develop critical thinking and creative approaches to problem solving; you will focus on a specific area of research interest
 use of multi-media for developing skills for communicating
 field trips and site visits to gain a live-in experience and sense of scale for spatial forms.
For full time students, all teaching takes place on two days. This allows the rest of the week for independent studio project development.
Part time attendance is one day per week.
Entry Criteria
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 requirements
Specific entry requirements
The course is open to applicants who hold a 2.1 undergraduate honours degree (or international equivalent) in a related design & planning discipline.
We will actively consider applications from candidates with lower degrees or an alternative subject, who can provide a suitable portfolio and/or evidence relevant work experience.
Mid-career professional candidates with practice experience are also encouraged to apply.
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.
English language requirements
If your first language is not English you will require a minimum academic IELTS score of 6.5 overall with 6.0 in all components.
OR
An equivalent English language qualification acceptable to the University.
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
Learning and assessment
The course's teaching and learning methods are chosen to help develop the student’s capacities as a reflective practitioner. As a result, they are concerned with both the practice of urban design and the processes of reflection on this. We believe that the practice of urban design is best learned through project work and this forms the central emphasis of our teaching and learning strategy. Through live projects you will study design sites from across the world, meaning you’ll have the opportunity to learn how processes operate in practice across a variety of contexts.
You’ll develop tools for understanding and critique through lectures, seminars and workshops, and through the writing of papers that are designed to develop your ability to construct reasoned and critical arguments about complex urban design topics.
Assessment
Assessment combines group work and individual projects and can include:
 reports
 design posters
 videos
 oral and visual presentations.
You will engage with studio tutors and professional practitioners when delivering your assessed work. This process allows for professional quality output.
Research
Our teaching staff provide support for student research. They are actively involved in the following areas of research:
 Urban morphology for critical analysis and design
 Digital media and the teaching and learning of urban design
 Place-identity
 Urban Disaster Resilience
 Town Centre Management and Regeneration
 Urban intensification in the developing world
 Urban visions and policy mobility in Africa
 Live projects, urban labs and the enhancement of student learning experiences for UD and planning
 Plot-based urbanism and regeneration
 Landscape urbanism, biodiversity and the extinction of experience.
Career Opportunities
Our graduates have very high success rates in gaining employment and have secured posts in the public sector, private consultancy, the voluntary sector, and research and teaching areas.
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