Urban Design MA or PGDip or PGCert

Overview

Many of the world’s problems can only be solved by designing better cities. From protecting the green belt to minimising travel times, urban designers have a huge role to play in creating a sustainable future for our communities. Join us at Oxford Brookes to discover how.

You’ll look at design at all levels, from individual building scale to master plans of entire conurbations. You’ll address the whole spectrum of urban environments, from village to megacity. And you’ll test your ideas in a challenging international project anywhere from Manhattan to Mumbai.

We start by looking at housing in the UK. By Semester 2 you could be speaking to a local expert in Dubai, asking how climate change affects people there. Or analysing population data for Hong Kong, looking for ways to sustainably develop high intensity housing.

Our huge range of topics enable you to develop the skills to tackle urban design challenges worldwide. We can’t promise you’ll solve every challenge but we’ll give you every opportunity to develop your creativity and understand issues from a diverse range of perspectives.

Careers

Many of our graduates find jobs before the course is over. That’s because they have extremely valuable skills in a growing area and are able to apply their knowledge to projects anywhere in the world.

Past students are working at organisations like:

• Arup
• WSP
• DLA
• EdgeUD
• Allies and Morrisson
• many UK city councils.

Some students decide to start their own companies, such as EcoResponsive Environments, founded by Oxford Brookes graduates. Others decide to apply their new skills in their current industry or continue their research at PhD level.

Students can also exit with Pgdip/PgCert awards.

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.