Sustainable Urban Design MSc
About This Programme
The MSc Sustainable Urban Design at the University of Birmingham Dubai prepares designers and non-designers to shape sustainable, human-centred and resilient cities, blending theory with hands-on projects on real-world challenges. It draws on Middle Eastern and Eastern traditions of sustainability alongside modern approaches, using Dubai, where long-standing sustainable practice meets rapid modern development, as a living urban laboratory. It runs for 12 months full-time or 24 months part-time. Taught by an international team of academics from the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Asia, with input from consultancies such as AECOM, WSP, Jacobs and Buro Happold, the course combines design studio work, an Urban Lab run like a consultancy, masterclasses with government agencies and consultants, and fieldwork, with no exams. Students take part in a fully funded one-week international field trip, to Kathmandu this year, and finish with a supervised dissertation on a sustainable urban design question.
Course Highlights
- Dubai as a live urban lab, where traditional Eastern sustainability meets modern urban innovation and rapid development.
- An international team of leading academics and industry professionals, with insight from consultancies such as AECOM, WSP, Jacobs and Buro Happold.
- A fully funded one-week international field trip; this year's destination is Kathmandu, Nepal.
- Research supported by local government grants, and assessment based entirely on real-world challenges, with no exams.
- Birmingham is ranked 68th in the QS World University Rankings 2027, as stated on the course page.
What You'll Study
The course blends design studio, theory and hands-on learning, combining historical case studies of regional practice with modern strategies. Teaching includes lectures, interactive seminars, site visits, lab classes and design studio sessions; an Urban Lab in which students work consultancy-style on real projects and propose sustainable design solutions; masterclasses and workshops with government agencies, local authorities and international consultants; and fieldwork, site analysis and practical research. Assessment uses essays, presentations, case study and government-style reports, urban design plans, poster presentations and an extended research project, all based on real-world challenges, with no exam. The international field trip explores sustainable design in a very different urban setting: this year's Kathmandu trip covers community engagement, informal settlements, cultural heritage and post-disaster reconstruction after the 2015 earthquake, with visits in Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur and meetings with local universities, planners, architects and community organisations. Teaching staff listed on the course page include Dr Mohammad Radfar, Associate Professor of Sustainable Urban Design and Planning, an urban designer and planner with expertise in landscape architecture and environmental planning.
Semester 1
Foundations in the theory, practice and research skills of sustainable urban design, and in analysing the relationships between people and places from a sustainability perspective.
- Designing Urban Systems: Sustainable, Smart and Healthy Placemaking20 credits
- Research Skills for Urban Designers: Methods to Study Public Life20 credits
- Shaping Urban Spaces: The Politics, Theory, and Practice of Spatial Planning20 credits
Semester 2
Specialised themes in sustainable planning and design, especially creating healthy environments in fast-growing urban areas, a one-week residential international field trip, and setting the dissertation topic and proposal.
- Spatial Analysis and Urban Living: Evaluating the Qualities and Quantities of Urban Spaces20 credits
- Sustainable Urban Design: Discourses and Debates20 credits
- Urban Lab: Urban Design and Regeneration Project20 credits
Semester 3
The dissertation or major independent research project, carried out with a dedicated supervisor: in-depth research on a question in sustainable urban design, data analysis with advanced methods to develop practical solutions, and a structured dissertation.
- Dissertation60 credits
Entry Requirements
The programme is a conversion degree, open to designers who want to specialise in sustainable urbanism and to non-design professionals moving into urban sustainability and the built environment. Particularly well-suited backgrounds include architecture, urban design, landscape and interior architecture, planning and engineering, urban and infrastructure planning, geography, environmental science and sustainability, climate change and resilience, psychology and sociology with an urban focus, and technology fields such as GIS, transport and civil engineering, data analytics and smart cities.
Careers
The University says its graduates are sought after by major employers, with all securing employment within six months, and many have built careers across the UAE, the USA, Australia and beyond. Graduate destinations include local architecture and urban planning firms, the Roads and Transport Authority, government ministries and other public sector roles, urban development firms, consultancies such as AECOM, WSP and AESG, and global organisations such as the United Nations and the World Bank. The Careers Network Dubai offers information, advice and guidance.
Accreditation & Professional Recognition
Accredited by the UAE Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, and listed as Active on the Commission for Academic Accreditation register as the Master of Science in Sustainable Urban Design; the register also lists a Postgraduate Diploma and a Postgraduate Certificate in Sustainable Urban Design as Active.
Programme Details
Award
Master of Science (MSc)
Start Date
September 2026 (applications closed; September 2027 details to follow)
Typical Offer
2:1 Honours degree or equivalent in a relevant discipline (2:2 with sufficient professional experience considered)
Duration
12 months full-time; 24 months part-time
Qualification
Masters
Subject Area
Urban Planning
Campus
Dubai
Study Pattern
Full time, Part time
Delivery Format
In person
Tuition Fee
AED 139,173/yr
AED 139,173 a year full-time or AED 69,587 a year part-time, for September 2026 entry. The fee covers tuition, examinations and graduation and is charged for each year of study, so part-time students pay it in both years; it can be paid in full or in instalments, and it does not include visa or living costs. Applications for September 2026 entry to this programme are closed, and details for September 2027 entry will be published later. Applications are made online through the University of Birmingham Dubai Admissions portal, with no application fee; postgraduate applicants upload transcripts for study completed so far, their degree certificate if available, and a CV. Decisions are usually made within 10 working days of all documents arriving. A non-returnable AED 5,000 deposit, deducted from tuition, is paid on accepting an offer. Scholarships of up to 30% are assessed from the application itself, with no separate form, and full-time students can apply for a student visa sponsored by the University.