Urban Planning and Regional Development MSc
About This Programme
The MSc Urban Planning and Regional Development at the University of Birmingham Dubai prepares students to shape the physical, social and economic futures of cities and regions through strategic planning, policy and governance. It builds expertise in planning systems, governance and placemaking for smart, sustainable and inclusive development in complex, fast-changing global and regional contexts, and runs for 12 months full-time or 24 months part-time. Dubai, one of the world's fastest-growing urban regions, serves as a living urban laboratory. Teaching combines lectures, seminars, studio workshops, an Urban Lab run like a consultancy, masterclasses with government agencies and consultants such as AECOM, WSP, Jacobs and Buro Happold, and fieldwork, with no exams. In the second semester students join a fully funded one-week international residential field trip that compares planning systems and regional strategies, and the course ends with a supervised dissertation.
Course Highlights
- Dubai as a live urban lab, in one of the world's fastest-growing urban regions.
- Leading academics and industry professionals, with input from consultancies such as AECOM, WSP, Jacobs and Buro Happold.
- A fully funded one-week international residential field trip in the second semester, with travel and accommodation covered.
- Research supported by local government grants, and assessment based 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 combines lectures, tutorials, seminars, studio workshops, practical assignments, fieldwork and real-world projects: taught modules with site visits, lab classes and design studio sessions; an Urban Lab in which students work consultancy-style on real urban challenges; masterclasses and workshops with government agencies, local authorities and international consultants; and hands-on fieldwork and site analysis. Assessment uses essays, presentations, case study and government-style reports, urban design plans, poster presentations and an extended research project, with no exam. The full-time timetable has teaching on one to three evenings from 18:00 to 21:00, Monday to Wednesday (the day varies by module); part-time students attend the same sessions for the modules they take. On the field trip, students design and carry out research on public life and urban challenges in a different cultural and urban setting, working with local universities and experts. Teaching staff listed on the course page include Dr Mohammad Radfar, Associate Professor of Sustainable Urban Design and Planning.
Term 1
Foundations in the theories, systems and research skills of urban and regional planning, analysing the political, economic and spatial forces that shape cities and regions, with a focus on inclusive development, policy-making and long-term spatial strategy.
- Shaping Urban Spaces: The Politics, Theory, and Practice of Spatial Planning
- Designing Urban Systems: Sustainable, Smart and Healthy Placemaking20 credits
- Research Skills for Urban Planners: Methods to Study People and Place20 credits
Term 2
Specialised themes in urban and regional development, including governance, socio-economic dynamics and spatial strategy, with the one-week international residential field trip and the dissertation proposal.
- Spatial Analysis and Urban Living: Evaluating the Qualities and Quantities of Urban Spaces20 credits
- Urban Lab: City and Regional Development Plan20 credits
- Urban and Regional Dynamics: Discourse and Debates20 credits
Term 3
The dissertation or major independent research project, with a dedicated supervisor: in-depth research on a question in urban planning and regional development, data collection and analysis using suitable planning methods, and a rigorous, professionally relevant dissertation. The course totals 180 credits: 120 taught and 60 for the dissertation.
- Dissertation60 credits
Entry Requirements
Applicants must meet both the University's general entry requirements and the course's own criteria. Each application is reviewed by the course's Admissions Tutor, who decides whether to make an offer.
Careers
The University says its planning graduates are sought after by major employers, with all securing employment within six months. 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
Listed as Active on the Commission for Academic Accreditation register (UAE Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research) as the Master of Science in Urban Planning and Regional Development, with a Postgraduate Diploma and a Postgraduate Certificate in the same subject also Active; this course page credits the UAE Ministry of Education.
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.