Master of Urban Planning

The Master of Urban Planning is an accredited professional degree that focuses on Australian and international policy and planning pertaining to human settlements. Planners promote the establishment of economically viable, socially just, environmentally sustainable, safe and healthy human settlements.

As planners, we believe that this is a critical pursuit and perhaps it is never more timely than now as we adapt to global changes that impact our cities. These changes include climate change; deepening inequality that has often been associated with diminished local democracy and the rise of community advocacy; growing concerns for community health and safety; and the emergence of global city-regions that require innovations in governance and planning.

The Master of Urban Planning degree provides professional training in urban planning with the opportunity to specialise in one of four areas, while maintaining breadth by taking electives throughout the Faculty and University. The program recognises the importance of interdisciplinary learning and, in addition to a wide array of electives, includes interdisciplinary studio options. The program also recognises the importance of being able to carry out and communicate research on planning policy and practice, including a compulsory analytical methods subject and a minor research thesis.

The MUP will:

• Equip students so that they are sought-after practitioners and researchers of urban planning in Australia and internationally;
• Provide students with a choice of electives and specialisations that enable them to develop their intellectual and career interests;
• Encourage an environment in which theoretical and applied planning knowledge is developed;
• Recognise and build upon the range of prior skills and knowledge students bring to the program;
• Engage students with key contemporary planning ideals, ethics and debates, including debates surrounding the creation of equitable and sustainable human settlements; and,
• Provide research opportunities allowing students to undertake supervised and self-directed learning.

All students must complete:

100 points of core subjects

25 points MSD Minor Thesis

25 points of required specialisation subjects

25 points of specialisation elective subjects

25 points of multidisciplinary elective subjects

Note: MUP students can complete specialisation elective subjects and multidisciplinary elective subjects by participating in an exchange program with an overseas university. For further details contact the Environments and Design Student Centre.

Core subjects (100 points)

MSD Minor Thesis (25 points)

In order to successfully complete the MSD Minor Thesis students are required to enrol in two separate subjects commencing with ABPL90217 MSD Minor Thesis (Part 1) followed by ABPL90218 MSD Minor Thesis (Part 2).

Students can commence the MSD Minor Thesis either in Semester 1 or 2.

Specialisations

Note:

1. Subjects required for one specialisation represent electives for another specialisation.
2. Students are strongly encouraged to discuss the selection of specialisation elective subjects with an appropriate staff member.

Required Specialisation subjects (25 points)

Students must choose one of the four required specialisations below. Students must also complete 25 points from the Elective Specialisation subjects.

Required Specialisation 1: Social and Community Planning

Required Specialisation 2: Urban Development and Planning

Required Specialisation 3: International Development Planning

Required Specialisation 4: Environmental Planning

Specialisation Elective subjects (25 points)

Students may also take graduate level subjects from the Melbourne School of Design or other faculties, with written approval from the home faculty and the MUP Program Coordinator.

MUP students can complete specialisation elective subjects and multidisciplinary elective subjects by participating in an exchange program with an overseas university. For further details contact the Environments and Design Student Centre or go to:

http://www.msd.unimelb.edu.au/current-students/study-resources/study-abroad-exchange.html

Multidisciplinary electives (25 points)

Students may choose any masters-level subjects including:

• Melbourne School of Design graduate subjects without prerequisites. To view a list, click here.
• Melbourne School of Design graduate subjects with prerequisites (provided prerequisites are met). In order to view a full list of MSD graduate subjects use the Advanced Search option of handbook.
• Any University of Melbourne graduate subject provided prerequisites are met and written approval from the home faculty plus the Master of Urban Planning course coordinator is submitted to the Environments and Design Student Centre.

MUP students may apply to use points arising from a Melbourne School of Design Travelling Studio towards either the multidisciplinary elective, specialisation elective or (with program coordinator approval) required specialisation components of the course.

To view a sample course plan go to:

http://edsc.unimelb.edu.au/urban-planning-course-plans

1. The Selection Committee will evaluate the applicant’s ability to pursue the
course successfully using the following criteria:

• a minimum three-year undergraduate degree with a weighted average of at least 65% in the final two years, or equivalent; and
• submission of a personal statement of up to 1000 words outlining relevant prior study and work experience, and motivation to undertake the course.

2. The Selection Committee may conduct interviews and tests and may call for referee reports and employer references to elucidate any of the matters referred to above.

Guaranteed Pathway into Master of Urban Planning for BEnv Graduates (available for masters entry from 2011 to 2014)

1. BEnv graduates with a weighted average of at least 65% in their final two years will be guaranteed a fee place in the 200-point Master of Urban Planning.
2. BEnv graduates with a weighted average of at least 65% in their final two years, and who are eligible for a Commonwealth Supported Place, will be guaranteed a Commonwealth Supported Place in the 200-point Master of Urban Planning.

For information about how to apply click here.

Students with an Australian fee place in this course who complete 100 points of the course with a weighted average of at least 75% and who are eligible for a Commonwealth Supported Place will be guaranteed a transfer to a Commonwealth Supported Place for the remaining points of the course.

The Melbourne School of Design MSD welcomes applications from students with disabilities. It is the University's and Faculty's policy to take reasonable steps to make reasonable adjustments so as to enable students’ participation in degrees offered by the Melbourne School of Design.

A candidate for degrees offered in the MSD must have abilities and skills which include the following: observation; communication; motor; conceptual, integrative, and quantitative; and behavioural and social. Adjustments can be provided to minimise the impact of a disability, however, particularly at Masters level, students need to be able to participate in programs in an independent manner and with regard to their safety and the safety of others.

(i) Observation: Candidates must be able to read text, diagrams, maps, drawings and numerical data.

(ii) Communication: Candidates should be able to communicate with fellow students, professional and academic staff, members of relevant professions and the public. Candidates must be able to communicate effectively and sensitively. Communication includes not only speech but also reading and writing.

(iii) Motor: Candidates should have sufficient motor function to elicit information from environmental contexts. Off campus investigations may include visits to construction sites, urban, rural and/or remote environments. Candidates should have sufficient motor ability to use a computer and to prepare documentation of analytic texts, graphs and maps. Candidates should have the ability to actively participate in appropriate site and studio-based activities.

(iv) Intellectual-Conceptual, Integrative and Quantitative Abilities: These abilities include measurement, calculation, reasoning, analysis, synthesis and, importantly, the ability to interpret results of such work. Problem resolution, the critical skill demanded of graduates, requires all of these intellectual abilities. In addition, candidates should be able to comprehend spatial relationships in urban spaces and larger geographic areas. Further, graduate study entails learning to master one’s own abilities and skills and to deploy them strategically. This requires further developing skills in both reflective and reflexive thinking and being able to practice these skills.

(v) Behavioural and Social Attributes: A candidate must possess behavioural and social attributes that enable them to participate in a complex learning environment. Students are required to take responsibility for their own participation and learning. They also contribute to the learning of other students in collaborative learning environments, demonstrating interpersonal skills and an understanding of the needs of other students. Assessment may include the outcomes of tasks completed in collaboration with other students.

Students who feel a disability will prevent them from meeting the above academic requirements are encouraged to contact the Disability Liaison Unit.

The variety of planning roles – working in government, for the private sector, in public-private partnerships and in civil society is becoming more complex. The variety of planning specialisations – including land-use development control, transport planning, environmental planning, strategic planning, advocacy and community development, and urban design is increasing. The Master of Urban Planning degree equips planners with basic knowledge and skills that allow them to excel in the workplace. More importantly, the Master of Urban Planning teaches students to think critically and strategically, with a sound understanding of relevant theories, and with a view to ensuring the ability to adapt to and to lead these changes.

This teaching includes considerable emphasis on global changes in planning practice and governance and equips graduates to practice internationally.

Planning Institute of Australia (PIA)

The Master of Urban Planning degree prepares students to step up as leaders, to address the world’s urban problems and to maximise opportunities, now and in the future. We do this through a pedagogical mix of lectures, debate, discussion, seminars and student presentations, local and travelling studios, and independent research. Students are encouraged to attend and contribute to conferences and seminars in order to increase their knowledge of planning issues, grow their professional networks and to share their findings with the scholarly community.

Students are taught to:

• Understand theory and think in a critical and reflective manner;
• Develop core planning knowledge and skills;
• Respond creatively to the issues they confront;
• Understand and manage the complexity inherent in planning problems;
• Understand cities in an international comparative context;
• Develop research skills;
• Develop areas of specialisation; and,
• Work in multi-disciplinary teams.