The University of New South Wales (UNSW Sydney)
The Bachelor of City Planning at UNSW is a four-year full-time honours degree through which you’ll learn to shape sustainable, equitable, healthy and inspiring built environments.
City planning is an exciting, varied and progressive profession. UNSW’s planning degree will equip you to work at the interface between development, land use, environment and urban design. You’ll gain the knowledge, skills, and career focused experience to turn creativity and critical thinking into real-world solutions - shaping the future of our cities and regions.
Work experience is a defining feature of this degree. As part of the Arts, Design & Architecture (ADA) community you’ll work alongside students and professionals from across the built environment, just as you would in the workplace. In your third year, you’ll undertake a Practice Year, where you’ll focus on practical and professional experience, benefitting from UNSW’s strong ties to industry and world-leading research in urban planning.
Sydney, Australia
48 Months
AU$ 42,820
IELTS: 7 TOEFL: 94
The Bachelor of City Planning (Honours) is a 4-year program consisting of 28 courses, a Practice Year and completion of a research thesis in the final year.
The program includes:
Full program structure
Each university year at UNSW has three terms and an optional summer study period. You can study full-time or part-time.
Some courses need to be studied in your first and second year, so you’re prepared for courses that can only be studied in later years. Depending on how you plan your study load, you can fit two or three courses into a term and one course in a summer term.
Depending on how you plan your study load, you can fit two or three courses into a term and one course in a summer term.
Below is an example of what you could study in a standard four-year-year, full-time study plan.
First year
Second year
Third year (Practice Year)
During your Practice Year, you'll apply your skills and knowledge in city planning to real-world work experience and bring insights from this experience back into the classroom. Our students undertake their work experience in diverse public and private sector organisations, including state government, local authorities, urban consultancies, development companies, private practice and NGOs.
Fourth year (Honours)
In your final year, you’ll deepen your knowledge through a self-directed research project. You’ll graduate with strong research skills developed through completion of a thesis that will set you apart as you kick-start your career.
Admission pathways
UNSW Global has university pathway programs that provide seamless transition to UNSW Sydney so you can achieve your academic and career goals. Learn more.
English language requirements
You may be asked to provide evidence of your English proficiency to study at UNSW depending on your educational background and citizenship. English language skills are vitally important for coping with lectures, tutorials, assignments and examinations - this is why UNSW requires a minimum English language competency for enrolment.
If English is not your first language, you’ll need to provide proof of your English proficiency before you can be given an offer to study at UNSW. You can do this by providing evidence that you meet one or more of the following criteria:
2022 Indicative First Year Fee
$42,820
As a City Planner you’ll build a career that addresses local and global challenges facing our natural and built environments. You’ll graduate with the confidence, knowledge and career-ready skills to turn creativity and critical thinking into real world solutions. You’ll be prepared to: