MSc Regional and Urban Planning Studies

at London School of Economics

The programme involves three compulsory half units, three half-unit options and a 10,000-word dissertation. This dissertation will be on a topic of personal interest to you, agreed with your tutor. It provides the opportunity for you to apply the material learned in the rest of the programme. Through your selection of options you can either study a wide range of different subjects or choose a package with a specialism such as environment planning, regional policy, economic development, or planning in developing countries.

If you are planning to apply for a PhD within the Department, please be advised that you need to take some methods training as part of the MSc. Contact your MSc programme director and the Director of Graduate studies to discuss this requirement.

You will also have the benefit of a series of visiting speakers and study trips exploring current planning issues, including the chance to go on a study visit to another city. In recent years we have visited Sarajevo, Moscow, Istanbul, Berlin and Athens; the cost of this visit (about £300) is not covered by tuition fees. 

(* denotes a half unit)

The Economics of Regional and Urban Planning*
Provides an economic framework in which to analyse the structure of economic activity within the urban and regional context; the impact of this structure on urban form; and the role of government at the local level and local economic policy applications.

Urban Planning: Society, Market and Sustainability*
Explores the impact of key social and political processes on the activity of urban and regional planning.

Urban Policy and Planning*
A fieldwork-based course that examines the way in which economic, political and social forces interact to effect policy approaches in different spatial settings.

Planning Practice and Research
(not assessed) provides an understanding of the current planning issues faced by practitioners and their policy responses.

Dissertation

Courses to the value of one and a half units from a range of options

Minimum entry requirements for MSc Regional and Urban Planning Studies

Upper second class honours degree (2:1) or equivalent in a relevant social science, or professional qualifications and experience.

Competition for places at the School is high. This means that even if you meet the minimum entry requirement, this does not guarantee you an offer of admission.

Every graduate student is charged a fee for their programme.

The fee covers registration and examination fees payable to the School, lectures, classes and individual supervision, lectures given at other colleges under intercollegiate arrangements and, under current arrangements, membership of the Students' Union. It does not cover living costs or travel or fieldwork.

Tuition fees 2022/23 for MSc Regional and Urban Planning Studies
Home students: £15,816
Overseas students: £24,456

Quick Careers Facts for the Department of Geography & Environment
Median salary of our PG students six months after graduating: £33,000 

Top 5 sectors our students work in: 

• Public administration and defence
• Architectural and engineering activities
• Financial service activities
• Other professional, scientific and technical activities
• Legal and accounting activities 

The data was collected as part of the Graduate Outcomes survey, which is administered by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). Graduates from 2017-18 were the first group to be asked to respond to Graduate Outcomes. Median salaries are calculated for respondents who are paid in UK pounds sterling.

Our graduates typically go on to careers in planning consultancies, local and regional government, real estate and property development, and community advocacy organisations.