Are you interested in how cities can become more sustainable, efficient, safe and livable? This programme qualifies you to understand and shape the cities of the future.
2 years (4 semesters)
English
120
August every year
Academic admission requirements below Information about the application process below
About the programme
Cities and urban areas are growing fast. There is an increasing need for urban planners who understand sustainable urban development and design. Urban planners with technical insight and design understanding are therefore needed to ensure sustainable urban development of livable and smart cities. The cities of the future must be resource and energy efficient, and have smart solutions for buildings, transport and infrastructure.
Would you like to design public spaces, neighbourhoods, cities and regions?
- This master's programme focuses on place making, spatial analysis, conceptual development and design, planning processes, infrastructure and communities, and renewable energy solutions.
- You will choose between elective packages on sustainable urban development and mobility, renewable urban energy, or urban safety and resilience.
- Experience with spatial planning and related drawing software is highly recommended.
Are you interested in combining design with technical and social issues? Then this can be the programme for you. You will study with international students with different backgrounds from planning, civil engineering and architecture.
The courses I have taken have provided me with tools and skills that I already see the value of in practice.
Career prospects
The programme’s combination of courses in technology, design, and social sciences give students a wide skillset, and thus a large spectrum of job opportunities. Typical examples include:
- public administration (municipalities, county authorities, government agencies, and ministries)
- private consulting firms (architectural offices and urban development companies, planning and engineering consultancies, construction and contractors, property developers and housing developers)
- research institutions, universities and colleges
A degree in City and Regional Planning provides a basis for work with:
- preparation of land-use and zoning plans in accordance with the Norwegian Planning and Building Act
- design of public spaces and regional development
- decision support through studies and analyses
- climate adaptation and nature-based solutions
- smart city development and digital tools
- public participation and citizen dialogue
- project management in development projects
Further education
Graduates can qualify for admission to the PhD programme in Science and Technology with relevant specialisation at the University of Stavanger.
I received a job offer as a Planning Manager at the Norwegian Public Roads Administration three weeks after submitting my master's thesis, and I have greatly benefited from what I learned during my studies.
Learning outcomes
All study programmes at the UiS have a set of defined learning targets. Read more about the learning outcome for this study programme.
A graduate should have the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:
Knowledge
K1: Has advanced knowledge within city and regional planning, and specific insight into selected topics.
K2: Has in-depth knowledge about scientific theory and methods within city and regional planning.
K3: Can apply knowledge to new topics within city and regional planning.
K4: Can analyse relevant problems while taking planning history, traditions, methods and social responsibility into account.
K5: Can understand and evaluate technical and aesthetic aspects of existing urban environment as well as propose new ones.
Skills
S1: Can participate and lead interdisciplinary planning processes on city, region and neighbourhood scales.
S2: Can analyse a space in terms of topography, history, built environment and traffic.
S3: Can propose compound master plans and small-scale designs.
S4: Can shape sustainable, functional, safe and resilient environments.
S5: Can critically assess consequences associated with proposed land use, building development and transport plans.
General Competence
G1: Can analyse professional, theoretical and research-ethical problems.
G2: Can apply knowledge and skills to new areas in order to implement advanced tasks and projects.
G3: Can convey extensive pieces of independent work and master planning terminology –orally, written and graphically.
G4: Can communicate planning problems, analyses and conclusions, to both experts and the public.
G5: Can critically assess and reflect on literature and projects on city and regional planning.
G6: Can contribute to original thinking and innovation.
Studyplan with courses
Academic requirements
A bachelor’s degree within planning, civil engineering, architecture, or equivalent. The degree must include minimum 30 ECTS credits in physical planning, city and regional planning, landscape engineering, environmental or urban management, transport planning, technical planning, or equivalent.
Application and admission
International and local applicants have different deadlines and application procedures, depending on your citizenship, language skills and educational background.
Student life at UiS
Student exchange
By going on exchange to one of our partner institutions abroad as part of your studies, you will have an opportunity to get a unique education. In addition to improving your career opportunities, you grow as a person and gain the ability to greater reflect on the topics you study as part of your degree.
Schedule for the exchange
Students can go on a study abroad experience during the 3rd semester of the master's programme in City and Regional Planning. This semester consists of 30 ECTS credits of electives. During the exchange semester you can choose courses similar the master program specialisation. The courses you want to take abroad must be approved by the department. It is important that the subjects/ courses from abroad do not overlap with courses you have already taken.
More opportunities
In addition to the recommended universities, The University of Stavanger has several agreements with universities outside Europe that are applicable to all students at The University of Stavanger, provided that they find a relevant course offering. Within the Nordic region, all students can use the Nordlys and Nordtek networks.
Contact your student adviser at the Faculty if you have questions about guidance and pre-approval of courses.
General questions about exchange:
Go to the exchange guide in the Digital student service desk
See where you can travel
Frequently asked questions
What is urban planning, really?
Urban planning includes all activities that develop and shape the places we live in. It requires knowledge of, among other things, built surroundings, outdoor spaces, people, travel, public affairs, finances and politics.
Urban planning includes work with smaller urban and street spaces. neighborhoods and entire cities or regions. How cities are designed and used is considered a very important part of sustainable development. Most greenhouse gas emissions occur in cities. Therefore, large parts of the solution are also there.
Urban planning is to facilitate reduced emissions through, among other things, area and transport planning. If you choose urban planning, you will work with meaningful tasks.
Do I have to be good at drawing when I study urban planning?
No! You will use drawing and CAD in the daily work with tasks. Planning work involves placing and designing surroundings, and it is important to be able to present work graphically, using drawings, maps, digital plans and illustrations. You will receive training in this during your studies.
Is the study programme in English?
In the two-year master's programme in City and Regional Planning, Norwegian and international students work together, so all teaching takes place in English. It is possible to write the master's thesis in English or Norwegian.
Where can I work, and what can I work on when I study urban planning?
You can work on making physical plans or describe how an area should be developed. You do not have to work in a big city. You can get a job in public agencies (eg municipalities, county municipalities, the Norwegian Public Roads Administration, etc.) or private companies that solve planning tasks (e.g. consulting companies, engineering / architectural offices, real estate developers, contractors, etc.).
Contact
Faculty Administration TN
Kontor for utdanningsadministrative tjenester
Department of Safety, Economics and Planning