Spatial Planning and Development

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This Masters programme is recognised to be one of the leading planning programmes in the UK and Europe. You will develop spatial planning competencies, become a proficient planner with excellent market understanding and be prepared to organise, manage and negotiate development schemes from both a private and public sector perspective. The blend of analytical rigour and practical application will enable you progress to senior positions in the real estate and planning sector.

This programme is available as a one year full-time course, or a two year part-time course, where timetabling allows part-time students to study on a day-release basis to facilitate work commitments.

We adopt an applied, research-led approach to teaching and problem-solving that will enable you to develop core knowledges, skills and attitudes in planning and development (please see the ‘How we teach you’ section for further details). Through a series of integrated, real world-based projects, you’ll develop the skills crucial to being an effective professional, including negotiation, viability appraisal, 3D-visualisation, professional team-working and understanding the perspective of different stakeholders, including private developers, local authorities and communities.

You will have the opportunity to develop your understanding of the international context for planning and development through a week-long field trip , where you will engage with a range of professionals about how planning and development processes operate in other settings. You will also be able to develop in depth knowledge in a specific theme of your choice (e.g. ‘Environment’, ‘Development’, ‘Planning’ or ‘Rural’. Please refer to the ‘Course structure’ section for a list of modules and options.

This programme is available on a full-time or part-time basis.

Our School is the largest in the UK for teaching and research in real estate and planning. Established in 1968 at the University of Reading, we are the only major UK real estate and planning centre to be located within a business school. Being part of the Henley Business School reflects our close and longstanding collaborative relationship with industry.

We have a worldwide reputation for excellence in both teaching and research and we are consistently highly ranked in all major league tables. We undertake internationally recognised, leading edge research into real estate, planning and land. We offer a comprehensive range of courses, all of which are accredited by the  Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). Our planning courses are also fully accredited by the  Royal Town Planning Institute.

Our programmes are held in high regard by leading employers. Many of whom come to us each year to recruit our graduates. We are proud of our outstanding employment record. More than 95% of our students enter graduate-level jobs within 6-months of leaving us.