LONDON'S GLOBAL UNIVERSITY
Urban Studies BSc
UCAS code: K440
www.ucl.ac.uk/prospectus/urban
Urban Studies BSc
This programme has been designed with a
range of professional career opportunities in
mind, offering great flexibility for students
curious to explore a broader range of studies
relating to the built environment, as well as other
subjects with a different focus offered elsewhere
in UCL and other University of London
institutions.
Degree summary
•
London is undergoing rapid change in its urban and natural
environments making this a special time to be studying contemporary
urbanism in the city.
•
The Bartlett has a strong history of research and leading policy
advisory work, and it places itself at the heart of international debates
on the future of cities and regions.
•
Aside from the rich academic activities at the school, London offers
students in planning an unrivalled concentration of professional
meetings, exhibitions and events which will greatly enrich your
education.
•
The school has a strong international outlook and provides
opportunities for combined study overseas in Europe, North America,
Australia and Hong Kong.
The programme shares common courses with the Urban Planning,
Design and Management BSc, meaning you can move freely between
the programmes up until the start of your final year.
The programme is based around three streams of courses. A hands-on
project based stream entitled 'The Urban Laboratory' is designed to allow
you to put into practice the knowledge gained through two other streams
'Understanding Urban Change' and 'Managing Urban Change'. A fourth
stream, 'Specialist Study/Choice', allows you to concentrate on specialist
interests in your second and third years.
The programme offers the opportunity to study overseas for one or two
terms. The school has long-established links with many universities in
Europe as well as a growing list in the USA and Asia-Pacific including
universities in Hong Kong and Melbourne.
Your learning
The School of Planning advocates and employs a very interactive,
hands-on form of learning. Alongside lectures, seminars and tutorials we
include field visits, group project work, and laboratory and design work
sessions to improve your learning experience.
Your final marks will reflect your success in a wide range of assessment
types - examinations typically constitute about a third, with essays,
individual projects and group work making up the balance. This is a
distinctive feature of our planning courses, and of The Bartlett's approach
in particular.
Your career
The programme enables you to acquire highly transferable knowledge
and skills such as data collection and analysis; resolution of problems
and conflicts; negotiation and mediation; presenting complex data and
ideas; managing work tasks; preparing and writing professional reports;
and preparing and using graphics for effective presentations.
Graduates work in a vast range of positions - both within planning and in
other sectors where their analytical, negotiating and problem-solving
skills are valued. Demand for people with planning skills in the UK and
abroad is strong. A rapidly growing field of work is 'urban regeneration',
where people from many professions, sectors and organisations
collaborate on urban and regional projects.
These combine economic development and regeneration, social
development, housing, transport, public space improvements and
community participation.
First career destinations of recent graduates (2010-2013) of this
programme, and of related urban planning programmes, include:
•
•
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Research Assistant, Smart Urbanism
•
•
Planning Designer, Western Homes
Graduate Surveyor, CB Richard Ellis
Full-time student, MSc in Urbanisation and Development at London
School of Economics
Urban Designer, SPPARC
Degree structure
In each year of your degree you will take a number of individual courses,
normally valued at 0.5 or 1.0 credits, adding up to a total of 4.0 credits for
the year. Courses are assessed in the academic year in which they are
taken. The balance of compulsory and optional courses varies from
programme to programme and year to year. A 1.0 credit is considered
equivalent to 15 credits in the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS).
Year One
Compulsory courses
Contemporary Cities
Development of Cities and their Architecture*
Introducing Planning Systems
Introducing Urban Design: Design Skills
Management for Built Environment Professionals I
Making Cities
Planning History and Thought
Urban Lab I: Graphic Skills
Optional courses
* may be exchanged for a language
Year Two
Compulsory courses
Economics of Cities and their Regions
Green Futures
Planning Project: Plan Making
Urban and Environmental Politics
Urban Lab II: Spatial Analysis
Optional courses
You will take 1.5 credits of optional undergraduate courses offered within
the School of Planning or other departments of UCL.
Final Year
Compulsory courses
Cities and Social Change
Real Estate Development
Transport Policy and Planning
Regional Development Planning and Policy
Optional courses
You will take 2.0 credits of optional undergraduate courses offered within
the School of Planning or other departments of UCL.
Entry requirements
A levels
A level grades
ABB
A level subjects
No specific subjects.
AS levels
For UK-based students a pass in a further subject
at AS level or equivalent is required.
GCSE
English Language and Mathematics at grade C.
For UK-based students, a grade C or equivalent
in a foreign language (other than Ancient Greek,
Biblical Hebrew or Latin) is required. UCL
provides opportunities to meet the foreign
language requirement following enrolment,
further details at: www.ucl.ac.uk/ug-reqs
Shortlisted applicants living in or near to the UK are invited to an
applicant open day. This will typically include an introduction to UCL and
the School of Planning, a planning activity combined with a short walk
and on-site lecture, and an interactive Q&A session with members of staff
and current students.
Fees
UK/EU fee
£9,000 (2016/17)
Overseas fee
£21,320 (2016/17)
Notes
Details about financial support are available at:
www.ucl.ac.uk/study/ug-finance
Contacts
Contact
Dr Jessica Ferm
Admissions Tutor
IB diploma
IB points
34
Email
j.ferm@ucl.ac.uk
Subjects
A score of 16 points in three higher level
subjects, with no score lower than 5.
Telephone
+44 (0)20 3108 9555
Prospectus entry
www.ucl.ac.uk/prospectus/urban
Other qualifications
Full lists of all degree programmes and other entry requirements can be
found on our website at: www.ucl.ac.uk/otherquals
Undergraduate Preparatory
Certificates
UCL's Undergraduate Preparatory Certificates (UPCs) are intensive
one-year foundation courses for international students of high academic
potential, who are aiming to gain access to undergraduate degree
programmes at UCL and other top UK universities.
For more information see our website: www.ucl.ac.uk/upc
Your application
Application for admission should be made through UCAS (the
Universities and Colleges Admissions Service). Applicants currently at
school or college will be provided with advice on the process; however,
applicants who have left school or who are based outside the United
Kingdom may obtain information directly from UCAS.
We will look for evidence of your interest in our subject in your personal
statement. We hope to see demonstration of design skills, numerical
skills, the ability to understand and solve complex problems, and
effectiveness in communication. We will also assess your use of English
and to what extent you possess an understanding of, and interest in,
urban planning issues.
PDF Updated: February 20, 2016
Information correct at time of going to press. See website (www.ucl.ac.uk/prospectus/urban) for latest information
Key facts
REF
81% rated 4* (‘world-leading’) or 3*
(‘internationally excellent’)
Department
Bartlett School of Planning
Faculty
Built Environment