Urban Studies and Planning

Gain the skills, knowledge and qualification to enter planning and related professions with our four-year integrated masters degree.

From formal industry recognition to real-world experience, this integrated masters in urban studies and planning equips you with the skills to anticipate and shape the future of the built environment.

You’ve identified your career path, and now you’re looking for the best possible qualification.

The MPlan from The University of Sheffield is accredited by the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) and by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).

With our unique blend of academic and live project work, field trips, site visits and work experience, this masters offers a clear route to becoming a Chartered Member of the Royal Town Planning Institute.

From core knowledge and skills, to key issues such as climate change and urban inequalities, this four-year course gives you a practical grounding and a broad intellectual understanding of concepts and practices in urbanism, spatial change and planning.

Along with work experience in a local planning office or private sector planning consultancy, you’ll be encouraged to develop specialist interests through optional modules, field trips, site visits – plus the opportunity to spend a semester studying abroad in Europe, or spend a year further afield at one of our partner institutions.

Accredited by the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) for the purpose of fully meeting the educational requirements for Chartered Membership and by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).

Why study this course?

1st for construction, surveying and planning: According to the Guardian University Guide 2025.

Dedicated employability team: Based in the school, the team supports you to get placements, brings in alumni to give guest lectures and works with industry to ensure you develop the most in-demand skills. It also supports you with career planning and CV workshops.

Professional Skills modules: Running through all four years of the course, these modules prepare you for professional employment or higher-level study and cover skills like project management, teamwork and negotiation. They will encourage you to reflect on the skills you’ve developed during your degree and will enable you to articulate and professionally present your skills and strengths (i.e. in a job interview).

Research and impact: We're the UK’s top accredited planning school for research and impact, with more than 95% of our research considered world leading or internationally excellent, according to the 2021 Research Excellence Framework.