| Program start date | Application deadline |
| 2025-09-01 | - |
Program Overview
The Urban Planning & Development (BSc) program at Cardiff University equips students with the knowledge and skills to address social, economic, and environmental challenges in urban areas. Through a combination of theoretical and practical learning, students gain expertise in urban design, planning law, environmental planning, and sustainability. The program prepares graduates for careers in planning, development, policymaking, and environmental management, with accreditation from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and recognition from the Royal Town Planning Institute.
Program Outline
Degree Overview:
- Title: Urban Planning & Development (BSc)
- Subject Area: Geography (human) and planning
- UCAS Code: K490
- Duration: 3 years
- Mode: Full time The Urban Planning & Development (BSc) program at Cardiff University focuses on the social, economic, and environmental challenges of creating better places in which to live. The program aims to provide students with the knowledge and skills needed to become effective planners, developers, and policymakers. The program covers a wide range of topics, including:
- Urban design
- Planning law
- Environmental planning
- Economic development
- Social justice
- Sustainability Students will gain experience in both the theoretical and practical aspects of planning, and will have the opportunity to apply their learning to real-world projects through coursework, field trips, and internships. The program is designed for students with an interest in making a difference in the world around them. Graduates of the program will be well-prepared for careers in various fields, including planning, development, policymaking, and environmental management.
Outline:
The Urban Planning & Development (BSc) program is divided into three years, each with a different focus.
Year One
Year One places an emphasis on practical and applied projects while introducing the key building blocks of a planning and development degree. Students will take six core modules that cover the following topics:
- Society, Diversity, and Planning
- Urban Economies
- Property, Urban Development and Regeneration
- Making Knowledge: Evidence and Practice
- Key Issues in Urban Planning
- Designing Places and Plans Students will also have the option to take one of the following elective modules:
- Spaces of Production: Economic Geography
- Community and the Built Environment
- Politics and Planning
Year Two
Year two builds on the core knowledge acquired in the first year and encourages students to apply their skills to a series of practical planning and development issues. Students will take five core modules that cover the following topics:
- Site Planning and Development Valuation
- Developing Research Methods
- Plans, Policies and Development Management
- Environmental Planning
- Planning and Its Operation in Market Contexts Students will also have the option to take two of the following elective modules:
- Regulating Development: Planning Law and Policy
- Community Engagement, Mediation and Negotiation Skills
- Sustainable development: Concepts, Practices and Challenges
- Development and the Global South
- Heritage, Regeneration and Inequality
- Landscape, Leisure, and Identity
Year Three
Your final year is a valuable opportunity to reflect on your learning to date, and allows you to start to develop a specialism within a specific subfield of planning. It serves as an important component of the course in bridging the worlds of practice and academic study. Emphasis is placed on developing the qualities of a critical, reflective practitioner and encouraging you to think carefully about the nature, instruments, and impacts of planning. Students will take three core modules that cover the following topics:
- Planning Theory and Practice
- Research Project
- Sustainable Transport Students will also have the option to take two of the following elective modules:
- Cities and Social Justice
- Mobilities: Travel, Tourism and Communication
- Infrastructure Development: Swift, Smart and Sustainable?
- Climate Change & Environmental Governance
- Researching Contemporary Issues in Geography and Planning
- Digital Planning
- Politics of Urban Design
- Economi Wleidyddol Cymru: o 'Oes y glo' i 'Oes y glo'
Assessment:
Students are assessed in the program through a variety of methods, including:
- Essays
- Examinations
- Presentations
- Portfolios
- Creative assignments The specific assessment methods used will vary depending on the module.
Teaching:
The Urban Planning & Development (BSc) program is taught by a team of experienced and qualified staff who are committed to providing students with a high-quality education. The program also makes extensive use of guest speakers and field trips. The program uses a variety of teaching methods, including:
- Lectures
- Seminars
- Workshops
- Field trips
- Independent study
Careers:
The Urban Planning & Development (BSc) program prepares students for a wide range of careers, including:
- Planning officer
- Development manager
- Policymaker
- Environmental consultant
- Urban designer Graduates of the program are employed in a variety of sectors, including government, planning consultancies, development companies, and environmental organizations.
Other:
The Urban Planning & Development (BSc) program is accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and recognized by the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) as a spatial qualification. The program is also a member of the European Urban Research Association (EURA).
Additionally, the text mentions the following:
- The program offers a four-year option with a placement year.
- The program offers subsidized field study visits in year two and three.
Fees for home status
We are currently awaiting confirmation on tuition fees for the 2025/26 academic year. The University reserves the right to increase tuition fees in the second and subsequent years of a course as permitted by law or Welsh Government policy. Where applicable we will notify you of any change in tuition fee by the end of June in the academic year before the one in which the fee will increase.
Students from the EU, EEA and Switzerland
We are currently awaiting confirmation on tuition fees for the 2025/26 academic year. Learn more about the undergraduate fees for students from the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man. We are currently awaiting confirmation on tuition fees for the 2025/26 academic year.
Additional costs
The year 2 residential field study experience is fully subsidised. The final year field-study visits are currently subsidised (approximately two thirds of the cost) by the School, but you will be responsible for the remaining costs. You should expect to cover the costs of local travel and subsistence on all field study visits
Accommodation
We have a range of residences to suit your needs and budget.
Living costs
We're based in one of the UK's most affordable cities. Find out more about living costs in Cardiff.
Entry Requirements:
Home Students
For home students, the typical offers are as follows:
- A-level: ABB-BBB
- Extended Project Qualification: Applicants with grade A in the EPQ/IPQ will typically receive an offer one grade lower than the standard offer. Please note that any subject-specific requirements must still be met.
- International Baccalaureate: 32-31 overall or 665 in 3 HL subjects.
- Baccalaureate Wales: From September 2023, there will be a new qualification called the Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales (level 3). This qualification will replace the Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate (Welsh Baccalaureate).
Other Essential Requirements:
- GCSE English language or Welsh language at grade C/4 or an equivalent (such as A-levels).
- GCSE Maths grade C/4 or equivalent qualification (subject and grade). Core Maths may be accepted in place of GCSE Maths.
- You must have or be working towards:
- English language or Welsh language at GCSE grade C/4 or an equivalent (such as A-levels)
- GCSE Maths grade C/4 or equivalent qualification (subject and grade)
- If you require a Tier 4 visa, you must ensure your language qualification complies with UKVI requirements.
Additional Notes:
- We accept a combination of BTEC subjects, A-levels, and other qualifications, subject to the course specific grade and subject requirements.
- You are not required to complete a DBS (Disclosure Barring Service) check or provide a Certificate of Good Conduct to study this course.
- If you are currently subject to any licence condition or monitoring restriction that could affect your ability to successfully complete your studies, you will be required to disclose your criminal record.
EU, EEA, and Swiss Students
Overseas Students
Entry requirements for overseas students are currently under review and will be announced closer to the 2025/26 academic year.
Language Proficiency Requirements:
For overseas students whose first language is not English, you must demonstrate your English language proficiency by achieving a minimum score on one of the following tests:
- IELTS (academic): At least 6.5 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each subskill.
- PTE Academic: At least 69 overall with a minimum of 59 in all communicative skills.
- Trinity ISE II/III:
- II: at least two Distinctions and two Merits.
- III: at least a Pass in all components.
