MSc Urban Strategies and Design

Overview

MSc Urban Strategies and Design will develop your consideration of strategies and engagement with urban spaces from a contemporary, socio-political, and economic context, with an emphasis on design. The programme is delivered jointly by Heriot-Watt University and the Edinburgh College of Art at the University of Edinburgh allowing you to benefit from teaching, research, and policy liaison expertise offered by two major institutions. Applications are processed by the University of Edinburgh and details on how to apply can be found on the University of Edinburgh’s programme page.

The programme is open to graduates from a range of disciplines, including geography, architecture, urban planning, and economics. You’ll experience a comprehensive teaching approach towards the delivery of socially sustainable urban transformations. You’ll study a wide and diverse range of social, economic, and political processes that determine the contemporary urban environment, and acquire the tools and skills to propose urban projects of diverse scales and specificities. 

This career-focused master’s programme will be of interest to you if you wish to pursue a career in urban design and development planning or other allied professions, and opportunities exist locally and internationally, in the formal, public and private voluntary, and international development sectors. 

As a graduate you’ll be able to:

• Comprehend the multi-disciplinary nature of urban strategy and design
• Have insight into the role of the built environment and other disciplines in the establishment of effective urban strategies and design
• Gain knowledge of the social, economic, and legislative forces that drive contemporary urban agendas
• Acquire expertise in the intelligent use of quantitative and qualitative data in formulating strategic urban interventions
• Appreciate the contribution of imaginative and intelligent building proposals that respond proactively to sustainable agendas in urban design

Industry links

We work closely with industry and policy makers to ensure our course content is up-to-date and reflects the current and emerging needs of industry and employers. You’ll gain the right blend of knowledge, practical skills, and soft skills to set you up for life after graduation.

Our expertise

Your learning will be informed by the expertise of our research-active academics from The Urban Institute and the Institute for Social Policy, Housing, Equalities Research (I-SPHERE) which sit within the School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society (EGIS) at Heriot-Watt University. EGIS is one of the United Kingdom’s leading institutions for multidisciplinary research and teaching in areas critical to economic development and societal equity. Our teams work closely and have links with industry, and practitioners are regularly invited as guest lecturers in most courses. 

Delivered jointly by Heriot-Watt University and the Edinburgh College of Art at the University of Edinburgh, you’ll additionally benefit from teaching, facilities, research, and policy liaison expertise offered by two major institutions.

You'll also benefit from contact with the Global Urban Research Collaborative, who are a growing community of researchers working with communities, non-governmental organisations, government agencies, and other stakeholders to produce knowledge that seeks to improve living conditions in vulnerable settlements in the rapidly urbanising world.

Your learning environment

The MSc Urban Strategies and Design programme is taught though a combination of lectures, projects, and fieldwork at Heriot-Watt University and the University of Edinburgh. Learning is interactive, hands on and practical, combining analytical and project components. The city of Edinburgh offers an active urban laboratory for project and site visit exploration of current urban design issues. 

You will be assessed by coursework, exams, and your research dissertation, and will receive support and feedback throughout the programme. The dissertation assesses higher level research skills, critical thinking and writing capabilities. 

Outside of the classroom, you can get involved with the Heriot-Watt Student Union and there are lots of ways to do so including participating in student groups, becoming a student representative or a school officer, and joining student societies. Societies provide a great opportunity to meet likeminded people, get involved in regular social and networking events, and gain insights into career prospects.

Customise your learning

Semester one is taught at Heriot-Watt University and Semester two is taught at the University of Edinburgh.

You’ll undertake an extensive and specialised investigation through your research dissertation on a topical issue, supervised by academic staff with relevant expertise at either Heriot-Watt University or the University of Edinburgh. You’ll be required to demonstrate your advanced understanding of the discipline in which the dissertation topic is located through effective formulation of a hypothesis, and the planning and execution of appropriate research to address the problem. You’ll do this effectively within the resources and time available thus increasing your analytical and organisational skills.