Master of Urban and Regional Planning,MG-URPLAN2

Overview

The future of our urban and regional centres relies on agile, creative thinkers who can bring communities together to collectively work toward solutions to the challenges they face.

In doing so, they need to navigate political, administrative and legislative frameworks in an ethical, sustainable way. In this Planning Institute of Australia (PIA) accredited course, you’ll explore the social, economic and environmental challenges affecting communities and help solve real-world problems with the support of several industry partners.

You’ll gain an understanding of planning laws and applications, and be encouraged to contribute to real-world projects.

The course is designed for students with an undergraduate qualification in an area related to the built environment, such as architecture, landscape architecture or geography, who seek to gain PIA accreditation to work as a planner. It is not intended for those who hold a PIA-accredited bachelor degree in planning.

Those who hold a bachelor degree in an unrelated field must apply for the Graduate Certificate in Development Planning before progressing to the master degree.

Students who complete the master degree to a high standard can apply for doctoral-level studies. You may also exit the degree at the graduate certificate level.

What you'll learn

• disseminate and apply the principles, theories and concepts of urban and regional planning and draw upon appropriate knowledge of social, economic and environmental factors within a governance framework to practise planning, particularly in the Western Australian context;
• think critically at the highest order to analyse and challenge theories and practices of urban and regional planning, and generate creative solutions to planning issues;
• critically access, evaluate and synthesise information in order to undertake research relevant to urban and regional planning;
• communicate effectively at a high order which is both innovative and ground-breaking in writing, graphically and orally with various audiences (academic, professional and community);
• use appropriate technologies to practice urban and regional planning;
• use learned skills to continue self-development and influence others in continued learning in the profession;
• have a high level of awareness and skills to understand and respond to cultural diversity and difference in national and international perspectives;
• recognise and consider the needs and aspirations of the diversity of populations served by urban and regional planning, including the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and the cultures of other minority ethnic groups in Australia and internationally
• work ethically as individuals and in teams demonstrating skills in leadership negotiation and conflict resolution, recognising and valuing the contribution of other disciplines and interests

Entry requirements

English requirements

Curtin requires all applicants to demonstrate proficiency in English. Specific English requirements for this course are outlined in the IELTS table below.

You may demonstrate English proficiency using the following tests and qualifications.

Have your supporting documents to hand, and ensure they meet our guidelines. The documents may include certified copies of your qualifications, English language proficiency documents and supplementary forms for certain courses.

If your documents are not issued in English, an official translation from a recognised translation service must be provided.

Recognised translation services

• National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI) accredited translator in Australia
• The Awarding institution
• A Notary Public Office
• The official Government body
• An official and accredited translator*

*Official translations are subject to review.

If you have undertaken previous study or work that matches the content of some of your Curtin course units, you may be able to obtain credit for recognised learning, which exempts you from studying those units.

You can apply direct online through our Applicant Portal. You can access the Applicant Portal by:

1. Navigating to the relevant course page
2. Click ‘Apply now’
3. When the pop-up window appears, select “Apply directly to Curtin University”.

If you want to package your course with a Curtin English course, you can submit your application with your course application documents to streamline the process.

If your application is successful, you will receive an offer that you will need to accept or reject.

If you accept your offer, you will receive a Confirmation of Enrolment ­– a document from Curtin that details your course, how long you will be studying the course, and the tuition fees. This document can be used for acquiring a student visa.

Apply to the Australian government for your student visa. Gaining a student visa will allow you to participate in full-time study in Australia and work up to 40 hours in a fortnight. If you’re under 18 years of age, you must have approved accommodation and welfare arrangements in place before a visa can be issued.

See our pre-departure resources for helpful information regarding your move to Perth.