Masters in Spatial Planning and Development

University of Reading

United Kingdom, Reading

University RankQS Ranking

173

Apply Now!

Go to Official Website

Home/United Kingdom/Reading /University of Reading/Masters in Spatial Planning and Development

University of Reading

United Kingdom , Reading

Key Facts

Program Level

Master by Course Work

Study Type

Full Time

Delivery

On Campus

Campuses

Henley Whiteknights

Program Language

English

Start & Deadlines

Next Intake DeadlinesSeptember-2026

Apply to this program

Go to the official application for the university

Duration 12 month(s)

Tuition Fee

GBP 19,000 / year

Next Intake September-2026

Masters in Spatial Planning and Development

About

94.9% of students would recommend their programme

Henley Masters Careers Survey 2023

94.9% employed post graduation

Henley Masters Careers Survey 2023

Overview

For 2024-25 we are pleased to announce the launch of our updated MSc Spatial Development and Planning, fully accredited by the Royal Town Planning Institute and the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors*.

This Masters programme is recognised to be one of the leading planning programmes in the UK and Europe. You will develop spatial planning competencies, become a proficient planner with excellent market understanding and be prepared to organise, manage and negotiate development schemes from both a private and public sector perspective. The blend of analytical rigour and practical application will enable you progress to senior positions in the real estate and planning sector.

This programme is available as a one year full-time course, or a two year part-time course, where timetabling allows part-time students to study on a day-release basis to facilitate work commitments.

We adopt an applied, research-led approach to teaching and problem-solving that will enable you to develop core knowledges, skills and attitudes in planning and development (please see the ‘How we teach you’ section for further details). Through a series of integrated, real world-based projects, you’ll develop the skills crucial to being an effective professional, including negotiation, viability appraisal, 3D-visualisation, professional team-working and understanding the perspective of different stakeholders, including private developers, local authorities and communities.

You will have the opportunity to develop your understanding of the international context for planning and development through a week-long field trip , where you will engage with a range of professionals about how planning and development processes operate in other settings. You will also be able to develop in depth knowledge in a specific theme of your choice (e.g. ‘Environment’, ‘Development’, ‘Planning’ or ‘Rural’. Please refer to the ‘Course structure’ section for a list of modules and options.

Join us in Real Estate and Planning, Henley Business School (University of Reading) and we will help you shape your journey to become a professional with impact.

As part of our suite of Masters programmes, you may also be interested in exploring MSc Real Estate or MSc Real Estate Finance.

* For the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors the programme is mapped to the ‘Planning and Development’ pathway.

This Masters programme prepares you for a career in urban planning and development  in both the private and public sector.

Requirements

Entry Requirements

Entry requirement	Criteria
Undergraduate degree	A good second class honours degree or the equivalent from an Internationally recognised University

See country and region-specific information and entry requirements for International applicants or please contact us with any questions.

English Language Requirements

Studying in a second language can be challenging. If your English language ability is below the minimum requirement, we may ask for evidence of proficiency. Alternatively, we may ask you to attend an English language course before you begin your studies with us.

Requirement	Criteria
IELTS	6.5 with no component below 5.5 in any sub-skills

Pre-sessional English Programme

The Pre-sessional English Programme is for international students who need to meet their degree programme English language requirements. Our courses equip you with the skills and language needed for academic success, including critical thinking, self-reflection, learner autonomy, research skills and integrating sources. The Pre-sessional English Programme is accredited by the global association of Lecturers in English for Academic Purposes, which guarantees you will receive a high-quality student experience.

Find out about our comprehensive range of Pre-Sessional English courses

Acceptance of LanguageCert Online and DuoLingo English qualifications

We accept the non-SELT version of LanguageCert (which includes the online version) and DuoLingo as suitable English language qualifications. These can be accepted for direct entry onto Undergraduate (except Speech and Language Therapy), Postgraduate Taught (except Speech and Language Therapy) and Postgraduate Research programmes.

For information on individual programme requirements and other English language qualifications, please visit our English requirement equivalent page.

If you require specific advice on your qualification please contact admissions directly by e-mail  or telephone at +44 (0) 118 378 5289.

UK visa requirements

You may need to obtain a UK visa. This visa will allow to live and study in the UK. See the  UK Border Agency website.

Graduate Route

The UK's Graduate Route post-study work visa allows you to apply to stay in the UK for up to two years after you graduate, with the opportunity to undertake skilled work. Visit the University website for the latest information.

English Program Requirements

Requirement Criteria IELTS 6.5 with no component below 5.5 in any sub-skills

Career

How can Henley Careers work with you?

We have an award-winning careers team that will support you through your postgraduate studies and four years after graduation.

Here is how Henley Careers can help you:

Careers Consultant appointments: Our Careers Consultant are here to help and support you with any careers related concern that you might have. Whether it’s CV advice, practicing for an interview, providing feedback if applications aren't successful or support planning your career goals. We are here to help empower you to progress in your career.
Events: Henley Careers organise numerous events aimed to help you build your confidence, develop the skills employers are looking for. Additionally, network with employers and expand your industry knowledge.
Alumni support: You can continue to book one-to-one appointments with your Careers Consultant and use our online resources. For up to four years after graduating we’re here to help and support in your career.

Career Smart: Get a head start in securing a graduate job by taking part in our online course, Career Smart. You can expect to learn about the graduate recruitment cycle in the UK. As well as where to look and how to start applying to jobs, and the different roles available to you.

For more information  please see our Careers page.

Continuing your career

With the MSc Spatial Planning and Development programme you'll benefit from its strong connections to industry and across the profession generally. Many successful graduates have been highly sought after by both private and public sector employers, including planning consultancies, development companies, local planning authorities and large multidisciplinary property firms.

The University has an excellent reputation with the planning profession in both the private and public sectors. Our postgraduates tend to be sought after by employers and many find employment before graduating.

Our alumni association, The Reading Real Estate Foundation (RREF), organise career development and recruitment events for real estate students throughout the year. These include an evening lectures series with key industry speakers and an annual Careers Fair. To support your career development and interpersonal skills, you will also be assigned an industry mentor through the RREF mentoring scheme. Our innovative mentoring programme pairs your with professionals in the industry, both in the UK and overseas.

We have a professional Careers Development Advisor, Jane Batchelor, who helps our students with every aspect of the career development process, including identifying work placement, internships and permanent career opportunities.

Typical examples of recent employment found by our graduates are with planning consultancies such as: Nathaniel Lichfield Associates, Terence O'Rourke Partnership, RPS, DTZPieda. The bigger surveying firms with planning and development departments also recruit our students, for example: Drivers Jonas, Gerald Eve, GVA Grimley.

In the public sector there are varied options at the local, regional and national levels: government offices and departments, regional agencies and local planning authorities. The range and diversity of jobs and careers offered under the mantle of 'planning' is really very wide and stimulating. We will be happy to advise you in finding work experience and talk to you about your employment options during your time with us.

Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)

RICS-accreditation demonstrates a globally-recognised standard of surveying education.

This programme is fully accredited within the University of Reading - Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) partnership arrangement.

Royal Town Planning Institute

The RTPI accredits Planning Schools at universities within the UK, Ireland and internationally that meet 5 core criteria on quality. They assess the ability and effectiveness of the Planning School to deliver a planning programme that includes spatial and specialist teaching.

The MSc Spatial Planning and Development is accredited by the RICS and the RTPI.

Fee Information

Tuition Fee

GBP 19,000

Application Fee

GBP

How to Apply

1. Check our entry requirements

Please see our postgraduate subject finder for minimum entry requirements for the programme you are interested in; entry requirements can vary from one programme to another. International students can consult our country-specific pages for information and guidance on alternative qualification equivalencies for master’s study.

If English is not your first language, you will also need to meet our English language requirements. You can find the IELTS requirements on each course page. We also accept a range of alternative English language qualifications.

If your English ability is not at the required standard, you can choose to apply for one of our Pre-sessional English programmes. The programmes will equip you with the study skills and preparation needed for academic study in English. The length of your Pre-sessional English programme is determined by your current level of English against the English language requirements of your chosen master’s programme.

2. Application and funding deadlines

Although most master’s programmes do not formally close for applications, some programmes do have application deadlines; if your programme has a deadline it will be specified on the course page under the ‘Entry requirements’ section. For programmes that do not have a specific application deadline, places may be limited and programmes may become full. We recommend that you apply as early as possible (particularly if you are an international student) to allow time not only for us to process your application, but for you to ensure that you can meet any offer conditions, arrange your accommodation and, importantly, funding for your studies. For admission in September, we do recommend that you apply by 1 August (if you are a UK applicant) and 1 July (if you are an international applicant requiring a visa to come to the UK) however, we are happy to still consider applications after these dates.

International applicants should also see our advice and guidance on visas and immigration.

Funding deadlines

We require an offer of study for many of our master’s scholarships and bursaries. You should check deadlines for applications carefully, and each scholarship or bursary will have specific application instructions. We may add scholarships throughout the year, so it is a good idea to re-visit our scholarships and bursaries page.

3. Submit your application

You can apply for master’s programmes directly through our online application system, RISIS. For our PGCE/Teacher Training programmes, applications must be made via the Department of Education's Find Postgraduate Teacher Training portal. Once you have submitted your application, you will receive an automatic confirmation.

Various documents are needed to make your application. You should electronically upload:

full transcripts of all degree programmes taken. If these are not in English, a certified translation into English is required. Please do not mail original copies; we only require PDF copies via electronic upload,
an English language certificate (for example IELTS or TOEFL), if English is not your first language (this can also be provided after you submit your application),
contact details for two academic/professional references. Your references will automatically be invited via email to upload their reference directly once you have submitted your application. Please remind your references to check their junk/spam filters for the email and let them know that the link to the form is only valid for 20 days,
statement of purpose. Your personal statement should outline your academic performance, interest in applying to master’s study, any relevant work experience and skills gained,
a copy of your passport (for international students).

Application fee

We do not charge an application fee to apply for our master’s programmes.

4. Track your application

You can track the progress of your application using our applicant portal, Me@Reading, a personalised resource including information about your programme of study, student stories and what's happening here at Reading. It has everything you need to know, all in one place. When we have made a decision on your application, we will contact you via email. If we are able to make you an offer for a place to study, your offer will contain information about what to do next, including how to accept your offer, pay a deposit (if applicable), and any conditions you must meet to study with us.