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Urban Strategies and Design MSc

Awards: MSc

Study modes: Full-time, Part-time

Funding opportunities

Programme website: Urban Strategies and Design

Jointly delivered by Edinburgh School of Architecture & Landscape Architecture and the School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society at Heriot-Watt University, this programme builds on the historic expertise and knowledge developed in both. You will be taught by academic researchers with international research experience, links, and interests in a range of urban-related themes and geographical areas.

This wealth of knowledge and the use of contemporary teaching is integrated into the programme’s delivery. The programme encourages the adoption of a comprehensive approach to the delivery of socially sustainable urban transformation, from local-specific to global-regional interventions.

You will study the wide and diverse range of social, economic and political processes that influence the development of the contemporary urban environment. The programme also enables you to acquire the tools and skills to propose urban projects of diverse scales and specificities.

Students on the programme come from a range of multidisciplinary backgrounds and work collaboratively to understand how urban strategies and urban design approaches respond to contemporary urban transformations. Although the instruments for analysis offered by this programme are framed from a western perspective, it acknowledges that urban transformations in the urban North and the urban South are increasingly interlinked, and there is opportunity to explore perspectives and experiences from the urban South.

The courses involve:

  • traditional lectures, including guest speakers from policy and practice
  • seminars
  • excursions
  • other relevant group activities supported by online resources

The city of Edinburgh offers a unique laboratory for the exploration of current urban design issues. Its renaissance to ‘Geddesian’ planning history and more contemporary international planning pedagogy and consultancy links to urban institutions and bodies, particularly in the Global South, provides a good platform from which to support student-led, location-based dissertations.

The programme seeks to address the gap between architecturally driven urban design and higher-level, spatial planning driven urban strategies and design. It brings together a range of approaches relevant to urban design that are currently being developed within and across professional and disciplinary practices, from engineering to human geography.

You will study four compulsory courses at Heriot-Watt University, and one compulsory course and one option course at the University of Edinburgh.

Students who wish to write a dissertation focused on the Global South will choose an option such as Emergent Cities or Cultural Landscapes.

Following coursework completion, you will write your dissertation, on an urban themed topic of your choice.

Find out more about compulsory and optional courses

We link to the latest information available. Please note that this may be for a previous academic year and should be considered indicative.

AwardTitleDurationStudy mode
MScUrban Strategies and Design1 YearFull-timeProgramme structure 2024/25
MScUrban Strategies and Design2 YearsPart-timeProgramme structure 2024/25

Graduates will be able to consider local and international career opportunities in the formal, (public and private) voluntary, or international development sector, in disciplines such as:

  • architecture
  • planning
  • landscape architecture
  • urban & strategic planning
  • development planning

You may also go on to further academic research such as a PhD.

Lauriston campus redevelopment

ECA are excited to be undertaking a capital redevelopment of ECA’s Lauriston campus over the next 3 years, from April 2024 to April 2027.

The project aims to maximise the use of existing space, improve accessibility, and create a vibrant campus that fosters collaboration and innovation.

The project involves refurbishing and repurposing various spaces across the Lauriston campus, including technical facilities, student and teaching spaces, and the relocation of the Reid School of Music from Alison House to the Lauriston campus. New social spaces, seminar rooms, and studios are being created to accommodate our growing community.

You can find more about the project at the below link:

Building work starts at ECA’s Lauriston campus | Edinburgh College of Art

These entry requirements are for the 2025/26 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2026/27 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2025.

Normally a UK 2:1 honours degree or its international equivalent.

We don't require an architecture or urban design qualification, but expect you to demonstrate a broad interest in issues of urban design strategy planning and its relationship to issues at local, national and global level.

Students from China

This degree is Band C.

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

English language requirements

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency which will enable you to succeed in your studies.

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

  • IELTS Academic: total 7.0 with at least 6.5 in writing, and 6.0 in all other components. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
  • TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 100 with at least 23 in writing, and 20 in all other components. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements
  • C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 185 with at least 176 in writing, and 169 in all other components.
  • Trinity ISE: ISE III with passes in all four components.
  • PTE Academic: total 73 with at least 65 in writing, and 59 in all other components. We do not accept PTE Academic Online.
  • Oxford ELLT: 8 overall with at least 7 in writing, and 6 in all other components.

Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS, TOEFL, Trinity ISE or PTE, in which case it must be no more than two years old.

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries (non-MESC).

If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old at the beginning of your programme of study.

Find out more about our language requirements:

Tuition fees

AwardTitleDurationStudy mode
MScUrban Strategies and Design1 YearFull-timeTuition fees
MScUrban Strategies and Design2 YearsPart-timeTuition fees

Funding for postgraduate study is different to undergraduate study, and many students need to combine funding sources to pay for their studies.

Most students use a combination of the following funding to pay their tuition fees and living costs:

  • borrowing money
    • taking out a loan
    • family support
  • personal savings
  • income from work
  • employer sponsorship
  • scholarships

Explore sources of funding for postgraduate study

Featured funding

UK government postgraduate loans

If you live in the UK, you may be able to apply for a postgraduate loan from one of the UK’s governments.

The type and amount of financial support you are eligible for will depend on:

  • your programme
  • the duration of your studies
  • your tuition fee status

Programmes studied on a part-time intermittent basis are not eligible.

Other funding opportunities

Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:

  • Programme Director, Dr Soledad Garcia-Ferrari
  • Phone: +44 (0)131 651 5787
  • Contact: s.garcia@ed.ac.uk
  • Postgraduate Admissions Office
  • College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
  • 57 George Square
  • Central Campus
  • Edinburgh
  • EH8 9JU
Programme start date Application deadline
8 September 2025 30 June 2025

We encourage you to apply at least one month prior to entry so that we have enough time to process your application. If you are also applying for funding or will require a visa then we strongly recommend you apply as early as possible.

Please note that for an application to be reviewed, it must be a complete application by the application deadline with all supporting documentation uploaded, including references and transcripts. If you already have evidence that you meet the English language entry requirements e.g. via an approved English language test, please upload this evidence at the time of your application. If you have not already met your English language requirements, please upload that evidence as soon as you have it.

(Revised 12 November 2024 to add application deadline information)

You must submit one reference with your application.

In addition to the supporting documents requested in your online application, you should submit a short statement (300-400 words) that addresses the following questions:

  • The urban condition: why and how are you interested in it? Please explain your specific interests within this broad field.
  • How do you imagine the programme will support your future ambitions in career and life?
  • What issue or area of the advertised Urban Strategies and Design MSc description made you decide to apply for the programme?

Find out more about the general application process for postgraduate programmes:

Further information

  • Programme Director, Dr Soledad Garcia-Ferrari
  • Phone: +44 (0)131 651 5787
  • Contact: s.garcia@ed.ac.uk
  • Postgraduate Admissions Office
  • College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
  • 57 George Square
  • Central Campus
  • Edinburgh
  • EH8 9JU