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Urban & Regional Planning Degree Programs

Wherever on the globe there are cities, there are also urban planners who work to optimize their outlay. As demographics shift and populations around the world continue to steadily urbanize, urban planning has become a vital field to ensure efficient development within cities of any diverse origin. Earning your urban planning degree abroad is a great way to explore an array of new challenges in policy, design, and sustainability which different cities around the world face.

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11 Urban & Regional Planning Degree Programs Abroad

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IED - Istituto Europeo di Design

Master of Arts in Transdisciplinary Design - IED Torino

The Master of Arts in Transdisciplinary Design is a second-level ...

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8.9450 reviews

American University of Beirut

Study Abroad at the American University of Beirut

The American University of Beirut has long been admired for the s...

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TEAN by WorldStrides

TEAN - New Zealand - Undergraduate and Graduate Degrees

For those wanting to study abroad beyond a semester, TEAN can ass...

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Faculty of Economics and Administration, Masaryk University, Brno

Master's in Regional Development & Tourism

Are you passionate about developing your city or region, improvin...

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8.52 reviews

The American University of Paris

Study Abroad at The American University of Paris

Completing a semester or a year at The American University of Par...

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University of Mississippi

Embark on Your Academic Journey at the Ole Miss

Join the University of Mississippi, affectionately known as Ole M...

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German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)

DAAD Study Scholarship Awards

Study Scholarships are awarded to highly qualified graduating sen...

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Bond University

Study Abroad on the Gold Coast at Bond University, Australia

A study abroad experience is transformative – just ask one of the...

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00 reviews

University of Massachusetts Amherst

Bachelor Programs at University of Massachusetts Amherst

UMass Amherst offers a diverse range of undergraduate programs de...

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8.1834 reviews

Curtin University

Study Abroad at Curtin University

By focusing on high-quality education, industry partnerships, and...

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Latest Program Reviews

A journey to comfort and warmth

February 07, 2023by: Emmanuel Junior Nweke - NigeriaProgram: Study Abroad at the American University of Beirut

Like the rising of the sun, slowly brings warmth to a cold day, that's how I can describe my experience at AUB. The people of Lebanon sometimes say they can be rude, but what I found out is the issue of trust, the people are rich in hospitality and once they trust you, they make you feel at home, and give you comfort and warmth. At the end, everyone would miss their time at AUB.

MBA from AUB

March 24, 2018by: Matt - United Arab EmiratesProgram: Study Abroad at the American University of Beirut

Choosing a business school was a major decision, and my number one goal was to position myself for an international career. I chose to focus on the Middle East & North Africa region because of its rapidly-growing population and demand for skilled talent. The MBA program at AUB's Olayan School of Business was exactly what I hoped for. As a non-business undergrad, I benefited greatly from the classes and workshops. I also had the opportunity to represent AUB at 3 business case competitions in Canada, Hong Kong, and Germany. Most importantly, I can credibly work with companies and business leaders from across MENA. Today, I'm based in Dubai and working at one of the world's top consulting firms. Anyone considering studying in this part of the world should have AUB and OSB at the top of their list.

A journey to comfort and warmth

February 07, 2023by: Emmanuel Junior Nweke - NigeriaProgram: Study Abroad at the American University of Beirut

MBA from AUB

March 24, 2018by: Matt - United Arab EmiratesProgram: Study Abroad at the American University of Beirut

A Guide to Urban Planning Degrees Abroad

Why Earn Your Degree Abroad

Urban planning is a broad, diverse knowledge-base which students with global ambitions can carry forward to find work anywhere in the world. If you fit this bill, why not launch your global career even one step earlier with an urban planning degree abroad? Not only will earning your degree abroad challenge you to think about urban and regional planning within an entirely new political, economic, and geographical context; it will also give you the opportunity to establish an international network in the field, which you can continue to build upon after graduation.

Locations

As the global population swells, cities new and old continue to grow at unprecedented rates across the planet. The work of urban planners – whether focused in policy, architecture, research, design or any combination thereof – is crucially important to overseeing infrastructural development efforts anywhere and everywhere that is feeling the effects of this phenomenon. Put simply, the opportunities for where to earn your urban planning degree abroad are vast.

Many of the most highly touted urban planning degree programs are to be found in the English-speaking world, which can be a stroke of luck for students who are not adept in a second language. England, Australia, and the United States are in themselves home to a sizeable majority of the most prestigious universities in the world, and are popular destinations for international students from everywhere to study urban planning abroad.

On the other hand, the benefits of pursuing your urban planning degree abroad outside the Western world cannot be overstated. Bringing yourself to learn a new language and adapt to entirely new contextual circumstances as an urban planner can truly push the envelope on your professional development by teaching you to think outside the box. Emerging powers such as China and India can therein be equally enriching destinations where to study urban and regional planning abroad.

Academics & Degrees

Urban planning is an interdisciplinary field which takes into account many different levels of infrastructural development, architectural design, and stakeholder analysis. At the undergraduate level you will likely take classes in a variety of related disciplines such as civil engineering, communications, environmental science, and public administration, which will all help establish a solid fundamental framework to move forward with in the field.

At the graduate level, you will then typically have the opportunity to specialize in a subfield of urban planning which is most oriented towards the ensuing career path you wish to take. Focuses within the discipline for which it is possible to earn a Master’s or PhD include public housing, transportation planning, community development, and geographical information systems.

Undergraduate degrees abroad in urban planning generally require three to four years of study, while a Master’s degree will require one to two years and a PhD can requires several additional years on top of this. Countries around the world will structure urban and regional planning degree programs in different ways depending on national norms and requirements, so research a wide variety of programs in a wider variety of places to get a sense of which feels like the best all-around fit!

Benefits & Challenges

Exposure. Studying urban planning abroad in a country drastically different from your own can introduce you to an entirely new manifestation of the field. Cities around the world are as diverse as the countries which contain them; now is the time to start exploring!

Context. Learning to think about urban planning within a new geographical, cultural, and political context can offer invaluable insight into the nuances of the field within your own home country. You will begin to make connections you otherwise would have remained totally blind to.

Friction. Adapting to another country’s cultural norms and education system can be difficult, and there are always likely to be some bumps in the road. By placing yourself in that situation, however, you are only setting yourself up to grow.

Earning your urban planning degree abroad is the opportunity to uproot from the familiar and begin to explore new cultures, cities, and architectural styles ranging all across the planet. As an individual and as a professional, it can be one of the most important formative experiences you will have!