MSc in Urban and Regional Planning

The course-based MSc in Urban and Regional Planning launched in Fall 2017. The program was developed from international and local trends of urbanization, environmental change, economic unpredictability, and globalization. Key aspects of the program include:

  • The program is accredited by the Canadian Institute of Planners and the Alberta Professional Planners Institute, and follows the prescribed standards of planning education.
  • The program emphasizes land use planning and policy development to enhance community resilience to economic, social, and environmental challenges
  • There is a practical focus on resilience planning-expressly on issues related to climate change, resource dependency, economic resiliency, winter cities, and northern regions
  • The program is designed with reference to studio-based pedagogy
  • The program is offered in line with professional accreditation standards under two streams: 2-year standard stream and 1-year accelerated stream

Two-Year Standard Stream

Entrance Requirements:

The courses in red must be taken in the semester and the year they are scheduled in the curriculum. Students can enroll in other courses either in 1st or 2nd year. The curriculum offers more flexibility with optional courses. These courses can be taken in any semester in any of the two years of the study.

*Note that there is only one intake per year for this program, in the Fall semester.

Program Requirements:

FALL (semester 1)

  • PLAN 501 - Planning for Northern Regions and Resource Communities
  • PLAN 510 - Physical Planning & Design Fundamentals
  • PLAN 598 - Advanced Research Methods and Analysis
  • PLAN 585 Option course I - other PLAN courses or pre-approved options
  • INT D 710 - Ethics and Academic Citizenship

Winter (semester 2)

  • PLAN 500 - Planning for Resilient Cities and Regions
  • PLAN 503 - Master's Project/Paper Proposal
  • PLAN 512 - Advanced Finance for Planners
  • PLAN 516 - Planning Law

Spring/Summer (optional Internship)

Fall (semester 3)

  • PLAN 505 - Master's Research Paper or Project
  • PLAN 511 - Professional Practice and Ethics
  • PLAN 517 - Advanced Planning Theory

Winter (semester 4)

  • PLAN 505 - Master's Research Paper or Project (continued)
  • PLAN 595 - Advance Planning Studio
  • PLAN 585 Option course II - other PLAN courses or pre-approved options

One-Year Accelerated Stream

Entrance Requirements:

  • Undergraduate degree in Planning (accredited by the Professional Standards Board for Planning Profession in Canada)
  • Two or more years of professional experience in Planning, or
  • Case by case assessment of other combinations of experience and degrees, where the applicant has a significant number of years of professional experience in Planning (a minimum of 5 years) in the absence of a Planning degree
  • English Language Proficiency (international applicants only)
  • Minimum B average (3.0 GPA) on last 60 credits
  • See application requirements here

*Note that there is only one intake per year for this program, in the Fall semester.

Program Requirements:

FALL (semester 1)

  • PLAN 501 - Planning for Northern Regions and Resource Communities
  • PLAN 517 - Advanced Planning Theory
  • PLAN 598 - Advanced Research Methods and Analysis
  • Option course I - other PLAN courses or pre-approved options

Winter (semester 2)

  • PLAN 500 - Planning for Resilient Cities and Regions
  • PLAN 503 - Master's Project/Paper Proposal
  • PLAN 595 - Advanced Planning Studio
  • Option course II - other PLAN courses or pre-approved options

Spring/Summer (semester 3)

  • PLAN 505 - Master's Research Paper or Project

Careers in Planning

Professional Planners are in high demand in Alberta and elsewhere.

  • Planning is a Registered Profession in Canada and in many other jurisdictions throughout the world
  • Planning careers are diverse: economic development, parks planning, regional planning, rural planning, social development, transportation planning, urban design, and zoning
  • Planners work alongside architects, engineers, government administrators, private land owners, and stakeholders from the community
  • Planners are employed in both the public sector and the private sector

Fees

Domestic Student Tuition (MSc Urban & Regional Planning is a program with non-standard fees)

International Student Tuition

Funding

Financial assistance is available on a competitive basis in the form of academic assistantships, awards, and scholarships.

Internal Scholarships and Awards

  • Tuition remission in the form of program awards and scholarships
  • Graduate Student Scholarships (available in the 2nd year)
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