Planning & Development - Higher Level Apprenticeship

Completion of this part-time conversion Masters, following your undergraduate qualification, will allow you to become an accredited planner. This Higher Level Apprenticeship offers Department for Economy-funded places for those working in planning-related industry.



Planning is a fascinating subject to study at university. It is about changing the places within which we live. How we can transform and improve our cities, towns, villages, neighbourhoods, and communities. So, it affects our everyday lives and is an extremely exciting discipline to study at university. A Planning degree provides you with the knowledge and skills to be able to make decisions that shape the processes of growth and development. We currently face many major challenges - for example, attracting investment, creating jobs, protecting the environment, energy policy, housing supply, transport links, providing local amenities, protecting health and wellbeing - and Planning affects how these things happen. Therefore, as future planners you will have a very important role to play in shaping the future. Planning is a broad subject matter and planners perform many different roles relating to the natural, physical, economic, social, and cultural environments that we live in. Given this, Planning offers a wide spectrum of employment opportunities. Studying Planning will equip you with the knowledge to understand how cities, towns, villages, communities, and neighbourhoods function and operate, and then have the skills to make decisions that shape how they grow and prosper. The discipline of Planning is located in the School of Natural and Built Environment, David Keir Building on Stranmillis Road, Belfast.



Please note: Funded places this course are subject to renewal approval by the Department for the Economy.



ABOUT YOU



The HLA is a work / study programme so you will already be in employment, or have a firm offer of employment from a company in a planning-related sector which supports your application. Related sectors include: community development, environmental, housing, architecture, renewable energy, built heritage, legal, development and construction.



You will have a keen interest in urban planning. You may already have experience of working in the field; however, hands on experience is not necessary for starting the course, but it can be useful.

Core Modules

Introduction to Planning Theory and Practice (10 credits)

Planning Skills and Ethics (10 credits)

Design in the Built Environment (10 credits)

International Planning Studies (10 credits)

Property Development (10 credits)

Professional Practice Project in Environmental Planning (20 credits)

GIS and Spatial Analysis (20 credits)

Community Planning and Regeneration (10 credits)

Independent Specialist Project (60 credits)

Planning and Environmental Governance (10 credits)

Planning Law and Practice (10 credits)

Entrance requirements

Graduate

Normally a 2.2 Honours degree or above, or equivalent qualification acceptable to the University in any discipline.



Applicants with qualifications below 2.2 Honours standard or equivalent qualification acceptable to the University will be considered on a case by case basis, if they can demonstrate appropriate experience, acceptable to the School.



Students wishing to apply for this Higher-Level Apprenticeship should also upload their CV and a letter of support from their employer (combined in one file). The employer’s letter of support must state that the employer supports their application, that they are prepared to release them from work for one day per week to attend the course, and that, if they are an existing employee, they need this qualification for a new role. The new role can be a change of title/role within the company.



This Higher Level Apprenticeship (HLA) is fully funded by the DfE therefore it is not open to international applicants. Further information on eligibility criteria for Higher Level Apprenticeships can be found at https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/higher-level-apprenticeships



International Students

Our country/region pages include information on entry requirements, tuition fees, scholarships, student profiles, upcoming events and contacts for your country/region at https://www.qub.ac.uk/Study/international-students/your-country/



English Language Requirements

Evidence of an IELTS* score of 7.0, with not less than 6.0 in any component, or an equivalent qualification acceptable to the University is required (*taken within the last 2 years).



International students wishing to apply to Queen's University Belfast (and for whom English is not their first language), must be able to demonstrate their proficiency in English in order to benefit fully from their course of study or research. Non-EEA nationals must also satisfy UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) immigration requirements for English language for visa purposes.



For more information on English Language requirements for EEA and non-EEA nationals see: www.qub.ac.uk/EnglishLanguageReqs.



If you need to improve your English language skills before you enter this degree programme, INTO Queen's University Belfast offers a range of English language courses. These intensive and flexible courses are designed to improve your English ability for admission to this degree.

Applicants are advised to apply as early as possible and ideally no later than 30th June 2026 for courses which commence in late September. In the event that any programme receives a high number of applications, the University reserves the right to close the application portal prior to the deadline stated on course finder. Notifications to this effect will appear on the application portal against the programme application page.



Please note this course is subject to renewal of funding by the Department for the Economy and applicants must be working for a company with a base in Northern Ireland.

2 years part-time.



Time spent in Classes, Tutorials/Seminars/Labs, and Private Study in a Teaching Semester:

Approximately 6 hours per week in lectures and 4 hours in practical project work.

Entry Year: Academic Year 2026/27

Career Prospects

Introduction

Our graduates end up in leading positions in central and local government, planning consultancies in the private sector and in NGOs. Former students have also gained employment in related fields of housing, renewable energy, heritage and environmental advocacy internationally.