Planning & Sustainable Development

Course Outline

Our Master’s in Planning and Sustainable Development (MPlan) programme is offered by the College of Arts, Celtic Studies & Social Sciences (CACSSS) at University College Cork (UCC). This is an internationally-recognised, professionally-accredited master’s course in spatial planning and development for cities, regions, towns, rural areas, and neighbourhoods.



As chartered professionals, MPlan graduates tackle real-world sustainability and environmental challenges in public, private and community settings throughout the world.



The MPlan is a comprehensive, two-year course compatible with European standards and with international professional training models for planning. Our graduates come from many different disciplines, so our course offers a rich learning environment for people to fine-tune their areas of interest into a practical, ethical and effective field of action with relevance in the contemporary world.



The degree, which has a strong theoretical and ethical foundation, develops a wide range of skills and abilities leading to a strong capacity for making real-world, imaginative and balanced proposals and recommendations about the future of places.



On graduation, you will be able to make a genuine and enduring contribution to society. The course content and learning progression of the MPlan has been designed around the professional accreditation requirements of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) and the Irish Planning Institute (IPI).



Postgraduate Diploma in Planning & Sustainable Development – Candidates who pass modules to a value of 60 credits in the First Year may exit the programme and be conferred with the Postgraduate Diploma in Planning & Sustainable Development.

This is a full-time taught programme running for 24 months over two academic years from the date of first registration. You will take a total of 120 credits over two academic years as follows:



Year 1 (60 credits total)

PD6105 Housing, Social Change and Community Needs (5 credits)

PD6106 Infrastructure and Transport in Land Use Planning (5 credits)

PD6110 Foundations in Planning and Sustainable Development (5 credits)

PD6111 Contemporary Concepts in Planning Theory (5 credits)

PD6112 Drawing, Communication and Observation Skills (5 credits)

PD6113 Information and Engagement Skills in Planning (5 credits)

PD6114 Planning Processes, Administration and Participation (5 credits)

PD6116 Urban and Metropolitan Spatial Planning (5 credits)

PD6117 Regional, National and Transnational Planning (5 credits)

PD6118 Principles of Urban Design and Place-making (5 credits)

PD6205 Planning and Management of Natural Resources (5 credits)

LW6101 Introduction to Planning Law (5 credits)



Year 2 (60 credits total)

PD6120 Landscape Character, Context and Change (5 credits)

PD6122 Planning and Design for Built Heritage (5 credits)

PD6206 Property, Sustainable Growth and Enterprise (5 credits)

PD6207 Spatial Planning and Landscape for Rural Environments (5 credits)

PD6208 Applied Discourses in Planning and Sustainable Development (5 credits)

PD6209 International Planning Systems and Approaches (5 credits)

PD6211 Plan-making and Forward Planning Skills (5 credits)

PD6212 Planning Skills in Development Management and Assessment (5 credits)

PD6213 Research Methods and Proposals in Planning (5 credits)

PD6215 Planning Dissertation/Research Project (15 credits)

To apply for this course you need to have a Second Class Honours Grade II in a primary honours degree (NFQ, Level 8) or higher in arts, social science, architecture, engineering, science, commerce, or law (or equivalent). In exceptional circumstances, and subject to the approval of the College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences, candidates who have a primary degree other than an honour, and who demonstrate a high level of relevant work experience, may also be eligible for entry to the course under Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL).



Selection will be based on academic achievement, a written expression of interest, an interview and any relevant work experience.



For Applicants with Qualifications Completed Outside of Ireland

Applicants must meet the required entry academic grade, equivalent to Irish requirements. For more information see our Qualification Comparison page.



International/Non-EU Applicants

For full details of the non-EU application procedure visit our how to apply pages for international students.

• In UCC, we use the term programme and course interchangeably to describe what a person has registered to study in UCC and its constituent colleges, schools, and departments.

• Note that not all courses are open to international/non-EU applicants, please check the fact file above. For more information contact the International Office.



English Language Requirements

Applicants who are non-native speakers of the English language must meet the university-approved English language requirements.

Closing Date

Rolling deadline. Open until all places have been filled. Early application is advised.



Non-EU Closing Date

Open until all places have been filled or no later than 15 June. Early application is advised.

Assessment


MPlan modules are assessed almost entirely through coursework: essays, designs, field journals, tutorials, team projects, written reflection, individual presentations and research projects/dissertations. Around 25% of the modules also have a short written examination at the end of the relevant teaching period, making up 30-40% of the marks available for the module.


Postgraduate Diploma in Planning and Sustainable Development – Candidates who pass modules to a value of 60 credits in the First Year may exit the programme and be conferred with the Postgraduate Diploma in Planning and Sustainable Development.

2 years full-time.

Start Date 8 September 2025

Skills and Careers Information

As the programme is a professional masters and fully accredited by the Irish Planning Institute (IPI) and the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI), the most usual employment for graduates is in the planning industry. Traditionally conducted within the public sector at all levels of government, planning is now carried out in a wide variety of professional environments across the public and private sectors and across the housing, transportation, environment, retail, energy, heritage sectors.



The accreditation from the RTPI is internationally recognised and many of our graduates have found work across the globe. Students graduate with a range of skills which include creative problem solving, environmental evaluation, analytical and research skills, policy development, physical planning, community engagement, teamwork and design techniques and appreciation. This applied skill set is particularly attractive to the public sector, businesses and third sector employment situations.