The Master's in Planning and Sustainable Development is a full-time taught programme running for 24 months over two academic years from the date of first registration.

To be eligible for entry to the Master's, graduates should hold at least a Second Class Honours Degree in Arts, Social Science, Architecture, Engineering, Science, Commerce, Law or equivalent. In exceptional circumstances, and subject to the approval of the College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences, candidates who hold a primary degree other than Second Class Honours, and who demonstrate a high level of significant and relevant experience, may also be eligible for entry to the the programme. All prospective students may also be asked to submit a written expression of interest and/or attend an interview.

Prospective applicants should contact the MPlan programme office directly for further information or consult the website, http://mplan.ucc.ie

Transfer from the MA in Landscape, Built Heritage and Design to Year 2 of the MPlan
Students who pass all modules in Part I of the MA in Landscape, Built Heritage and Design with an aggregate score of 50% (i.e. 600 out of 1200 marks) may, alternatively, opt not to proceed to Part II of the MA programme and transfer instead to the Second Year of the Masters programme in Planning and Sustainable Development (MPlan2) in the following academic year (full-time).

Year 1 (60 credits)
Students take 50 credits as follows:
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)
PD6115 Global Planning Practice and Issues (5 credits)
PD6116 Urban and Metropolitan Spatial Planning (5 credits)
PD6118 Principles of Urban Design and Place-making (5 credits)
LW6101 Introduction to Planning Law (5 credits)

plus 10 credits from the following:

either
PD6205 Planning and Management of Natural Resources (5 credits) (available in alternate years) 
or PD6105 Housing, Social Change and Community Needs (5 credits) (available in alternate years - not on offer in 2019/20) 

and either
PD6122 Planning and Design for Built Heritage (5 credits) (available in alternate years) 
or PD6117 Regional, National and Transnational Planning (5 credits) (available in alternate years - not on offer in 2019/20) 

Note: All electives are to be chosen in consultation with the Programme Director, subject to availability, and timetable requirements (in any given year or semester) and individual module requirements.

Module Semester Information may be found here. Module descriptions may be found here.

Year 2 (60 credits)
Students take 30 credits as follows:
PD6120 Landscape Character, Context and Change (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)
PD6211 Plan-making and Forward Planning Skills (5 credits)
PD6212 Planning Skills in Development Management and Assessment (5 credits)

Plus an additional 30 credits as follows:
PD6205 Planning and Management of Natural Resources (5 credits)
or PD6105 Housing, Social Change and Community Needs (5 credits) (not on offer in 2019/20) 

PD6122 Planning and Design for Built Heritage (5 credits)
or PD6117 Regional, National and Transnational Planning (5 credits) (not on offer in 2019/20) 

PD6106 Infrastructure and Transport in Land Use Planning (5 credits) 
or PD6209 International Planning systems and Approaches (5 credits)

PD6215 Planning Dissertation/Research Project (15 credits)*
or PD6214 Research Paper: Planning and Sustainable Development (5 credits)
and, for students taking PD6214, the following two additional modules: 

PD6213 Research Methods and Proposals in Planning (5 credits)
and LW6106 Legal Concepts for Heritage and the Environment (5 credits) 

Note: All electives are to be chosen in consultation with the Programme Director, subject to availability and timetable requirements (in any given year or semester) and individual module requirements. Subjects/modules already completed may not be taken a second time).

*Module PD6215 is not available to students who have transferred to the MPlan from the MA in Landscape Built Heritage and Design.

Module Semester Information may be found here. Module Descriptions may be found here.

Examinations
Full details and regulations governing Examinations for each programme will be contained in the Marks and Standards 2019/2020 Book and for each module in the Book of Modules, 2019/2020.

Postgraduate Diploma in Planning and Sustainable Development
Candidates who pass Year 1 modules to a value of 60 credits may opt to exit the programme and be conferred with the Postgraduate Diploma in Planning and Sustainable Development.

Programme Learning Outcomes for Master's in Planning and Sustainable Development, (NFQ Level 9, Major Award)
On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to:

• Apply a creative capacity for the formulation of realistic and imaginative plans and strategies;
• Demonstrate informed decision making and communication in planning;
• Foster and communicate an in-depth appreciation of values, society and environmental settings;
• Apply spatial understandings of the nature of place, quality of life and physical networks to contemporary cities, towns, regions and landscapes;
• Recognise the real-world legal, economic and political contexts within which planning operates;
• Demonstrate an applied appreciation of stakeholder roles and relationships in contemporary planning;
• Apply specialised engagement with the theories, dialogues and techniques of sustainable development.

Programme Learning Outcomes for Postgraduate Diploma in Planning and Sustainable Development, (NFQ Level 9, Major Award)
On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to:

• Demonstrate effective and informed analysis and communication of issues in planning and sustainable development;
• Communicate an informed appreciation of the values, social obligations and environmental considerations which govern the practice of planning in contemporary times throughout the world;
  
• Identify the main principles that govern the spatial coherence, quality and design of contemporary cities, towns, regions and neighbourhoods throughout the world;
• Describe the key legal, economic, global development and political contexts and principles within which planning operates;
• Show an appreciation of how stakeholders and communities engage in contemporary planning in different places;
• Demonstrate a critical capacity for working with others to address spatial planning challenges at various scales;
• Explain the relationship between key principles, debates and techniques of sustainable development as they relate to spatial planning and development.