Bachelor in Urban & Regional Planning and Development

Introduction

Urban and Regional Planners are committed to the sustainable development of combined functions like working, housing, transport and infrastructure, agriculture, nature, recreation in a region or country. They design and work in the private or public sector and deal with policies, finances, networks, physical relations, etc.

On national, regional and local level Urban and Regional Planners are needed who are trained in thinking and working in combining the different interests and effects of the different functions in an area within a planning process. There is a growing lack of educated urban and regional planners, who are able to undertake analytic and design activities on local to national scale and implement sustainable development.

Course content

The consists out of five units:

1. The first unit comprises two subjects:
   1. Introduction course: an introduction to the disciplines of Environmental Studies and Spatial Planning (1 ECTS-credits)
   2. Professional skills training (5 ECTS-credits)
      1. Research Methodology
      2. Communication Skills, which comprises two main aspects: communication skills, intercultural relationships and group processes; and proficiency in English: training in oral presentation and writing skills.
2. Environmental Impact Assessment (8 ECTS-credits)
   1. Environmental Impact Assessment, Environmental Strategic Planning as a policy instrument
   2. Identification of environmental parameters for environmental and spatial quality
   3. Research Methodology of E.I.A., prediction of effects, scenario development, Multi-Criteria Analysis, potential solutions.
3. Water Management (12 ECTS-credits)
   1. Flood protection, river and coastal infrastructures
   2. Industrial activities and pollution
   3. Environmental Management in industry
   4. Spatial planning of industrial sites
4. Capita Selecta / Specialisation programmes (or pathways, 6 ECTS-credits):
   In this unit the most important subjects and new developments in the professional field of
   1. Civil Engineering (CE)
   2. Environmental Science (ES)
   3. Environmental Technology (ET)
   4. Urban and Regional Planning (URP) is brought to the attention. These courses are taught separately, but students are welcome to the lecturers of other specialisations.
5. Research Project (28 ECTS-credits), in which the student conducts a research on a current problem in the field of Urban and Regional Planning. The Research Project starts with a course in research methods and techniques.

Specific requirements

This programme is aimed at:

• Erasmus/Socrates exchange students in a related course from our international partners in Europe
• Dutch students with at least 3 year education in a similar course and interested in multicultural year within their major
• All students from around the world who have studied Urban and Regional Planning or a related field and who wish to obtain a Dutch bachelor degree in URP

You can find the general entry requirements here .

Career prospects

The course in Urban and Regional Planning equips the graduates for a number of specific positions:

• At national, regional or local authorities
• At consultancy firms
• At non-governemental organisations
• At special interest groups