Master Programme in European Spatial Planning and Regional Development

Profile - General Content

The European Spatial Planning and Regional Development programme is a broad-based programme covering subjects ranging from spatial planning, transport planning and regional/innovation issues to societal, economic and environmental planning issues. The focus of the programme is on the European level and on skills and abilities that are applicable and useful in professional live: the programme will give you experience of practical tools as well as policies and regulations. You will also become familiar with several European planning and development projects and get the chance to analyse and formulate concrete proposals the aim of which is to generate societal change.
The programme is in English and for students from Sweden, Europe and the rest of the world. Education and tuition has a high priority and students and faculty have a close connection in an informal atmosphere throughout their educational period. In addition to qualified teachers and professors, you will encounter many international guest lecturers and individuals working within planning and regional development. This means that the connections to professional practice and to the latest research are good.

Qualification Awarded

Degree of Master of Science (One Year)
Main field of study: Spatial Planning
Specialization: European Spatial Planning and Regional Development

Prerequisites

In template as in Programme Syllabus/Admission Requirements.
To be admitted to the programme, it is necessary to have either:
- a Bachelor’s degree of 180 higher education credits in a technical, social sciences or natural sciences field that is relevant to European spatial planning and regional development, as well as English B, or
- a Bachelor’s degree of 180 higher education credits, two years of documented work experience, amounting to at least 50 per cent of a full-time employment, of relevance for the education, as well as English B. Relevant work experience is defined as employment or profession where a significant part of the tasks have been investigative tasks, analytical tasks, research or education, dealing with comprehensive planning, development or regional issues, alternatively European issues.

Read about general admission requirements for second cycle.

Admission Criteria

If there are more qualified students than available places on the programme, a selection is made. This is made in the following manner:

Special Selection Procedure Method 12 (established by decision DG020/07) is used. This means that applications that have been accepted for review based on the prerequisites for the programme will be ranked as specified below. Should the programme be unable to offer a place to all applicants with equal lowest merit value, preference is in the first instance given to the minority gender and thereafter by drawing lots.

The first step of the evaluation process consists of rating of how relevant the applicant’s previous degree studies and subjects are for the focus of the programme. The rating is done by forming three categories: minimal relevance vis-à-vis the prerequisites = merit value 0; medium relevance = merit value 0.5; high relevance = merit value 1. Thereafter the applicant’s GPA (Grade Point Average, grades from earlier university level education) are rated to a value between 0 and 1, where 0 represents minimum grades on all courses and 1 maximum grades on all courses. Finally the applicant’s TOEFL or IELTS English test grades are rated to a value between 0 and 1, where 0 is the minimum level for admission and 1 is the maximum level on the test. Applicants who are exempt from proving their English language skills by the TOEFL/IELTS test receive the merit value 1. These three values are then added to a joint merit value ranging from 0 and 3.

Admission Procedure

Read about the admission procedure.

Recognition of prior studies and studies abroad

Student who has been admitted to the programme and has earlier completed a course that corresponds to a course within the programme, can apply for recognition of prior studies. If possible, the student will be offered admission to an alternative course. Studies abroad within the programme can normally be partly or fully recognised. In these cases a decision is made via the Learning Agreement, prior the study period.

Read more about studying abroad.

Practical Information

Practical information is found under 'Prospective students'.

Profile - General Content

The European Spatial Planning and Regional Development programme is a broad-based programme covering subjects ranging from spatial planning, transport planning and regional/innovation issues to societal, economic and environmental planning issues. The focus of the programme is on the European level and on skills and abilities that are applicable and useful in professional live: the programme will give you experience of practical tools as well as policies and regulations. You will also become familiar with several European planning and development projects and get the chance to analyse and formulate concrete proposals the aim of which is to generate societal change.
The programme is in English and for students from Sweden, Europe and the rest of the world. Education and tuition has a high priority and students and faculty have a close connection in an informal atmosphere throughout their educational period. In addition to qualified teachers and professors, you will encounter many international guest lecturers and individuals working within planning and regional development. This means that the connections to professional practice and to the latest research are good.

Learning outcomes

In addition to the national goals, which can be found in Appendix B, the following goals apply to this programme.

After successfully completing the programme, the student should:

• be able the show specialised knowledge about planning and regional development on the wider European level as well as in individual European countries and regions.
• be able to integrate knowledge and analyse how national and European policy influences planning and regional development on several levels.
• be able to undertake independent investigative work with focus on the recipient within the subject area.
• be able to demonstrate an insight regarding the possibilities and limitations of planning within the subject area and in continued professional practice.
• master critical analysis of planning documents.

Mode of delivery

NOTE! It is the start term of the course that is stated below. See each course to find out the actual length of the course.

Written Work

The programme ends with a written exam project (thesis) corresponding to 30 hp.

International element

Read about study abroad

Job Profiles

A student with a degree from the programme can, for example, work in the following sectors: regional development and planning, town and country planning, spatial planning, sustainable development, international affairs, with the following kinds of tasks: qualified analytical work, leadership and management, project and development work.

The education is of particular interest for students who wish to work internationally.

Further Studies

Graduates from the programme can generally apply to study further on the research level in the areas of: spatial planning
The following programmes at BTH on the research level are open for graduates from this programme: spatial planning

Programme Advisory Board

The programme has a Programme Advisory Board to ensure that the graduates’ employability is high for the targeted job market.
The Programme Advisory Board consists of representatives of students, alumni and teachers as well as external representative(s).
The Programme Advisory Board meets 2 times per year.
Contact person for the Programme Advisory Board is: Abdellah Abarkan