Study Town & Country Planning and you’ll develop the necessary skills to improve living environments for so many people.

What’s Town & Country Planning?

Town & Country Planning is the study that concerns land use. The goal is to ensure sustainable economic development and a better environment. Each country of the UK has its own planning system.

What Town & Country Planning degrees can you study?

Undergraduate degrees in Town & Country Planning include:

• Human Geography & Planning BSc
• Planning & Real Estate BSc
• Urban Planning & Property Development BSc

What do you need to get onto a Town & Country Planning degree?

Entry requirements will depend on the university, ranging from 104–160 UCAS points for most undergraduate courses. Qualifications may include:

• A Levels: AAB–BCC
• BTECs: D*DD–MMM
• Scottish Highers: AABB–ABBB (with Advanced Highers: AAB–BB)
• International Baccalaureate: 36–28

Experience that would look good on your application:

• Shadowing or talking to a town planner about their day-to-day work, or contact a Planning Aid charity (England, Wales or Scotland)
• Work or volunteering experience where you work with a variety of people, to evidence your interpersonal and team working skills
• Research into the role and what it entails, e.g. on the website of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) or online magazine, Planning Resource

What topics does a Town & Country Planning degree cover?

Typical modules for courses in this subject include:

• Introducing planning systems
• Making cities: the production of the built environment
• Real estate development
• Sustainable urban futures
• People and planning
• Infrastructure design and implementation project
• Human geography and the city
• Design skills and urban data analytics
• Design and place making

How will you be assessed?

Courses are assessed in a variety of ways, depending on the module:

• Design-based projects
• Essays
• Exams
• Portfolio work
• Presentations
• Reports
• Skills-based practical work
• Team projects
• A dissertation may be a final year option

Why study Town & Country Planning?

Town & Country Planning degrees will develop your skills for tackling complex problems in urban landscapes, collaborative working, and people skills. For example:

Career-specific skills:

• Computer modelling and visualisation techniques such as rapid prototyping and 3D design
• Design creativity
• Professional practice skills

Transferable skills:

• Analysis and critical thinking
• Data collection
• Document production
• Graphic skills
• Negotiation and mediation
• Organisation
• Preparing and writing professional reports
• Project management
• Team working and leadership
• Written and oral presentation skills

Professional accreditation:

• Degrees that include Town Planning may be accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) towards graining professional membership; further training will be required

What do Town & Country Planning graduates earn?

Town & Country Planning graduates can expect an entry-level salary of around £21,000–£25,000.

Town planners, by mid-career you could expect an average income of £39,000, while directors could earn up to £65,000.

If you specialise and become a BIM manager (building information modelling software), your income could be £40,000–£55,000.

What jobs can you get as a Town & Country Planning graduate?

A degree in Town & Country Planning is highly vocational, and could lead to the following jobs:

• BIM specialist
• Chartered architectural technologist
• Environmental consultant
• Facilities manager
• Housing officer
• Planning officer
• Project manager
• Sustainability adviser
• Transport planner

What are the postgraduate opportunities?

Examples of taught master’s and research degrees at postgraduate level include:

• Architecture and Historic Urban Environments MA
• Cities MPhil/PhD
• Sustainable Urban Development MSc/DPhil
• Urban Analytics and Visualisation (MSc)

Town & Country Planning SUBJECT LEAGUE TABLE 2023

Students of Town & Country Planning learn how to plan sustainable structures.