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University of Oxford: Sustainable Urban Development
| Institution | University of Oxford |
|---|---|
| Department | University of Oxford Department For Continuing Education |
| Web | https://www.ox.ac.uk |
| graduate.admissions@admin.ox.ac.uk | |
| Telephone | +44 (0)1865 270059 |
DPhil
Summary
**The information provided on this page was correct at the time of publication (November 2023). For complete and up-to-date information about this course, please visit the relevant University of Oxford course page via www.graduate.ox.ac.uk/ucas.**
The Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil) in Sustainable Urban Development is a part-time doctoral programme that provides outstanding students an opportunity to pursue in-depth and rigorous research about the pressing challenges of urban sustainability and the processes of environmental, economic, and social development in urban environments around the world.
Students admitted to the programme are usually motivated to undertake detailed research in preparation for an academic career and other research-intensive occupations; to have a substantial impact on future policy-making processes; or to pursue and/or advance their professional career at organisations and institutions operating in the field of sustainable urban development. The course provides support and an intellectual environment by leading scholars in the field to pursue your own independent research.
**Pattern of teaching and learning**
This is a part-time DPhil programme, taken over a minimum of four years and a maximum of eight years. You are required to have a good general knowledge of the field within which research falls, and of the methods appropriate to the study of this field. Throughout the period of study, you will be part of a thriving international graduate community of students engaged with sustainable urban development, including students on the part-time MSc in Sustainable Urban Development.
Students are expected to attend the programme’s two doctoral training weeks each academic year (usually held in October and June), and to contribute to additional online research and reading seminars. Students should meet regularly with their supervisor during their doctoral research – usually once or twice a term - but also will be motivated and capable of maintaining consistent independent and self-directed studies throughout the year.
As a part-time student you will be required to attend course activities and related obligations in Oxford for a minimum of 30 days each year.
There will be flexibility in the dates of attendance, which will be determined by mutual agreement with your supervisor. You will have the opportunity to tailor your part-time study and pattern of in-person attendance in liaison with your supervisor. It is expected that you will join all online course activities during your period of study.
| Study type | Research |
|---|---|
| Level | RQF Level 8 |
| Entry requirements | For complete and up-to-date information about this course, please visit the relevant University of Oxford course page via www.graduate.ox.ac.uk/ucas |
| Location | University of Oxford University Offices Wellington Square Oxford OX1 2JD |
Summary
**The information provided on this page was correct at the time of publication (November 2022). For complete and up-to-date information about this course, please visit the relevant University of Oxford course page via www.graduate.ox.ac.uk/ucas.**
The Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil) in Sustainable Urban Development is a part-time doctoral programme that provides outstanding students an opportunity to pursue in-depth and rigorous research about the pressing challenges of urban sustainability and the processes of environmental, economic, and social development in urban environments around the world.
Students admitted to the programme are usually motivated to undertake detailed research in preparation for an academic career and other research-intensive occupations; to have a substantial impact on future policy-making processes; or to pursue and/or advance their professional career at organisations and institutions operating in the field of sustainable urban development. The course provides support and an intellectual environment by leading scholars in the field to pursue your own independent research.
**Pattern of teaching and learning**
This is a part-time DPhil programme, taken over a minimum of four years and a maximum of eight years. You are required to have a good general knowledge of the field within which research falls, and of the methods appropriate to the study of this field. Throughout the period of study, you will be part of a thriving international graduate community of students engaged with sustainable urban development, including students on the part-time MSc in Sustainable Urban Development.
Students are expected to attend the programme’s two doctoral training weeks each academic year (usually held in October and June), and to contribute to additional online research and reading seminars. Students should meet regularly with their supervisor during their doctoral research – usually once or twice a term - but also will be motivated and capable of maintaining consistent independent and self-directed studies throughout the year.
As a part-time student you will be required to attend course activities and related obligations in Oxford for a minimum of 30 days each year.
There will be flexibility in the dates of attendance, which will be determined by mutual agreement with your supervisor. You will have the opportunity to tailor your part-time study and pattern of in-person attendance in liaison with your supervisor. It is expected that you will join all online course activities during your period of study.
| Study type | Research |
|---|---|
| Level | RQF Level 8 |
| Entry requirements | For complete and up-to-date information about this course, please visit the relevant University of Oxford course page via www.graduate.ox.ac.uk/ucas |
| Location | University of Oxford University Offices Wellington Square Oxford OX1 2JD |
MSc
Summary
**The information provided on this page was correct at the time of publication (November 2023). For complete and up-to-date information about this course, please visit the relevant University of Oxford course page via www.graduate.ox.ac.uk/ucas.**
The two-year MSc in Sustainable Urban Development will provide a rigorous and critical understanding of the policy and practice of sustainable urban development. The course exposes students to sustainable urbanism as both an interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary subject at global, national and local scales.
Attention is paid to the intellectual history of sustainable urban development, its current and future applications and practice, and the contemporary relevance of research to sustainable urban policy and practice across cities of the Global North and South.
The programme attracts a lively and engaged group of students, who combine postgraduate study with their professional lives, and an active alumni network. Students on the course come from a wide international background and share a variety of work experiences in urban development and the built environment.
The MSc is designed for those operating in a range of urban contexts worldwide - public, private or third sector organisations - and fosters collaboration, creativity, perspective-sharing and effective networking skills. The MSc runs in partnership with The Prince's Foundation and is accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).
The course is delivered by University academics, industry experts, urban researchers and practitioners in the built environment. Regular contributors include the University’s Transport Studies Unit.
**Course structure**
You will attend eight intensive residential teaching weeks during the two years of study, six held in Oxford with the Department for Continuing Education and two held in London at The Prince's Foundation. Each teaching week addresses a core theme of the course.
In the first year, you will study five interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary teaching weeks:
- Introducing Sustainable Urban Development
- Climate Change and the Built Environment
- Place-making and Urban Design
- Financing Sustainability
- Sustainable Transport
During teaching weeks, you will also follow foundation courses in urban theory and urban economics tailored to sustainable urban development, comprising sessions on the intellectual history of sustainable urbanism, paradigm shifts and challenges in sustainable development and the economics of sustainability.
In the second year, you will study three interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary teaching weeks:
- Urbanism, Community and City-Building
- Urbanisation in the Global South
- Leadership, Governance and Future Cities
You will spend the latter half of the second year working on a 15,000-word dissertation. You will choose the topic with the guidance of your supervisor. Research methods are taught from the start and give students an understanding of research strategies, fostering the skills needed for designing, conducting, analysing, interpreting and reporting a small-scale research study that is required for the dissertation.
**Teaching**
The course is delivered through a mix of teaching and learning methods, including seminars, site visits, peer-review, research workshops and individual tutorials. Classes are seminar-based, encouraging active participation and enabling students to learn from each other. You will prepare for sessions by reading a selection of recommended books, book chapters and articles. Typically, there are six to eight weeks between each teaching week, during which time you should expect to spend an average of 20 hours per week of independent study.
| Study type | Taught |
|---|---|
| Level | RQF Level 7 |
| Entry requirements | For complete and up-to-date information about this course, please visit the relevant University of Oxford course page via www.graduate.ox.ac.uk/ucas |
| Location | University of Oxford University Offices Wellington Square Oxford OX1 2JD |
Summary
**The information provided on this page was correct at the time of publication (November 2022). For complete and up-to-date information about this course, please visit the relevant University of Oxford course page via www.graduate.ox.ac.uk/ucas.**
The two-year MSc in Sustainable Urban Development will provide a rigorous and critical understanding of the policy and practice of sustainable urban development. The course exposes students to sustainable urbanism as both an interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary subject at global, national and local scales.
Attention is paid to the intellectual history of sustainable urban development, its current and future applications and practice, and the contemporary relevance of research to sustainable urban policy and practice across cities of the Global North and South.
The programme attracts a lively and engaged group of students, who combine postgraduate study with their professional lives, and an active alumni network. Students on the course come from a wide international background and share a variety of work experiences in urban development and the built environment.
The MSc is designed for those operating in a range of urban contexts worldwide - public, private or third sector organisations - and fosters collaboration, creativity, perspective-sharing and effective networking skills. The MSc runs in partnership with The Prince's Foundation and is accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).
The course is delivered by University academics, industry experts, urban researchers and practitioners in the built environment. Regular contributors include the University’s Transport Studies Unit.
**Course structure**
You will attend eight intensive residential teaching weeks during the two years of study, six held in Oxford at the Department for Continuing Education and two held in London at The Prince's Foundation. Each teaching week addresses a core theme of the course.
In the first year, you will study five interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary teaching weeks:
- Introducing Sustainable Urban Development
- Climate Change and the Built Environment
- Place-making and Urban Design
- Financing Sustainability
- Sustainable Transport
During teaching weeks, you will also follow foundation courses in urban theory and urban economics tailored to sustainable urban development, comprising sessions on the intellectual history of sustainable urbanism, paradigm shifts and challenges in sustainable development and the economics of sustainability.
In the second year, you will study three interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary teaching weeks:
- Urbanism, Community and City-Building
- Urbanisation in the Global South
- Leadership, Governance and Future Cities
You will spend the latter half of the second year working on a 15,000-word dissertation. You will choose the topic with the guidance of your supervisor. Research methods are taught from the start and give students an understanding of research strategies, fostering the skills needed for designing, conducting, analysing, interpreting and reporting a small-scale research study that is required for the dissertation.
| Study type | Taught |
|---|---|
| Level | RQF Level 7 |
| Entry requirements | For complete and up-to-date information about this course, please visit the relevant University of Oxford course page via www.graduate.ox.ac.uk/ucas |
| Location | University of Oxford University Offices Wellington Square Oxford OX1 2JD |
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