In a bid to support careers in Geography, we are introducing a weekly blog where we explore Geography-related degrees in detail, including what sort of thing students can expect to study over the 3 year course (including field work and possible dissertation focus), the typical entry requirements, universities that offer it, and the careers it can lead into. We have written it as 'student-facing' so you can share it directly with your students.

Urban and Regional Planning

Why are some cities great places to live while others struggle with congestion, unaffordable housing or declining town centres? Where should thousands of new homes be built? How can cities respond to climate change? And who actually decides whether a new housing estate, railway, wind farm or shopping development should go ahead?

These are exactly the kinds of questions you'll explore on an Urban and Regional Planning degree.

Planning is about deciding how places should develop and change. It combines elements of geography, economics, politics, environmental studies, law, property and urban design, making it a particularly good option if you're interested in cities and places but want a degree with a clear professional career attached to it.

What do you study on an Urban and Regional Planning degree?

Most undergraduate planning degrees last three years, although some universities offer four-year integrated Master's courses, placement years or study-abroad options.

Course titles vary too - you might find degrees called:

• Urban and Regional Planning
• Urban Planning
• Town and Regional Planning
• Urban Studies and Planning
• Geography and Urban & Regional Planning
• Urban Planning and Design
• Planning and Real Estate

Despite the different names, there is considerable overlap between them.

First year: How cities and places work

Your first year normally introduces you to the principles of planning and helps you understand why towns and cities look and function the way they do.

You might study:

• how cities grow and change
• housing and neighbourhoods
• sustainable development
• urban inequality
• planning policy
• the history of towns and cities
• environmental issues
• transport
• urban design
• introductory planning law
• maps and spatial data.

You'll also start learning some of the practical skills used by planners.

The Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) identifies skills such as site analysis, understanding land uses, interpreting maps and plans, policy development, data analysis, community engagement and understanding planning law as important elements of planning education.

At some universities you'll also begin using GIS (Geographical Information Systems) - software used to map, analyse and visualise geographical information.

Rather than studying cities only through lectures and textbooks, you'll often be expected to go outside and analyse them for yourself.

Second year: From theory to real planning problems

During second year, planning normally becomes more applied.

You could study topics such as:

• planning law and the planning system
• housing policy
• urban regeneration
• transport planning
• environmental planning
• economic development
• property development
• sustainable cities
• planning for climate change
• urban design
• community engagement
• GIS and spatial analysis.

You'll start thinking about the difficult decisions planners have to make - e.g. imagine a developer wants to build 2,000 homes on the edge of a town - the area desperately needs housing, but local residents oppose the development, roads are already congested and part of the proposed site has environmental value. Should permission be granted?

A planner needs to consider housing need, transport, environmental impacts, national and local planning policies, infrastructure, economic benefits and the views of local communities before reaching a recommendation. That's why planning is much broader than simply 'designing cities'.

Third year: specialising and completing your dissertation

By your final year, you'll normally be able to specialise in the parts of planning that interest you most.

Possible areas include:

• housing
• urban regeneration
• transport
• environmental planning
• sustainable cities
• property development
• urban design
• planning policy
• heritage and conservation
• regional development.

You'll also usually complete an independent dissertation or major research project, e.g. at the University of Liverpool, final-year Urban Planning students study the transformation of cities and regions alongside completing an independent dissertation. Your dissertation gives you the chance to investigate a planning issue in much greater depth.

Possible dissertation topics could include:

• Why are UK house prices so high?
• Should development be allowed on the Green Belt?
• How successful has the regeneration of a particular town centre been?
• Do Low Traffic Neighbourhoods reduce car use?
• How can cities adapt to climate change?
• Has Airbnb affected housing availability in tourist destinations?
• How successful are 15-minute cities?
• Should more homes be built at higher densities?
• What makes a successful pedestrianised town centre?
• How has HS2 affected development around particular stations?
• How effective are planning policies at providing affordable housing?
• How can cities encourage cycling and public transport?
• What are the impacts of studentification on university towns?
• How can former industrial areas be successfully regenerated?

A dissertation can be particularly useful when applying for jobs because it allows you to demonstrate expertise in an area of planning that you might want to work in.

Fieldwork opportunities

Fieldwork and site visits are a major feature of many planning degrees because cities themselves become part of your classroom. You might visit a regeneration project, housing development, transport scheme, historic neighbourhood or proposed development site and analyse how well it works.

At the University of Birmingham, for example, field trips are an integral part of its Geography and Urban & Regional Planning course. Students investigate Birmingham itself and currently have opportunities for European field trips in Years 1 and 2.

UCL's Urban Planning, Design and Management BSc currently includes two main field trips, one during first year and another in third year, alongside site visits around London.

Other universities build live projects into their degrees, where students work on genuine planning problems or briefs - that practical element is one of the biggest differences between planning and some more classroom-based degrees.

Which universities offer Urban and Regional Planning?

There are planning courses at universities across the UK, although the exact degree titles differ.

Examples include:

• University of Birmingham – BSc Geography and Urban and Regional Planning: A three-year course combining geography and planning. It includes GIS, data analysis and fieldwork, including opportunities for European field trips. The course is recognised by the RTPI as an accredited spatial planning qualification.
• University of Liverpool - BA Urban Planning: A three-year planning degree covering the social, economic and environmental dimensions of places, with fieldwork, live briefs, geospatial skills and an independent dissertation.
• University of Sheffield - Urban Studies and Planning: Sheffield offers an MPlan in Urban Studies and Planning. Students completing the first three years can receive a BA Urban Studies and Planning, which is an RTPI-accredited spatial planning qualification.
• Newcastle University - BA Urban Planning: Newcastle offers an undergraduate Urban Planning route as well as an extended MPlan route. The MPlan allows students to specialise in areas such as regeneration, conservation or environmental planning.
• UCL - BSc Urban Planning, Design and Management: A three-year degree based in London combining planning with urban design and management. It includes field trips and site visits and is accredited by both the RTPI and RICS.
• University of Westminster - BA Urban Planning and Design: A three-year degree with a strong emphasis on sustainable, inclusive and climate-resilient cities. Students work in design studios and undertake site visits, with opportunities for an international field trip and an optional placement year.

There are also undergraduate planning courses at universities including Manchester, Leeds Beckett, Oxford Brookes and UWE Bristol, although course titles and the type of professional accreditation vary.

Why does RTPI accreditation matter?

This is something worth checking carefully when comparing planning degrees. The Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) is the professional body for town planners in the UK. If you eventually want to become a Chartered Town Planner, the accreditation of your university course affects the route you'll need to take.

Some undergraduate degrees provide the spatial component of the RTPI's professional education requirements but need to be followed by an appropriate specialist postgraduate qualification. Other integrated courses provide the complete accredited educational route. So don't assume that every planning degree leads to Chartered status in exactly the same way. Before applying, check the current RTPI accreditation of the specific course you're considering and whether you would need further postgraduate study.

What are the entry requirements?

Entry requirements vary considerably between universities and courses.

For planning-related undergraduate courses, typical offers can range from around CCC/BBC through to AAB or above.

For example:

• UCL – Urban Planning, Design and Management = Around AAB
• Manchester – Planning and Real Estate = ABB
• Westminster – Urban Planning and Design = BBC

Universities may also make lower contextual offers to eligible applicants.

Another advantage is that you don't normally need to have studied one particular A-level subject to study planning.

Geography is particularly relevant, but it isn't the only route into the subject. The RTPI itself lists subjects including Geography, Citizenship, Art and Graphic Design, Business, Economics, English, Environmental Studies, Science, History, ICT, Psychology and Politics as useful preparation for studying planning. But always check the requirements for the individual course and year you're applying for, as these can change.

What careers can an Urban and Regional Planning degree lead to?

The most obvious career is becoming a town planner, but a planning degree can open the door to a surprisingly wide range of jobs...

Town planner

Town planners help decide how land should be used and developed. You could work on planning applications, new housing developments, regeneration schemes, transport projects, renewable energy developments or long-term plans for entire towns and cities. Planners work for local authorities, central government, planning consultancies, housebuilders, property developers and infrastructure companies.

The RTPI's 2025 State of the Profession research, shows that the most commonly reported salary band for town planners in England was £40,001–£50,000. Experienced planners, planning managers and directors can earn considerably more, with some senior professionals earning £60,000–£80,000+. However, graduate salaries will normally be lower while you build professional experience.

Planning consultant

Private planning consultancies advise developers and landowners on whether developments are likely to receive planning permission and help guide projects through the planning system. You might research planning policy, prepare planning applications, assess potential development sites and negotiate with councils. Large multidisciplinary companies also employ planners alongside architects, engineers, environmental consultants and property specialists.

Graduates/assistant consultants can expect roughly £25,000-£32,000, rising to around £35,000-£50,000 with experience. Senior, associate and director-level planners can earn £55,000-£75,000+, particularly in private consultancy.

Local authority planner

Councils are among the biggest employers of planners. You might work in development management, assessing applications for new homes, shops and other developments. Alternatively, you could work in strategic planning, helping produce the Local Plan that determines where development should take place over the next 10–20 years.

Graduate or assistant planning officers typically start at around £26,000-£32,000. Experienced and senior planners can earn approximately £35,000-£50,000, with principal planners and planning managers earning £50,000-£65,000+.

Transport planner

Transport planners examine how people move around towns and cities. You might analyse traffic, public transport, cycling and walking and help design transport strategies for new developments. Transport planners work for councils, government bodies, engineering consultancies and transport organisations.

Graduate salaries are typically £25,000-£32,000, rising to around £30,000-£45,000 with experience. Senior or principal transport planners can earn approximately £45,000-£65,000+, while consultancy directors can potentially reach £100,000.

Urban regeneration specialist

Regeneration specialists help transform areas that have experienced economic or physical decline. Projects might involve redeveloping former industrial land, improving struggling high streets or attracting businesses and residents back into city centres. It's an area where planning overlaps heavily with economics, property and government policy.

Salaries are around £25,000-£32,000 for graduate/entry-level roles, £35,000-£50,000 for experienced regeneration or development officers and £50,000-£70,000+ for senior managers. This career is harder to attach a single salary to because 'regeneration' covers jobs in local government, consultancies, development agencies and property companies.

Property development

Some planning graduates work for housebuilders and property developers. Their understanding of the planning system can be extremely valuable because securing planning permission is one of the most important stages of a development project. Planning degrees that include significant property or real-estate content can be particularly useful for this career.

Salaries vary particularly widely - a graduate entering development might earn around £27,000-£35,000, with experienced development professionals commonly moving into the £40,000-£60,000+ range. Senior development managers and directors can earn substantially more, often with bonuses.

Other possibilities

Planning graduates can also move into:

• urban design
• housing
• environmental planning
• sustainability
• economic development
• property and real estate
• heritage and conservation
• GIS and spatial analysis
• infrastructure planning
• renewable energy development
• planning policy
• community engagement
• government and the Civil Service
• research.

What skills will you develop?

One of the advantages of planning is that you'll develop a mixture of academic, technical and professional skills, including GIS and digital mapping, data analysis, report writing, researching planning policy, interpreting maps and plans, site analysis, presentations, negotiation, teamwork, project management, community consultation, understanding legislation, and problem-solving. Planning therefore suits students who enjoy analysing problems but also want to see their ideas applied in the real world.

Is Urban and Regional Planning a good degree?

Urban and Regional Planning could be a particularly good choice if you're interested in Geography but want a degree with a clearer professional route.

You might enjoy it if you're fascinated by cities, housing, transport, regeneration or sustainability and regularly find yourself wondering why particular developments have been built where they are.

It's also a good option for students who want variety. You might spend one day learning about planning law, another using GIS to map housing data and another walking around a regeneration area evaluating whether the development has actually worked.

And the subject is becoming increasingly important. The UK needs to build homes, upgrade infrastructure, regenerate town centres, move towards net zero and adapt places to climate change. All of those objectives involve difficult decisions about what gets built, where it gets built and who benefits from it.

Those decisions are at the heart of Urban and Regional Planning!