Planning
The Department of Planning is one of the largest and most diverse of its kind in both the UK and Europe.
With more than 450 students engaging in a wide range of research topics in our undergraduate, postgraduate and research degree programmes the department is widely recognised as a leading educator in environment, design and development.
Why study at Oxford Brookes?
The Department of Planning has an excellent reputation for the quality of its teaching and research. We were ranked 5th in the RAE research power tables in the field of Town and Country Planning (RAE 2008). Read more…
Our taught courses are accredited by multiple professional bodies, including the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA) and the Institute of Historic Building Conservation (IHBC).
The department is a major centre for planning research with a wide-ranging research portfolio across academic specialisms. It has been commended for its research by the RTPI and by a variety of research clients. We offer an active and welcoming research environment for students, visiting scholars and researchers. Our research groups, based in Brookes’ highly regarded Oxford Institute for Sustainable Development, are the Impact Assessment Group, the Spatial Planning Group and the Urban Design Group. The department also hosts the Joint Centre for Urban Design.
Oxford is an excellent place to study planning and urban design with rich opportunities for local fieldwork and practical experience – recent research has included the conservation of historic buildings, sustainability and accessible design.
Professional links
The Department of Planning has links with universities worldwide, including Canada, USA, Mexico, Brazil, Chile, South Africa, Ghana, Egypt, India, Malaysia, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand, China, Japan, Taiwan, Vietnam and most EU member states. There are exciting opportunities for collaborative research, exchanges and study overseas.
We also have a prestigious list of funders and clients covering UK, EU and overseas governments, research funding councils, industry and local government.
Student Experience
You will benefit from a vibrant interdisciplinary culture which includes strong links with other departments within Oxford Brookes including the School of Architecture and the Department of Real Estate and Construction.
What are the benefits?
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- Leading provider of accredited courses.
- Reputation for world-leading research.
- Interdisciplinary culture.
- Oxford, a historic city, and host to cutting-edge industries and organisations.
Research
The Department of Planning has dynamic and thriving research degree programmes in planning and urban design with over 30 students studying for MRes, MAs by research, MPhils and PhDs. The department is a major centre for planning and urban design research, and offers top quality research training and support. Read more…
To find out more please visit our research degrees pages.
Taught Courses
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Accredited by leading professional bodies, the content of our courses is driven by our cutting-edge research on issues like climate change and urban design.
Teaching
Our courses, which are professionally accredited, are tailored to the individual, with options for MRes degrees, PGDips and PGCerts as well as our standard master’s programmes. There are also plenty of optional modules and specialisms. Research informs our teaching and our teaching staff also have research portfolios, so programme content is always being updated to take advantage of emerging technologies and knowledge.
Support
We have an excellent reputation for supporting our students, whether studying full-time or part-time. Seminars and guidance on research methodology are provided.
Which courses can I study to start in 2012?
Learn more about the courses you can study to start in September 2012. Read more…
- Environmental Assessment and Management - MSc / PGDip
- Environmental Impact Assessment - MRes
- Historic Conservation - MSc / PGDip / PGCert
- Planning, Diploma in - PGDip
- Spatial Planning - MSc
- Spatial Planning Studies - Certificate
- Tourism: Environment and Development - MSc / PGDip / PGCert
- Urban Design (MA) - MA / PGDip / PGCert
- Urban Design (MRes) - MRes
- Urban Planning - MRes
- Urban Planning: Developing and Transitional Regions - MSc / PGDip / PGCert
- Urban and Regional Regeneration - PGCert
Dr David Valler, Reader in Spatial Planning and Head of the Spatial Planning Group
Here in Oxford there’s a major balancing act to facilitate new development whilst trying to protect the things that make it special. We have been facing these issues for a long time.
I try to get students to think harder about what the planning system is for and how the changing nature of relations between business and government impacts on it. Business influence has changed the context in which planning operates - we examine it directly.
This area is a hotspot for innovation and competitiveness. Leading-edge, knowledge- based economic development sites are the engines for the new economy and raise really significant planning issues such as housing, infrastructure and quality of life. They require the right kinds of people to work in them and we have to think hard about how those people are going to be attracted to this area.