ESTM4002
15 credits
Your introduction to spatial planning and you’ll look at some of the challenges currently faced by the system. You’ll be taught in a workshop style, where...
Certificate Spatial Planning Studies
Explore how places are planned and shaped, developing understanding of sustainable and inclusive environments.
Key facts
- Duration
- Full time: 12 months
- Part time: 12 months
- Level
- Master's and postgraduate
- School
- School of the Built Environment
About this course
Our Certificate in Spatial Planning Studies provides an access route to our RTPI and RICS-accredited MSc in Spatial Planning. It is ideal for students who do not have the usual educational qualifications necessary for entry onto the course.
The course provides you with a general, yet critical, understanding of the planning process and some of the key issues and themes in contemporary spatial planning.
The School of the Built Environment performs a leading role in research and consultancy. Clients and projects cover subjects from:
- local concerns
- multinational organisations
- government
- industry.
Our research feeds directly into our teaching, so you will learn directly from the most current areas of practice.
The course is a one-year part-time (one day per week) undergraduate-level course.
Research expertise
The School of the Built Environment is widely recognised as a leading educator in environment, design and development subjects. We perform a leading role in research and consultancy, with clients and projects covering subjects from local concerns to multi-national organisations, government and industry.
Key areas of expertise and scholarship in the department form the research groups and units listed below. These research groups and units also comprise a substantial part of the Oxford Institute for Sustainable Development (OISD):
- Smart Construction and Impact Assessment (SC&IA)
- Land Design and Development (LDD)
- Planning, Policy and Governance (PPG)
We have links with universities worldwide, including Canada, USA, Mexico, Brazil, Chile, South Africa, Ghana, Egypt, India, Malaysia, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand, China, Japan, Taiwan, Romanian, Serbia, Slovenia, Hungary, Poland and most EU member states.
Entry requirements
Entry requirements
| Qualification | Typical offer |
|---|---|
| IELTS | IELTS 6.5 overall with 6.0 in all skills. For more information, please see our English language requirements. |
Standard entry to the course is open to those who have:
- GCSE, O-level (or equivalent) in Maths and English
- at least three years' suitable experience within the field of planning - in an advanced technical or administration post *
* Applicants who have two years' work experience in planning at the commencement of their studies, and hold at least one A-level at grade C will also be considered.
UK/EU applicants for MSc Spatial Planning who were unsuccessful because their undergraduate degree attainment was unsuitable, will be reconsidered for progression by completing this course to the required standard.
Fees and funding
Fees
This course is not available to students classed as International for fees purposes.
| Fee types | 2026/27 | 2027/28 |
|---|---|---|
| Home part-time | £5,200 (PGCert) | £5,400 (PGCert) |
Fees quoted are for the first year only. If you are studying a course that lasts longer than one year, your fees will increase each year.
The following factors will be taken into account by the University when it is setting the annual fees: inflationary measures such as the retail price indices, projected increases in University costs, changes in the level of funding received from Government sources, admissions statistics and access considerations including the availability of student support.
How and when to pay
Tuition fee instalments for the semester are due by the Monday of week 1 of each semester. Students are not liable for full fees for that semester if they leave before week 4. If the leaving date is after week 4, full fees for the semester are payable.
- For information on payment methods please see our Make a Payment page.
- For information about refunds please visit our Refund policy page.
Questions about fees?
Learning and assessment
The course comprises four modules. These modules have been carefully chosen to provide a balance of basic and advanced modules, and to offer you the opportunity to study basic themes in spatial planning. As well as some specific areas such as transport and community planning.
In Semester 1 you will complete Sustainable Development and Professional Practice and Transport and Society.
In Semester 2 you will complete Spatial Planning and Independent Study in Planning.
Our teaching methods include:
- lectures
- directed reading
- workshops
- seminars
- practical and project work.
Each of the four single-credit modules requires 150 hours of study over 15 weeks. This includes 36 hours of staff contact time.
Formal teaching takes place over the first 12 weeks. The final weeks are available for examinations, if included as part of the module assessment.
Assessment
We use a range of assessment methods, including:
- essays
- seminar papers
- written examinations
- in-class tests
- project work
- design and verbal presentations
- workshops
- simulations
- practical exercises.
Year 1
Compulsory modules
PLAN6003
15 credits
Look into the world of strategic planning and policy, and explore how these strategies link to major infrastructure planning, especially with the evolving...
PLAN4012
15 credits
Investigate the concept of sustainability and sustainable development in the planning and delivery of urban infrastructure. You’ll explore discussions about how...
PLAN6011
15 credits
This module allows you to research and report on an area of planning that is of most interest to you. Through directed research and study, you'll produce an...
Field trips
Some modules may have Field Trips (day or half day) associated with them. Where these form a compulsory element of the module the transport costs come at no additional cost.
Careers
The Certificate in Spatial Planning Studies provides an entry qualification for the MSc in Spatial Planning which is accredited by both the Royal Town Planning Institute and the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.
This dual accreditation makes MSc in Spatial Planning graduates attractive to both the public and private sectors of planning and related built environment employers.
How to apply
We advise applying in advance to secure places, and allow sufficient time for applications to be reviewed.
There is no formal application deadline (recruitment closes when teaching capacity is reached).
Applicants should also factor any time needed to meet offer conditions, arrange accommodation, and obtain a UK Student visa (if applicable).
Our courses are reviewed regularly as part of our quality assurance framework, so module availability and course structures may vary from what is listed here. On rare occasions, we may also need to make updates to our course programmes after publication; for full details, please visit our changes to programmes page (opens in a new tab)