Planning and Development, MSc

This is a fast-track conversion course for graduates from disciplines unrelated to construction and real estate, which leads to Chartered Surveyor status.

Why choose this course?

This is a fast-track conversion course for graduates from disciplines unrelated to construction and real estate, which leads to Chartered Surveyor status.

You will benefit from:

• a course accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)
• an optional international field trip
• part-time, full-time and CPD study options
• work placement opportunities.

This is one of a suite of five MSc courses which provide the academic foundation for holders of first degrees in an unrelated subject area to obtain an accredited route into the real estate and construction industries.

This course has a development, planning and valuation focus, making it particularly appropriate to applicants wishing to gain an in-depth knowledge into these aspects of the property and construction business.

Students from MSc Planning and Development recently joined students from other postgraduate courses on a week-long visit to Prague. You can read their behind-the-scenes blog here.

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Telephone: +44 (0)115 9418 418

Course focus

The course has a development, planning and valuation focus, making it particularly appropriate to applicants wishing to gain an in-depth knowledge into these aspects of the property and construction business.

Accreditation

The course is accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), enabling successful graduates entry to the Assessment of Professional Competence (APC) of the RICS; a prerequisite for full Chartered Surveyor status

About this course

Graduates will be equipped with a blend of knowledge, understanding, skills, qualities and attributes that will enable them to pursue and develop careers in the real estate and construction professions on an international level.

Each course provides broad based insights into the industries and then allows students to develop a specialism and expertise in their chosen field of study through course-specific modules.

The common core curriculum shared by the five courses enables students to transfer between pathways and attendance modes during the early phases of study.

What will I study?

Please find below module details for full-time and part-time study:

Full-time, one year

• Law and Ethics (15 credit points)
• Property and Construction Economics (15 credit points)
• Research Methods and Study Skills (15 credit points)
• Construction, Investment and Planning (15 credit points)
• Professional Practice (15 credit points)
• Development Practice (15 credit points)
• Planning Practice (15 credit points)
• Valuation Appraisal (15 credit points)
• Postgraduate Dissertation / Consultancy Project / Internship (60 credit points)

Part time, Year One

• Research Methods and Study Skills (15 credit points)
• Construction, Investment and Planning (15 credit points)
• Development Practice (15 credit points)
• Planning Practice (15 credit points)
• Postgraduate Dissertation / Consultancy Project / Internship (60 credit points) (continued in Year Two)

Part time, Year Two

• Law and Ethics (15 credit points)
• Property and Construction Economics (15 credit points)
• Professional Practice (15 credit points)
  Valuation Appraisal (15 credit points)
• Postgraduate Dissertation / Consultancy Project / Internship (60 credit points) (continued from Year One)

Work placement opportunities

Dissertation, Consultancy Project or Internship?
For your major 60 credit point module you have the option to choose a dissertation, a consultancy project or professional internship.

The internship option will consist of approximately two months working within a company on a specific project. Internships are subject to availability and can be undertaken in the UK or abroad. Students will be required to complete a project/task during their internship and produce a report.

Professional Practice module
For this module students have the option to either go on an international field trip or complete a short work experience placement. These are subject to availability.

How will I learn?

A range of methods for teaching and learning are used within the courses. These include a balanced mix of contact and non contact study activities ranging from:

• lectures
• interactive seminars
• student presentations
• group-based projects and exercises to directed and self-directed research.

Field trip

Students will also have the opportunity to take part in an international residential field trip. The week-long trip, part of the innovative Professional Practice Module, provides a crucial international dimension to postgraduate study and is a key aspect to the development of students’ employability.

Read about the 2012 trip to Prague.
Read the Budapest 2011 trip blog.
Take a look at images from the field trips.

How will I be assessed?

A variety of assessment methods are utilised including:

• project work (individual and group based)
• independent written assignments and reports
• research proposal and dissertation
• seen and unseen written tests and examinations
• oral presentations
• poster presentations.

Who teaches on this course?

You will be taught by an academic team who have extensive industry experience. Take a look at their profiles to find out more about their areas of expertise.

Course leader: Steve Tyler


Tanya Rountree
Professor Michael White
Andrew Martinelli
Rachel Mansfield

Study location

City site

Resources and facilities

The NTU Online Workspace (NOW) is a virtual learning environment that enables students to access their university resources from anywhere in the world. It delivers learning materials, information and news relevant to your course and includes communication features such as email and discussion boards.

Our lecturers have an excellent reputation for being approachable with an open-door policy. They are also specialists working at the cutting edge of research, ensuring that the course content benefits from their experience, enthusiasm and extensive knowledge.

Option to change course

The course is one in a suite of five which share a common core curriculum, with each course having its own range of course specific modules. This commonality between the courses allows opportunity to transfer between pathways during the early phase of their delivery (see the MSc Building Surveying, MSc Quantity Surveying, MSc Real Estate, MSc International Real Estate Investment and Finance courses for further details).