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Master of Urban Development and Design

Overview

Study our Master of Urban Development and Design and put yourself at the forefront of reimagining our urban fabric.

We address the design of cities from multiple perspectives to give you a contemporary and integrated view on how to make them better places to live and work.

Our aim is to redefine urban design to go beyond solving problems, towards understanding cities in creative ways and imagine different futures. We want to inspire the right minds to lead the way.

The majority of the world’s population live in cities, and with limited resources and significant climate change, there is a growing demand for urban designers specifically trained to understand and look at cities strategically and holistically.

Urban design is a term often borrowed by other specialists as an add-on to their core service. At UQ, we see urban design as its own expertise that includes the ability to engage with decision-makers and lead change.

This is a new degree for a new kind of designer, taught by leading academics and industry professionals. It combines project-based design studios with opportunities to develop expertise in the field of Infrastructure and Resources, People and Policy, or Economics and Strategy.

To ensure you have the right skills to enter this transdisciplinary field of design you'll study courses from across a range of disciplines, including architecture, civil engineering, planning, policy, economics and business leadership.

Wherever you are positioned in your career, you’ll look at urban development and design from a different angle and be uniquely placed to design creative solutions to make our cities more efficient, sustainable and meaningful.

Location
St Lucia
Duration
2 Years (or part time equivalent)
Start Semester
Semester 1 (24 Feb, 2025), Semester 2 (28 Jul, 2025)
Program Code
5722
AQF
Level 9
Location
St Lucia
Fees
A$47200
Duration
2 Years
Start Semester
Semester 1 (24 Feb, 2025), Semester 2 (28 Jul, 2025)
Semester dates for 2026 are yet to be confirmed
Program Code
5722
CRICOS Code
0102136
AQF
Level 9

How you'll learn

Your learning experiences are designed to best suit the learning outcomes of the courses you choose.

  • Lectures
  • Tutorials
  • Online study
  • Peer-assisted study sessions
  • Studios
  • Workshops

What you'll study

At UQ, degrees are called 'programs' and subjects are called 'courses'. Here's a sample of the courses you could study in this program:

  • Urban Design: Urban Futures
  • Contemporary Urbanism Theory and Practice
  • Urban Design: Responsive Environments
  • Managing Organisational Behaviour

Career possibilities

Postgraduate study can take you anywhere. Here are some of the careers you could be on your way to:

  • Urban designer
  • Community engagement consultant
  • Landscape architect
  • Urban strategist
  • Design advisor

Mid-career salary

Urban Designer

$69K–$104K

payscale.com

Average annual salary range

Urban Planner

$85K-$105K

seek.com.au

Entry requirements

Entry requirements

To be eligible for entry, you'll need:

  • a bachelor's degree (or equivalent) in a relevant discipline (see below), or
  • a graduate certificate or graduate diploma or master's degree in a relevant discipline (see below).
You must have a grade point average (GPA) of 4.5 on a 7-point scale in your previous qualification.
  • a bachelor's degree (or equivalent) in a relevant discipline (see below), plus 6 months full-time equivalent relevant post graduate work experience in an urban design environment (see below).
You must have a grade point average (GPA) of 4.0 on a 7-point scale in your previous qualification

* Please note that if a graduate certificate (or graduate diploma) from the same program suite is used as the basis of entry into the program and you do not have a degree in the relevant discipline, you will not be eligible for credit towards the Masters program
  • a bachelor's degree (or equivalent) in a relevant discipline (see below), or
  • a graduate certificate or graduate diploma or master's degree in a relevant discipline (see below).
You must have a grade point average (GPA) of 4.5 on a 7-point scale in your previous qualification.
  • a bachelor's degree (or equivalent) in a relevant discipline (see below), plus 6 months full-time equivalent relevant post graduate work experience in an urban design environment (see below).
You must have a grade point average (GPA) of 4.0 on a 7-point scale in your previous qualification

* Please note that if a graduate certificate (or graduate diploma) from the same program suite is used as the basis of entry into the program and you do not have a degree in the relevant discipline, you will not be eligible for credit towards the Masters program

Relevant disciplines for previous qualifications

Relevant disciplines include architecture, architectural design, design, landscape architecture, planning, regional and town planning, and urban planning.


Relevant work experience

Relevant work experience includes work: in architecture, architectural design, design, landscape architecture, planning, regional and town planning, and urban planning related roles. This will need to be supported with evidence. 

 

Evidence of relevant work experience should include a letter from your employer (and/or previous employers) clearly stating the following:

 

  • That you work (or worked) within the specified organisation
  • The nature of your work, detailing any relevant duties and responsibilities to the entry criteria above
  • The length of time you were in your role/s (i.e demonstrating minimum length for entry) and whether this was full-time, part-time, or casual
  • Any further bespoke conditions listed by the entry criteria

 

Letters will typically be expected to be presented on company letterhead and signed by a manager or HR representative. A CV or resume is not a sufficient document on its own, and must be accompanied by a supporting letter as described above.

 

All applications based on work experience are subject to an individual assessment.


Related programs

English language requirements

IELTS overall 6.5; reading 6; writing 6; speaking 6; listening 6. For other English Language Proficiency Tests and Scores approved for UQ

TOEFL iBT (including Paper Edition) - Overall 87, listening 19, reading 19, writing 21 and speaking 19.

PTE Academic - Overall Score of 64 and 60 in all sub bands.

BE - A minimum overall grade of 4 plus a minimum grade of C in all macro skills.

CES - Overall 176 and 169 in all sub bands.

OET is not accepted.

 

There are other ways to meet the English language requirements. For some programs, additional conditions apply.

Learn how to meet the English language requirements

Student visas

International students who are accepted into full-time study in the Master of Urban Development and Design are eligible to apply for an Australian student visa (subclass 500).

There are a number of requirements you must satisfy before a visa is granted, including the Genuine Student (GS) requirement.

Learn more about student visas

Fees and Scholarships

Indicative annual fee

Approximate yearly cost of tuition (16 units). Your fees will vary according to your selected courses and study load. Fees are reviewed each year and may increase.

$11,099

2024

Fee information for 2025 is not yet available. Fee information displayed is for 2024.

$11,099

2025

Learn more about postgraduate fees

Approximate yearly cost of full-time tuition (16 units). Your fees will vary according to your study load. Fees are reviewed each year and may increase.

AUD $47,200

2024

Fee information for 2025 is not yet available. Fee information displayed is for 2024.

AUD $47,200

2025

Learn more about postgraduate fees

Government assistance

Financial aid

As an international student, you might be eligible for financial aid – either from your home country, or from the Australian Government.

Learn more about financial aid

HECS-HELP

Domestic places in the Master of Urban Development and Design are Commonwealth Supported. This means the cost of your education is shared between you and the Australian Government.

Instead of tuition fees, Commonwealth Supported students pay what are called student contribution amounts.

HECS-HELP is an Australian Government loan scheme to assist eligible students with the cost of their student contribution amounts.

Learn more about HECS-HELP

Centrelink support

Scholarships

You may be eligible for more than 100 scholarships, including:

How to apply

Important dates

The closing date for this program is:

  • To commence study in semester 2 - May 31 of the year of commencement.
  • To commence study in semester 1 - November 30 of the previous year.

To learn more about UQ dates, including semester start dates, view the Academic Calendar.

Important dates

The closing date for this program is:

  • To commence study in Semester 1 - January 31 of the year of commencement.
  • To commence study in Semester 2 - June 30 of the year of commencement.

To learn more about UQ dates, including semester start dates, view the Academic Calendar.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants

For support with applying – or if you have any questions about university life – get in touch with our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies Unit.

Contact the ATSIS Unit

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St Lucia, External
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