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Sustainable Development Goals
This course is available through the following application route(s)
The bachelor's in City Planning & Environmental Policy is about solving complex issues that we experience in our everyday lives. How can we provide housing for everyone? How can we reduce our climate impact and conserve our natural environment? Where should we build our schools and shops? This unique degree brings together a focus on the city, the environment and design and links them with clear routes to professions and careers.
So, if you are considering a career as a qualified planner, urban designer or environmental policy analyst this degree is for you. These professions allow you to visualise new patterns and ideas for cities and to bring this vision to reality by activating social change and promoting sustainable development. This course gives you the skills to enable real world change. UCD Planning is the also the oldest, largest and most respected planning and environmental policy school in Ireland. Most planners currently employed in Ireland were educated in the School and the course is accredited by both the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) and the Irish Planning Institute (IPI).
About This Course
This degree integrates an interdisciplinary approach that will deepen and broaden your understanding of environmental, social and economic issues, and sets these in a practical policy context. On entering first year, you will be introduced to a host of new ideas and concepts. Building your knowledge and skills throughout the first year of the course, you will progressively gain insight into the complexity of our taken-for-granted world and how we can constructively and sustainably respond to the challenges we face. A small class size and the interactive learning environment ensures an enjoyable experience that stimulates creativity and ownership of your career path.
The degree in City Planning & Environmental Policy includes modules in:
First Year
- Introduction to City Planning
- Environmental Change & Policy
- History of City Planning
- Urban Design
- Environmental Economics
- Inequality & Social Justice in Irish Society
- Planning & Development Studio
Second Year
- Local Planning Studio
- Community Development & Planning
- Geographical Information Systems
- Comparative Planning
- Urban & Regional Economics
- Case Studies in Environmental Policy
- Social Spacial Dynamics
- Rural Change, Development & Planning
Third Year
In Third Year students develop the skills to translate knowledge into practical solutions for future sustainable and smart cities. Modules may include:
- Environmental Management
- Climate Policy & Politics
- Transport, Environment and Sustainability
- Smart Cities
Fourth Year
In Fourth Year students will deepen their technical and practical knowledge of planning and environmental policy and will develop their critical thinking skills to prepare for their future career. Modules may include:
- Planning Methods and Leadership
- Planning Design and Development
- Planning Law
- Environment and Planning
- Plan Making Studio
- Housing Planning and Property
The modules are delivered in a variety of formats, including lectures, labs and studios. They provide opportunities for interdisciplinary research, field work and guest lectures from leading researchers, advocates and practitioners. Dublin and the surrounding region are viewed as a living lab for students learning.
Students have the opportunity in their third year to spend a year studying abroad either inside or outside Europe. Students who opt for this international experience will complete their undergraduate studies in four years (rather than three).
The final step towards your career as a planner, urban designer or environmental policy analyst is to complete a one-year specialist Master’s in Planning at UCD: The Master of Regional & Urban Planning, the Master of Urban Design & Planning or the Master of Environmental Policy. This will ensure you gain the necessary professional accreditations, including that of the Irish Planning Institute and the Royal Town Planning Institute.
Graduates find employment in:
- Government and local authorities
- Planning and environmental consultancies
- Local and regional development organisations
- Private companies (marketing/location/real estate/infrastructure)
- Non-governmental organisations (environmental/heritage/ international development)
Also check out the UCD Career Networks career guide for the College of Engineering & Architecture for details on the career supports available to UCD students.
Below is a list of all modules offered for this degree in the current academic year. Click on the module to discover what you will learn in the module, how you will learn and assessment feedback profile amongst other information.
Incoming Stage 1 undergraduates can usually select an Elective in the Spring Trimester. Most continuing undergraduate students can select up to two Elective modules (10 Credits) per stage. There is also the possibility to take up to 10 extra Elective credits.
| Trimester | Credits | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Stage 1 Core Modules |
ENVP10030 | Environmental Economics | Autumn | 5 |
Stage 1 Core Modules |
ENVP10040 | Land Use & Sustainability | Autumn | 5 |
Stage 1 Core Modules |
PLAN10010 | Introduction to City Planning | Autumn | 5 |
Stage 1 Core Modules |
PLAN10020 | History of City Planning | Autumn | 5 |
Stage 1 Core Modules |
PLAN10030 | Urban Design | Autumn | 5 |
Stage 1 Core Modules |
PLAN10040 | Research methods | Autumn | 5 |
Stage 1 Core Modules |
ENVP10010 | Environment Change & Policy | Spring | 5 |
Stage 1 Core Modules |
PLAN10080 | Planning and Development Studio | Spring | 10 |
Stage 1 Core Modules |
PLAN10100 | Contemporary Issues in Planning | Spring | 5 |
Stage 1 Core Modules |
SSJ10060 | Inequality and Social Justice in Irish Society | Spring | 5 |
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 0 of: Students must register to a minimum of 55 Programme Credits (Core Modules). Students may register to 5 Elective Credits or select an Addtional Option Module from the list below, in order to fulfill their Stage requirement of 60 credits. These modules should be selected to ensure a balanced workload of 30 credits per trimester. |
ECON10040 | Economics and Sustainability | Spring | 5 |
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 0 of: Students must register to a minimum of 55 Programme Credits (Core Modules). Students may register to 5 Elective Credits or select an Addtional Option Module from the list below, in order to fulfill their Stage requirement of 60 credits. These modules should be selected to ensure a balanced workload of 30 credits per trimester. |
GEOG10100 | People, Places, Regions | Spring | 5 |
Stage 2 Core Modules |
ENVP20020 | Case Studies Environmental Pol | Autumn | 10 |
Stage 2 Core Modules |
PLAN20020 | Introduction to GIS | Autumn | 5 |
Stage 2 Core Modules |
PLAN20070 | Smart Cities | Autumn | 5 |
Stage 2 Core Modules |
PLAN20090 | Socio-Spatial Dynamics | Autumn | 5 |
Stage 2 Core Modules |
PLAN20010 | Community Development and Planning | Spring | 5 |
Stage 2 Core Modules |
PLAN20030 | Local Planning Studio | Spring | 10 |
Stage 2 Core Modules |
PLAN20080 | Rural Change, Dev.& Plan. | Spring | 5 |
Stage 2 Core Modules |
PLAN20130 | Property & Planning | Spring | 5 |
Stage 2 Options - A) Min 0 of: Students must register to a minimum of 50 Programme Credits (Core Modules). Students may register to 10 Elective Credits or select Additional Option Modules from the list below, in order to fulfill their Stage requirement of 60 credits. These modules should be selected to ensure a balanced workload of 30 credits per trimester. |
ARCT20040 | History & Theory of the Designed Environment III - Survey Course 2 | Autumn | 5 |
Stage 2 Options - A) Min 0 of: Students must register to a minimum of 50 Programme Credits (Core Modules). Students may register to 10 Elective Credits or select Additional Option Modules from the list below, in order to fulfill their Stage requirement of 60 credits. These modules should be selected to ensure a balanced workload of 30 credits per trimester. |
DEV20130 | Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals | Spring | 5 |
Stage 2 Options - A) Min 0 of: Students must register to a minimum of 50 Programme Credits (Core Modules). Students may register to 10 Elective Credits or select Additional Option Modules from the list below, in order to fulfill their Stage requirement of 60 credits. These modules should be selected to ensure a balanced workload of 30 credits per trimester. |
GEOG20130 | Cities in a Global World | Spring | 5 |
Stage 3 Core Modules |
ENVP30010 | Environmental Management | Autumn | 5 |
Stage 3 Core Modules |
ENVP30030 | Climate Policy and Politics | Autumn | 5 |
Stage 3 Core Modules |
PLAN30010 | Transport, Environment & Sustainability | Autumn | 5 |
Stage 3 Core Modules |
PLAN30170 | Planning Institutions & Governance | Autumn | 10 |
Stage 3 Core Modules |
PLAN30060 | Regional Innovation | Spring | 5 |
Stage 3 Core Modules |
PLAN30160 | Healthy and Sust. Communities | Spring | 10 |
Stage 3 Core Modules |
PLAN30180 | Rural & Landscape Planning | Spring | 10 |
Stage 3 Options - A) Min 0 of: Students must register to a minimum of 50 Programme Credits (Core Modules). Students may register to 10 Elective Credits or select Additional Option Modules from the list below, in order to fulfill their Stage requirement of 60 credits. Normally, these modules should be selected to ensure a balanced workload of 30 credits per trimester. |
GEOG30860 | Environmental Assessment | Autumn | 5 |
Stage 3 Options - A) Min 0 of: Students must register to a minimum of 50 Programme Credits (Core Modules). Students may register to 10 Elective Credits or select Additional Option Modules from the list below, in order to fulfill their Stage requirement of 60 credits. Normally, these modules should be selected to ensure a balanced workload of 30 credits per trimester. |
SPOL30220 | Social Policy, Social Justice and the Environment | Spring | 5 |
Stage 4 Core Modules |
ENVP30010 | Environmental Management | Autumn | 5 |
Stage 4 Core Modules |
ENVP30030 | Climate Policy and Politics | Autumn | 5 |
Stage 4 Core Modules |
PLAN30010 | Transport, Environment & Sustainability | Autumn | 5 |
Stage 4 Core Modules |
PLAN30170 | Planning Institutions & Governance | Autumn | 10 |
Stage 4 Core Modules |
PLAN30060 | Regional Innovation | Spring | 5 |
Stage 4 Core Modules |
PLAN30160 | Healthy and Sust. Communities | Spring | 10 |
Stage 4 Core Modules |
PLAN30180 | Rural & Landscape Planning | Spring | 10 |
Stage 4 Options - A) Min 0 of: Students must register to a minimum of 50 Programme Credits (Core Modules). Students may register to 10 Elective Credits or select Additional Option Modules from the list below, in order to fulfill their Stage requirement of 60 credits. Normally, these modules should be selected to ensure a balanced workload of 30 credits per trimester. |
GEOG30860 | Environmental Assessment | Autumn | 5 |
Stage 4 Options - A) Min 0 of: Students must register to a minimum of 50 Programme Credits (Core Modules). Students may register to 10 Elective Credits or select Additional Option Modules from the list below, in order to fulfill their Stage requirement of 60 credits. Normally, these modules should be selected to ensure a balanced workload of 30 credits per trimester. |
SPOL30220 | Social Policy, Social Justice and the Environment | Spring | 5 |
By joining the UCD College of Engineering and Architecture, you will be part of a vibrant community of students and faculty who are committed to creating a more sustainable and equitable future. The mission of the College of Engineering and Architecture is to affect a just transition to a more sustainable and equitable future through our education of professionals in engineering, architecture, planning and policy, and our research in technology, design, and policy. The College, in our engineers and architects, brings together the technical expertise to deliver and create infrastructure and technologies that can create a more sustainable future and, uniquely, the College, in our planners and environmental policy researchers, also brings together the research and professions required to create the policies and the regulatory environment that supports technological and infrastructure development, and that can also scrutinise and investigate the behavioural changes affected by our technologies.
The programmes at UCD are designed to equip students with the best education in their chosen field, while at the same time embedding the UN’s sustainable development goals (SDG’s) in their education where most relevant.
City Planning & Environmental Policy
The bachelors in City Planning and Environmental Policy trains students to address the complex global issues we as a society face and equips them to create cities and communities that are environmentally friendly, socially inclusive, and economically sustainable.
- Clean Water and Sanitation (SDG 6)
- Reduce Inequalities (SDG 10)
- Sustainable Cities and Communities (SDG 11)
- Climate Action (SDG 13)
- Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions (SDG 16)
Non-EU Undergraduate Fee information can be found here.
UCD offers a number of competitive undergraduate scholarships for full-time, self-funding international students, holding an offer of a place on a UCD undergraduate degree programme. For information on Undergraduate Scholarships, please see the UCD International Scholarships webpage.
How to Apply
General application route(s) for Irish/UK/EU applicants* for International (non-EU) applicants* to City Planning & Environmental Policy:
| ROWCLASS | Apply to | Application Type | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| showAudience-audienceInt | RCS1 City Planning & Environmental Policy Bachelor of Science |
Commencing 2024/2025 September | Undergraduate Degree (Non EU) Non EU Undergraduates |
Closed |
* you can change options at the top of the page