This course is available through the following application route(s)
Urban environments and their buildings are placing unprecedented stress on Earth system processes, while simultaneously being critical sites for climate action. The MSc in Architecture, Urbanism and Climate Action (MAUCA) programme equips graduates and returning professionals with specialist skills to respond to the challenge of planning, designing, and realising a resilient and sustainable built environment. The School of Architecture, Planning and Environmental Policy (APEP) brings together four key disciplines to provide a unique graduate learning experience.
Core modules are specifically designed to enhance knowledge of climate science and policy, GIS, systems thinking, and environmental ethics, as well as to develop skills for low carbon, sustainable and inclusive building and urban design. Optional modules have been selected from a wide range of schools across UCD, including Architecture, Planning, Environmental Policy, Geography, Biosystems Engineering, Economics and Law. Students undertake a Linked Research Project in the summer trimester that offers 3 options: developing individual research studies through a thesis; a placement on a prestigious EU or nationally funded collaborative research project within UCD on a relevant topic; or a placement with a company leading the agenda on low-carbon, sustainable building and urban design. Many students have continued to work for their placement research projects or companies after graduating.
Course Highlight
The UCD School of Architecture, Planning and Environmental Policy has an established international track record as a leading research centre in sustainable building and city research with large national and international funded projects. It is in the Top 150 QS World University Rankings by subject area, and has long led the way in architectural and urban design study and practice in Ireland.
Additionally, UCD is ranked in the top 50 in the world in the QS World University Rankings for Sustainability, and is number 1 in Ireland and 24th in Europe.
Module Information:
Under the "What modules can I take?" section below you will see general module information, for a more detailed description including module selection rules click here.
This MSc gives students a unique set of skills to allow them stay ahead of the curve and apply for exciting and fulfilling job opportunities in rapidly expanding sectors in which there is a growing demand. Potential careers include in low carbon and sustainable architecture, landscape architecture and urban design; strategic design and change management; policy and governance; and environmental, building or energy engineering.
The MSc can also be a springboard into exciting careers in research and academia. It allows students to pursue further research opportunities into topics covered by the modules, and to contribute to a better understanding of how the building and urban design professions can best respond to the climate and biodiversity emergencies in an uncertain future. High achieving graduates of the course have gone on to doctoral studies in UCD, either via in-house opportunities on EU funded projects or through national funding schemes from the Irish Research Council.
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 |
ARCT41260 | Climate Carbon Cities Change | Autumn | 5 |
Stage 1 Core Modules |
ENVP40170 | Evidence-based Decisions & Communication | Autumn | 10 |
Stage 1 Core Modules |
LARC40700 | GIS for Creativity | Autumn | 5 |
Stage 1 Core Modules |
ARCT41240 | Urban Resilience and Ethics | Spring | 5 |
Stage 1 Core Modules |
ARCT41310 | Geodesign for Urban Futures | Spring | 5 |
Stage 1 Core Modules |
ARCT41350 | Complexity & Systems Thinking | Spring | 5 |
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 0 of: All Students MUST select 25 credits of Option Modules, and between Core and Option modules register for a balanced workload of 30 credits per Trimester. Access to individual Option Modules may be dependent on prior learning and should be agreed with the relevant Module Coordinator and the Programme Director. |
ARCT40680 | Postgraduate Urban Design Studio | Autumn | 15 |
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 0 of: All Students MUST select 25 credits of Option Modules, and between Core and Option modules register for a balanced workload of 30 credits per Trimester. Access to individual Option Modules may be dependent on prior learning and should be agreed with the relevant Module Coordinator and the Programme Director. |
ARCT41210 | Architecture in a Climate Emergency | Autumn | 5 |
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 0 of: All Students MUST select 25 credits of Option Modules, and between Core and Option modules register for a balanced workload of 30 credits per Trimester. Access to individual Option Modules may be dependent on prior learning and should be agreed with the relevant Module Coordinator and the Programme Director. |
ARCT41270 | Retrofit Existing Buildings | Autumn | 5 |
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 0 of: All Students MUST select 25 credits of Option Modules, and between Core and Option modules register for a balanced workload of 30 credits per Trimester. Access to individual Option Modules may be dependent on prior learning and should be agreed with the relevant Module Coordinator and the Programme Director. |
BSEN40700 | Energy System & Sustainable Environments | Autumn | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 0 of: All Students MUST select 25 credits of Option Modules, and between Core and Option modules register for a balanced workload of 30 credits per Trimester. Access to individual Option Modules may be dependent on prior learning and should be agreed with the relevant Module Coordinator and the Programme Director. |
ENVP40100 | Environmental & Behavioural Economics | Autumn | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 0 of: All Students MUST select 25 credits of Option Modules, and between Core and Option modules register for a balanced workload of 30 credits per Trimester. Access to individual Option Modules may be dependent on prior learning and should be agreed with the relevant Module Coordinator and the Programme Director. |
GEOG40860 | Practical Environmental Assessment | Autumn | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 0 of: All Students MUST select 25 credits of Option Modules, and between Core and Option modules register for a balanced workload of 30 credits per Trimester. Access to individual Option Modules may be dependent on prior learning and should be agreed with the relevant Module Coordinator and the Programme Director. |
GEOG40960 | Coastal Risks | Autumn | 5 |
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 0 of: All Students MUST select 25 credits of Option Modules, and between Core and Option modules register for a balanced workload of 30 credits per Trimester. Access to individual Option Modules may be dependent on prior learning and should be agreed with the relevant Module Coordinator and the Programme Director. |
GEOG41260 | Citizen Science | Autumn | 5 |
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 0 of: All Students MUST select 25 credits of Option Modules, and between Core and Option modules register for a balanced workload of 30 credits per Trimester. Access to individual Option Modules may be dependent on prior learning and should be agreed with the relevant Module Coordinator and the Programme Director. |
LARC40690 | Water, Soil & Vegetation | Autumn | 5 |
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 0 of: All Students MUST select 25 credits of Option Modules, and between Core and Option modules register for a balanced workload of 30 credits per Trimester. Access to individual Option Modules may be dependent on prior learning and should be agreed with the relevant Module Coordinator and the Programme Director. |
ARCT40660 | Street Life: Urban Design, an Introduction | Autumn and Spring (separate) | 5 |
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 0 of: All Students MUST select 25 credits of Option Modules, and between Core and Option modules register for a balanced workload of 30 credits per Trimester. Access to individual Option Modules may be dependent on prior learning and should be agreed with the relevant Module Coordinator and the Programme Director. |
ARCT40870 | Agency: Design / Build | Spring | 5 |
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 0 of: All Students MUST select 25 credits of Option Modules, and between Core and Option modules register for a balanced workload of 30 credits per Trimester. Access to individual Option Modules may be dependent on prior learning and should be agreed with the relevant Module Coordinator and the Programme Director. |
BSEN30030 | Air Pollution | Spring | 5 |
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 0 of: All Students MUST select 25 credits of Option Modules, and between Core and Option modules register for a balanced workload of 30 credits per Trimester. Access to individual Option Modules may be dependent on prior learning and should be agreed with the relevant Module Coordinator and the Programme Director. |
ECON42570 | Behavioural E'mics:Policy App | Spring | 5 |
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 0 of: All Students MUST select 25 credits of Option Modules, and between Core and Option modules register for a balanced workload of 30 credits per Trimester. Access to individual Option Modules may be dependent on prior learning and should be agreed with the relevant Module Coordinator and the Programme Director. |
GEOG40870 | Advanced GIS Applications | Spring | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 0 of: All Students MUST select 25 credits of Option Modules, and between Core and Option modules register for a balanced workload of 30 credits per Trimester. Access to individual Option Modules may be dependent on prior learning and should be agreed with the relevant Module Coordinator and the Programme Director. |
GEOG40890 | Remote Sensing | Spring | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 0 of: All Students MUST select 25 credits of Option Modules, and between Core and Option modules register for a balanced workload of 30 credits per Trimester. Access to individual Option Modules may be dependent on prior learning and should be agreed with the relevant Module Coordinator and the Programme Director. |
LARC40660 | Fieldwork | Spring | 5 |
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 0 of: All Students MUST select 25 credits of Option Modules, and between Core and Option modules register for a balanced workload of 30 credits per Trimester. Access to individual Option Modules may be dependent on prior learning and should be agreed with the relevant Module Coordinator and the Programme Director. |
LAW41090 | Climate Change Law and Policy | Spring | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 0 of: All Students MUST select 25 credits of Option Modules, and between Core and Option modules register for a balanced workload of 30 credits per Trimester. Access to individual Option Modules may be dependent on prior learning and should be agreed with the relevant Module Coordinator and the Programme Director. |
PLAN40570 | Conservation and Placemaking | Spring | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 0 of: All Students MUST select 25 credits of Option Modules, and between Core and Option modules register for a balanced workload of 30 credits per Trimester. Access to individual Option Modules may be dependent on prior learning and should be agreed with the relevant Module Coordinator and the Programme Director. |
PLAN40580 | Rural & Landscape Planning | Spring | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 0 of: All Students MUST select 25 credits of Option Modules, and between Core and Option modules register for a balanced workload of 30 credits per Trimester. Access to individual Option Modules may be dependent on prior learning and should be agreed with the relevant Module Coordinator and the Programme Director. |
PLAN40620 | Planning, Design & Development | Spring | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 0 of: All Students MUST select 25 credits of Option Modules, and between Core and Option modules register for a balanced workload of 30 credits per Trimester. Access to individual Option Modules may be dependent on prior learning and should be agreed with the relevant Module Coordinator and the Programme Director. |
PLAN40650 | Healthy and Sust. Communities | Spring | 10 |
Stage 1 Options - B)1 of: Summer REQUIRED OPTION Module: ALL Students INTENDING TO UNDERTAKE AN INTERNSHIP MUST initially select the module ARCT41290 MAUCA Internship. **During the Autumn Trimester, students will be expected to prepare their CV and seek Professional Work Experience opportunities from prospective employers under the guidance of the Internship Module Coordinator and Programme Director. **In the event that a student is unsuccessful in securing a suitable Professional Work Experience placement, and upon confirmation from the Programme Director, the student will be registered to the alternative 30-credit module ARCT41230 Linked Research Project by the College Office. **ALL Students INTENDING to undertake the Research Project option MUST register to ARCT41230 Linked Research Project. |
ARCT41230 | Linked Research Project | Summer | 30 |
Stage 1 Options - B)1 of: Summer REQUIRED OPTION Module: ALL Students INTENDING TO UNDERTAKE AN INTERNSHIP MUST initially select the module ARCT41290 MAUCA Internship. **During the Autumn Trimester, students will be expected to prepare their CV and seek Professional Work Experience opportunities from prospective employers under the guidance of the Internship Module Coordinator and Programme Director. **In the event that a student is unsuccessful in securing a suitable Professional Work Experience placement, and upon confirmation from the Programme Director, the student will be registered to the alternative 30-credit module ARCT41230 Linked Research Project by the College Office. **ALL Students INTENDING to undertake the Research Project option MUST register to ARCT41230 Linked Research Project. |
ARCT41290 | MAUCA Internship | Summer | 30 |
UCD is strongly committed to advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), embedding sustainability in teaching, research, operations, and community engagement. Sustainability principles are integrated into this programme, ensuring students graduate equipped to address global challenges. UCD’s leadership in this area is internationally recognised, ranking 47th globally and 27th in Europe in the QS World University Rankings for Sustainability 2026.
UCD also leads impactful research in areas such as climate action, clean energy, and social equity, supported by a comprehensive Sustainability Strategy focused on reducing emissions, enhancing biodiversity, and fostering a sustainable campus culture.
Here are the SDGs which align more visibly with this programme:
Graduate Profile: Sawsan Bassalat, Research Assistant, University College Dublin
"I chose MAUCA because it promised a comprehensive perspective on the built environment with a focus on sustainability, and it truly delivered. The programme brought together individuals from around the world, enriching discussions with diverse viewpoints and fostering creativity through fresh perspectives.
MAUCA provided new insights into the built environment, covering sustainable design, environmental justice, and climate emergency through a wide range of modules from different faculties. The core modules offered specialised knowledge in carbon quantification, research, and environmental ethics, while electives allowed me to explore software tools in parametric modelling, urban planning, and environmental mapping.
MAUCA not only deepened my architectural knowledge but also opened new career paths I had not previously considered. I highly recommend it to anyone seeking specialised skills in these areas."
Please note that UCD offers a number of graduate scholarships for full-time, self-funding international students, holding an offer of a place on a UCD graduate degree programme. For further information please see www.ucd.ie/global/scholarships/
Full Time option suitable for:
Domestic(EEA) applicants: Yes
International (Non EU) applicants: Yes
General application route(s) for Irish/UK/EU applicants* for International (non-EU) applicants* to MSc in Architecture, Urbanism & Climate Action:
| ROWCLASS | Apply to |
|---|---|
| showAudience-audienceEU showAudience-audienceInt | T339 MSc in Architecture, Urbanism & Climate Action Master of Science Full-Time Commencing September 2026 Graduate Taught Closed |
| showAudience-audienceEU showAudience-audienceInt | T339 MSc in Architecture, Urbanism & Climate Action Master of Science Full-Time Commencing September 2027 Graduate Taught |
