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MSc Smart and Climate Neutral Cities

MSc (NFQ Level 9)

This course is available through the following application route(s)

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Cities play a pivotal role in achieving climate neutrality by 2050, the goal of the European Green Deal. They take up only 4% of the EU’s land area, but they are home to 75% of EU citizens.Furthermore, cities consume over 65% of the world’s energy and account for more than 70% of global CO2 emissions. Since climate mitigation is heavily dependent on urban action, we need to support cities in accelerating their green and digital transformation. In particular, European cities can substantially contribute to the Green Deal target of reducing emissions by 55% by 2030 and, in more practical terms, to offer cleaner air, safer transport and less congestion and noise to their citizens. Cities though are currently struggling to develop coherent plans on how to achieve these ambitious but necessary targets because of the lack of relevant inter- and trans- disciplinary skills to tackle wicked long term sustainability challenges.The MSc in Smart and Climate-Neutral Cities is aiming to provide this inter- and trans- disciplinary knowledge to a new generation of skilled workforce to meet the goals of the smart cities and climate adaptation missions by contributing to a decrease of harmful industrial emissions while favouring renewable energy sources.

This programme offers students the opportunity to work on an established research project with experienced researchers in the fields of smart cities, climate neutral cities, spatial data analysis or related areas including: urban planning, climate action, participatory planning, citizen science, environmental studies, climate change impact, circular cities,  sustainable mobility.

Modules are delivered in real-time to full-time students and made available online (via online material) to off-site learners.

This programme is delivered by a highly research-intensive school, which is in the top 150 in the QS world subject rankings. An example of this research activity is the coordination of the €13 million EU Horizon Europe REALLOCATE, to transform streets into inclusive, green, safe and future-proof urban spaces, where communities live and thrive. The project enables researchers, mobility experts, urban planners and local citizens to collectively re-imagine our cities and redesign how we move from one place to another.

About This Course

On completion of the MSc the student will be expected to:

Knowledge and understanding:

  • Demonstrate advanced knowledge of smart cities, climate change, climate neutrality in cities and actions that can be taken to achieve these goals taking planning and data driven/technology oriented approaches.
  • Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of associated policy and planning matters, as well as matters of smart and sustainable transport, circularity and pollution. 
  • Demonstrate knowledge of data analysis for all the students with advanced applications related to AI and ML in the Urban Analytics pathway.
  • Demonstrate knowledge of bottom up and participatory approaches to engage stakeholders in planning, along with data-driven and technology based approaches to facilitate this engagement.

Applying knowledge and understanding:

  • Demonstrate an advanced ability to apply concepts and theoretical knowledge to sustainability challenges at neighbourhood and city levels both in Ireland and globally.
  • Demonstrate the ability to apply evidence-based data assessment and modelling approaches to sustainability issues in cities.
  • Demonstrate critical thinking ability to adapt and replicate innovative ideas learnt from the Horizon Europe and H2020 projects showcased as case studies during the course.

Making judgements:

  • Demonstrate the ability to make judgements about the environmental impact of planning developments and urban technologies, including matters of design choice, resource depletion, circularity, multiple benefits, etc.
  • Demonstrate ability to rationalise available resources, choose action, and implement it.

Communications and working skills:

  • Understand and participate in current debates within the areas of sustainability and climate adaptation, particularly those relevant to planning, cities and the built environment.
  • Demonstrate an improved ability to present technical, technological and policy solutions for the built environment in the context of climate neutrality for cities.

Learning skills:

  • Demonstrate enhanced learning skills including in stakeholder engagement, team work, critical thinking and subject analysis, research and writing. 
  • Demonstrate enhanced computational skills including data analysis and spatial analysis software.

Graduates of the programme will have a pivotal role in making cities in Europe and worldwide climate neutral. Medium and large organisations and global consulting firms are looking for specialists who can understand how to use technology and engage citizens and stakeholders in making cities more resilient to climate change and reduce their carbon footprint. 

Specifically, graduates will have a skill set affording opportunities to work in a variety of industries and companies, including:

  • Urban Planning firms: ARUP, AECOM, Tom Phillips Associates
  • Sustainability Consultancy firms: Jacobs, AWN, Deloitte
  • Government agencies: European Environment Agency (EEA), Irish Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications
  • Non-Profit Organizations: CODEMA, Irish Environmental Network

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.

Module Type Module   Trimester Credits
Stage 1 Core Modules
PLAN40160 Planning Studio: Plan Making Autumn  10
Stage 1 Core Modules
PLAN40670 Smart climate neutral cities Autumn  10
Stage 1 Core Modules
PLAN40350 Advanced GIS Spring  10
Stage 1 Core Modules
PLAN40650 Healthy and Sust. Communities Spring  10
Stage 1 Core Modules
PLAN40240 Thesis Summer  30
Stage 1 Options - A)20CR:
ALL students must select 20 credits of Option Modules, to ensure a balanced workload of 30 credits per Trimester.
ARCT40660 Street Life: Urban Design, an Introduction Autumn  5
Stage 1 Options - A)20CR:
ALL students must select 20 credits of Option Modules, to ensure a balanced workload of 30 credits per Trimester.
ARCT41260 Climate Carbon Cities Change Autumn  5
Stage 1 Options - A)20CR:
ALL students must select 20 credits of Option Modules, to ensure a balanced workload of 30 credits per Trimester.
ARCT41310 Geodesign for Urban Futures Autumn  5
Stage 1 Options - A)20CR:
ALL students must select 20 credits of Option Modules, to ensure a balanced workload of 30 credits per Trimester.
GEOG41170 Citizen Science Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - A)20CR:
ALL students must select 20 credits of Option Modules, to ensure a balanced workload of 30 credits per Trimester.
PLAN40630 Planning Methods, Skills & Techniques Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - A)20CR:
ALL students must select 20 credits of Option Modules, to ensure a balanced workload of 30 credits per Trimester.
ARCT41240 Urban Resilience and Ethics Spring  5
Stage 1 Options - A)20CR:
ALL students must select 20 credits of Option Modules, to ensure a balanced workload of 30 credits per Trimester.
PLAN40390 Sustainable Cities Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - A)20CR:
ALL students must select 20 credits of Option Modules, to ensure a balanced workload of 30 credits per Trimester.
PLAN40610 Environment & Sustainability Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - A)20CR:
ALL students must select 20 credits of Option Modules, to ensure a balanced workload of 30 credits per Trimester.
PLAN40620 Planning, Design & Development Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - A)20CR:
ALL students must select 20 credits of Option Modules, to ensure a balanced workload of 30 credits per Trimester.
PLAN40680 Planning for Nature Spring  10

Programme Director - Prof. Francesco Pilla

“The MSc in Smart and Climate-Neutral Cities is aiming to provide inter- and trans- disciplinary knowledge to a new generation of skilled workforce to support cities in accelerating their green and digital transformation. Although this degree is new within UCD, Smart and Climate-Neutral Cities is recognised as one of the most critically important technical disciplines supporting cities in their green and digital transition. The MSc programme provides students with an understanding of the tools that digitise data capture relating to the environment and activity (sensor technologies and systems), work with environmental and spatial data to gain insights, share the resulting information with practitioners and local communities and engage actors and stakeholders in the development of greener urban solutions.”

MSc Smart and Climate Neutral Cities (T409) Full Time
EU          fee per year - € 9530
nonEU    fee per year - € 29100

***Fees are subject to change

An honours undergraduate degree (NFQ level 8) with a minimum upper second class honours or international equivalent in architecture, urban planning, urban design, engineering, physical or natural science, humanities, politics, economics or environmental related degree programme. 

Applicants whose first language is not English must also demonstrate English language proficiency of IELTS 6.5 (no band less than 6.0 in each element), or equivalent

You may be eligible for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), as UCD recognises formal, informal, and/or experiential learning. RPL may be awarded to gain Admission and/or credit exemptions on a programme. Please visit the UCD Registry RPL web page for further information. Any exceptions are also listed on this webpage.

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 Smart and Climate Neutral Cities:

ROWCLASS Apply to
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T409
MSc Smart and Climate Neutral Cities
Master of Science

Full-Time
Commencing September 2025
Graduate Taught
* you can change options at the top of the page