University Of Auckland Urban Planning

By studying Urban Planning, you will learn to help shape our towns and cities into the future you want to live in.



Subject overview

Urban Planning addresses how our towns and cities can be improved to produce better social, cultural and environmental outcomes. You will discover the factors that influence how urban environments operate, from policy and economics to design decisions, cultural issues, infrastructure and sustainability considerations.

The School of Architecture and Planning is New Zealand’s leading tertiary educator in the architecture/built environment field*. Being based in Auckland, you’ll have the opportunity to apply your knowledge and interact with leading industry professionals in New Zealand’s largest urban environment.

Bachelor of Urban Planning (Honours)

Programme overview

Professional urban planners play a critical role in shaping our urban environments – economically, environmentally, socially and culturally.

The Bachelor of Urban Planning (Honours) explores how towns, cities and public spaces can impact our lives. You will use both critical analysis and creativity to address real-world issues and implications of urban development.

With a BUrbPlan(Hons), you’ll be eligible to apply for membership to the New Zealand Planning Institute.

Programme structure

In your first year, you’ll learn about the broad influences on urban planning and the structure of cities. We’ll also introduce the policy and legislation that dictate outcomes. Through studio courses, you’ll also develop your creative and design capabilities and become familiar with land use principles. In the first of two General Education courses, you’ll supplement your urban planning studies with a subject of your choice.

From your second year and beyond, you’ll take a second General Education course and also explore sustainable urban development, Māori and Pacific planning priorities, urban design concepts, and the legal and economic aspects of urban planning. Studio courses give you the chance to apply what you’ve learned to real world cities.

Being based in Auckland, you’ll have the opportunity to apply your knowledge and interact with leading industry professionals in New Zealand’s largest urban environment.

In your final year, you’ll have the freedom to explore an urban issue of interest to you within your honours dissertation (maximum 15,000 words).

 For all official programme information, including regulations about entry, enrolment, fees, examinations, and requirements for degrees, diplomas and certificates, see the University Calendar.

Postgraduate study in Urban Planning

What can you study in Urban Planning?

Depending on your career interests and outcomes, postgraduate study in Urban Planning can focus on practice or research.

The Master of Urban Planning (Professional) and associated combined masters programmes are professionally accredited, and explore the following:

  • Policy formation and implementation
  • Urban sustainability
  • Urban design
  • Infrastructure
  • Social and cultural influences

The research-based Master of Urban Planning allows advanced exploration and critical analysis of any of the above.  

Doctoral study in the School of Architecture and Planning

The School of Architecture and Planning offers advanced research qualifications in architecture, planning and urban design. The School has particular strengths in the following areas:

  • Design and fabrication
  • Pedagogy 
  • Urban design, spatial planning and place making
  • Māori and Pacific research 
  • Theory and history
  • Resilience and sustainability

Types of doctoral study

In our school, you are able to choose one of two ways to complete your doctoral study, depending on your research preferences.

1. Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

The traditional PhD thesis is a formal piece of advanced research, with a final examined thesis of up to 100,000 words. Your thesis serves as a contribution to the field on both a local and international level. To find out more about the programme structure, entry requirements and start dates, visit Doctor of Philosophy (PhD).



2. PhD with a creative practice component

You can also consider completing your PhD with a creative practice component. This allows you to submit a design output as examinable work alongside a thesis of up to 60,000 words. There are some specific guidelines around the admission requirements and timing of the examination for creative works. To find out more about this option, visit PhD with a creative practice component.  

To see how your creative practice can become research, read Sarosh Mulla’s experience, our first graduate with a PhD in Architecture with Creative Practice Component.

Doctoral supervisors

We understand that supervisor quality and a strong candidate-supervisor relationship are very important when you decide where to undertake your doctoral study.

You can browse the profiles and research interests of our available doctoral supervisors, see Doctoral supervisors in Architecture and Planning.

Statement of Research Intent

As part of your application, you need to submit an Architecture and Planning Statement of Research Intent. The purpose of preparing the documents is to obtain sufficient information for the school to assess your application and allocate supervisors best able to support your research.

If you intend to undertake the PhD with a creative practice component, you’ll need to submit a Statement of Research Intent for PhD with Practice Component.

Postgraduate Advisers

We encourage contacting our Postgraduate Advisers before you submit your Application for Admission (AfA) for more specific information and advice about doctoral study in our School.

Architecture

Dr Ferdinand Oswald
Phone: +64 9 923 5311

Urban Planning

Dr Mohsen Mohammadzadeh
Phone: +64 9 923 4664

Urban Design

Dr Lee Beattie
Phone: +64 9 923 9155

Contact us

You may need to contact our Student Centre or the School of Graduate Studies at different points of your planning and application process.

Creative Arts and Industries Student Centre
Level 2, Building 421
(Architecture and Planning Building)
26 Symonds St 
Auckland
Open: Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm 
Email: [email protected]

School of Graduate Studies



Contact School of Graduate Studies