Master in Urban Design

Master in Urban Design is one of 12 English-taught Industrial Design programmes at Master's Degree level in the register, offered by 5 institutions. 10 of them list an annual fee for students from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland, from EUR 6,700 to EUR 9,000; this programme lists EUR 7,455 a year. 10 are recorded as free for EU, EEA and Swiss students.

This Master's in Urban Design is an MSc in Technology (cand.tech.) at Aalborg University. It is for people who want to shape cities and urban spaces in a sustainable way, with a focus on how people move through and between cities: mobility, nodes and transport.

What you study

You work with city architecture and urban planning, and you learn to include residents and social issues when you design. The programme covers urban, architectural and mobility theory, and you get a toolbox of analogue and digital methods for analysis, design and communication. You also work with citizen engagement and ethnographic perspectives, and you get hands-on experience with mapping and analysis methods.

You learn to sketch and model on paper and digitally, to involve citizens, and to use tracking and simulation technologies. The problems you work on include climate change and sustainability, urban growth and shrinkage, and migration, inequality and social challenges. For example, you might look at how cities can hold more water during cloudbursts while still being good places to live, or how to create safer and more inclusive cities with room for diversity.

How the programme is organised

Teaching is in English and is based on problem-based project and group work. You and your fellow students work in groups, attend courses, lectures and exercises, and take part in excursions and field trips. You collaborate with design offices, municipalities and other stakeholders, and you get involved in current research projects. The programme also offers seminars, open lectures, exhibitions and the annual Urban Design Day.

On the third semester you can do an internship, for example at a design studio or another relevant company in Denmark or abroad. You can also study at a foreign university, as long as the study board approves the courses as part of your degree.

Who it suits

This MSc in Technology is for you if you hold a relevant bachelor's degree other than the Bachelor's in Architecture and Design from AAU or an equivalent technical bachelor's degree. If you have that technical background, you should look at the MSc in Engineering version instead. Both lead to the same master's degree, but the entry routes differ.

The programme suits people who are curious about how cities work, who like to work in projects and groups, and who want to combine design with analysis. You should be comfortable with both creative and technical work.

Admission, language and next steps

Before you apply, check which title you qualify for based on your bachelor's degree and which specialisation you want. The programme starts in September. Teaching is in English. Students from the EU/EEA and Switzerland study free of charge; other students pay a fee set by the institution.

Applications for master's programmes go directly to the institution. You can contact the student counsellors at Architecture and Design for guidance on admission and requirements.

Master’s applications go straight to Aalborg University, not through optagelse.dk, and the institution sets its own deadline. Entry requirements and language tests are set by the institution, so start from the official programme page. Our guides cover tuition fees, residence permits and housing.