Thursday 7 December 2006

What does MRUP stand for?

I was asked today what MRUP stands for; rather than try to answer this myself, I thought we'd see what UCD, from ehere I got mine, says:

The Master of Regional and Urban Planning degree is the gold-standard Master's planning programme in the UK and Ireland. Moreover, it is the only planning degree with professional accreditation from both the Irish Planning Institute and the Royal Town Planning Institute. Being a two-year full-time Master's degree it is equivalent to mainland European and US professional planning qualifications and thus qualifies successful graduates to work in Ireland, the UK, Europe and the US. The MRUP offers students the opportunity to develop the knowledge, skills and values fundamental to a career in planning. The degree offers a unique blend of lectures, studio-based learning and independent study.

The degree has the following specialisms in Year 2:

Rural Planning and Development Urban Design
Environmental Policy Urban Development and Real Estate
Housing and Community Planning Transportation
Conservation of the Built Environment Regional Planning and Development

This degree provides successful graduates with a thorough understanding of the planning process. It provides an understanding of the environmental, social and economic aspects of the human environment, and of the relevant systems of government and organisations of society. Emphasis is placed on the development of professional skills for identifying, analysing and solving a variety of planning problems with the objective of improving quality of life and sustainability. The degree also provides graduates with the capacity to co-operate with professionals in related disciplines. Of added importance is the transferability of the skills which will be developed during the two years of the Master's Degree programme. The MRUP equips you with generic skills that will be valuable in many areas of employment, such as:

  • Project management skills
  • Negotiation, mediation and advocacy skills
  • Organisational management and leadership skills
  • Problem solving and decision making skills
  • Communication skills - written, oral, graphic, and multi-media communication

With regard to planning knowledge and skills, on completion of year 1 of the MRUP students will have a strong understanding of:

  • The social, political and environmental challenges facing planning
  • The administrative, legal and policy frameworks in which planning operates

In addition, they will have developed practical planning skills in:

  • Urban design
  • Development planning
  • Retail strategies
  • Housing strategies
  • Environmental assessment

In response to the demands of employers and the profession, year 2 of the MRUP places even greater emphasis on the development of practical planning skills. In year 2 students will gain in-depth knowledge and skills as follows:

  • Advanced understanding of development control
  • Familiarity and ease with using Geographical Information Systems
  • Understanding of building and construction technology
  • Application of project management techniques
  • Developing research and report writing skills

The course content is subject to continuous review to facilitate response to changing academic and professional requirements at the national, European and international scales.

Applications and further information

Applicants should have an honours degree in a subject relevant to planning such as: geography, economics, public policy, social policy, sociology, psychology, politics, business studies, commerce, environmental studies, agriculture, engineering, architecture, architectural science, surveying or law, or some other qualification approved by the University.

For further information or an informal discussion about the degree programmes, please contact:

School Postgraduate Office, School of Geography, Planning and Environmental Policy, Richview, University College Dublin, Clonskeagh, Dublin 14, Ireland.

Phone: +353-1-716 2711, Email: gpep.postgrad@ucd.ie

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