The Building and Urban Design in Development course at The Bartlett Development Planning Unit addresses contemporary design challenges to support the development of a refined and multidisciplinary practice.

We live in a fractured world. As designers and urban practitioners, we bear the responsibility to recalibrate the premises and priorities of our professional field. The Building and Urban Design in Development MSc immerses students in the theory and practice of imagining and constructing just cities and communities.

The programme presents an urban design approach with a political economy perspective on space and power, equipping students to critically address the agency of design in shaping equitable urban futures.

In a context where cities are increasingly moulded by neoliberal, market-driven policies that exacerbate inequality and heighten the vulnerabilities of already marginalised communities, we examine the role of design as a force for transformation.

Our curriculum also tackles the intersection of climate change, disasters and protracted displacement, which disproportionately affect marginalised urban districts.

This one-year course reframes the engagement with design to effectively address global social, economic and environmental urban challenges while fostering transformative change in cities, particularly in the Global South.

By adopting this unique approach, our students learn to address the spatial manifestations of injustices and urban challenges as part of an integrated, interdisciplinary practice.

Throughout the three academic terms, we emphasise the understanding of urban design in relation to contested urbanisms of the Global South; the evolving role of the urban practitioner and participatory approaches to urban transformation.

The programme is open to international and home students with degrees in any field related to the built environment who demonstrate an interest in a more socially and environmentally just future.

School: The Bartlett Development Planning Unit
Course: Building and Urban Design in Development
Type: Postgraduate
Location: London, UK
Course dates: September 2026 to September 2027
Application deadline: 26 June 2026, 5pm GMT (if visa required), 28 August 2026, 5pm GMT (if no visa required)

Find out more about the course and apply ›

What will I learn during this course?

– Learn to address the spatial manifestations of injustices and urban challenges as part of an integrated, interdisciplinary practice
– Refined understanding of urban design

What are the requirements?

We welcome applications from both experienced professionals looking to expand their skills and those new to the field with a strong interest in urban design, spatial justice and the political economy of cities in the Global South.

What facilities and resources are available?

Teaching takes place on campus and allows access to all UCL resources and facilities for students.

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