Planning

Planning is the discipline that shapes how cities, towns, and rural areas develop over time. Planners sit at the intersection of environment and development, mediating between competing interests and working within legal frameworks to ensure that land use serves communities, economies, and the natural environment. From deciding where new housing can be built to designing regeneration strategies for post-industrial towns, from managing development in national parks to coordinating infrastructure investment in growing cities, planning is a field with genuine public impact.

At Newcastle University, which has a strong tradition of planning education closely connected to the North East's dynamic urban and regeneration context, this four-year full-time programme includes a year abroad. You will study planning law and policy, urban design, housing, transport planning, environmental assessment, and the social and economic dimensions of how places change. Research methods, community engagement, and the skills of professional planning practice are developed throughout.

The year abroad gives you an international perspective on how different political systems and planning traditions approach the challenges of urban and rural development.

Most planning graduates from accredited programmes pursue qualification through the Royal Town Planning Institute, which opens the door to chartered town planner status and the full range of professional practice. Local authorities are the largest employer of planners, working in development management, spatial planning, and regeneration. Planning consultancies work alongside developers, infrastructure companies, and major landowners.

National bodies including Historic England, Natural England, and Homes England also employ planners. The year abroad strengthens your professional adaptability. Postgraduate study in planning, urban design, or transport planning is available for those who want to develop specialist expertise.