Master of Urban and Regional Planning

2 Years On Campus Masters Program

University of Adelaide

Program Overview

The Master of Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Adelaide is designed for students who want to shape cities, communities and regions through informed planning, combining technical expertise with an understanding of social, economic, environmental, legal and policy considerations. It suits students aiming for professional planning careers, with the program developing advanced knowledge through urban planning theory, governance, transport, environmental planning, development assessment, urban design and original research.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1: The first year establishes the foundations of professional urban and regional planning through ARCHX303 Theory and Practice in Urban and Regional Planning, ARCHX302 Planning Governance, Stakeholders, Politics and Policy, and ARCHX301 Integrated Transport and Infrastructure Planning. Students then broaden their expertise through ARCHX304 Urban Design for Health and Sustainability, ARCHX300 Development Economics, and ENVIX300 Environmental Planning, Climate Change and Sustainability, exploring how planning decisions affect communities, infrastructure, economies and the environment.

Year 2: The second year moves into more advanced professional and research-based practice through ARCH6301 Planning Law, ARCH6302 Development Assessment, ARCH6303 Social Planning and Community Issues, and ARCH6304 Research Methods in Planning. Students then apply their knowledge through ARCH6305 Urban Design and Master Planning Studio, undertake the substantial ARCH6306 Research Project in Planning, and complete ARCH6902 Urban Planning Professional Experience, gaining practical experience in a planning consultancy, government regulatory agency or local council.

Focus areas:

Urban and regional planning, planning governance and policy, integrated transport and infrastructure, sustainable urban design, development economics, environmental planning and climate change, planning law, development assessment, social planning, community issues, master planning and planning research.

Learning outcomes:

Graduates develop the ability to critically evaluate planning practice, understand the political, legal, social, economic and environmental dimensions of planning, conduct planning research, assess development proposals, address community and social issues, and apply planning knowledge to real-world urban and regional challenges.

Professional alignment (accreditation):

The program has been granted interim accreditation by the Planning Institute of Australia (PIA), and graduates are eligible for PIA membership. This provides a strong professional pathway for students seeking to establish themselves in the Australian planning profession.

Reputation (employability rankings):

The University of Adelaide has been recognised as #1 in South Australia for graduate employability, according to the QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2022. The university also highlights its position among the top 100 universities worldwide in the 2025 QS World University Rankings, providing a strong institutional reputation alongside the program's professional accreditation.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

The Master of Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Adelaide provides strong practical exposure through fieldwork, studio-based planning, research and work-integrated learning. Students do more than study planning theory: they inspect regenerated urban spaces, assess sites for potential development, develop planning proposals and complete an original research project. In the second year, the Urban Planning Professional Experience course provides mentored workplace experience in a private planning consultancy, state government regulatory agency or local council, helping students apply their skills in a professional setting.

The program is delivered through the School of Architecture and Built Environment, which emphasises studio practice, sustainability and industry collaboration. Students can also make use of Adelaide City Campus West’s modern learning spaces and libraries, including the Jeffrey Smart Library, which provides extensive study, research and group-work facilities.

Practical opportunities within the program include:

Fieldwork: Students inspect regenerated urban spaces and assess locations for potential development, giving them direct experience of planning issues in real environments.
Urban Design and Master Planning Studio: The dedicated ARCH6305 Urban Design and Master Planning Studio provides studio-based experience in developing urban design and master-planning solutions.
Professional Experience: ARCH6902 Urban Planning Professional Experience is a work-integrated learning course. Students undertake mentored experience with a private planning consultancy, state government regulatory agency or local council.
Research Project: ARCH6306 Research Project in Planning requires students to develop a research question, conduct a literature review, collect or analyse data and draw conclusions, providing substantial hands-on research experience.
Study Tour: The ARCH5700 Study Tour is an elective available within the degree. It involves supervised exploration of the social, cultural, historical, political and economic characteristics of locations visited, with projects and assessments extending planning knowledge into regional, national or international contexts.
Planning analysis: Courses such as Development Assessment, Planning Law, Environmental Planning, Climate Change and Sustainability, and Integrated Transport and Infrastructure Planning allow students to apply planning principles to development, policy, infrastructure and environmental challenges.
Industry collaboration: The School of Architecture and Built Environment highlights real-world collaborative projects with industry experts, supporting practical learning alongside professional engagement.
Group-work facilities: The Jeffrey Smart Library at Adelaide City Campus West provides meeting rooms and dedicated spaces for group work, alongside more than 1,700 individual study spaces and 470 computers.
Research facilities: The School supports research in sustainable urban development, heritage, housing and design pedagogy, with resources including the Architecture Museum and the Waite Arboretum, described by the university as a living laboratory.
Digital learning: Adelaide University supports learning through modern teaching and research facilities and a 24/7 online learning platform, giving students access to digital study information and resources alongside campus-based learning.
Libraries and study resources: Students studying at Adelaide City Campus West have access to the Jeffrey Smart Library, including computers, research areas, meeting rooms, printing, scanning and specialist study spaces

Progression & Future Opportunities

The Master of Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Adelaide is designed to prepare graduates for professional planning careers across government, consultancy and community-focused projects. Students graduate with advanced technical, professional and research capabilities, plus practical experience through the program’s Urban Planning Professional Experience component, where they can work with a private planning consultancy, state government regulatory agency or local council.

Typical career directions include Urban and Regional Planner, Planning Consultant, Development Assessment Planner, and Urban Regeneration Planner, with opportunities to work on projects involving city and suburb design, public transport, regional development, heritage conservation, coastal planning and urban regeneration.

Career advantages and progression include:

University career services: Adelaide University provides personalised career support, including career appointments, workshops, job-application assistance, career events and AU CareerHub. CareerHub allows students to search for graduate positions, internships and other employment opportunities, and recent graduates can continue using it for up to 12 months after completion.
Employment outlook: Jobs and Skills Australia reports 18,800 people employed in the Urban and Regional Planners occupation, with annual employment growth of 200. The median full-time earnings are AUD $2,316 per week, equivalent to approximately AUD $120,432 per year before tax if annualised over 52 weeks.
Industry partnerships: Adelaide University connects students and graduates with industry, government and community organisations through internships, graduate recruitment, mentoring, career expos and industry events. The university reports 7,000+ industry, education and research collaborators, creating a broad professional network for students.
Work-integrated experience: The dedicated Urban Planning Professional Experience course develops practical expertise in a work-integrated learning environment, including professional communication, teamwork, workplace conflict management and understanding workplace rights and responsibilities.
Professional accreditation: The program has interim accreditation from the Planning Institute of Australia (PIA), and graduates are eligible for PIA membership. This provides valuable professional recognition as graduates build their planning careers.
Graduation outcomes: Graduates can contribute to planning projects locally, nationally or internationally, including city and suburb design, regional and rural development, public transport, heritage conservation, coastal planning and urban regeneration.
Research capability: The degree includes an original Research Project in Planning, giving graduates a foundation for further research and the opportunity to contribute to planning knowledge.

Further Academic Progression: After completing the Master of Urban and Regional Planning, students can build on their research training through higher-degree research, including a Master of Research or PhD, particularly where their interests align with an industry or research challenge. Adelaide University specifically supports industry-engaged research pathways in which organisations can co-design Master of Research or PhD projects addressing real-world sector issues.