Chartered Town Planner Level 7 Degree Apprenticeship

Start date
September
Duration
48 months
Course Type
Postgraduate, Continuing professional development, Taught
Fees
The Degree Apprenticeship will be paid for through your employer, there will be no costs incurred by you.

Fully accredited by the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI), our Chartered Town Planner Level 7 Degree Apprenticeship offers a route for new and existing employees to progress into professional planning and roles in related fields, funded by the Apprenticeship Levy.

Degree Apprenticeships are a new education route bringing together university study and the invaluable on-the-job training typical of an apprenticeship. Our aim at the University of Birmingham is to support participants with practical knowledge and understanding required for new and existing employees to progress into professional planning and roles in related fields. Our Chartered Town Planner Level 7 Degree Apprenticeship, aligned to the Chartered Town Planner Apprenticeship Standard, allows learners to gain an MSc in Urban and Regional Planning funded by the Apprenticeship Levy.

The Centre for Urban and Regional Studies at the University of Birmingham is a leading international centre for research, teaching and consultancy in spatial and social planning studies, an academic and policy discipline that encompasses agendas around housing, regeneration, economic development, communities and the governance of public policy. Learners on the Degree Apprenticeship programme are part of an academic community and will learn from both academics and place-based specialist practitioners. From the outset participants are encouraged to become independent and self-motivated learners, who will be challenged and expected to think for themselves.

The programme exposes learners to a variety of learning and teaching methods including lectures, small group teaching sessions, seminars, student-led workshops and tutorials. The teaching emphasis is on participative approaches to learning that enable students to reflect critically on important current debates in the practice and principles of spatial planning in diverse urban regions. To provide a “real world” feel for the programme there are a number of planning practitioners who directly input into the programme and we make good use of Birmingham and the wider West Midlands as part of our overall “learning laboratory”.

The structure enables learners to combine the core modules and material in spatial planning with a specialist focus in fields such as urban regeneration, community based planning, economic development and urban resilience.

Degree Apprenticeship Levy Funding
Discover all the latest information on the apprenticeship levy. Find out more about University of Birmingham Degree Apprenticeship provision here.

Guidance for Employers and Employees
The programme is fully levy-funding compliant. Talk to our Degree Apprenticeships team to understand what this might mean for you.

Why study this course?

  • Fully accredited by the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI)
  • Part time delivery to suit both learner and employer needs
  • Fully levy-funding compliant with advice and guidance from our Degree Apprenticeship team
  • Provides students with the foundations to build a successful and fulfilling career in spatial planning and related fields
  • Designed to provide a grounding in the essentials of the planning system, to encourage critical reflection on current debates and to foster a greater understanding of the importance of planning and the role of planners in mediating between different interests in contemporary society
  • Ideal for those who wish to gain a professional qualification that will enable them to pursue and build a career in spatial planning and related areas of regeneration, economic development, housing and transport
  • As a Russell Group University our Degree Apprenticeship programmes are developed with research-informed teaching at their heart, bringing together world-class research and cutting-edge facilities to produce exceptional learning outcomes

Getting in touch

To learn more about engaging with the University please visit: www.birmingham.ac.uk/partners/degree-apprenticeships or email us at: degreeapps@contacts.bham.ac.uk

Modules

Core modules 

  • Introduction to Spatial Planning
  • The Planner in Contemporary Society
  • Planning Methods & Techniques
  • Placemaking in Practice
  • Sustainable Cities
  • Urban Property Development
  • Dissertation

Optional modules

  • Urban Regeneration and Renewal
  • Green Infrastructure and Health
  • Community Involvement in the Built Environment

Students study seven core modules, plus one optional module and complete a dissertation of 12,000 words. In terms of the progression through the programme the choice of option must be related to the dissertation.

Fees

The Degree Apprenticeship will be paid for through your employer, there will be no costs incurred by you.

All employers who have a payroll over £3 million pay an Apprenticeship Levy. They can use this levy to fund your enrolment on the programme.

Our Standard Requirements

The normal admission requirement for our taught postgraduate programmes is a 2:1 Honours degree combined with relevant work experience. For a Graduate Diploma you should have a degree or diploma or equivalent qualification in an appropriate field. Graduate Diploma students who achieve Masters level in their modules may be transferred to the Masters level.

Learn more about entry requirements

International Requirements



International Students

English language requirements

Standard English language requirements apply (IELTS: 6.0 overall with no less than 5.5 in any band)


  • IELTS 6.0 with no less than 5.5 in any band
  • TOEFL: 80 overall with no less than 19 in Reading, 19 in Listening, 21 in Speaking and 19 in Writing
  • Pearson Test of English (PTE) including online: Academic 64 with no less than 59 in all four skills
  • Cambridge English (exams taken from 2015): Advanced – minimum overall score of 169, with no less than 162 in any component

The Centre for Urban and Regional Studies at the University of Birmingham is a leading international centre for research, teaching and consultancy in spatial and social planning studies, an academic and policy discipline that encompasses agendas around housing, regeneration, economic development, communities and the governance of public policy.

Learners on the Degree Apprenticeship programme are part of an academic community and will learn from both academics and place-based specialist practitioners. From the outset participants are encouraged to become independent and self-motivated learners, who will be challenged and expected to think for themselves.

The programme is taught on a day release basis. Students attend the university on Mondays in first year and Tuesdays in second year. This incorporates attendance for teaching sessions in term time as well as a small number of additional days out of term time to prepare for assignments and coursework.

The programme exposes learners to a variety of learning and teaching methods including lectures, small group teaching sessions, seminars, student-led workshops and tutorials. The teaching emphasis is on participative approaches to learning that enable students to reflect critically on important current debates in the practice and principles of spatial planning in diverse urban regions. To provide a “real world” feel for the programme there are a number of planning practitioners who directly input into the programme and we make good use of Birmingham and the wider West Midlands as part of our overall “learning laboratory”.

The structure enables learners to combine the core modules and material in spatial planning with a specialist focus in fields such as urban regeneration, community based planning, economic development and urban resilience.

Assessment Methods

The Chartered Town Planner Degree Apprenticeship places an emphasis on applied, real world study, ensuring you gain those essential skills valued by all employers, including group and project work, IT skills, presentations and report writing skills. There will be a variety of assessments that you will have to complete including essays, reports, project-based work, reflective think-pieces and a 15,000 word dissertation.

Upon completion of the taught elements of the programme, learners will complete an independent End Point Assessment which will consist of a Professional Discussion and Assessment of Professional Competence.

This programme is ideal for those who wish to gain a professional qualification that will enable them to pursue and build a career in spatial planning and related areas of regeneration, economic development, housing and transport.