MSc Urban Policy & Analysis at University of Strathclyde

Study with us

• designed for those with a background in a broad range of disciplines
• enables understanding of how local governments, states, and non-governmental organisations interact in the policy arena
• delivers understanding, interpretation and application of key concepts and methods which are required in the analysis of public policy making
• equips participants for employment in a wide variety of public and private organizations that share a city-centric focus

Why this course?

The MSc in Urban Policy and Analysis equips students with a systematic grounding in the analysis of urban policy. The programme explores the role and impact of major policy actors within urban policy. You'll receive practical training in a number of frameworks, both analytical and methodological, and evaluate their usefulness in explaining urban policy processes and institutional structures related to environment and infrastructure. This course delves deep into the analysis of urban policy.

During the programme, you'll explore relevant intellectual and empirical tools for understanding urban policy and develop a practical knowledge of urban policy, including economic, infrastructure and environmental threats and benefits. The MSc in Urban Policy and Analysis also provides key employability skills in analytical and critical thinking, research management, data analysis, report writing and presentation. There are two specialisations available for degree participants. The first specialisation is sustainability, and the second is infrastructure. Explore the course content below.

Learning & teaching

Classes are taught in both seminars and labs.  Seminars combine theoretical discussion and a strong empirical or policy focus, as appropriate. They also consist of a variety of teaching techniques including small-group work, structured debates, presentations, and background lectures.  Lab classes – or lab session in addition to seminars – provide students hands-on experience using programs they may use in future jobs; such as R and ArcGIS.

Careers

An educational background in urban policy is transferrable to a wide variety of different organizations. The key skills - analysing and diagnosing of sustainability, infrastructure, and urban institutions - are widely applicable. Graduates may go on to work in a range of different organizations including:

• local government
• national or transnational government organizations
• non-governmental organizations
• consultancy firms
• engineering bureaus
• systems integration firms
• infrastructure management firms
• research labs
• small-to-medium size enterprises and start-ups