Bachelor's Programme in Urban and Regional Planning

The Bachelor's program in Urban and Regional Planning consists of compulsory, elective, and optional courses. In addition to Urban and Regional Planning, the program includes elective courses in Human Geography, Economics, Statistics, Archaeology, Economic History, Ethnology, Geoscience, Environmental Management, Sociology, and Political Science.

In the first year, you will study Urban and Regional Planning. In the second year, you will specialize through elective and optional courses. In the third year, you will further specialize, study theory and methodology, and write a thesis in Urban and Regional Planning.

Half of the study time consists of elective and optional courses. When you take courses and write your thesis, the planning is up to you. This depends on which elective courses you want to take, in addition to the compulsory ones, and when those courses are offered. It is therefore important that you consider the overall program and make a study plan for when you will take each course. During the program, you will receive more information about your options within the program, further studies, and the job market.

Why Choose the Bachelor's Program in Urban and Regional Planning at Stockholm University?

• The education is of high quality and leads to a Bachelor's degree in the main subject of Urban and Regional Planning.
• The program is closely connected to the research forefront in urban and regional planning, and active researchers teach all the courses.
• The program prepares students for both professional careers and further studies at the advanced level for a Master's degree.
• The program covers many perspectives and themes, as well as both qualitative and quantitative methods.
• The program offers good opportunities to specialize your studies through several semesters of elective courses, as well as the possibility to study at one of our partner universities abroad in semester 3 or 4.
• Applied studies and field studies are included in all first-year courses - a field course is part of semester 2.
• The bachelor's thesis in semester 6 is a good opportunity for in-depth study of a topic you are especially interested in.
• Stockholm University is highly ranked and well-functioning.
• The Geo-Science Building, where most of the teaching takes place, and the Frescati campus as a whole, offer a good study environment with GIS laboratories and spaces for group work and individual studies.
• The campus is located in the Royal National City Park - a green part of the capital - less than 10 minutes from downtown Stockholm.
• The Stockholm region strives to be Europe's most attractive metropolitan region - there is much that is interesting to study as an urban planner, while being close to all levels of society and a large job market.

Learning Outcomes

The Bachelor's Program in Urban and Regional Planning is an academic education based on scientific grounds and proven experience. The education builds primarily on the knowledge that students acquire in national programs in upper secondary school or equivalent.

The program should develop the student's:

• Ability to make independent and critical assessments
• Ability to independently identify, formulate and solve problems
• Readiness to meet changes in working life

Within the main subject of Urban and Regional Planning, the student, in addition to knowledge and skills, should develop the ability to:

• Search for and evaluate knowledge at a scientific level
• Follow the development of knowledge
• Exchange knowledge even with people without specialized knowledge in the field

In addition to these general goals in Chapter 1, Section 8 of the Higher Education Act, the goals of the Higher Education Ordinance apply as follows:

Knowledge and understanding

For a Bachelor's degree, the student shall:

• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding within urban and regional planning, including knowledge of the scientific basis of the field, knowledge of applicable methods within the field, in-depth knowledge in some part of the field, and orientation about current research issues.

Skills and abilities

For a Bachelor's degree, the student shall:

• Demonstrate the ability to search for, collect, evaluate and critically interpret relevant information in a problem area, and to critically discuss phenomena, issues and situations;
• Demonstrate the ability to independently identify, formulate and solve problems, and to carry out tasks within given time frames;
• Demonstrate the ability to orally and in writing account for and discuss information, problems and solutions in dialogue with different groups;
• Demonstrate the skills required to work independently within the area that the education is intended for.

Assessment Skills

For a Bachelor's degree, the student shall:

• Demonstrate the ability to make assessments within urban and regional planning with regard to relevant scientific, social and ethical aspects;
• Demonstrate insight into the role of knowledge in society and people's responsibility for how it is used;
• Demonstrate the ability to identify their need for further knowledge and to develop their expertise.

Administering Department

The Bachelor's Program in Urban and Regional Planning is offered by the Department of Human Geography in collaboration with:

Department of Archaeology and Classical Studies
Department of Economic History and International Relations
Department of Physical Geography
Department of Economics
Department of Sociology
Department of Statistics
Department of Political Science

Programme coordinator:
Anders Rickegård