Why this programme

• This programme is accredited by professional industry bodies, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI). Dual accreditation will significantly enhance your employment prospects in this field.
• The philosophy of the programme is to break down the professional barriers between two built environment disciplines that make better place-based decisions when they work together.
• The skills and knowledge this degree delivers are crucial in our rapidly changing world, particularly in the context of rapid urbanisation and climate change. 
• Our students have excellent employment prospects with alumni working in major international planning consultancies, local and national government, and in the third sector.
• Teaching on this programme is research-led and you will be taught by lecturers at the forefront of urban research. We maintained our top 10 position in REF2021 (Research Excellence Framework), and in our Urban Studies and Social Policy division, we advance cutting-edge and critical research agendas led by our 3 research & scholarship custers.
• These are underpinned by ongoing funded national and international staff projects, and our two substantial research centres, which are a fundamental part of this success: the Centre for Housing Evidence (CaCHE), and the Urban Big Data Centre (UBDC).
• Our teaching is strongly engaged in policy and practice. Through our research centres and staff networks we have close links to the Scottish Government, local authorities and other agencies who also contribute to teaching. We also have opportunities to network with professional practice at various points in the year.
• This programme is rooted in place-based learning through tackling complex urban sites across Greater Glasgow. Glasgow as a city is an exciting place to study planning and real estate. It provides a rich lens to understanding how planning and real estate practice engages with urban issues. Glasgow’s economic, social and architectural history provides a fascinating dynamic context to study planning and real estate.
• You will have the opportunity to participate in an optional field trip to London which will provide you with the insight into the complexities of city planning in a world city. Past trips have included visits to The Shard, King’s Cross, Battersea Power Station and a number of grassroots projects that focus on community development.
• Watch: City Planning & Real Estate Development programme overview

Career prospects

This unique programme brings together two disciplines to help you form a rounded picture of the sector and enable you to take the next step forward in your career.

Career opportunities and pathways

This jointly accredited programme offers a quicker pathway to becoming a chartered town planner, chartered surveyor, or both. Our students have excellent employment prospects, with alumni working in major international planning consultancies such as ARUP, WSP and JLL. Graduates have also gone on to work in local and national government institutions such as Glasgow City Council, Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park, and the Scottish Government. Career paths also exist in the third sector with graduates going on to work in community development organisations such as Sustrans, a UK-based cycling, walking and wheeling charity.

Hear from a range of young planners about how they got into a public sector planning career.

Accreditation

This programme is jointly accredited by the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) and the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). 

RTPI is an international professional body for town planners with members in 88 countries and maintains professional standards as the voice of the profession.

RICS is a globally recognised professional body for those working in built environment, construction, land, property, and real estate, with members in almost 150 countries. A RICS qualification is valued and understood as a global benchmark by clients and governments for integrity and professionalism. Learn more about our accredititations.

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Professional development

Throughout the programme you have the opportunity to learn from industry practitioners and take your learning into the field. Experiential learning is a core part of the programme with teaching delivered through walking tours, site visits and field trips. You can participate in an optional, self-funded field visit to London where the agenda includes meeting with public and private sector planners and community groups.

To help build on your industry expertise, you have access to CoStar and MSCI datasets. These are leading providers of commercial real estate and performance that are widely used in practice. These databases support project-based learning throughout our programme that will enable you to develop practical skills relevant to employers and contribute to building industry skills. You also have access to the digital model of Glasgow in VU.CITY, a 3D modelling and data software which is widely used across the sector.

As a student you will benefit from the close links held through our research centres and staff networks with the Scottish Government, local authorities and other agencies who contribute to teaching. Guest lectures are delivered across the programme from figures in planning and real estate sectors, providing the opportunity to network with professional practice at various points throughout the year.

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Career support from the University of Glasgow

As a postgraduate student at the University of Glasgow you will have access to our Careers, Employability & Opportunity service. This service offers students the opportunity to network through organised events, help with finding employment, internships and work experience, and career development masterclasses.

Learn more about Careers, Employability & Opportunity

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Hear from our alumni

• Edwin Wabomba - City Planning & Real Estate Development MSc graduate [2022-2023]

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Fees & funding

Deposits

International and EU applicants are required to pay a deposit of £2,000 when an offer is made.

Additional fees

• Fee for re-assessment of a dissertation (PGT programme): £370
• Submission of thesis after deadline lapsed: £350
• Registration/exam only fee: £170

Entry requirements

Relevant work experience will also be considered. Please provide a CV.

If your qualification is below 2:1 or in a background not listed above, you are required to complete a personal statement for entry to this programme - see link below.

• Real Estate Statement

International students with academic qualifications below those required should contact our partner institution, Glasgow International College, who offer a range of pre-Masters courses.

International students

We are proud of our diverse University community that includes students and staff from more than 140 different countries.

• Find out more about entry requirements and other country-specific information
• International student support & visas

How to apply

Please note: our Online Application Form and Applicant Self Service will be unavailable from 08:00-14:00 (BST) Thursday 24 September 2026 due to essential maintenance. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

To apply for a postgraduate taught degree you must apply online. We cannot accept applications any other way.

Please check you meet the Entry requirements for this programme before you begin your application.

Documents

As part of your online application, you also need to submit the following supporting documents:

• A copy (or copies) of your official degree certificate(s) (if you have already completed your degree)
• A copy (or copies) of your official academic transcript(s), showing full details of subjects studied and grades/marks obtained
• Official English translations of the certificate(s) and transcript(s)
• One reference letter on headed paper
• Evidence of your English language ability (if your first language is not English)
• Any additional documents required for this programme (see Entry requirements for this programme)
• A copy of the photo page of your passport

You have 42 days to submit your application once you begin the process.

You may save and return to your application as many times as you wish to update information, complete sections or upload supporting documents such as your final transcript or your language test.

For more information about submitting documents or other topics related to applying to a postgraduate taught programme, see how to apply for a postgraduate taught degree

Guidance notes for using the online application

These notes are intended to help you complete the online application form accurately; they are also available within the help section of the online application form. 

If you experience any difficulties accessing the online application, see Application System Help.

• Name and Date of birth: must appear exactly as they do on your passport. Please take time to check the spelling and lay-out.
• Contact Details: Correspondence address. All contact relevant to your application will be sent to this address including the offer letter(s). If your address changes, please contact us as soon as possible.
• Choice of course: Please select carefully the course you want to study. As your application will be sent to the admissions committee for each course you select it is important to consider at this stage why you are interested in the course and that it is reflected in your application.
• Proposed date of entry: Please state your preferred start date including the month and the year. Taught masters degrees tend to begin in September. Research degrees may start in any month.
• Education and Qualifications: Please complete this section as fully as possible indicating any relevant Higher Education qualifications starting with the most recent. Complete the name of the Institution (s) as it appears on the degree certificate or transcript.
• English Language Proficiency: Please state the date of any English language test taken (or to be taken) and the award date (or expected award date if known).
• Employment and Experience: Please complete this section as fully as possible with all employments relevant to your course. Additional details may be attached in your personal statement/proposal where appropriate.

Reference: Please provide one reference. This should typically be an academic reference but in cases where this is not possible then a reference from a current employer may be accepted instead. Certain programmes, such as the MBA programme, may also accept an employer reference. If you already have a copy of a reference on letter headed paper then please upload this to your application. If you do not already have a reference to upload then please enter your referee’s name and contact details on the online application and we will contact your referee directly.

Application deadlines

Application deadlines for 2027 entry will be published in due course. Please check back later.

Please note: our Online Application Form and Applicant Self Service will be unavailable from 08:00-14:00 (BST) Thursday 24 September 2026 due to essential maintenance. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.