Spatial Planning PgCert
This programme aims to help you acquire a broad foundation of knowledge in spatial and city planning, from which more detailed or specialist study can be developed. The aim of the programme is to relate academic thinking and research at the forefront of spatial planning to your own experiences, whether at work or in other endeavours.
- Academic contact: Andrew.Hoolachan@glasgow.ac.uk
- Teaching start: September
- Glasgow: Gilmorehill campus
- PgCert: 12 months full-time; up to 48 months part‑time: (on a modular basis)
Why this programme
- There is significant input from industry in our teaching programme, including teaching on some courses, guest lectures and seminars. There are also informal opportunities to meet people from industry at open events and recruitment presentations.
- If you satisfy the progression requirements, this qualification provides an entrance route to the MSc City Planning.
- You can gain this qualification in a manner that works best with your professional commitments, either through one year of full-time study or on a modular basis over two or more years.
- An optional field trip to London will provide you with an 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 grassroot projects that focus on community development.
Programme structure
You will take three core courses and choose from a range of optional courses. Courses will involve you attending lectures, seminars and tutorials and taking part in projects, labs, field visits and team work exercises. Core courses will provide you with an understanding of the fundamental concepts of spatial planning and how to apply them to particular cases.
Core courses
Optional courses
Programme alteration or discontinuation
The University of Glasgow endeavours
to run all programmes as advertised. In exceptional circumstances, however, the University may withdraw
or alter a programme. For more information, please see: Student contract.
Career prospects
Career opportunities include positions in local and national government and private-sectors consultancies in spatial planning, development management and regeneration.
Fees & funding
Tuition fees for 2025-26
PgCert
UK
- Full-time fee: £3940
- Part-time fee: £1314 per 20 credits
International & EU
- Full-time fee: £8860
Additional fees
- Fee for re-assessment of a dissertation (PGT programme): £370
- Submission of thesis after deadline lapsed: £350
- Registration/exam only fee: £170
Funding opportunities
CONACyT (Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnologia) / FUNED Agreement
CONACYT offers a non-refundable scholarship, a monthly stipend and medical insurance of an approximate total of $20,000 USD (in the case of the UK, no medical insurance grant is given since students are already covered by the National Health System) The University of Glasgow offer a 30% discount to all successful CONACyT scholars who enrol at the University of Glasgow to complete a postgraduate programme.
Postgraduate Loans for Welsh Students
If you are a Welsh student looking to study a postgraduate programme* in Glasgow then you can apply for a student loan in exactly the same way as you would for a Welsh University.
* does not apply to Erasmus Mundus programmes
For more information visit Student Finance Wales
Global Leadership Scholarship
The University of Glasgow has several Global Leadership Scholarships available to International fee students starting a postgraduate taught Masters programme in any discipline for Academic Session 2025/2026. The scholarship is awarded as a tuition fees discount.
Postgraduate Student Loan (NI)
If you are a Northern Irish student looking to study a taught Masters programme* in Glasgow then you can apply for a student loan in exactly the same way as you would for a University in Northern Ireland.
Northern Irish students are able to apply for non-means-tested tuition fee loans of up to £5,500, to help with the costs of funding.
For more information visit www.studentfinanceni.co.uk/types-of-finance/postgraduate .
* does not apply to Erasmus Mundus programmes
Glasgow Excellence Award (UK)
The University of Glasgow has a total of 40 Glasgow Excellence Scholarships available to UK students entering any of the University’s Colleges.
HESPAL Scholarship
The University has worked in partnership with the British Council in a scheme to provide Higher Education Scholarships for Palestinians (HESPAL), for the past decade.
Through the HESPAL scheme, we have been able to offer fee waivers to students from the Palestinian Territories, enhancing educational opportunities for deserving individuals.
Considering the current challenges and the significant obstacles faced by individuals impacted by the conflict in leaving the area, the University of Glasgow extends their support in the academic year 2025/2026 to offer up to 3 postgraduate taught scholarships and up to 2 postgraduate research scholarships.
This scholarship is offered as a full fee discount.
The Dima Alhaj Scholarship
The Dima Alhaj Scholarship was set up in 2024 in memory of a University of Glasgow alumna. After graduating, Dima worked in Gaza with the World Health Organization as a patient administrator at the limb reconstruction centre, as part of the trauma and emergency team and was tragically killed in Gaza in November 2023. The Scholarship is open to a Palestinian National who is living in or has been forced to leave the State of Palestine due to humanitarian reasons. The chosen applicant may be domiciled in any country but must be a Palestinian National. The scholarship is open to prospective undergraduate and postgraduate taught applicants to the University of Glasgow applying for entry in September 2025/26.
The Clan Gregor Society Prize
The Clan Gregor Society is offering an award to new entrants to the University of Glasgow who descend from Clan Gregor. Prospective students will be asked to submit an application highlighting areas of consideration such as academic excellence and financial need. The award is open to both Undergraduate and Postgraduate applicants for 2024 entry.
The scholarships above are specific to this programme. For more funding opportunities search the scholarships database
Entry requirements
3rd/Pass (or non-UK equivalent) in any subject.
Applications are considered on an individual basis, with particular consideration given to the applicant's practical experience. If you satisfy the progression requirements, this qualification provides an entrance route to the MSc in City Planning.
You are required to complete and submit a question-based personal statement explaining why you want to undertake this programme at Glasgow. See link below.
How to apply
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 (Non-EU students only)
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
September 2025
International & EU applicants
- 25 July 2025
UK applicants
- 22 August 2025
More information about this programme
Postgraduate events
