Master in Urban Planning and Policy Design

At Politecnico di Milano, tuition costs 4,606 USD per year.

Urban planning and policy design deal with how cities and regions grow, function, and are governed. The field draws on architecture, geography, economics, sociology, and public policy to address questions about land use, housing, transport, infrastructure, and the environment. Students typically study urban theory and history, spatial analysis, planning law and governance, housing and real estate economics, and methods for public participation in decision-making. Studio-based or project work is common, giving students practice in analysing an existing urban area and proposing plans or policies to guide its future development. Graduates from this field often work as urban planners within municipal or regional government, as consultants advising public agencies or private developers, or within organisations focused on housing policy, transport planning, or environmental management. Others pursue roles in international development agencies or non-governmental organisations working on urbanisation issues, particularly in fast-growing cities. Some continue into doctoral research in planning, geography, or public policy. This master's programme in Urban Planning and Policy Design is offered by Politecnico di Milano, in Milano, Italy, and is taught in English. Politecnico di Milano is a technical university with a strong presence in architecture and engineering disciplines, and a planning programme within that context typically pairs design thinking with technical and analytical methods. The two-year duration reflects the standard length of a master's degree in the Italian higher education system, and the English-medium instruction is intended to give international students access to the programme without requiring prior study of Italian.