Master of Science in Urbanism and Spatial Planning

The programme teaches the analysis of socio-economic, cultural, physical-morphological or traffic engineering data as a necessary foundation for any spatial strategy. However, the emphasis is mainly on developing a synthetic capacity through spatial concept formation. You are part of a multidisciplinary team and work independently on sustainable development of spatial planning.

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Master's Programme

2 year 120 credits

Faculty of Engineering and Architecture

Dutch

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About the programme

Programme summary

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Off to a good start

After graduation

First year

(version 16 )

Course schedule 1st semester Course schedule 2nd semester

1 General Courses

Course	MT1	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Introduction to Planning Theory	1	sem 1	nl	Tim Devos	4

Urban Analysis and Design	1	sem 1	en	Michiel Dehaene	4

Landscape Management and Design	1	sem 1	nl	Veerle Van Eetvelde	5

Research and Design Aspects of Urbanism and Spatial Planning	1	sem 1	nl	Michiel Dehaene	5

Juridical Aspects	1	sem 1	nl	Tom De Waele	5

Planning Theory: Contemporary Challenges	1	sem 2	en	Tim Devos	4

Integrating Spatial Policy and Project Management	1	sem 2	nl	Ann Pisman	6

Studio on Spatial Analysis and Projects	1	sem 2	nl	Peter Vanden Abeele	10

2 Elective Courses

Subscribe to 3 credit units from the from the following list. Subject to approval by the faculty.

Students take the course in the first master's year, depending on their previous degree: either a technical course on reserach (module
2.1), either a technical course on design (module 2.2).

2.1

Course	MT1	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Geographic Information Systems (GIS)	1	sem 1	nl	Nico Van de Weghe	3

Statistical Data Processing	1	sem 2	nl	Nele De Belie	3

2.2

Course	MT1	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Design Theory 2: Urban Analysis	1	sem 1	nl	Kristiaan Borret	3

Digital Design 1: Modeling and Prototyping	1	sem 2	nl	Ruben Verstraeten	3

3 Elective Courses

Subscribe to 24 credit units from no less than 3 and no more than 4 modules from the following list. Subject to approval by the faculty.

Divided as:

14 credits in year 1
10 credits in year 2

3.1

Subscribe to no less than 6 credit units from the following list. Subject to approval by the faculty.

Course	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Research Seminar: Housing and Urban Transformation	sem 1 sem 2	nl,en nl,en	Arnold Janssens	3

Research Seminar: Public Buildings and Landscapes	sem 1 sem 2	nl,en nl,en	Michiel Dehaene	3

Research Seminar: Landscape, People and Environment	sem 1 sem 2	nl,en nl,en	Veerle Van Eetvelde	3

Research Seminar: Governance and Spatial Planning	sem 1 sem 2	nl,en nl,en	Tim Devos	3

Research Seminar: Urbanism and Spatial Planning	sem 1 sem 2	nl,en nl,en	Michiel Dehaene	3

3.2

Subscribe to no less than 6 credit units from the following list. Subject to approval by the faculty.

Course	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Planning and Transition: Mobility	sem 1	en	Koos Fransen	3

Planning and Transition: Agriculture, Food and Urbanization	sem 1	nl	Hans Vandermaelen	3

Circular Economy and Regenerative Welfare	sem 2	nl	Jonas Van der Slycken	3

Integrated Approach to Water Management and Environmental Policy	sem 2	nl	Renaat De Sutter	3

3.3

Course	Ref	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Project Landscape Science and Spatial Planning		sem 1	nl	Veerle Van Eetvelde	5

Urbanization in Global Perspective		sem 2	en	Ben Derudder	3

Agricultural and Rural Policy, EU Perspective		sem 1	en	Jeroen Buysse	5

Urban Mobility and Logistics		sem 1	en	Giovanni Circella	5

Biodiversity and Nature Conservation		sem 1	nl	Lander Baeten	4

Urban Green Management		sem 1	nl	Jan Mertens	4

Urban Sound		sem 1	en	Dick Botteldooren	3

Transformation: from Theory to Practice of Change		sem 2	en	Joachim Declerck	3

History and Theory of African Urbanism		sem 2	en	Johan Lagae	5

Politics of Sustainability		sem 2	nl	Erik Paredis	6

Urban Questions in Historical Perspective 1: Housing		sem 2	en	Anne Kockelkorn	3

Environmental Impact Assessment		sem 1	en	Marieke Paepen	6

Essentials of Artificial Intelligence: a Beginner’s Guide	UKV	sem 1	en	Joni Dambre	3

Sustainable Cities		year	nl	Thomas Block	6

3.4

Subscribe to no more than 6 credit units from the programmes from Ghent University. Subject to approval by the faculty. Only courses that are intrinsically relevant to the Master of Science in Urbanism and Spatial Planning, to be motivated by the student, or the Ghent University Elective Courses.

Second year

(version 16 )

Course schedule 1st semester Course schedule 2nd semester

1 General Courses

Course	MT1	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Histories of the Housing Question	2	sem 1	en	Anne Kockelkorn	4

Mobility, Spatial Planning and Urban Design of Infrastructure	2	sem 1	nl	Filip Boelaert	3

Studio on Spatial Analysis, Governance and Instruments	2	sem 1	nl	Tim Devos	12

Research Trip	2	year	en	Michiel Dehaene	7

3 Elective Courses

Subscribe to 24 credit units from no less than 3 and no more than 4 modules from the following list. Subject to approval by the faculty.

Divided as:

14 credits in year 1
10 credits in year 2

3.1

Subscribe to no less than 6 credit units from the following list. Subject to approval by the faculty.

Course	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Research Seminar: Housing and Urban Transformation	sem 1 sem 2	nl,en nl,en	Arnold Janssens	3

Research Seminar: Public Buildings and Landscapes	sem 1 sem 2	nl,en nl,en	Michiel Dehaene	3

Research Seminar: Landscape, People and Environment	sem 1 sem 2	nl,en nl,en	Veerle Van Eetvelde	3

Research Seminar: Governance and Spatial Planning	sem 1 sem 2	nl,en nl,en	Tim Devos	3

Research Seminar: Urbanism and Spatial Planning	sem 1 sem 2	nl,en nl,en	Michiel Dehaene	3

3.2

Subscribe to no less than 6 credit units from the following list. Subject to approval by the faculty.

Course	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Planning and Transition: Mobility	sem 1	en	Koos Fransen	3

Planning and Transition: Agriculture, Food and Urbanization	sem 1	nl	Hans Vandermaelen	3

Circular Economy and Regenerative Welfare	sem 2	nl	Jonas Van der Slycken	3

Integrated Approach to Water Management and Environmental Policy	sem 2	nl	Renaat De Sutter	3

3.3

Course	Ref	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Project Landscape Science and Spatial Planning		sem 1	nl	Veerle Van Eetvelde	5

Urbanization in Global Perspective		sem 2	en	Ben Derudder	3

Agricultural and Rural Policy, EU Perspective		sem 1	en	Jeroen Buysse	5

Urban Mobility and Logistics		sem 1	en	Giovanni Circella	5

Biodiversity and Nature Conservation		sem 1	nl	Lander Baeten	4

Urban Green Management		sem 1	nl	Jan Mertens	4

Urban Sound		sem 1	en	Dick Botteldooren	3

Transformation: from Theory to Practice of Change		sem 2	en	Joachim Declerck	3

History and Theory of African Urbanism		sem 2	en	Johan Lagae	5

Politics of Sustainability		sem 2	nl	Erik Paredis	6

Urban Questions in Historical Perspective 1: Housing		sem 2	en	Anne Kockelkorn	3

Environmental Impact Assessment		sem 1	en	Marieke Paepen	6

Essentials of Artificial Intelligence: a Beginner’s Guide	UKV	sem 1	en	Joni Dambre	3

Sustainable Cities		year	nl	Thomas Block	6

3.4 4 Master's Dissertation

Course	Ref	MT1	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Master's Dissertation		2	year	nl		24

Full programme

(version 16 )

Print

1 General Courses 69

Course	MT1	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Introduction to Planning Theory	1	sem 1	nl	Tim Devos	4

Urban Analysis and Design	1	sem 1	en	Michiel Dehaene	4

Landscape Management and Design	1	sem 1	nl	Veerle Van Eetvelde	5

Research and Design Aspects of Urbanism and Spatial Planning	1	sem 1	nl	Michiel Dehaene	5

Juridical Aspects	1	sem 1	nl	Tom De Waele	5

Planning Theory: Contemporary Challenges	1	sem 2	en	Tim Devos	4

Integrating Spatial Policy and Project Management	1	sem 2	nl	Ann Pisman	6

Studio on Spatial Analysis and Projects	1	sem 2	nl	Peter Vanden Abeele	10

Histories of the Housing Question	2	sem 1	en	Anne Kockelkorn	4

Mobility, Spatial Planning and Urban Design of Infrastructure	2	sem 1	nl	Filip Boelaert	3

Studio on Spatial Analysis, Governance and Instruments	2	sem 1	nl	Tim Devos	12

Research Trip	2	year	en	Michiel Dehaene	7

2 Elective Courses 3

Subscribe to 3 credit units from the from the following list. Subject to approval by the faculty.

Students take the course in the first master's year, depending on their previous degree: either a technical course on reserach (module
2.1), either a technical course on design (module 2.2).

2.1

3

Course	MT1	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Geographic Information Systems (GIS)	1	sem 1	nl	Nico Van de Weghe	3

Statistical Data Processing	1	sem 2	nl	Nele De Belie	3

2.2

3

Course	MT1	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Design Theory 2: Urban Analysis	1	sem 1	nl	Kristiaan Borret	3

Digital Design 1: Modeling and Prototyping	1	sem 2	nl	Ruben Verstraeten	3

3 Elective Courses 24

Subscribe to 24 credit units from no less than 3 and no more than 4 modules from the following list. Subject to approval by the faculty.

Divided as:

14 credits in year 1
10 credits in year 2

3.1

6

Subscribe to no less than 6 credit units from the following list. Subject to approval by the faculty.

Course	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Research Seminar: Housing and Urban Transformation	sem 1 sem 2	nl,en nl,en	Arnold Janssens	3

Research Seminar: Public Buildings and Landscapes	sem 1 sem 2	nl,en nl,en	Michiel Dehaene	3

Research Seminar: Landscape, People and Environment	sem 1 sem 2	nl,en nl,en	Veerle Van Eetvelde	3

Research Seminar: Governance and Spatial Planning	sem 1 sem 2	nl,en nl,en	Tim Devos	3

Research Seminar: Urbanism and Spatial Planning	sem 1 sem 2	nl,en nl,en	Michiel Dehaene	3

3.2

6

Subscribe to no less than 6 credit units from the following list. Subject to approval by the faculty.

Course	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Planning and Transition: Mobility	sem 1	en	Koos Fransen	3

Planning and Transition: Agriculture, Food and Urbanization	sem 1	nl	Hans Vandermaelen	3

Circular Economy and Regenerative Welfare	sem 2	nl	Jonas Van der Slycken	3

Integrated Approach to Water Management and Environmental Policy	sem 2	nl	Renaat De Sutter	3

3.3

Course	Ref	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Project Landscape Science and Spatial Planning		sem 1	nl	Veerle Van Eetvelde	5

Urbanization in Global Perspective		sem 2	en	Ben Derudder	3

Agricultural and Rural Policy, EU Perspective		sem 1	en	Jeroen Buysse	5

Urban Mobility and Logistics		sem 1	en	Giovanni Circella	5

Biodiversity and Nature Conservation		sem 1	nl	Lander Baeten	4

Urban Green Management		sem 1	nl	Jan Mertens	4

Urban Sound		sem 1	en	Dick Botteldooren	3

Transformation: from Theory to Practice of Change		sem 2	en	Joachim Declerck	3

History and Theory of African Urbanism		sem 2	en	Johan Lagae	5

Politics of Sustainability		sem 2	nl	Erik Paredis	6

Urban Questions in Historical Perspective 1: Housing		sem 2	en	Anne Kockelkorn	3

Environmental Impact Assessment		sem 1	en	Marieke Paepen	6

Essentials of Artificial Intelligence: a Beginner’s Guide	UKV	sem 1	en	Joni Dambre	3

Sustainable Cities		year	nl	Thomas Block	6

3.4 4 Master's Dissertation 24

Course	Ref	MT1	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Master's Dissertation		2	year	nl		24

Learning outcomes

Competence field 1: Competences in one/more scientific discipline(s)

Have an advanced knowledge of the discipline of Urbanism and Spatial Planning and apply it to complex spatial-public problems.
Utilise domain-specific methods and techniques, inclusively communication techniques in a creative and goal-oriented manner.
Develop and maintain an awareness for spatial quality and durability.
Master and apply the knowledge of project, process, design and policy-related aspects with regard to the spatial dynamic and appearance.
Master and apply the knowledge of former and contemporary public attitude towards the spatial dynamic and appearance.
Recognise the trans-disciplinary dimension in the approach of spatial dynamic and appearance.

Competence field 2: Scientific competences

Analyse complex spatial-public problems and translate them into scientific questions.
Perform research in scientific literature about Urbanism, Spatial Planning and relevant, related fields of knowledge.
Evaluate, select and apply the best-fitting models, methods and techniques from Urbanism, Spatial Planning and relevant, related fields of knowledge.
Develop and validate planning models and methods from the field of Urbanism and Spatial Planning in a strategic and solution-oriented way.
Objectively and critically interpret and evaluate results of own research and that of fellow researchers.

Competence field 3: Intellectual competences

Make up an independent opinion about complex spatial-social situations independently and defend this opinion.
Apply own knowledge about Urbanism, Spatial Planning and relevant, related fields of knowledge creatively, goal-oriented and innovatively when it comes to research, design and development.
Critically reflect on one’s own way of thinking and acting, and understand the limits of one’s competences.
Keep a close track of the evolutions in the field of Urbanism and Spatial Planning and further develop own expertise to expert level.
Readily adapt to changing professional circumstances.

Competence field 4: Competences in cooperation and communication

Communicate about Urbanism and Spatial Planning to others in writing and orally.
Ability to formulate objectives, report efficiently, keep track of progress and end-goals as part of a project strategy.
Have the ability to work as a member of a team in a multi‐disciplinary working‐environment, as well as being capable of taking on supervisory responsibilities.
Report in an oral, written or graphic manner about a scientific research and design, related to a spatial-social problem.

Competence field 5: Societal competences

Act in an ethical, professional and social way.
Integrate economic, social, cultural and ecological aspects in the field of Urbanism and Spatial Planning.
Integrate legal, policy-related and public administrative aspects in the field of Urbanism and Spatial Planning.
Interpret historical evolution of Urbanism and Spatial Planning and its social relevance.