Chartered Town Planner RTPI Apprenticeship – Urban and Regional Planning MA

Our degree apprenticeship courses

We currently offer a range of degree apprenticeship courses. For the full range of courses visit our apprenticeships page for applicants or for business partners.

Course summary

This post graduate degree apprenticeship offers the opportunity to obtain a Masters degree in Urban and Regional Planning as well as gain professional Chartered Status with the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) after successful completion of the End Point Assessment (normally undertaken during the third year) whist undertaking work experience in a planning related field.

The MA Urban and Regional Planning (RTPI Apprenticeship) has been designed to give apprentices the knowledge, understanding and skills necessary to practice professionally as a spatial planner in a variety of private, public and community contexts. Building on the University's experience of delivering postgraduate courses in town planning for more than 80 years, it has been designed to meet the growing employer needs for staff who can investigate changes in the natural and built environments, cope with the challenges of sustainable development, in particular climate change; and debate and critically reflect upon the knowledge and values underpinning current approaches to land use development.

This apprenticeship starts at Level 7, equivalent to a traditional postgraduate degree. Apprentices must be in work in a planning related discipline and entry is based on experience and qualifications.

Apprentices spend a minimum of 30 hours in work each week and 20% of their time learning outside the organisation, supported by their employer to ‘earn while they learn’ without paying course fees.

Our focus on work-based learning means that learning, workshops, case studies and projects will be tailored to the industry sector and organisation. Two-thirds of the course are devoted to the spatial planning element, and one-third of the course is devoted to the specialist element, providing apprentices with the opportunity to explore ideas, perspectives and debates to a considerable degree of depth in one distinct area of specialism in planning.

This apprenticeship course is designed to accommodate busy schedules and offered for part-time study at the University's modern Marylebone campus in central London. The course's main objective is to create critical-minded, well-rounded and highly employable graduates who can excel in a variety of career environments and possess the skills and competencies necessary for addressing the manifold challenges and opportunities associated with contemporary spatial development and planning.

The End Point Assessment will be undertaken in the third and final year of the apprenticeship. Successful completion of the End Point Assessment leads to Chartered Town Planner (MRTPI) status.

Please note: This course is designed for those apprentices who wish to practice town and country planning in the UK.

Register apprentices here

Course structure

This two-year apprenticeship includes an MA in Urban and Regional Planning. Apprentices must already work in a planning related discipline for an employer that is able to offer the responsibility of supporting and assisting the apprentice through the apprenticeship. Time spent on work and training is split 80/20, meaning the apprentices spend 20% of their time learning, which can include time at the University and work-based training, linked to the apprenticeship, provided by the employer.

Apprentices take all eleven core modules and choose one specialist option module. Because modules may vary in length and content, they also vary in credits earned. These part-time apprentices will normally complete the 180 credits in two academic years. On some modules apprentices are taught alongside students from other built environment postgraduate courses (eg International Planning and Sustainable Development; and Urban Design), facilitating genuinely interdisciplinary learning and giving apprentices an understanding of the role of different disciplines and professions involved in the production of the built environment.

Apprentices will attend four professional practice weeks that are designed to build their vocational skills and prepare them for the Assessment of Professional Competence during the 'third' year where apprentices undertake a number of case studies with their employer. Our vision is the empower our apprentices to become independent and reflective learners and support them to achieve their full potential.

Accreditations

The course is professionally accredited by the RTPI and covers both the ‘spatial’ and ‘specialist’ elements of the RTPI’s requirements for planning education.

On successful completion of the MA, during the following year, the apprentice works with the employer to develop case studies to submit alongside the RTPI End Point Assessment application requirements which will be assessed by the RTPI. Successful completion of the End Point Assessment will enable the apprentice to become a full member of the Royal Town Planning Institute, the chartered body for urban and regional planners.

The University of Westminster is an Accredited Training Organisation (ATO) for professional training courses and short courses. Apprentices may choose to do one or more of these short courses in their own time at an extra cost.

Programme specification

For more details on course structure and modules, and how you will be taught and assessed, see the programme specification.

To request an accessible version of the programme specification, please email [email protected].

Download the programme specification

Entry requirements and eligibility

Our apprenticeships are only available to those employed as part of an agreed apprenticeship scheme in a related role, who are aged 18 or over on the first day, are not in full-time education and meet the ESFA funding eligibility criteria. Further details are available on our How to Apply page.

Applicants must also meet the academic entry requirements of the course:

• Level 3 qualifications eg A Levels or a Level 3 apprenticeship in a planning related discipline
• A minimum of a lower second class honours degree (2:2). Applicants without the standard entry requirements will be considered if they have membership of an appropriate professional body
• One academic reference

In addition to the above, it is a requirement that all applicants can demonstrate competency at a Level 2 standard in English and maths. This will be assessed during the application process, as part of the initial assessment stage.

It is a mandatory requirement, that in order for an apprentice to reach End Point Assessment, they must hold a Level 2 achievement in English and maths and be able to provide a copy of the original certificate of achievement.

Current acceptable evidence can be found on the Education and Skills Funding Agency's list of acceptable qualifications for English and maths requirements.

Those who are able to demonstrate competence at Level 2 but who are unable to provide evidence of prior attainment, such as a GCSE at grade C or 4 and above in English and Maths, will be required to obtain this during their first year of the apprenticeship. The University of Westminster will support any apprentice this affects, by facilitating an option to study for Level 2 Functional Skills English and maths with a partner organisation, in order to meet the requirement to progress to year two of the apprenticeship.

Fees

Employers who pay the levy are able to use their available levy funds to cover the training and assessment costs. Employers who do not pay the apprenticeship levy share the cost of training and assessing their apprentices with the government – this is called 'co-investment'. Non-levy paying employers will contribute 5% towards the cost of apprenticeship training and the government will pay the rest (95%) up to the funding band maximum.

The fees payable also include the End Point Assessment undertaken by the Royal Town Planning Institute in order to gain chartered status.

University module retakes are not included in apprenticeship levy funding. Employers will be charged separately. The current fee is £1,100 (price per 20-credit module).

Careers/professional development

The course aims to produce graduates who possess the technical, practical and professional skills required for a successful career in urban and regional planning, across organisations operating in a wide range of sectors.

It supports the development of critical analysis, problem-solving and theoretical and research skills, so that graduates can make effective decisions, justify trade-offs and provide innovative solutions to complex problems. They graduate as next-generation urban and regional planners who are aware of the challenges and are equipped with the necessary skills to make decisions within the built environment whilst ensuring impartiality, fairness, transparency, ethics and responsibility.

Course Leader

Johannes Novy

Senior Lecturer

Johannes studied urban planning and urban studies in Germany, Italy and the United States and holds a PhD in Urban Planning from Columbia University, New York. His main areas of research and teaching include urban and planning theory, urban (re-)development, urban politics, as well as urban tourism and leisure consumption. Johannes is a founding member of the Berlin-based urbanist collective u-Lab, and a member of the Curatorial Board of the International Building Exhibition IBA Stuttgart Region 2027

John Somers

Senior Lecturer

John has been involved with urban and regional planning for 17 years and historic building conservation for 7 years and he a chartered member of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) and the Institute of Historic Building Conservation (IHBC). John’s experience in the built environment has been gathered through working in the historic environment, planning policy and development management teams within public, private and voluntary sectors in organisations in a number of locations across the country. John has a strong interest in historic building conservation and has sat on Fabric Advisory Committees for Coventry Cathedral and Birmingham Cathedral, as well as being involved in a conservation trust seeking to repurpose, retrofit and reuse historic buildings.

Teaching and assessment

Your apprenticeship will include additional requirements, agreed in partnership with your employer, designed to develop and evidence your skills in the workplace.

How you'll be taught

Teaching is delivered as a series of modules. Each module is a self-contained block of learning with a coherent set of aims and learning outcomes, and associated assessment processes. Typically, this involves a mix of lectures, seminars, and workshops, complemented by individual and group tutorials, e-learning and independent study.

In addition to the curriculum shared with students of the regular MA Urban and Regional Planning Course, apprentices are required to attend four additional modules offered as intensive professional practice weeks towards the beginning and end of each of the two years. Each professional practice week will assist and support the apprentices with the ability to allow the apprentices to monitor their individual skills against the RTPI key competencies as they progress towards the RTPI Assessment of Professional Competence in the form of the End Point Assessment. Each of the professional practice weeks will focus on a particular topic area (eg Decision Making, Historic Environment, Neighbourhood Planning etc) where two days will be dedicated Continuation of Professional Development days which will also be open for non-apprentice students to attend also. These intensive professional practice weeks will provide apprentices with a strong practical grounding to support academic and theory based content learnt throughout the course.

An essential element of the course is a field trip, typically to a European destination. It takes place in the first semester of the apprentice's studies and will be used to develop field-based research skills and strategies, sharpen apprentice’s awareness of the context-boundedness of planning problems and responses, learn about innovative practices in managing change in cities and regions, reflect on the extent to which ideas and practices identified in one context can be effectively transferred to others, and provide a new perspective on planning issues back home.

In addition, MA apprentices are required to complete a dissertation, which is a piece of independent, original research of 12,000 - 15,000 words, to demonstrate expertise within a specific subject area and exercise transferable skills, for example time management, planning, research and communication.

Apprentices will also require independent study and work-based learning. Apprentices will require self-motivation in order to prepare for scheduled sessions, follow-up work, wider reading or practice, completion of assessment tasks, or revision. Additionally, apprentices require a chartered town planner within the workplace to be a Mentor to the apprentice in order to meet with and develop their skills as a professional planner.

After graduating from the MA, apprentices during the following third year will work with their employer to develop case studies suitable for the End Point Assessment which is undertaken typically during the third year and assessed by the RTPI. The University seeks to maintain contact with the apprentice during this time via methods such as meetings and/or informal learning opportunities etc, to assist the employer and apprentice with the preparation for the End Point Assessment to gain chartered status with the RTPI.   

How you'll be assessed

Apprentices are assessed using a variety of assessment methods. The majority of modules are assessed by means of 100% coursework including essays, reports and presentations, one module is assessed by a combination of coursework and exams and the professional planning practice weeks are assessed utilising in-class coursework. The Field Study and Professional Planning Practice Week modules are not credit bearing, but their successful completion is a requirement to proceed on the programme and qualify for the MAURP (RTPI Apprenticeship) degree. Attendance is mandatory for all core modules, option modules and all Professional Planning Practice Weeks to ensure that apprentices are fully equipped to meet the requirements of the degree apprentice course and the challenges of the coursework in core and option modules.

Academic regulations for the completion and submission of assessments are the same as for all students and apprentices of the University of Westminster, apprentices who are unable to complete assignments by the due date may discuss the reasons and circumstances with their personal tutor who will advise regarding the submission of a mitigating circumstances form. Each piece of submitted coursework must attain the identified qualifying mark and to be successful in the course apprentices must pass all modules.

Course location

Our Marylebone Campus has benefitted from a multi-million-pound refurbishment resulting in new workshops, digital studios and development of the Marylebone Library. The campus is home to Westminster Business School and our award-winning Architecture, Planning and Tourism courses.

For more details, visit our Marylebone Campus page.

Contact us

We are keen to establish new relationships with employers from a wide range of sectors and welcome enquiries. For more information please contact our dedicated apprenticeships team on:

+44 (0) 207 911 5027
[email protected]