Urban Planning and Design with Foundation BA Honours

Course summary

Our degree courses with Foundation year offer the opportunity to prepare you for advanced study before you progress onto a full honours degree at the University of Westminster.

Whether you're looking to expand your knowledge and skills towards degree-level study, or want to change your subject specialism, we aim to encourage a broad range of students to undertake our Foundation year to progress on to full honours degree with us.

Our Foundation year in Architecture and Design offers an introduction to the creative professions that shape the design of interiors, buildings and urban spaces. Through design projects, you'll learn about the spatial, technical and cultural issues, and develop the grounding skills and creative practices necessary for further study. The first semester begins with an exploration of the design and inhabitation of urban space, followed by a materials and making project based in the Fabrication Laboratory, our outstanding Marylebone campus workshop facility. Running alongside these will be studio and field-based exercises to develop your drawing and creative skills. In the second semester, a project on the design of existing spaces will be followed by the development of a creative work driven by your own interests. Students from the Foundation will have the opportunity to exhibit in the School of Architecture and Cities summer exhibition. Your practical development will be accompanied by modules in both semesters on academic skills in writing and critical thinking.

On successful completion of the Foundation year, you'll be able to move on to study for the Urban Planning and Design BA Honours degree over a further three years of study.

This course will help you to develop a professional career in urban planning and design. You’ll take an active role in shaping climate-resilient, inclusive and healthy cities.

This interdisciplinary course brings together urban design, architecture, landscape and environmental planning. You’ll develop a comprehensive understanding of urban planning while emphasising the role of urban design as an exploratory process to create climate-resilient, healthy and inclusive cities.

The Urban Planning and Design BA explores the processes of city transformation, city climate mitigation and adaptation while enabling you to reimagine the urban realm in a creative manner. You’ll be given the skills needed to manage cities sustainably and learn to design diverse built environments, to enhance the lives of those who inhabit and work in them.

During the course, you’ll discuss and critique theory and practice. Case studies and projects reflecting real-world situations will be used to develop your strategic thinking, problem-solving and design skills in a range of international contexts. Our teaching aims to support you with the development of your project work, including the opportunity to undertake an international field trip. 

This course is accredited by the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) as a spatial degree and is an initial step towards qualifying as a Chartered Town Planner.

You’ll be taught in small studio groups by current practitioners and academics who reflect London’s dynamic architecture and planning scene. You’ll experience studio visits to sites, practices, community groups, and related events. There will also be opportunities to work with the profession through engagement with the RTPI and other professional bodies, as well as through mentoring and an optional year-long work placement.

Top reasons to study with us

• Practical studio-based urban planning – Our small group studio-based teaching offers a wide range of approaches to urban design, allowing you to explore your own interests and shape the direction of your work
• Outstanding facilities – We have vibrant design studios and a cutting-edge Fabrication Laboratory, allowing you to take a hands-on approach to tackling urban design issues and climate challenges facing the future of London and its regions
• Strong connections with professional practice – We attract a diverse teaching team of practitioners from London’s architectural and urban design network
• Designed to tackle climate change – A highly innovative course designed to tackle climate change, urban health, and the broad challenges of urban sustainability
• Study in London – Capitalise on the benefits that a major creative, intellectual and technology hub has to offer. Explore contemporary issues, planning policies, urban form and development in a city with a global outlook
• Westminster is ranked 2nd for 'Student Satisfaction' in 'Town & Country Planning and Landscape Design' in the Complete University Guide 2025.

Course climate action statement

Our vision is to empower future urban planners to play a leading role in shaping climate-resilient, sustainable, healthy and inclusive cities. To this end, we will equip students with the necessary technical and critical thinking skills to effectively tackle and link together urban transformation processes with climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies. Across our curriculum, we strive for students to actively pursue climate and spatial justice in our cities. We place particular emphasis on the role of design as an explorative process, to reimagine sustainable cities through innovative and creative approaches.

Course structure

The following subjects are indicative of what you will study on this course. 

• Foundation
• Year 1
• Year 2
• Placement Year
• Year 3

Professional accreditation

The course meets the requirements of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) as a spatial degree and is the initial step to qualify as a Chartered Town Planner.