Urban planning courses
Help me choose a courseIntroduction to Urban planning
What do your local park, train station, shopping centre, and recreation facilities have in common? They were all developed with the input of urban planners.
Completing an urban planning degree online through Open Universities Australia will get you workplace-ready and give you the skills to help shape your town or region for the future.
Scroll down to compare your study options with leading universities. Whether you’re here to get qualified for the first time, or looking to steer your career in an entirely new direction, you can count on us for unbiased course, fee and university advice.
Explore urban planning courses
Discover urban planning courses
Online urban planning subjects and short courses
UndergraduateLTU-PLA1ISP
100% online
No ATAR required. Start with a subject.
Starts 29 Jul 2024
UndergraduateCUR-GPH330
100% online
No ATAR required. Start with a subject.
Starts 27 May 2024, 25 Nov 2024
Next enrolment closes 19 May
UndergraduateUSA-BUIL4030
100% online
No ATAR required. Start with a subject.
Starts 24 Jun 2024
PostgraduateTAS-KGA532
100% online
No ATAR required. Start with a subject.
Starts 03 Jun 2024
Next enrolment closes 26 May
Online urban planning degrees
PostgraduateUOQ-URP-GCE
Theory and practice for sustainable planning
100% online
6 months full time or part time equivalent
UndergraduateLAT-URE-DIP
An introduction to planning with a focus on the environment
100% online
1 year full time or part time equivalent
No ATAR required. Start with a subject.
UndergraduateUSQ-URP-DEG
Plan cities, regional and rural areas in Qld and NSW
Online & on-campus
4 years full time or part time equivalent
PostgraduateCUR-URP-MAS
Fully accredited by the national professional body for planners, the Planning Institute of Australia
100% online
Approx. 1.5 years full time or part time equivalent
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Urban planning study FAQs
Urban planning courses, which are sometimes called town planning courses, teach you how to plan and create new spaces for the good of the public.
You cover a variety of disciplines, including architecture, public policy, economics, geography and sociology. This gives you the skills required to work on projects like suburban housing developments, public transport infrastructure, and recreation spaces, while keeping the community’s needs in mind.
Graduates know how to protect a town or region’s unique heritage and ensure environmental sustainability is integrated into every aspect of its future.
Depending on your course, you’ll explore the history of urban planning, theory and best practices in urban planning, and how to plan urban and regional areas for the future.
Urban planners need to guide the development of public space while taking into account:
- The needs of the community, including proximity to daily essentials
- Environmental sustainability
- Economic factors
- Government legislation and relevant laws
- Accessibility for people of all abilities
To help you do this, you’ll learn about applicable laws and regulations, sustainability, planning ethics, and project management. You’ll need these skills to create public spaces that allow people to live healthy and enjoyable lives.
It depends on the course and whether you choose something short or long-term. Here’s a general guide:
Course Duration Single subject 10-18 weeks Short course 10-18 weeks Undergraduate certificate 6 months (if full time) Diploma 1 year (if full time) Associate degree 2 years (if full time) Bachelor degree 3 years (if full time) Graduate certificate 6 months (if full time) Graduate diploma 1 year (if full time) Masters degree 2 years (if full time) If you study a degree in urban planning through Open Universities Australia, you have the flexibility to choose how many subjects you take per term. This means you can complete your qualification at a faster or slower pace than you would on campus.
If you’re passionate about creating public spaces that celebrate nature, are enjoyable to use and make people’s lives better and easier, studying urban planning could be just the thing for you.
As well as being a fascinating field of study, urban planning is experiencing significant growth in demand, and the unemployment rate for urban planners is below average.
A well-known urban planning concept is the 15-minute city. The 15-minute city concept is based on people being able to access their daily needs, such as shopping, childcare, healthcare, and work in 15 minutes or less on foot or by bicycle.
If you’re interested in concepts such as the 15-minute city, you should consider an urban planning course.
With an online urban planning course, you won’t have to attend in-person lectures or tutorials. This flexibility is essential if you’re working while studying, because you can fit your coursework around your other commitments.
Enrolling in an online course through Open Universities Australia also allows you to choose how many subjects you complete per study period, meaning you can enjoy your course at a slower pace or speed towards your qualification.
There are a lot of reasons to study your course online through us.
- You can enrol without entry requirements
We have a unique open-door policy that makes it possible for everyone to enrol in university study, no matter their academic history. If you don’t meet the entry requirements for a degree, we’ll help you get in through single undergraduate subjects and transition into a qualification from there. - You have total control over how you study
Upskill without committing to a whole degree upfront. Or enrol in a full degree, but take it a subject at a time. We’ll introduce you to flexible study options you didn’t even know about, so you can fit uni around what matters to you. - You’ll graduate with the same qualification as an on-campus student
Once you enrol through us, you’ll study online with the university that provides your degree. This means that when you complete your qualification, you’ll graduate with the same degree as on-campus students. - We’ll help you navigate the university world
Our friendly student advisors will be your guide every step of the enrolment journey. They'll help you compare universities, choose a course, provide documentation and understand your finance options.
- You can enrol without entry requirements
As an urban planner, you’ll play a critical role in the future direction of your town, city, or region. Urban planners work for a range of employers, including:
- Federal and state government
- Cities and councils
- Private companies
- Non-government organisations
Once you’ve completed a course in urban planning, you can look forward to working in fields including:
- Town planning
- Urban and regional planning
- Urban design
- Spatial planning
- Transport planning
- Traffic planning
- Social or community planning
- Environmental consulting
- Heritage conservation
- Policy development
Enrol in a single subject to get a taste of the content for any qualification you’re interested in. The subjects available through us are covered by HELP funding, which means eligible students aren’t obligated to pay for their studies upfront.
Or book a free phone consultation with a student advisor to discuss your available study options. We’ll help you find the course that suits you best.
Before starting an enrolment, it’s important to read the entry requirements for your chosen course to ensure that you’re eligible to apply. If you don’t quite meet the requirements, we may be able to help you find a pathway into your course through open-entry subjects, which anyone can study.
Chat with us to find out more.
Here at Open Universities Australia, we make enrolling online as straightforward as possible. To get started, find the course for you by browsing the options on this page. You can also compare different qualifications using our handy comparison tool, or request help from one of our student advisors.
When you’ve made your choice, click ‘Apply now’ on the relevant course page and follow the prompts to begin your enrolment. We’ll ask you to supply some supporting documentation, including proof of your identity, your tax file number, and a unique student identifier (USI) during this process.
Your university will get in touch with you via email to confirm whether or not your application has been successful.
If you get stuck at any time, reach out to us and we’ll talk you through it.
You can also take a look at our online self-service enrolling instructions.
Student stories and study advice
What is an urban planner?
If done well, you’ll hardly notice the influence of an urban planner—but their work shapes the places around us, from public parks to train stations.
Meet Michael, our local changemaker
What does an urban planner really do? Michael breaks down the job, and what it takes to see success in the industry.
Piece together your future city with a Master of Urban and Regional Planning
The typical urban planning student is somebody who isn’t satisfied with the status quo. Are you driven to improve the built environment that surrounds you?
Determined to create a better world? Become an Urban Planner
Urban planning affects our lives in a profound way. If you're determined to improve society's everyday experience, read on.We’re here to guide you to the right uni course
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