The programme offers a varied set of courses (obligatory and elective), seminars, working groups sessions, and a series of guest lectures by internationally well-known scholars. Furthermore, you conduct your own research project (thesis) in which you apply theories and social scientific research methods to examine urban governance issues.
Mode of education
The programme provides courses and training in real-life settings giving an opportunity to learn and practice scientific and managerial skills. It includes a variety of teaching methodologies aimed at the interaction between teachers and students, between students and practitioners and between students themselves.
Next to general lectures given by leading scholars in the field, pedagogical games such as action planning, fieldwork and excursions are part of the teaching methods. The courses provide the most recent theoretical and empirical insights into urban governance. Practical and professional skills are developed in urban governance labs, including working group sessions and seminars. Inspirational guest lectures enable knowledge and experience transfer from experts in the field. The urban governance labs are further used to build group identity among the students.
Why study Master Urban Governance
This Master’s specialisation is part of the MSc in Public Administration of the Erasmus University Rotterdam. A unique asset of this Master’s specialisation is the collaboration between the Department of Public Administration (Erasmus School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, ESSB) and the Institute of Housing and Urban Development Studies Opens external(IHS).
"This new Master’s specialisation offers an opportunity to learn how to develop innovative urban policies and appropriate management strategies."
Ingmar van Meerkerk
Programme coordinator
What is this specialisation about?
Cities are complex, challenging and fast-growing. They are major economic and development drivers that generate vast amounts of wealth and are home to more than half of the world’s population (estimated to be closer to 70% by 2050). They are at the heart of cultural, social and political innovation and play a key role in discovering answers to societal issues such as sustainability, poverty, inequality, housing, migration, social segregation and urban growth in a just way. Sustainable governance policies are crucial to securing global resilience to these issues and to secure the well-being of people who live inside and outside of cities.
Cities require competent managers who are able to develop and implement innovative policies to tackle these issues. They need experts who understand the importance of involving the community in urban governance and decision-making, who are able to employ cross-jurisdiction solutions to land and environmental issues, who drive the sustainable economic development of cities while protecting the public interest, and who oversee the development of international, public and non-profit organisations.
Within the governance of cities, governments do not act alone but rather involve a variety of public, private and social actors with their own interests during the process of urban development. The MSc in Urban Governance offers insight into this “new way of governing” and seeks to equip students with expertise in public administration, political sciences, urban economy, sociology and urban planning. Students will learn how to analyse urban governance issues and will develop specific skills and strategies for the management and design of urban governance processes that enable stakeholders to effectively and legitimately deal with various issues.
Why choose this programme?
Benefit from the knowledge of two renowned partners: The Department of Public Administration, which has an excellent reputation in interactive governance and public management (#3 in the 2021 Shanghai Academic RankingOpens external of World Universities on Public Administration), and IHS, honoured in 2007 with the UN-HABITAT Award for ‘leading the way as a global centre of excellence and knowledge through its high-quality teaching programmes in urban management and planning’ and which has over 60 years of experience in educating and training local and national governments officials.
Follow courses and lectures offered by leading scholars and active urban policy advisors in the field of urban governance.
Join in our interactive urban governance labs where you will use your theoretical knowledge to solve real-life examples of urban governance issues.
Prepare for your career and network during your project work and field visits to local stakeholders such as the Port of Rotterdam, Housing Associations or the Municipality of Rotterdam.
Gain knowledge of current trends, topics, innovations and tools from various disciplines in the field of urban governance (such as the circular economy, place-making, co-production, self-organisation, etc.)
Apply and develop your knowledge globally by learning from international case studies, staff and classmates.
Conducting your own research (thesis) using social scientific, research methods.
Take the unique opportunity to conduct your thesis abroad within our partner network.
Factsheet summary
Official CROHO name: Public Administration
Programme name: Urban Governance
Instruction language: English
Type: Master
Duration: 1 year
Location: Campus Woudestein, Rotterdam
