Master in Urban Studies: Urban Business and Development - Real Estate and Transport

Rapid urban development poses both possibilities and challenges that can be seen across the world. Urban development is driven by a large number of stakeholders and interests, not least within the real estate and transport sectors, as well as public and non-governmental organisations. The programme specifically addresses the role and interaction of different stakeholders as well as institutional perspectives on the development of sustainable and liveable cities. The education is interdisciplinary with a basis in economics, business administration, and economic geography.

The programme is built around international research environments at the Department of Urban Studies. Education, as well as research, is conducted to have high policy relevance and both often actively involve stakeholders from the business or public sector. The department has close cooperations with stakeholders in the transport and real estate sectors, as well as with local and regional policymakers. The teaching staff includes researchers involved in research projects with for example K2-Swedish Knowledge Centre for Public Transport and CFFF (Centre for Real Estate Business). The programme also incorporates aspects from the research about Smarts Cities and Smart Transport carried out at the University’s Department of Computer Science and Media Technology. 

Programme structure

The first two semesters of the programme take place on campus, where courses will provide students with an understanding of the perspectives of different stakeholders and how different urban and technological challenges influences their work. During the second semester, you can choose to focus on one of the following specialisations depending on your interest: 

• Real estate development and housing
• Transport and infrastructure
• Land use and policy
• Regional development

During the third semester, you can choose between studying abroad at one of Malmö University’s 250 partner universities, taking freestanding courses at Malmö University, or doing an internship in a research project. The second year concludes with a master's thesis (30 credits). 

Your future career

Urban development requires a broad knowledge of economic perspectives of societal challenges such as transport and property development, as well as deepened insights into innovative processes. These perspectives are important to understand the driving forces behind urbanisation, and to understand spatial development within and between cities and regions. After graduation, you will have a unique understanding of how such challenges affect cities and regions, making you qualified to work with these issues across sectors. Students will be of interest for the private sector in various consultancy firms or bigger construction companies, as well as in the public authorities at a local, regional and national level. The programme also provides a solid basis for PhD studies.

Selection

Once you have completed your application with your academic credentials and English proficiency, you also need to submit a supporting document. 

For students applying in the first application round, the supporting document must be uploaded to universityadmissions.se by February 1. 

Supporting documents submitted after this date will not be accepted.

To complete your application, follow the following steps:

• Create an account and apply to the programme via universityadmissions.se/antagning.se.
• Upload your documentation as a pdf on universityadmissions.se/antagning.se or send the document by post. You will need to demonstrate both a bachelor's degree and English proficiency to be considered eligible for the programme. Applicants in their final year, who will receive their diploma before the programme starts, can also apply but must follow specific instructions.
• The supporting document must be uploaded to universityadmissions.se/antagning.se by the deadline, February 1 for students applying in the first admission round.

Entry requirements

Bachelor's degree, consisting of 180 credits. The equivalent of English B/ English 6 in Swedish secondary school.

Organisation

Urban Studies: Urban Business and Development - Real Estate and Transport is the master’s program for students that aspire for a future career in developing and managing attractive and sustainable cities. The program is multidisciplinary in its’ content but with a basis in Business Administration, Economics and Economic Geography. These perspectives are important to understand the driving forces behind urbanisation, and to understand spatial development within and between cities and regions. Real estate and transport and the services they generate are key factors to a viable integration of cities and regions.

The functioning of cities evolves through collaboration and co-operation of various stakeholders, in private as well as in the public sector. The economic perspectives in the program provide an understanding of the different incentives that drive the development of sustainable cities. It includes business development as well as social developments.

The program provides students with the competence and analytical tools required to analyse and critically assess objectives in urban development, such as new business models and development projects. They can work in private, public and non-governmental organisations that have different roles in contributing to the integration and development of cities and regions. Students can also continue with an academic career by entering into research education when they finished the program.

Semester 1 and 2 are dedicated to mandatory courses within the main field of Urban Studies. During semester 3 students can choose to specialise by taking courses at universities abroad (exchange studies), elective courses at the department of Urban Studies or apply for a research internship. These courses do not need to be within the field of Urban Studies.

Learning outcomes

Knowledge and understanding

For a Degree of Master (120 credits) the student shall:

• demonstrate knowledge and understanding in the main field of study, including both broad knowledge of the field and a considerable degree of specialised knowledge in certain areas of the field as well as insight into current research and development work, and
• demonstrate specialised methodological knowledge in the main field of study.

Competence and skills

For a Degree of Master (120 credits) the student shall:

• demonstrate the ability to critically and systematically integrate knowledge and analyse, assess and deal with complex phenomena, issues and situations even with limited information
• demonstrate the ability to identify and formulate issues critically, autonomously and creatively as well as to plan and, using appropriate methods, undertake advanced tasks within predetermined time frames and so contribute to the formation of knowledge as well as the ability to evaluate this work
• demonstrate the ability in speech and writing both nationally and internationally to clearly report and discuss his or her conclusions and the knowledge and arguments on which they are based in dialogue with different audiences, and
• demonstrate the skills required for participation in research and development work or autonomous employment in some other qualified capacity.

Judgement and approach

For a Degree of Master (120 credits) the student shall

• demonstrate the ability to make assessments in the main field of study informed by relevant disciplinary, social and ethical issues and also to demonstrate awareness of ethical aspects of research and development work
• demonstrate insight into the possibilities and limitations of research, its role in society and the responsibility of the individual for how it is used, and
• demonstrate the ability to identify the personal need for further knowledge and take responsibility for his or her ongoing learning.