TEF Gold Undergraduate course Planned new course

BSc (Hons)

Environmental Planning and Design

On this course, you’ll explore how to plan and design sustainable solutions to real environmental challenges. You’ll gain the knowledge and skills to shape better places for people and nature, and make a real, positive impact.

Our typical offer

104 UCAS points

Real‑world project briefs

This course uses a studio‑based approach, where you’ll work on real‑world projects both in the studio and out in the field. You'll engage with a variety of authentic scenarios, guided by staff and industry professionals from the planning and design sector.

Student-centred learning

With small class sizes and personalised support, you’ll learn through teaching that draws on different subject areas and offers wide‑ranging opportunities to gain real experience across the sector.

Industry-informed

You’ll benefit from the strong industry connections of our staff, including links with employers and practising planners. The course is supported by a Professional Advisory Group and offers guest talks, site visits and professional networking opportunities.
BSc (Hons) Environmental Planning and Design
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About

  • HJoin this course from September 2027

Environmental Planning and Design allows you to understand, and help tackle, some of the biggest challenges facing towns, cities and rural areas today. These include providing new homes, jobs and infrastructure, responding to climate change, and creating places that support people’s health and wellbeing. You’ll also explore social challenges, such as reducing inequality and improving access to important services and facilities.
As an environmental planner, you’ll learn how decisions are made in the public interest and how planning can drive positive change in everyday life. This means balancing different needs, thinking ahead about future development, and protecting what matters now – such as valued landscapes and vital natural resources including nature, air and water.
This three‑year degree gives you the practical skills and knowledge needed to develop creative, evidence‑based solutions that benefit people, places and the environment. You’ll learn how to prepare plans and policies, work with communities and stakeholders, and support the design and delivery of real projects on the ground. Alongside this you'll explore how to assess the potential impacts of plans and developments, and how to avoid or reduce negative effects through thoughtful, well‑designed solutions.
ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½¹Ù·½ÍøÕ¾ student taking a photo while visiting the Millennium Cinema site currently being renovated by Nudge Community Builders.
 
 
 

This course is for you if...

you want to contribute to making successful and sustainable places that can deliver for the environment and society
Hand holding trees
you are looking for a friendly and supportive teaching environment with hands-on career support
Three heads with hands holding them depicting community
you thrive in real-world, non-exam-based assessments
Clipboard with two items ticked
you want to develop high-demand specialist and transferable skills in environmental planning and design
Tower block with plant outside

Details

Year 1

From day one, you’ll start developing the core skills planners need. Through visits to locations in and around the city, you’ll learn how to assess sites and landscapes, collect and analyse data, and communicate planning challenges to different audiences. You’ll build digital skills, including using geographic information systems (GIS), alongside key strengths in communication, negotiation and advocacy. You’ll explore what shapes the character of places and how planning can create positive change across a range of spatial scales, and will be encouraged to develop design ideas for a redevelopment site in ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½¹Ù·½ÍøÕ¾. Through the studio project, you’ll develop creative, practical ideas to improve places and support new development.
 
A visit to the Newton Ferrers Yealm solar farm in South Devon to explore the planning issues related to the siting of renewable energy infrastructure in an area of outstanding natural beauty.

Core modules

BLDG405
Built Environment Project 1 20 credits

This module encourages students to implement the knowledge in construction technologies as well as the team working, time management and graphical representation skills developed in the course. It involves designing a domestic building according to a realistic brief set by a client in a collaborative and multidisciplinary exercise, where each student assumes different roles, including building surveyor, construction manager, building services engineer, and architectural engineer.

100% Coursework

GEES1102
People and Place 20 credits

Places matter! Places locate us on the planet; they are where we live our lives; and they are imagined, used and contested in different ways. Drawing on local fieldwork and a fascinating range of lecture topics, learn why places are important to people and the study of geography. Studying local, national and international issues, you will develop observational skills and new ways of thinking about the world around you.

50% Coursework

50% Remotely delivered assessments

GEES1106
Our Digital Planet 20 credits

Explore the biggest challenges facing our planet today and discover how data analysis and visualisation can drive real-world solutions. You will be introduced to data analysis, GIS, and cartographic techniques through engaging, hands-on examples. You will develop essential skills while tackling pressing issues. You will receive personalised support from your tutor to help you excel at university-level study.

50% Coursework

50% Tests

GEES1301
Environment and Society 20 credits

Discover how people, organisations, and communities drive environmental management and sustainability in this engaging module. Through local case studies, explore key concepts like environmental narratives, consumption, behaviour, and leadership for change. See how action happens at every scale, from global to local, and how today's choices shape the future. Gain the knowledge to make a real impact on our planet.

50% Coursework

50% Practicals

PLG1001
Appraising Sites and Landscapes

Planners work at various scales and plan and manage different environments, from seascapes and natural landscapes, down to neighbourhoods, streets and individual buildings. Through this module, you'll develop the necessary skills and knowledge for appraising and understanding these different environments, allowing you to appreciate their qualities and to prescribe solutions for their protection, management or development.

PLG1002
Planning for Growth and the Blue Economy

Planning and managing growth are important goals for planners and this module explores how economic performance can be measured, and how it can vary by location. You'll also be tasked to explore data around economic performance and work collaboratively to present a business case, complete with design ideas and supporting analysis, for a regeneration strategy capable of accelerating sustainable, inclusive economic growth.

PLG1003
Professional Development and Practice

Through this module, you'll appreciate how planning has evolved as a discipline and as a professional activity. You'll explore the work that planners do, the range of employers that recruit planners today, and the type of knowledge, skills and behaviours that planners are expected to have. You'll be introduced to the work of the professional institute, explore award winning projects and develop your professional network.

Year 2

In your second year, you’ll build on the skills from your first year by exploring the needs, challenges and options for planning and designing urban and rural areas. You’ll learn about core planning activities, including creating policy and developing and assessing site proposals, with the ability to explore the planning of transport or the pursuit of zero-carbon construction. Your studio project will focus on designing sustainable places, including producing a green and blue infrastructure strategy with practical design solutions. You’ll also strengthen your digital and research skills in preparation for your final year dissertation, develop the professional qualities planners need, and receive support to gain relevant work experience through an internship or placement.
 
Planning Studio

Core modules

GEES2000
Placement Preparation 0 credits

This module explores the role of placements, work experience and volunteering for enhancing employability whilst at university and as a future graduate. It considers placement options (types, durations) and supports students in developing applications and preparing for interviews.

GEES2001
Designing Research for a Changing Planet 20 credits

Further your understanding of the ways of thinking and practicing characteristic of your degree and apply new skills through the development of an independent research project. You'll develop key employability skills and tackle team challenges based on real workplace scenarios. Be empowered to take part in original research with one-to-one advice on a topic of your choice to prepare for your dissertation.

60% Coursework

40% Practicals

GEES2103
Urban Planning, Design and Security 20 credits

Gain an understanding about how planning, design and security play a crucial part in shaping the geographies of urban places. Appreciate the evolution and practice of urban planning, design and security across a range of global contexts, including contemporary challenges in the built environment related to housing demand, heritage conservation, place-making and liveability.

50% Coursework

50% Practicals

GEES2308
Principles and Professional Skills in Environmental Science and Management 20 credits

What does it mean to be an environmental specialist? In this module you’ll explore the different ways of investigating the environment and learn about the ideas that shape environmental research. With a strong focus on practical skills, problem-solving and professional reporting you’ll explore how your learning connects to your own research activities on fieldwork and in your dissertation, and to your future career path.

50% Coursework

50% Remotely delivered assessments

PLG2001
Strategic Planning and Design

Through this studio module, you'll be introduced to the principles of strategic planning and design through a teamwork project to create a community of the future. You'll need to consider the type of homes, services and infrastructure that will be required for maximising the health and well-being of your future residents, and you'll need to ensure that your scheme is environmentally responsible.

Optional modules

BLDG515
Common Challenge: Built Environment 20 credits

This module encourages students to implement the knowledge in construction technologies as well as the team working, time management and graphical representation skills developed in the course. It involves designing a framed and complex building, or a specific building element contained in it, according to a realistic brief set by a client in a collaborative and multidisciplinary exercise, where each student assumes different construction roles.

100% Coursework

GEES2002
Research Design in Action: Fieldwork for a Changing Planet 20 credits

Enhance your subject understanding by putting your research skills into action and immersing yourself in fieldwork. Explore real-world challenges in dynamic landscapes and engage with diverse communities in a range of exciting destinations. Work in a team to design and lead your own project, gaining practical experience that underpins your degree programme and advances your professional development.

50% Coursework

50% Practicals

GEES2101
Nature, Country and Society 20 credits

What does nature really mean - and who gets to decide? This thought-provoking module invites you to explore how different societies understand and interact with the natural world. From global case studies to everyday experiences, you’ll uncover how ideas of 'nature' and 'the rural' are shaped by history, politics, and identity - and why these ideas matter in today’s world.

100% Coursework

GEES2108
Geographical Information Systems 20 credits

Dive into the exciting world of GIS with this hands-on module. You'll master the theory, methods, and spatial literacy needed to analyse real-world geographic data. Through interactive lectures and practical sessions, you'll explore geospatial data handling and cutting-edge spatial analysis and visualisation techniques. Develop valuable skills through project work, gaining the experience to tackle real-world challenges.

50% Coursework

50% Tests

Optional placement year

You can choose to take an optional placement year, giving you the chance to apply your environmental planning and design skills in a real workplace and gain valuable industry experience. You’ll be supported in finding the right placement through our employability service, with specialist workshops and tutorials in your second year to help you prepare for your time in industry.
Ole Petter Løtvedt and Ida Kastell, MSc Planning graduates in 2015, now working as planners in Bergen municipality, Norway

Core modules

BLDG609
Built Environment Project 3 20 credits

This is primarily a student led project module encouraging the integration of knowledge and skills developed on the programme. The module involves applied research and undertaking a realistic professional commission in a collaborative and multidisciplinary exercise, where each student is required to complete those tasks relevant to the specific discipline.

100% Coursework

GEES3003
Independent Project 40 credits

Experience the full research process, from formulating a problem to presenting the outcomes, by undertaking an independent research project that tackles a real-world challenge. This is your opportunity to apply research skills and techniques, gain hands-on experience and showcase your originality while preparing for future academic or career success.

80% Coursework

20% Practicals

GEES3307
The Environmental Professional 20 credits

Develop the skills and knowledge essential for a career in the environmental sector. Engage with real-world challenges, work on industry-relevant projects, and learn from expert guest speakers. Build problem-solving, teamwork, and leadership skills while gaining hands-on experience in impact assessments, risk analysis, project pitching and stakeholder engagement. Maximise your potential for professional success.

60% Coursework

40% Practicals

PLG3001
Planning for the Energy and Water Nexus

Through this studio module, you'll be introduced to infrastructure planning through the lens of energy and water. You'll explore the drivers and emerging technologies of each sector and the type of impacts that such projects can create. You'll review proposals for a piece of nationally significant infrastructure and apply skills in research, advocacy and negotiation to create a final scheme that meets the requirements of multiple interests.

Optional modules

GEES3101
Sustainable Cities 20 credits

The world is changing, and cities, not governments, are now the most effective drivers for fighting climate change. This module examines the crucial role of cities in actioning many of the Sustainable Development Goals, and using a range of contemporary global examples, you will explore the capacities for cities to be sustainable, resilient, healthy and happy places for citizens to enjoy.

100% Coursework

GEES3109
Big Data & Spatial Analytics 20 credits

Explore the power of spatial analysis in this practical module. You’ll develop hands-on skills in data processing, management, and programming while diving into the world of big data. Learn to acquire, process, analyse, and visualise datasets through real-world examples from the natural and social sciences. Gain essential expertise and confidence, supported by data, to unlock new insights for societal challenges.

100% Coursework

Final year

In your final year, you’ll explore what it takes to make cities and environments truly sustainable, focusing on resilience and how different people and organisations should work together. You’ll choose from a range of optional modules, giving you the chance to deepen your knowledge, gain work experience, or take part in a multidisciplinary international field trip. Your individual project allows you to research a topic you care about and contribute new ideas to planning policy and practice. You’ll also build professional skills in areas such as project management and consultancy, and be introduced to impact assessment through a studio project focused on planning and designing energy and water infrastructure.
 
Team members brainstorming wind turbine designs together. 2163579783 Getty.
 
 
 
 
 
 

The modules shown for this course are those currently being studied by our students, or are proposed new modules. Please note that programme structures and individual modules are subject to amendment from time to time as part of the University’s curriculum enrichment programme and in line with changes in the University’s policies and requirements.

Experience

 
 
Throughout the course, you’ll learn through real‑world projects, fieldwork and input from guest speakers working in the sector. You’ll take part in key planning activities such as analysing places, creating visions for future development, and assessing sites. Along the way, you’ll build valuable skills in design and visual communication, project management, and data collection and analysis – preparing you for a future career in planning and related fields.
Afro-Caribbean male working with large computer screens and compute Aided design
 

Learn through fieldwork in city, rural and coastal locations

The course has been designed to reflect, and to respond to, the unique characteristics of ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½¹Ù·½ÍøÕ¾ and the wider south-west of England. 
ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½¹Ù·½ÍøÕ¾ is an exciting city to study planning, shaped by post‑war reconstruction and ongoing growth, including major city‑centre developments, new homes, infrastructure and public spaces. You’ll explore how planners respond to growth while supporting inclusive communities.
Beyond the city, fieldwork takes you into a diverse region that includes Dartmoor National Park, historic towns and villages, and working landscapes, allowing you to explore how planning balances environmental protection with economic and community needs. The region’s coastal towns, villages and marine environments present their own planning challenges. You’ll examine issues such as sustainable tourism, affordable housing, accessibility and the protection of sensitive habitats, alongside activities like fishing and marine industries.
Together, these varied locations provide a wide range of real planning challenges and opportunities to explore through hands on learning in a unique and beautiful part of the UK.
Cold and frosty morning in Dartmoor National Park, Devon
ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½¹Ù·½ÍøÕ¾ city centre from the Hoe
Bovisand Beach
 
 
 
 
 

Studio‑based learning with real‑world projects

The course is built around studio spine approach, giving you a creative base to develop ideas in a collaborative environment, while spending plenty of time working out in the field. You’ll tackle real planning challenges through practical projects linked to real clients, supported by academic staff and visiting professionals such as practising planners, developers and community organisations.
Each studio project combines lectures and workshops with hands‑on, problem‑solving tasks. You’ll then take part in an intensive project phase, often involving fieldwork, to develop your ideas and present your findings. Example projects include assessing historic areas, preparing strategies to improve green and blue spaces, supporting culture‑led regeneration, and designing ways to engage communities around major infrastructure projects.
Students and visiting design professionals taking part in portfolio surgeries in the graphic design studio
 
 
 
 

Research-informed teaching 

You’ll be taught by staff who are actively involved in research, meaning your learning is shaped by the latest ideas and evidence in environmental planning and design.
 
 
 

Meet your lecturers

Mr Nick Smith Lecturer in Spatial Planning


Lecturer in Spatial Planning

Dr Matthew Fox Lecturer in Built Environment


Lecturer in Built Environment

Dr Stephen Essex Associate Lecturer


Associate Lecturer

Show all
 
 
 

Do more of what you love – Join EnviroSoc

Make the most of your time at university by getting involved with an active and welcoming student society. The Environmental Society is open to everyone, no matter your subject, and is a fantastic way to build friendships, explore shared interests and create lasting memories through a range of social events and activities.
For environmental science students, it’s also an ideal opportunity to connect with peers beyond lectures, while staying in the loop about exciting environment-related events, field trips, guest speakers and career opportunities.
Students taking part n a beach clean.
 
 
 

Life in ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½¹Ù·½ÍøÕ¾

ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½¹Ù·½ÍøÕ¾'s maritime history and coastal location have an undeniable influence on life in the city. The walk from our main campus to the seafront is only about one mile, providing loads of opportunity to relax and unwind during your studies. You don’t need to leave the city to get to the coast!
 

The overall vibe of the city is perfect. You are by the sea so it is still laid back, but you have all the conveniences of living in a city.

Jenna
Current student

Students sitting on the Barbican
Life in the city
Discover what ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½¹Ù·½ÍøÕ¾ and its unique geographical location have to offer
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Explore your accommodation options
Discover our range of student accommodation options and find out how you can get a guaranteed place in halls
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Our large student population, active Students' Union, and abundance of student-led clubs and societies blend to create a busy and vibrant student scene

Careers

 
 
 

Professional connections

The course is closely informed by professional planning practice. A Planning Advisory Board, made up of industry professionals, helps ensure the knowledge and skills you develop reflect current practice. 
You’ll also benefit from practitioner‑led workshops and guest lectures, as well as fieldwork and employer‑supported project briefs.
The ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½¹Ù·½ÍøÕ¾ is recognised by the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) as an Accredited Planning School. This course is not currently RTPI‑accredited, but it is designed to align with professional standards and provide a strong foundation for progression within the planning profession.
 

Preparing you for your career

Planning is a global profession with opportunities across the public, private and voluntary sectors. In the UK, public sector roles include local authorities, national parks, government departments and organisations such as Homes England, the Environment Agency, Natural Resource Wales and Natural England. Private sector opportunities are available in planning and multidisciplinary consultancies, house builders and infrastructure providers, while the third sector offers roles in think tanks, charities and organisations such as the National Trust and the Campaign to Protect Rural England.
Our course will provide you with the insight and confidence to transfer your University experiences and learning into the workplace. You’ll explore the wide range of careers within environmental planning and receive support from staff to help shape your future ambitions.
 
You can choose to take an optional placement year between years two and three, gaining hands‑on experience with public, private or voluntary organisations. Alternatively, you can gain work experience alongside your studies through a work‑based learning module in your final year.
Our graduates have secured professional positions with employers including the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, the Planning Inspectorate, ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½¹Ù·½ÍøÕ¾ City Council, Cornwall Council, Arup, Lichfields, Savills, and WSP, and some have launched their own practices. Careers related to planning also include housing, tourism, economic development, regeneration, and environmental protection.
For further insight, the RTPI provides .
 

Planning in practice

Planners have a wide range of responsibilities, from creating plans and policies to developing and delivering complex proposals for new homes, jobs and infrastructure. What you do day to day depends on where you work and the challenges you’re responding to. In rural areas, planners may focus on farming, mineral extraction, protecting sensitive landscapes and providing essential infrastructure. In fast‑growing cities, planners are more likely to identify development sites, support sustainable growth, and ensure services and facilities meet local needs. Wherever you’re based, no two days are the same – you’ll work with different places, landscapes and people, and collaborate with a wide range of organisations.
Two GIS analysts point at computers screen, reviewing maps for property development projects

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

 
 
 
Tuition fees for new full-time students starting in
 2026-2027.
Full-time study
N/A per year
Module fees for repeated or part-time study
N/A per credits
Optional placement year completed in the UK
£1,955
 
Optional placement year completed outside the UK
£1,465
 
 
 

Tuition fee price changes
The Government has announced that tuition fees from Academic Year 28/29 onwards will be subject to automatic annual inflationary increases, which we believe will be at a similar rate to the recent annual increases to fees, and may continue to be inflation based. The University may increase annual tuition fees in line with the Student Contract and the maximum tuition fee caps set by the Government from time to time.
We understand that clarity around tuition fees is important when planning your studies and we advise you to monitor this page regularly to stay informed of any updates to your tuition fees.
More information about fees and costs of studying.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Tuition fees for full-time international students starting in 2026-2027 academic year.
Full-time study
N/A per year
Optional placement year completed in the UK
£1,955
 
Optional placement year completed outside the UK
£1,465
 

Tuition fee price changes
Our fees are reviewed on an annual basis. Fees and the conditions that apply to them are the most up to date but are still subject to change in exceptional circumstances. More information about fees and costs of studying.
UK Government announcement on tuition fees
The UK Government has announced that a levy on tuition fee income in the region of 6% of an international student’s tuition fees may be introduced. If implemented, the University reserves the right to increase your tuition fees accordingly. The Government has made it clear that it has not officially decided on its stance and it is possible that the eventual levy amount or arrangements may differ from the initial proposal. Therefore, the University reserves the right to adjust tuition fees in accordance with the Government’s final position on this levy.
We understand that clarity around tuition fees is important when planning your studies. Therefore, please note that the tuition fee shown on this page may change as a result of the introduction of a levy. We advise you to monitor this page regularly to stay informed of any updates to your tuition fees.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Additional costs

This course is delivered by the Faculty of Science and Engineering. Studying a course in this faculty may incur additional costs relating to field-based activities or equipment requirements. 
 

Fund your studies

As an undergraduate at ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½¹Ù·½ÍøÕ¾, there are plenty of funding options available, including tuition fee loans, living cost loans, scholarships, bursaries and support funds.
 

Supporting students with the cost of living

The cost of living in the UK has risen faster than household income, meaning that most people will have less to spend on essential goods and services. This is an ongoing situation that is likely to affect everyone in some way.
The University provides advice and guidance and has a range of services, facilities and offers to help students with rising everyday costs.
 
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Entry requirements

Our typical offer
104 UCAS points

You may be eligible for a contextual offer

Contextual offers: Typically, the contextual offer for this course is 8 points below the advertised tariff. A contextual offer is an offer to study at university that takes into account individual circumstances that are beyond your control, and that can potentially impact your learning and your exam results, or your confidence in applying to university.

Check your eligibility for a contextual offer

GCSE
All applicants must have GCSE (or equivalent) mathematics and English at grade 4/C or above.

A level
104 UCAS points, to include a minimum of 2 A levels.

BTEC
DMM

BTEC National Diploma modules
If you hold a BTEC qualification it is vital that you provide our Admissions team with details of the exact modules you have studied as part of the BTEC. Without this information, we may be unable to process your application quickly and you could experience significant delays in the progress of your application to study with us. Please explicitly state the full list of modules within your qualification at the time of application.

All Access courses
Pass Access to HE Diploma (e.g., Science, Humanities) with 33 Level 3 credits at Merit or Distinction.

T level
Merit.

International Baccalaureate
26 overall. English and Mathematics must be included.

Extended entry requirements

To be accepted onto a degree course with us, you must have a suitable English language qualification. 
 

Ready to apply?

All applications for undergraduate courses are made through UCAS.com. Please refer to the course facts below when completing your application for this course.
 
UCAS course code
K401
Institution code
P60
Duration

3 years
(+ optional placement)
Course type

Full-time
Study location
ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½¹Ù·½ÍøÕ¾
 

Entry requirements

We welcome applicants with international qualifications and we accept a range of qualifications from across the globe.
 
Our typical offer
104 UCAS points
 
 

BSearch entry requirements for your country

5
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English language requirements

To be accepted onto a degree course with us, you must have a suitable English language qualification. 
 

Ready to apply?

As an international student, you can apply for this course through UCAS or an agent in your country.
 

Need support with your application?

  • Personal statement guidance
  • student visa support
  • travel and arrival information
  • and more.
 
UCAS course code
K401
Institution code
P60
Duration

3 years
(+ optional placement)
Course type

Full-time
Study location
ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½¹Ù·½ÍøÕ¾
 
 
 

Visit us at an undergraduate on-campus open day

Open days are the best way to get a feel for studying an undergraduate degree at the ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½¹Ù·½ÍøÕ¾.
 
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