Master of Urban Design

The Master of Urban Design (MUrbanDesign) provides an education in the design of the built environment for an era of extreme urban challenges. 

MUrbanDesign is a one-year, full-time postgraduate programme offered by the Department of Urban Planning and Design at the Faculty of Architecture of The University of Hong Kong. The programme attracts a diverse body of local and international students, most with backgrounds in architecture, landscape architecture, urban and transport planning, and related disciplines. MUrbanDesign graduates pursue careers as design professionals, with many of them working in the world's most dynamic metropolises.

Urban design is emerging as a distinct knowledge domain. The programme focuses on urban design challenges in Asian cities with an emphasis on international perspectives, exploring topics such as climate change and renewable energy, high-density urbanisation and livelihood, health-quality of life, green infrastructure and social cohesion, sustainable mobility and social equity. Teaching is informed by cutting edge urban design analytics research and imaginative design thinking that takes full advantage of its location in Hong Kong, a living hyper-density indoor and outdoor volumetric laboratory for urban design. Students acquire urban design skills through a combination of lectures, seminars, workshops, design studios, design reviews, and local and international field study visits. These are led by academics and practitioners in urban design, urban design analytics and related disciplines.

MUrbanDesign is accredited by the Hong Kong Institute of Urban Design (HKIUD) and the UK's Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) under its specialism scheme. The programme spans 3 semesters, and is equivalent to a European master's degree measured by the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (90 ECTS).  Upon completing the MUrbanDesign programme, graduates are entitled to a two-year IANG working visa which can be extended by employers.

For applicants who satisfy admissions criteria for both the MUrbanDesign and Master of Science in Urban Planning programmes, there is an option of applying for admission to both programmes and completing both degrees in a period of 2.5 years, instead of 3 years. MSc(Urban Planning) is fully recognised by the Hong Kong Institute of Planners (HKIP), Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI), and Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT).

The programme welcomes Asian Development Bank – Japan Scholarship Programme applicants, and Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program (JJ/WBGSP) applicants.