A Graduate Certificate in Urban Planning and Design is a postgraduate qualification designed to build foundational capability across urban planning, sustainable development and urban design.

The UTS Online Graduate Certificate in Urban Planning and Design develops knowledge across planning and development processes, sustainability, planning and design theory, and urban design, helping you understand how policy, development and design decisions shape cities and communities.

The UTS Online Graduate Certificate in Urban Planning and Design is designed for professionals who want to build foundational planning and urban design capability or transition into the field.

It can suit people from a range of professional backgrounds, including project management, environmental science, sustainability, law, architecture, design, property and the broader built environment.

The online course is currently available to Australian citizens and permanent residents.

Yes. You do not need a previous qualification or professional background specifically in urban planning or urban design.

The course is designed as a foundation in planning and design and can suit professionals from other disciplines who want to build capability in sustainable urban development, planning systems and urban design.

Not necessarily. A bachelor’s degree is one entry pathway, but it is not the only option.

Current entry requirements also allow applicants to be considered through eligible UTS Property Development qualifications, a relevant Graduate Certificate or Graduate Diploma plus at least one year of relevant professional experience, or relevant professional experience alone.

Applicants using professional experience currently need a minimum of three years in senior positions or five years in mid-career positions, or equivalent part-time experience, in a relevant field.

You’ll build foundational capability in sustainable urban development, planning and design theory, urban design, development processes and evidence-informed planning decisions.

The course is designed to help you understand how social, economic and environmental considerations shape urban places, communicate planning and design ideas with stakeholders, and use contemporary planning approaches and digital tools to support urban decision-making.

The UTS Online Graduate Certificate in Urban Planning and Design comprises four core subjects totalling 24 credit points:

• Property Development and Planning Process
• Sustainable Urban Development
• Planning and Design Theory and Decision Making
• Urban Design Fundamentals

Together, these subjects build a foundation across planning processes, sustainability, planning and design theory, and urban design.

Urban planning focuses on the broader systems and decisions that shape how cities and communities grow, including land use, policy, infrastructure, regulation, sustainability and long-term development.

Urban design focuses more closely on the physical form and experience of places, including streets, public spaces, neighbourhoods and the relationship between buildings and their surroundings.

The UTS Online Graduate Certificate in Urban Planning and Design introduces both perspectives so you can understand how planning frameworks and design principles work together.

Urban design focuses on the detailed physical form and experience of places, including streets, public spaces, built form and neighbourhood character.

Master planning operates at a broader strategic scale, setting a long-term framework for land use, transport, infrastructure, environmental management and the overall development of a precinct or district.

The Graduate Certificate helps you understand how detailed design decisions connect with broader planning and development frameworks.

A common way to get started is to build foundational knowledge in planning systems, land use, sustainability, urban design, development processes and stakeholder engagement.

People enter planning from many different backgrounds, including architecture, property, environmental studies, law, project management and government.

The UTS Online Graduate Certificate in Urban Planning and Design provides a structured entry point and can also lead into the Master of Urban Planning.

The UTS Online Graduate Certificate in Urban Planning and Design can be completed in a minimum of eight months.

The course comprises four online subjects totalling 24 credit points.

Yes. The course is designed for professionals who want to complete postgraduate study alongside existing work and personal commitments.

You’ll study online through structured weekly learning and can connect what you learn with contemporary planning, sustainability and urban design challenges.

How you balance work, study and personal commitments will depend on your individual circumstances, so it is important to plan for the weekly study requirements of each subject.

Yes. The UTS Online Graduate Certificate in Urban Planning and Design provides a pathway into the Master of Urban Planning.

The Graduate Certificate comprises four subjects totalling 24 credit points. If you successfully complete it and receive full credit towards the 15-subject master’s degree, you will have 11 additional subjects remaining, subject to current UTS credit rules.

The Graduate Certificate in Urban Planning and Design is a four-subject postgraduate qualification that builds a foundation across planning processes, sustainability, planning and design theory, and urban design.

The Master of Urban Planning is a 15-subject degree that develops broader professional planning capability across areas such as urban analytics, planning law, strategic planning, GIS, impact assessment, infrastructure planning, negotiation and applied urban projects.

The Graduate Certificate can be completed as a standalone qualification or used as a pathway into the master’s.

The Graduate Certificate should not be represented as the PIA-accredited professional planning qualification.

It provides a pathway into the UTS Online Master of Urban Planning, which is currently accredited by the Planning Institute of Australia (PIA).

If professional planning accreditation is important to your career goals, check the current accreditation requirements for the master’s and the roles you are considering.

You may be eligible to apply for Recognition of Prior Learning, or RPL, if your previous study or professional experience meets the relevant UTS course requirements.

UTS assesses RPL after an offer of enrolment has been accepted. The amount of credit available depends on your individual circumstances and the evidence provided.

The Graduate Certificate in Urban Planning and Design can help you build foundational capability for planning, development assessment, urban design and environmental planning roles.

Career directions identified by UTS Online include:
• Entry-level Urban Planner
• Development Assessment Officer
• Planning Assistant
• Urban Design Coordinator
• Environmental Planning Officer

Career outcomes will depend on your previous experience, professional goals and the requirements of individual employers.

Whether the course is worthwhile depends on your existing experience, career goals and the planning or design capability you want to build.

For professionals who want a shorter postgraduate qualification or a structured entry point into planning, it can provide foundational knowledge across planning, sustainability and urban design without initially committing to a full master’s degree.

It can also provide a pathway into the UTS Online Master of Urban Planning if you decide to continue your postgraduate study.

The current indicative tuition fee for the UTS Online Graduate Certificate in Urban Planning and Design (Learning and Leadership) is $18,700 in total, with an indicative fee of $4,675 per subject.

Fees are indicative and subject to change. Your total course fee may vary depending on your study plan, Recognition of Prior Learning and the fees applicable at the time of enrolment, so refer to the UTS Online fees page for the latest information.

Yes. FEE-HELP is available to eligible students studying the UTS Online Graduate Certificate in Urban Planning and Design.

FEE-HELP is an Australian Government loan scheme that can help eligible full-fee-paying students cover some or all of their tuition fees.

Eligibility requirements apply, so check the current FEE-HELP information before enrolling.

UTS Online offers six intakes per year, giving you multiple opportunities to commence the Graduate Certificate in Urban Planning and Design.

Intake dates can change from year to year, so refer to the course page for the next available intake and current application dates.

For a standard six-credit-point UTS Online subject, you should typically allow around 15–20 hours per week for study.

This can include working through weekly learning materials, completing readings and activities, participating in online discussions and preparing assessments. Your actual study time may vary depending on the subject, your previous experience and assessment deadlines.

UTS Online students generally study one subject at a time, helping you focus your study around your professional and personal commitments.

For more information, read our guide to study resources with an example study schedule.

Assessment in the UTS Online Graduate Certificate in Urban Planning and Design varies by subject and is designed to reflect practical, real-world urban planning and urban design challenges.

Depending on the subject, assessments may include written assignments, planning or design analyses, presentations, quizzes, proposals, project-based work, oral assessments and collaborative activities. Current course information states that some subjects include exams and group assignments.

Refer to the individual subject information in the UTS Handbook for current assessment details.

The UTS Online Graduate Certificate in Urban Planning and Design is delivered online through Canvas, with students studying one subject at a time through structured weekly modules. You’ll engage with practical activities, multimedia learning, peer discussions and assessments designed to connect your studies with real-world urban planning, sustainability and urban design challenges.

Throughout the course, you’ll also have access to support including:
• A dedicated Student Success Advisor
• Academic and assignment support
• UTS Career Hub resources and networking opportunities
• Peer learning and presentation support
• Confidential health and wellbeing services

Here’s a video example showcasing key features of our online learning platform, including tools designed to enhance your study experience.

Or read our tips for balancing postgraduate study with work and life: https://studyonline.uts.edu.au/blog/balancing-postgraduate-study-and-life-commitments-practical-tips-success