Property Development and Planning MSc
- Level(s) of Study: Postgraduate taught
- Start Date(s): September 2025
- Duration: One year full-time or two years part-time
- Study Mode(s): Full-time / Part-time
- Campus: City Campus
- Entry Requirements: More information
Introduction:
Our MSc Property Development and Planning course equips you with the skills to pursue a career in commercial or residential real estate development and teaches you how to navigate the planning system.
The course prepares you to oversee and manage vital parts of the process involved in property development: site identification, analysis, planning, design, viability, marketing and finance, through to leading to the delivery of a development scheme.
You'll take on applied projects, attend site visits and hear from visiting industry experts. Progress on this course will provide a thorough understanding of construction, development processes, real estate economics, valuation, appraisal, heritage and conservation and law applied to surveyors.
This course is accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) enabling you to progress to Chartered Surveyor status after graduation.
Who is this course designed for?
This course is aimed at professionals and graduates wishing to pursue a career in the property and construction industries and professions, on route to Chartered Surveyor status. It's suitable for students who don't necessarily have a background in property as it acts a fast-track conversion course for those with an unrelated undergraduate degree (or professional qualification) to obtain an accredited route into the industry.
In addition, this course is suitable for property and construction professionals who wish to specialise in planning and development.
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2nd most sustainable university in the world (UI GreenMetric World University Rankings 2023). -
NTU is ranked Top 3 in the UK for Land and Property Management (The Complete University Guide 2023). -
100% of MSc Property Development and planning full-time and sandwich graduates are in a graduate level role 15 months after finishing their degrees (latest Graduate Outcomes Survey 2020/21). -
Our flexible study options are great for part-time learners who wish to balance employment commitments with further study. Significant academic support and guidance is available for those returning to study after extended periods in employment.
What you’ll study
This course has a strong emphasis on the town-planning process and procedure, real estate development practice, and the valuation and appraisal of land and property with development potential.
The course is formed of nine modules – eight core modules and one optional. You'll be able to choose one of two optional modules, offering the opportunity to pursue research or to undertake a work placement in industry.
Your modules total 180 credit points. The modules' credit points are weighted based on the total time you can expect to spend studying the module content, both in terms of contact hours and non-contact hours.
Some of these modules are shared with other Masters level property management courses.
Core modules
- Construction and Planning
- Real Estate Valuation and Appraisal
- Law for Surveyors
- Property and Construction Economics
- Planning Practice
- Professional Practice
- Development Practice
- Heritage and Conservation
Optional modules
- Postgraduate Dissertation
- Internship
Construction and Planning
15 credit points
- This module will introduce you to principle aspects of professional practice and help you to develop key professional skills, and a critical appreciation and evaluative understanding of professional and technical subjects within the general fields of real estate.
- In particular, the module will introduce you to building technology concepts and terminology, specifically with regard to: new and traditional residential and low rise multi-story construction; and key aspects of land use and the Town and Country Planning system.
Real Estate Valuation and Appraisal
- This module will enable you to develop your knowledge, understanding and skills of valuation and appraisal of real estate. It's concerned with both existing operational and investment properties, and development opportunities focusing on commercial property.
- It will provide you with an understanding of UK valuation and appraisal theory and practice, together with an international perspective on the topic. The valuation aspect will be concerned with estimates of market value, in accordance with international valuation standards. Investment and development appraisals will be concerned with the notion of investment value - value to the investor or developer.
- In this context, appraisal encompasses a thorough consideration of financial performance and risk analysis, and includes the application of a range of valuation and appraisal techniques.
Law for Surveyors
- This module will help you to develop knowledge and understanding of key elements of a range of legislation and legal principles relevant to the work of Chartered Surveyors and professional advisers working in the real estate and construction professions.
Property and Construction Economics
- This module will enable you to evaluate economic theory within the context of real estate and construction markets, and where necessary to propose the creation and application of alternative approaches to market analysis and evaluation.
- This module will also develop your ability to evaluate and analyse how the real estate and construction professions operate and interact within the industries.
- After studying this module, you will be able to identify and analyse industry-wide problems based on an understanding of the market structure, performance, and behaviour of the industry.
Planning Practice
- This module will allow you to critically evaluate and advise on development management and spatial planning matters in relation to land, sites and development options.
- You’ll develop the skills required to research and appraise planning information in relation to land, sites, development options and wider relevant thematic matters. You’ll also learn to offer reasoned and professional advice to a range of clients and stakeholders.
- You’ll explore, discuss and appraise planning theories, concepts and contemporary themes, with a particular focus on sustainable development and communities.
Professional Practice
- This module will draw upon the knowledge, understanding and skills you’ve developed during your studies as you critically evaluate and conduct a complex research or professional assignment.
- You’ll apply your learning and demonstrate appropriate application of technical and theoretical knowledge, understanding, frameworks and skills are required.
- This module enables you to engage with industry and will be facilitated by a period of simulated work experience.
Development Practice
- This module provides an understanding of property development at site and area-wide scale. Urban regeneration, urban extensions, and city wide developments will also be explored.
- You'll be introduced to the development industry, the development processes, and the design of schemes and their wider contexts.
Heritage and Conservation
- Focusing on the UK, but also drawing on increasing international paradigms, you will learn how to appraise culturally significant buildings and paces, consider relevant aspects of architectural history, identify construction forms, and appraise building condition.
- This module seeks to develop a greater understanding of the science of conversation materials and its relationship to building failure and appropriate repair strategies.
- Embedded within the module will be an underlying reference to the economic aspects of heritage management, together with a comprehensive understanding of the relevant legal, statutory and procedural controls.
Postgraduate Dissertation
- The aim of this module is to enable you to develop the necessary set of skills needed to compose an informed piece of writing and independently undertake a research project within recognised constraints
- It provides an opportunity for you to conduct a piece of work on your own initiative and to select a subject that holds special interest to you.
- You will be required to examine the connections between theories and principles, business or industrial practice and research in the context of your course.
Internship
- By choosing this option you will need to successfully secure an internship*, and complete a period of programme relevant work experience (minimum 150 hours).
- As part of this you will be required to complete an associated research-based enquiry examining connections between theories, principles and practice; business, commercial, industrial, and professional practice and research, in the context of your course and field of internship.
- Your Practice Research Enquiry will be reported in the form of a professional report; it is expected that this report will be underpinned by rigorous and critical examination of literature within the field. This enquiry may be based around a topic that has been pre-identified and possibly partly pre-constructed in your internship environment, and framed around an issue of organisational relevance to the internship provider.
- Key relevant data may be readily available from or through the internship and the outcome of the study may well have direct relevance to the internship provider (although this is not a requirement). It is important to note that this study will require a focused critical literature review, and critical consideration of methodological choices, options and approaches. You will be required to specify the nature of your research enquiry at a formative stage of the investigation through the submission of a Practice Research Enquiry Proposal.
*You will receive support in sourcing a placement through our Employability team, however it is your responsibility to source and secure your internship opportunity with a relevant company. Availability of internships is not guaranteed. If an internship cannot be secured, then you will be required to complete the Postgraduate Dissertation / Consultancy Project module instead.
It is the responsibility of non-UK students to investigate the restrictions of their student visa when seeking internship opportunities and/or employment in the UK. Visit the UKCISA website for the most up-to-date visa information.
Don’t just take our word for it, hear from our students themselves
An accredited route to your new career
How you’re taught
How will I learn?
A wide range of teaching and learning methods are used to deliver the course content. In most modules, you'll take part in intensive sessions of key point lectures, supported by study guides, case studies and other literature. Many modules include presentations by external industry specialists and visits to live sites, to provide a real life perspective on the module content. Previous guest speakers have included Cushman & Wakefield, Savills, the President of RICS and the Head of Estates for Rolls Royce Industries.
Non-contact hours include direct out-of-classroom reading and activities, and independent learning and reading is deemed necessary to achieve the learning outcomes for the course.
Study trips
Field trips and study visits are an important part of your learning. You will have the opportunity to go on a field trip as part of your studies, previous destinations have included Barcelona and Malta.
Other trips may include site visits and visits to practices, museums, exhibitions and events. Optional trips may also be organised which can provide additional opportunities to enhance your knowledge and experience. Optional trips will incur a cost to the student. A valid passport and any associated visas will be required for trips outside of the UK. Where there are unforeseen circumstances outside of our control, trips may not run.
How you’re assessed
Assessment methods include project work, independent assignments and reports, exams, work portfolios and presentations.
Assignments are investigative in nature, enabling you to develop your principles, analyse, critically appraise and evaluate relevant issues, demonstrating your creativity and sustainable thinking.
Careers and employability
This course provides an opportunity for graduates from disciplines unrelated to real estate and construction to embark on a professional career inreal estate, property management and development.
Where do MSc Property Development and Planning graduates from NTU work?
Our graduates are highly regarded by employers, enjoy excellent career prospects and have gone on to work for a wide range of major national and international organisations.
100% of MSc Property Development and planning full-time and sandwich graduates are in a graduate level role 15 months after finishing their degrees (latest Graduate Outcomes Survey 2020/21).
Recent graduate destinations include:
- LendLease
- Knight Frank
- Cushman & Wakefield
- Savills
- Verdi Aspinall
- Innes England
- Various planning authorities
- Blueprint/Igloo Regeneration
- Pegasus Care
- Clowes Developments
Roles include development consultant, real estate investment agent, planning consultant, valuation surveyor, director and property manager.
Becoming Chartered with the RICS
The RICS accreditation enables you to progress to Chartered Surveyor status once you have completed your studies. To become a Chartered Surveyor, you'll need to complete at least two years of relevant professional work experience – the Assessment of Professional Competence (APC).
This course will prepare you for future employment in a number of the RICS APC pathways. Find out more about how to complete your APC and become RICS qualified.
Internships
If you elect to complete the optional Internship module as part of the course, it is your responsibility to source and secure your internship opportunity with a relevant company. You will receive support through our expert Employability team, however availability of internships is not guaranteed.
It is the responsibility of non-UK students to investigate the restrictions of their student visa when seeking internship opportunities and/or employment in the UK. Visit the UKCISA website for the most up-to-date visa information.
Our Employability team
Our expert Employability team will work closely with you at every stage of your career planning, providing personal support and advice. You can benefit from this service at any time during your studies, and for up to three years after completing your course.
Throughout the year, our Employability team runs a series of events specifically for students studying in the School of Architecture, Design and the Built Environment. This includes the Built Environment Jobs Fair, where employers advertise graduate positions to our students.
NTU Enterprise
You'll also have the opportunity to turn your ideas into a viable business with help from NTU Enterprise, NTU's purpose-built Centre for Entrepreneurship and Enterprise, a support centre to help students create, develop and grow their own businesses.
Re:search Re:imagined
To us, research is about more than writing papers and proposing new ideas. By daring to think differently, we’re disrupting the research landscape and finding the answers to the questions that really matter. From mortgage markets to real estate economics, we’re inspiring the brightest minds to rise up and find solutions to some of the most significant global challenges facing society.
Find out more: ntu.ac.uk/research
Campus and facilities
City Campus facilities
Many of your lectures and seminars will take place in the Newton building on our City Campus.
Industry standard software
You will have the opportunity to use and familiarise yourself with our industry-standard software, including:
- digital mapping
- development appraisal
- property and environmental risk information
- industry-standard information systems and databases.
IT resources
Our IT resource rooms and PC clusters are distributed across our City Campus, with PCs providing access to Microsoft Office, email, web browsing, networked file storage and high-speed online printing services, with a free printing allowance for each student.
Resource rooms are available 24 hours a day.
Books and library resources
Our state-of-the-art Boots library will give you access to an extensive and diverse range of books and periodicals that focus on specialist areas within the built environment. The library's OneSearch system provides access to all our electronic resources, journals and books.
Within the library there is a liaison librarian who has specialist subject knowledge and can offer detailed help in finding and using print and electronic resources, and also with areas such as Harvard referencing and research skills.
Entry requirements
Applying with prior qualifications
- 2.2 honours degree in a subject unrelated, or partially related, to real estate and construction.
We specify these minimum entry requirements, but we will assess you individually on your ability to benefit from the course. We sometimes offer places on the basis of non-standard entry qualifications, and industrial or professional experience.
Advanced entry
NTU may admit a student with advanced standing beyond the beginning of a course, through an assessment of that student's prior learning, whether it is certificated or uncertificated. Our Recognition of Prior Learning and Credit Transfer Policy outlines the process and options available to these prospective students, such as recognising experiential learning or transferring to a similar course at another institution, otherwise known as credit transfer.
All prospective students who wish to apply via Recognition of Prior Learning should initially contact the central Admissions and Enquiries Team who will be able to support you through the process.
Getting in touch
If you need any more help or information, please contact us at Ask NTU or call +44 (0)115 848 4200.
Getting in touch
If you need more help or information, get in touch through our enquiry form
Applying with prior qualifications
- Bachelor's degree grade 2.2 in a subject unrelated, or partially related, to real estate or construction.
- If you’re not sure how your international qualification matches our course requirements please visit our international qualifications page.
We specify these minimum entry requirements, but we will assess you individually on your ability to benefit from the course. We sometimes offer places on the basis of non-standard entry qualifications, and industrial or professional experience.
International qualifications
We accept qualifications from all over the world – check yours here:
Postgraduate preparation courses (Pre-Masters)
If you don’t yet meet our entry requirements, we offer Pre-Masters courses through our partner Nottingham Trent International College (NTIC), based on our City Campus:
English language entry requirements
You can meet our language requirements by successfully completing our pre-sessional English course for an agreed length of time, or by submitting the required grade in one of our accepted English language tests, such as IELTS:
Would you like some advice on your study plans?
Our international teams are highly experienced in answering queries from students all over the world. We also have members of staff based in Vietnam, China, India and Nigeria and work with a worldwide network of education counsellors.
Complete this simple form to keep in touch with the International Office.
Fees and funding
Fees for 2025 entry
| Study route | Home (UK students) fees |
|---|---|
| Full-time (1 year) | £12,150 per year |
| Part-time (cost per year of study) | £6,075 per year |
Please note that if you are considering a course that runs over more than one year, the tuition fee stated is for the first year of study. The course fee for the second year may be subject to annual review.
Alumni discount and scholarships
We're happy to offer a 20% alumni discount to most current NTU students and NTU alumni between September 2025 and August 2026. This discount is available for those starting on an eligible postgraduate taught, postgraduate research or professional course.
You might be able to get a scholarship to help fund your studies. We award scholarships to those students who can demonstrate excellent achievement, passion and dedication to their studies.
Find out more about our discount and scholarships.
Funding your studies
There are numerous sources of funding available for postgraduate students, both from external sources such as the Government and funding bodies, and from the University.
There are two main costs involved with postgraduate study: the cost of your tuition fees which is paid directly to the University, and living expenses such as accommodation, travel and food.
You might be able to get a scholarship to help fund your studies. We award scholarships to those students who can demonstrate excellent achievement, passion and dedication to their studies.
Please take a look at our postgraduate funding page for information about sourcing grants, bursaries and scholarships, and much more.
Additional costs
In addition, most study modules will recommend one or more core text books, which most students choose to purchase. Book costs vary between courses and further information is available in the University’s bookshop. A good supply of these essential text books are available in the University libraries which students can easily borrow or access directly whilst studying in the library.
Getting in touch
For more advice and guidance, you can contact our Student Financial Support Service by calling +44 (0)115 848 2494.
Fees for 2025 entry
| Study route | EU and International fees |
|---|---|
| Full-time (1 year) | £17,850 per year |
| Part-time (cost per year of study) | £8,925 per year |
*Please note that if you are considering a course that runs over more than one year, the tuition fee stated is for the first year of study. The course fee for the second year may be subject to annual review.
Alumni discount and scholarships
We're happy to offer a 20% alumni discount to most current NTU students and NTU alumni for courses starting between September 2025 and August 2026. This discount is available for those starting on an eligible postgraduate taught, postgraduate research or professional course.
You might be able to get a scholarship to help fund your studies. We award scholarships to those students who can demonstrate excellent achievement, passion and dedication to their studies.
We also offer international scholarships of up to 50% of your tuition fee. You can apply for your scholarship when you have an offer to study at NTU.
Find out more about our discounts and scholarships.
Additional costs
In addition, most study modules will recommend one or more core text books, which most students choose to purchase. Book costs vary between courses and further information is available in the University’s bookshop. A good supply of these essential text books are available in the University libraries which students can easily borrow or access directly whilst studying in the library.
Living costs
Get advice on the cost of living as an international student in Nottingham and how to budget:
Paying fees
Find out about advanced payments, instalment plan options and how to make payments securely to the University:
Would you like some advice on your study plans?
Our international teams are highly experienced in answering queries from students all over the world. We also have members of staff based in Vietnam, China, India and Nigeria and work with a worldwide network of education counsellors.
Complete this simple form to keep in touch with the International Office.
How to apply
Applications to this course can be made through our NTU Applicant Portal.
You can get more information and advice about applying to NTU on our postgraduate pages.
Writing your application
Be honest, thorough and persuasive in your application. Remember, we can only make a decision based on what you tell us. Make sure you include as much information as possible, including uploading evidence of results already achieved, as well as a personal statement.
Advice for non-standard applicants
We welcome applications from applicants without prior qualifications. However, in this instance, you must have proven experience in the property or construction industries, which demonstrates appropriate knowledge and skills at honours degree (undergraduate) standard.
If you are applying without prior qualifications, you will need to submit comprehensive details of your achievements with evidence to substantiate your claim (any documentation can be uploaded to the My Documents section of the Applicant Portal). This type of application will be considered with respect to the University’s provision for ‘accreditation for prior experiential learning’. Decisions regarding the accreditation of prior learning are a matter of academic judgement.
Keeping up to date
After you’ve applied, we’ll be sending you important emails throughout the application process - so check your emails regularly, including your junk mail folder.
Getting in touch
If you need more help or support, you can call our Admissions Team on +44 (0)115 848 4200, or contact us at Ask NTU.
If you are interested in joining us in September 2025, this course will be open for applications through the applicant portal from September 2024. Courses starting in January 2026 will be open for applications from July 2025.
Good luck with your application!
Apply online through our NTU Applicant Portal.
Application advice
Apply early so that you have enough time to prepare – processing times for Student visas can vary, for example. After you've applied, we'll be sending you important emails throughout the application process – so check your emails regularly, including your junk mail folder.
Writing your personal statement
Be honest, thorough, and persuasive – we can only make a decision about your application based on what you tell us:
Would you like some advice on your study plans?
Our international teams are highly experienced in answering queries from students all over the world. We also have members of staff based in Vietnam, China, India and Nigeria and work with a worldwide network of education counsellors.
Complete this simple form to keep in touch with the International Office.