Master of Arts (In Planning)

The Master of Arts in Planning Programme aims to train a high caliber of professionally qualified personnel in Urban and Regional Planning. The programme provides planners with the requisite skills and specialized knowledge needed to address numerous challenges associated with rapid urbanization and resource use in Africa. The Department of Urban and Regional Planning has been a leading institution for training professional planners in the entire Eastern and Southern African region.

The regulations and syllabus for the degree of Master of Arts in Planning have recently been revised to introduce a new approach in planning and provide flexibility for candidates to pursue the course on a semester basis.

The programme incorporates theoretical foundations of planning and a strong practical and professional training, along with multi-disciplinary knowledge in planning areas, methods of research and analysis and computer application skills. The course is intended for graduates and professionals with relevant educational background and experience who wish to take up planning roles with public, private, voluntary and international agencies working at local, sub-national, national and international levels.

Philosophy of the programme

The Master of Arts In Planning programme is founded on philosophical principles that underpin the discipline of planning. It explains what planning is, why plan, how planning is carried out and the importance of planning, thus building a knowledge database on the discipline. Planning is people-centred and takes place in space. Philosophy enables a fusion of society and space. The composite of space and society needs articulated by the contemporary issues of rapid urbanization such as sprawl; urban poverty well exhibited by slums; the need for sustainable utilization of natural resources and the effects and impacts of climate change and governance.

Rationale

The rural planning and design specialization will equip students with the knowledge to effectively analyze rural challenges and plan for appropriate interventions which, when implemented will contribute to faster and sustainable rural development and slowing of the rural-urban exodus. The urban planning and design specialization is anchored on philosophy, analysis, design, and practicum, with the aim of broadening the scope of the planner in the field of urbanism and enhance the planner’s ability to intervene in the urban environment through reading, interpreting and detailing the city. It also seeks to strengthen the link between academia, professional planning practice and the built environment.

The regional planning specialization aims at training professionals that are highly grounded in theory, concepts and technical skills of development planning and management at the regional level to enhance national development vision and goals. The environment and natural resources specialization emphasizes on planning for sustainable utilisation and management of the environment and natural resources particularly land, forests, water catchment areas and water, wildlife and tourism resources, minerals, livestock and crops. The infrastructure specialisation covers planning for all travel systems and utilities.

Stakeholder Consultations

Several stakeholders through consultations were involved in the revision of the programme, these include, faculty members, alumni students, content reviewers, industry players, policy makers and other shareholders. Their contributions were incorporated at every stage of the review of this programme.

Goal of the Programme

The course emphasizes the importance of creativity, optimal utilisation of all resources, public involvement, social justice, professional ethics, and environmental sustainability. It is intended for graduates and professionals with relevant educational background and experience who wish to specialise and practice in planning at the local, urban, county, national and international levels and contribute to the attainment of Vision 2030, national constitutional goals and Africa 2063 strategy.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

By the end of the Course, the student should be able to:

(i) Demonstrate an understanding of academic, analytical and professional knowledge and skills needed to address complexities of planning and development at the rural, urban, county, regional, trans-regional and national levels.

 (ii) Demonstrate in-depth knowledge and critical understanding of the complex interactions within the natural and the built environment, institutional/organisational systems and the dynamic nature of rural, urban and regional development.     

(iii) Demonstrate enhanced student capacity to work with communities and other relevant stakeholders to formulate integrated development plans/programmes and disseminate outputs in the fields of urban and regional planning.  

 MODE OF DELIVERY

Face-to-Face Mode

The programme will adopt a dominantly virtual instruction using various techniques which include lectures, case studies, seminars and class presentations.

Blended Learning

The blended learning mode of delivery will be through e-learning that combines both face-to-face and online learning approaches.

Contacts: Telephone: 020-2319187 ; E-mail:durp@uonbi.ac.ke