The Urban Studies Master’s Programme equips you with an interdisciplinary and international education, with a deepened understanding of urban processes and developments. The programme allows you to focus on your own areas of interests within the research fields of urban studies. 

The education takes place in the Öresund region, an area centred around Copenhagen and Malmö that offers an abundance of examples of global urban development issues.

The subject Urban studies explore how cities develop over time through various perspectives: social, economic, political, cultural, and material. At Malmö University, The Urban Studies Master’s Programme is particularly focused on urban justice, housing studies, and urban planning.

The programme is part of the urban research environment at the University, making it an ideal gateway into further academic studies at a PhD level in subjects such as urban studies, human geography, and planning.

In the job market, you will have the skills to understand the complexities of urban development; you will also be qualified to connect various professions in strategic roles within public authorities, from local to international levels. Your expertise will be valuable in the private sector, including consulting firms.

What you will learn: 

The programme lets you explore cities as both stable structures and dynamic flows of people and goods. You will gain an understanding of urban visions, programmes, and plans, along with the processes and projects that shape them. Additionally, you will learn how cities are created through everyday life and spontaneous actions that enhance their atmosphere and appeal.

The programme is interdisciplinary and is based on critical urban research focusing both on the social and the materialities of the urban, including urban history. We welcome students with diverse backgrounds, and you are encouraged to follow and develop your own interests.

In the first semester, you will gain an overview of the research field of urban studies and theoretical debates. The second semester will focus on methodological approaches and forms of research presentation.

The third semester offers the opportunity to develop specialised skills. You may choose either a route that connects more with practitioners, through relevant courses that address forms of practice, or one that provides experience of academic research through acting as an intern with a current project at the University. The fourth semester is devoted to your own research in the form of a master’s thesis.

Career Opportunities: 

An interdisciplinary and broad approach to understanding urban development and transformations enables you to secure qualified positions in various organisations after graduation. This may include working on projects that span different sectors, from public authorities to companies, both nationally and internationally.

Many alumni have pursued further education at a PhD level. Others work as project leaders, project managers, and advisors at consulting firms or in the public sector. Some graduates have become sustainability analysts, focusing on community building or serving as civil servants in the public sector or metropolitan administrations, addressing issues of urban planning or strategic development.