Future focus: celebrating 60 years of planning

Wherever you are in the world, if you find yourself in a human-developed environment, chances are it's gone through a planning process. That's why - whether it's town, regional, or urban - planning is a hugely important field for developing the world around us.

This year, we're celebrating 60 years of planning education at the University - developing the skills and knowledge of those who create vibrant and viable environments for everyone who uses them.

This journey began in 1964, when the then School of Architecture at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art introduced Town and Regional Planning. Just three years later, in 1967, the course received its first accreditation from the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) - a recognition that laid the foundation for decades of excellence. 

Over the years, planning as a subject has evolved in both structure and location. Since 2021, it has come full circle, returning to its original home within DJCAD, now embedded as part of Architecture and Urban Planning. Today, our planning education is delivered through a suite of innovative and accredited courses: 

• MA Urban Planning
• MSc Spatial Planning with Sustainable Urban Design (available full-time and part-time)
• MArch (Hons) with Urban Planning (RIBA Part 2) 

Looking to the future 

This anniversary doesn't just mark the past, it underpins a vision for the future. Our graduates are changemakers, shaping the built and natural environments in response to the world’s most pressing challenges. Working alongside peers from our Environmental Sustainability courses, our alumni are tackling the climate emergency, biodiversity loss, housing inequality, and public health crises. 

Planning today is a collaborative discipline, requiring engagement with communities and professionals across architecture, psychology, business, and politics. Our courses reflect this reality, preparing students to lead in a complex, interconnected world. 

Kirsty Macari FRTPI, Associate Dean of Education and Student Experience in DJCAD and a former planning practitioner shares: 

“Our students are creative and passionate individuals who see the pivotal role that planning has to play across economy, environment and society. From their early introductions to Sir Patrick Geddes as founding father of the ideas behind planning in the public interest and who spent time at the University to co-learning with other disciplines, they are building the necessary skills to be successful role models of the future.” 

Innovation, practice, and community

Recent years have seen a growth in undergraduate numbers, driven by outreach and strong ties with the planning practice community. 

Innovative approaches to education delivery now support students working part-time in both public and private sectors; an initiative strongly supported by Fife Council with whom we’ve collaborated to meet the needs of students and employers alike.

Our postgraduate course sees a diversity of students and growing number studying part-time time supported by employers.   

Our commitment to practice-based learning is evident in student participation in the DJCAD Degree Shows at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Students also have the opportunity to undertake practice-based research as a final independent study, moving beyond traditional dissertation formats. This pioneering approach has made our course the first RTPI-accredited practice-based degree in Scotland which sits alongside a more traditional education pathway.  

Our vibrant alumni community plays a vital role in enriching the student experience - returning each year to the Degree Show, offering guest lectures, and supporting study trips. Their continued engagement is a testament to the strength and spirit of our planning family, and we can't wait to continue this legacy into the future.