Universities and Online Degrees Guide

University of the Witwatersrand

Master of Urban Studies in Urban Politics and Governance

The Master of Urban Studies in Urban Politics and Governance in Architecture is offered by University of the Witwatersrand.

Program Length: 1 YEAR.

Master of Urban Studies in Urban Politics and Governance offered by the University of the Witwatersrand

The Master of Urban Studies in the field of Urban Politics and Governance (by coursework and research) is interdisciplinary, requiring 65% average in an honours degree or equivalent.

Cities – where most of the world’s population now lives – are increasingly a focus of research, of public debate, and of changing public policy. The MUS (UPG) develops a multi-disciplinary, theoretical and practical understanding of cities of the South. It focuses more specifically on issues of urban governance, local democracy and politics.

Students are offered the unique opportunity to engage with urban issues from a multi-disciplinary, international perspective. The coursework covers theoretical, conceptual, social, managerial, political and planning aspects of city studies and includes electives that deepen the engagement in specialised areas.

Through the substantial research component, students are able to critically explore a particular aspect of their interest in urban studies, urban politics and governance. Students are taught and supervised by a multi-disciplinary team of scholars, primarily located in Urban Planning and Political Studies, and also drawn from a multiplicity of social sciences disciplines such as Sociology, Geography, History, Anthropology. All of the academic staff involved in this field of study have both an excellent research record, and experience in various cities as professionals and/or as activists.

The MUS (UPG) is not offered on a block release. As it includes a core course which is offered in the Politics Department and shares courses with other postgraduate degrees in the School of Architecture and Planning, candidates have to attend on a weekly basis. In the second year of the part time route, part time candidates have to attend the Research Methods course for one full day every two weeks for the first quarter of the year. There are several research progress presentations scheduled across the remainder of the year.

Curriculum

The MUS (UPG) consists of coursework and research. The coursework, which has the same credit weighting as the research component, is designed to complement the research enquiry. The elective course allows for individual specialisation beyond the essential urban management competencies taught in the compulsory courses. The degree is structured as follows:

• 4 compulsory Category A courses (70 points)
• 1 elective from Category B (20 points)
• Research Report (90 points)

Students who lack particular skills are asked to take an additional course: ARPL7052A Technologies and Techniques of the Built Environment (20)