Level

Master's level

Entry requirements

Bachelor's degree, consisting of 180 credits. The equivalent of English 6 in Swedish secondary school.

Programme structure

The aim of the programme is for students to deepen their knowledge of urban studies, preparing them to participate in research or qualified urban development investigations.

In the first year, students will acquire an overview of the field of urban studies and its development. Students will then deepen their knowledge about current urban challenges in a global perspective as well as the growth of different urban conditions and forms. After this, students will hone their ability to critically examine and describe encounters between people's everyday lives and the physical forms of the city. At the end of the first year, an independent project is conducted.

During the second year students take elective courses amounting to 30 credits. To complete this part of the programme, students can choose to do exchange studies at one of Malmö University's partner universities or take elective courses at the Department of Urban Studies at Malmo University. The second year concludes with a master's thesis (30 credits).

Programme contents

Semester 1, Autumn 2025

Semester 2, Spring 2026

Semester 3, Autumn 2026

Semester 4, Spring 2027

Qualitative targets

Knowledge and understanding

In order to receive a master's degree in Urban Studies, the student shall:

• demonstrate knowledge and understanding in the main field of study (urban studies), including both broad knowledge of the field and a considerable degree of specialised knowledge in certain areas of the field, as well as insight into current research and development work;
• demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the global challenges associated with urban development; and
• demonstrate specialised methodological knowledge in the main field of study (urban studies).

Competence and skills

In order to receive a master's degree in Urban Studies, the student shall:

• demonstrate the ability to critically, autonomously and creatively identify and formulate research questions in the main field of study (urban studies);
• demonstrate the ability to critically and systematically integrate knowledge, and analyse, assess and deal with complex phenomena, issues and situations even with limited information;
• demonstrate the ability to identify and formulate issues critically, autonomously and creatively as well as to plan and, using appropriate methods, undertake advanced tasks within predetermined time frames, thereby contributing to the formation of knowledge as well as developing the ability to evaluate this work;
• demonstrate the ability to critically, autonomously and creatively, together with others, identify and formulate issues in relation to current urban challenges;
• demonstrate the ability, both nationally and internationally, to clearly report and discuss their conclusions and the knowledge and arguments on which these conclusions are based -in dialogue with different audiences both orally and in writing; and
• demonstrate the skills required for participation in research and development work or autonomous employment in another qualified capacity.

Judgement and approach

In order to receive a master's degree in Urban Studies, the student shall:

• demonstrate the ability to make assessments in the main field of study (urban studies) informed by relevant disciplinary, social and ethical issues, and demonstrate awareness of ethical aspects of research and development work;
• demonstrate insight into the possibilities and limitations of research, its role in society and the responsibility of the individual for how it is used; and
• demonstrate the ability to identify personal needs for further knowledge and take responsibility for their ongoing learning.

Degree

Degree of Master of Science (120 Credits) with a Major in Urban Studies

Additional information

Each individual syllabus contains the entry requirements for advancing in the programme.

The syllabus is a translation of a Swedish source text.

If a decision about discontinuation of a study programme has been made, the programme syllabus will cease to be in effect, however only after the students have had the opportunity to complete their study programme within nominal study time (calculated based on the final admission to the programme’s first term) and thereafter, as a minimum, during the following two terms, referred to as the “closure period.”