Lifelong Learning Master's Degree in Urban Resilience for Sustainability Transitions
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- Type of programme
- Lifelong Learning Master's Degree
- Campus
- Campus Barcelona
- Duration
- between 01-10-2026 and 30-09-2027
- Credits
- 60 ECTS
- Schedule
- October - September. Monday to Friday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Language
- English
- Places
- 25
- Modality
- On site
About the master's degree
This master's degree is an innovative, international and multidisciplinary education programme that teaches students how to operationalise the most urgent calls for building more resilient and sustainable cities through urban planning and design, and how to frame adequate policies and governance models. This one-year programme provides the most up-to-date perspectives, methods and tools for dealing with the threat of climate change, natural disasters and the social and technical transformations required to minimise the environmental impact of the current global urbanisation trends, while addressing social justice.
Visit the master's degree webpage and blog to find out more about the classes and content of the programme.
We are currently working on a new improved curriculum that we will be sharing very soon.
Reasons to study this master's degree
- International professors and a global multidisciplinary perspective
This master's degree has been framed and supported by the International Urban Resilience Research Network, and the programme is taught by professors from some of the most prestigious universities and research centres dealing with urban resilience in different parts of the world. The programme's global and multidisciplinary perspective (it addresses the environmental, social, economic, planning and political aspects of urban studies) enables students to learn about and understand resilience challenges on an international, national and local city level, thanks to the dense network of research and teaching partners involved in this master's degree.
- Wide range of job opportunities
The programme is supported by the most prestigious foundations, networks and agencies dealing nowadays with city and community resilience. It includes a mandatory job placement period, which provides students the connections and work experience needed to ensure a successful and international career. A long list of cities from different continents have also pledged their support to the master's programme in the form of job placement opportunities in their city resilience units.
- Bridging research and practical experience with an innovative educational model
In this master's programme, students will bridge science and policy through workshops and active involvement in panel-like classes, fostering different points of view and constantly re-framing the business-as-usual strategies often seen in the creation and management of resilient cities.
Partners
Other similar studies
- Lifelong Learning Master's Degree in Urban Design for Healthy Cities
- Lifelong Learning Master's Degree in Architecture and Design Business Management
- Lifelong Learning Master's Degree in Biodigital Architecture
- Master of International Cooperation in Sustainable Emergency Architecture
- Postgraduate Degree in Global Creative Management
- Postgraduate Degree in Marketing & Sales for Creative Enterprises
Presentation
In a world increasingly threatened by complex and rapid urbanisation and environmental, climatic and socio-economic change, this programme was created to meet the city practitioners' need to better understand and frame integrated strategies when implementing urban resilience policies and projects. At the same time, resilience is being addressed by different disciplines and from a wide range of perspectives, which sometime conflict in their meanings, approaches and methods, leading to a fragmented and confused framing of urban resilience. This master's programme provides the necessary interdisciplinary bridges, linking an integrated perspective on urban resilience to the management tools needed to design and implement city resilience.
Overview, objective and structure
The Master's Degree in Urban Resilience for Sustainability Transitions is a one-year, full-time master's programme developed and coordinated by the International Urban Resilience Research Network and hosted by UIC Barcelona. Its title reflects the need to go beyond the "building resilient cities" paradigm, taking resilience as a process expressed through a set of capacities and emotional responses to a range of impacts; one that cannot be just "built or designed", but must be managed.
The aim of this master's degree is to provide students multiple perspectives and the multidisciplinary skills, tools and knowledge future city resilience officers require.
The programme is divided into 3 main blocks: on-site classes, a research project and work experience. The first part of the course follows a logical sequence that starts with theoretical aspects of resilience and urbanisation processes. The next four modules explore and integrate different views on resilience, related to i) the built environment and infrastructures; ii) nature and urban ecosystems; iii) economic and city services resilience; and iv) community resilience. The final and most extensive module uses a set of international case studies and workshops (on governance models, leadership and tools for managing resilience) to explore the challenges of implementation. As the course moves forward, Barcelona will be used as a case study due to its experience in resilience, and students will have the opportunity to take part in a workshop with the Barcelona Urban Resilience Lab.
Through these workshops, students will be linked to organisations, institutes and city resilience offices worldwide, giving them the opportunity to apply their learning and skills through job placement opportunities, supporting their career and city resilience strategies for a more sustainable urban future.
Prospective students
This programme is intended for university graduates from the following areas of urban studies:
- Urban and Regional Planning
- Urban Design
- Geography
- Social and Political Sciences
- Engineering
- Landscape and Environmental Design and Management
- Regional Economy, Ecology.
Curriculum
We are currently working on a new improved curriculum that we will be sharing very soon.
Facilities
The facilities at the UIC Barcelona School of Architecture are designed to offer you a high-quality educational experience. With innovative spaces and advanced technology, you will develop your skills in real and practical environments. From the model workshop and digital fabrication labs to spacious work classrooms, every corner of our school is designed to provide you with the best resources for your learning and professional development.
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24/7 access to workshop classroomsOur workshop classrooms and plotter room are available 24/7, allowing you to work flexibly on your projects and transport your projects at your convenience. Design, experiment, and create whenever suits you best.
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Model workshopA fully equipped space for building physical models with precision tools, ideal for turning your ideas into tangible formats.
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Digital architecture workshopState-of-the-art technology to bring your projects to life: 3D printing, laser cutting, and CNC milling, enabling experimentation with innovative materials and forms.
Information sessions
Attend the next Informative Session
The University is organising open days for future university students who would like to know more about our institution and the programmes we offer.
Admission process
Admission process for master's and postgraduate programmes
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Request information
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Application for admission
- Delivery of documentation
- Validation of documentation
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Assessment of candidate
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Result of admission process
- Admission
- On hold
- No admission
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Deposit paid
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Enrolment
Between July and September
- Tuition paid
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Welcome!
You are now part of UIC Barcelona
Who can apply?
This programme is intended for city practitioners and consultants with at least 2 years of work experience in fields related to sustainability and resilience, as well as university graduates from the following fields: Planning, Management, Urban Design, Engineering, Environmental and Social Sciences, Political Science, Geography and Architecture.
Required level of education: Graduate Degree or Bachelor’s Degree
How to apply
- Register online
- Upload the following documents to the admission’s portal:
- Photocopy of your passport
- 1 passport-size photo
- Certified* copy of your Diploma**
- Certified* copy of your Academic Transcript
- A signed copy of the UIC Barcelona general conditions (download the form from the admission’s portal)
- A signed copy of the UIC Barcelona data protection form (download the form from the admission’s portal)
- A filled in and signed copy of the grant survey referring to any external grants/financial aid for which you may have applied (download the form from the admission’s portal)
- Motivation letter (in English; please include your Skype username in your signature)
- CV (in English)
Optional:
- Portfolio (in English and pdf format; content and length up to the student)
- Certificate of English language level (minimum B2)
- Recommendation letters
- Other certificates, diplomas or proof of work experience
* Document must have an official stamp from your university
** If you do not yet have your Diploma, please submit the proof of payment of the diploma issuance fees or a document from your university certifying your expected date of graduation.
Accommodation and visas
Students are responsible for finding accommodation and acquiring visas.
Admission calls
Admitted students
- Reserve a place: Pay the deposit (20% of the total fee)
- Enrollment fee: Pay the remaining amount (80% of the total fee)
Prices, grants and financial aid
Price
Grants
UIC Barcelona offers various fellowships supported by both public institutes (MEC or AGUAR), as well as private UIC Barcelona funds.
For further information, please check with our admissions department:
Grants offered by UIC Barcelona for master's degrees and postgraduate programmes
Other grants
Those pursuing master's degrees or postgraduate programmes studies at UIC Barcelona are also eligible for other scholarships.
Financing
In order to make tuition fee payments easier for students, UIC Barcelona offers various financing options through its partner banks.
Payment facilities
UIC Barcelona offers different payment options.
Alumni Ambassador
The Alumni Ambassadors are volunteer alumni who will explain their experience at UIC Barcelona to you. With them you will be able to resolve any doubts that may arise about the chosen program, the University and your experience as a student.
What questions can you ask an Alumni Ambassador?
- What do you value most about this program?
- What profile of students studied it?
- What do you think about teachers?
- What professional practices did you do?
- What are the advantages of studying in Barcelona?
- If he/she already has a job and if he had a hard time finding one.
Don't miss this magnificent opportunity to learn first-hand what it means to do a program at UIC Barcelona and the value it brings you in the development of your career. If you have any specific questions about the admission process, scholarships, visas or financial aid, you can contact directly admisiones@uic.es.