Course details

Summary

In the 21st century, cities and urban areas are facing increasing challenges associated with flood risk, coastal erosion and sea level rises. In many growing areas these are coupled with challenges of demographic growth and urban spread. While there are many university postgraduate degrees that focus on local planning legislation, there is no identifiable course that focuses specifically on how communities respond to challenges that cities are facing today. This programme will be of interest to students wishing to address broader urban issues and engage with communities.

This new Master of Urban Resilience and Renewal (MURR) will focus on:

the urban renewal of Christchurch, a city that faces many of these issues as it recovers from the 2010/11 earthquakes

how communities respond to challenges that cities are facing today

community engagement with students engaging with community groups and local government not only in the compulsory courses but also through their chosen research project.

The 180-point programme is taught over two 12-week semesters plus a project. Students can study on a full-time or part-time basis. This master's usually takes between 12 and 24 months to complete.

Subjects and courses

Three of the courses are compulsory:

GEOG 402 Resilient Cities (30 points)

GEOG 409 Coasts and Rivers: from natural processes to urban environments (30 points)

GEOG 415 Internship (30 points)

With the remaining 30 points taken from 400-level courses in which the student has specific interests for example, Geography, Environmental Science, Statistics, Transportation Engineering, Water Resource Management, Hazard and Disaster Management.

The project GEOG 692 comprises an individual project in the field of Urban Resilience and Renewal carried out by the student under the supervision of one or more staff members. The project will involve the student working with a community partner on a project of direct relevance and real value to that community partner.

Further study

The MURR is part of a suite of postgraduate qualifications at UC that deal at the intersection of cutting-edge science and social science, exploring the interactions between physical environments and human responses, with a focus on resilience and environment-society dynamics.

There are multiple related subject areas available for further study as part of a Doctor of Philosophy (eg, Disaster, Risk and Resilience, Environmental Science, Geography, Water Resource Management).

Career opportunities

The Master of Urban Resilience and Renewal will provide students with the skills, knowledge and competencies to be employed professionally in any organisation involved in urban resilience and renewal. It will enable graduates to seek out careers in areas such as environmental management, disaster risk reduction, hazard management, environmental consulting, as well as local and regional government.

The project component will provide students with the opportunity to work for a community/organisational partner on a research problem they have helped identify. By partnering with local organisations, graduates will have experience in how to influence, shape and make a significant difference to the communities they live in.

Entry criteria

Every candidate for the degree of Master of Urban Resilience and Renewal shall have:

• (a) qualified for a university degree which is relevant to urban resilience and renewal (eg, Geography, Environmental Science, planning, Sociology or any other relevant degree subject to approval of the Programme Director and/or Dean of Science); and
• (b) normally at least 90 points in relevant 300-level courses from the schedule to the BSc regulations; with an appropriate grade average (the normal requirement is at least a B grade average); and
• (c) been approved as a candidate for the degree by the Dean of Science.

Other English language requirements: TOEFL PBT with a minimum score of 575 and TWE with a minimum score of 4.5; CCEL EAP Level 2 with a minimum B+ grade; CAE or CPE score of 176 with a minimum of 169 in reading, writing, listening and speaking; Pearson Test of English (Academic) - PTE with an overall score of 64 and no PTE communicative skills score below 58.