MSc Transport Planning with Placement Year

Why choose Herts?

Industry-informed teaching: explore current developments in the field to ensure you develop the essential skills to meet the needs of employers and respond to challenges both now and in the future
Online software and research expertise: take advantage of access to specialist online software, including NVivo and SPSS, and Geographical Information Systems (GIS), as well as the University of Hertfordshire’s expertise in the Smart Mobility Unit
Specialised pathways: the course gives you the opportunity to explore a range of specialised modules and pathways, including a placement year and advanced research route

Funding available*

Work placements offered

The entry requirements for the programme are:

an Honours degree in a cognate discipline, for instance geography, normally with a minimum classification of second-class (2.2) or higher
graduates with an Honours degree in any discipline who have otherwise demonstrated potential to succeed at postgraduate level will be considered for admission.

All international students are required to demonstrate English Language capability of IELTs 6.5 or equivalent English language qualification. The course uses some technical terminology and requires students to write and present verbally in a variety of formats, including submitting written assignments, presentations, creation of posters and oral presentation of work. Confidence and competence in both written and spoken English as well as ability to use a variety of basic computer packages is necessary in order for students to engage effectively with the taught content.

The programme is subject to the University's Principles, Policies and Regulations for the Admission of Students to Undergraduate and Taught Postgraduate Programmes (in UPR SA03), along with associated procedures.

These will take account of University policy and guidelines for assessing accredited prior certificated learning (APCL) and accredited prior experiential learning (APEL).


Institution code	H36
Course length	Sandwich, 2 Years
Location	University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield

Employability
Careers

The course has been developed with input from local authorities and industry experts in order to address current challenges within the field, including climate change and decarbonisation. The diverse range of topics addressed throughout the course will ensure that you are well-equipped to stand out from the crowd upon graduation.

What job can I get?

Throughout the course you’ll develop highly relevant and desirable skills and knowledge to be able to excel in a career in transport planning. Examples of future career paths and roles include:
- transport planning consultant
- transport manager
- central and local governments (management and officer level)
- spatial and data analyst
- travel planner.
Work placement

The course includes a one-year industry placement.

You’ll have the opportunity to work for one-year, full-time in a highly professional and stimulating environment. You’ll develop an understanding of the real-world applications of your skills and knowledge and use them to address challenges.

The University’s Careers and Placements Service will help you find a placement which aligns to your personal and professional interests.

You must pass 105 credits in order to be eligible to undertake the placement year. If you are unsuccessful in finding a placement or are unable to progress onto the placement year due to academic failure, you’ll be transferred to another pathway.

Find out more about the MSc Transport Planning (with Advanced Research).

Professional Accreditations

Accreditation is currently being sought from the Transport Planning Professional (TPP) bodies, including:

Transport Planning Society (TPS)
Chartered Institute of Highways and Transport (CIHT)

The course is designed to satisfy the requirements of the accrediting bodies.

About the course

The MSc Transport Planning with Placement Year will provide you with both the theoretical grounding and practical skills that you’ll need to satisfy the requirements of employers both now and in the future.

Driven by the demand for the delivery of zero carbon interventions, poor air quality and wider social exclusion problems, there is an increasing demand for highly skilled and multi-disciplined professionals within transport planning.

The climate change imperative has shaken central and local government. It has caused authorities to declare climate emergencies and seek practical solutions to these new and important challenges.

Many have introduced transport policies and invested significant funding for transport programmes. They’re also rethinking how transport is delivered to include projects focussed specifically on achieving zero carbon and intelligent transport networks.

So, whether you have an interest in transport planning, or if you’re a professional who wants to gain a transport planning qualification, it’s an exciting time to explore transport planning and discover the impact you can have on communities for years to come.

You’ll also have the opportunity to explore a range of specialised modules, pathways and learning outcomes.

The course offers three pathways:

MSc Transport Planning – a series of block-based (two or three day) modules, covering a variety of topics aimed at building the skills required for transport planning careers. This includes a piece of individual transport planning research (dissertation) undertaken by the student. Start dates are September and January.

MSc Transport Planning with Placement – in addition to the transport planning modules, this course offers the opportunity to undertake a 30 week work placement in a transport-related environment. It is aimed at those who wish to gain experience towards building a professional career. This is a September start only.

MSc Transport Planning with Advanced Research – in addition to the transport planning modules, this course offers the opportunity to undertake an internship with the Smart Mobility Unit and to produce an extended piece of transport planning research. It is aimed at those able to demonstrate experience of research who might be considering a PhD or a research-based career. Start dates are September and January.

All of the course options will equip you with the knowledge to address the current challenges within the field, whilst developing your expertise in transport planning within a low-carbon environment.

If you have any questions about the course, please email Ms Sue Walsh.

Why choose this course?

You’ll develop a broad knowledge base and understanding of transport provision in relation to planning and place making, environmental climate change and its mitigation, and designing transport systems to support sustainable economic development.

You’ll be equipped with the knowledge to address the current challenges within the field. You’ll future-proof your knowledge. The course is delivered within an overarching framework which focuses on key issues within the transport sector ensuring you are able to future-proof your knowledge and career. Current topics studied include decarbonisation, place-making, operational transport planning, transport and behavioural change, travel planning, transport data modelling and analysis.

You’ll have access to the expertise of staff based within the University’s Smart Mobility Unit (SMU). You’ll actively engage with the research activities and meetings of the SMU including engaging with the wider activities of the SMU’s industry collaborators and partners. The areas of interest of the SMU include:

travel planning
change Management
transport-related behaviour change
intelligent transport systems
operational transport planning
smart ticketing
automatic number place recognition (ANPR)
big data analysis
spatial mapping.

Throughout the course, you’ll also have access to specialist online software, including NVivo and SPSS, and Geographical Information Systems (GIS). You will also have the opportunity to go on field trips locally and further afield. The programme includes a residential field trip as part of our Comparative Transport Planning Practice module within a different transport planning system. There are also several field trips within various modules, including Operational Transport Planning and Community Engagement in the Planning Process. Any travel and accommodation costs of field trips are included in course fees.

We're proud to have 91% overall satisfaction for geography, earth and environmental studies in the Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey (PTES, 2024). You can be confident in knowing you're receiving an exceptional learning experience when you study this course.

What will I study?

This course is offered full-time only as a semester A September intake for two years.

The majority of teaching is delivered through lectures, workshops, field trips and master classes. You’ll be assessed through a variety of methods, including oral presentations, reflective journals, written reports and essays.

You'll explore a range of exciting and current topics, with core modules as follows:

Comparative Planning and Transport Practice
Understanding and Managing Change
Sustainable Energy
Transport Policy, Strategy and Law
Community Engagement and the Planning Process.

The course will equip you with highly desirable knowledge and skills: you will expand your expertise in transport policy and the administrative frameworks within which transport schemes are developed, assessed, financed, monitored and reviewed. You will deepen your understanding of the laws, regulations and guidance in which transport planners work as well as the operational management of commercial and public transport systems and services using real-world scenarios. The principles of community involvement, stakeholder engagement and public consultation in the identification of transport needs and the development of transport policies, plans, projects and services (including alternative approaches and their relative effectiveness will also be explored.

You’ll also have the opportunity to explore an area of transport planning which is of personal interest by undertaking an Extended Research Project. You’ll be supported by an experienced dissertation supervisor based within the Geography, Environment & Planning subject group. The Extended Research Project is an individual in-depth research project that will critically explore a relevant transport related topic in a research and/or professional setting. The aim of the project is for you to develop detailed knowledge and greater understanding of how planning issues are researched, monitored, and evaluated.

Throughout your learning journey, you’ll be supported by a team of dedicated professionals. You’ll be given a personal tutor for academic and pastoral support, as well as guidance from a programme leader to help you navigate the course structure and content. You’ll also have the opportunity to become a part of vibrant, student community and be entitled to join the GEPSoc (Geography, Environment and Planning Student Society).

Find out more about GEPSoc (Geography, Environment and Planning Student Society).

Level 7

Module	Credits	Compulsory/optional
Research Methods	15 Credits	Compulsory
The module will introduce the main principles of research methodology, different approaches to solving a problem and the choice of appropriate research methodology. Natural science and social science research approaches will be explored including the development of the research question. Methods for sampling and data gathering will be described including experimentation, questionnaires, interviews, case studies, action research, content analysis and observation. Quantitative and qualitative data, its analysis, interpretation, presentation, and reporting will be explored.
Operational Transport Planning	15 Credits	Compulsory
This module is divided into two distinct parts: It will provide an understanding of how to develop, implement and monitor an area wide/organisational travel plan. The module is designed for stakeholders promoting or regulating travel plans within governmental organisations to ensure the measures proposed in approved travel plans are viable and deliverable. The module also provides an overview of the key issues and explores the current debates relating to the planning and of delivering public transport, parking and freight operations within a low carbon framework.
Transport Policy, Strategy and Law	15 Credits	Compulsory
This module provides a systematic introduction to critical transport planning issues, including knowledge and requirements of relevant professional transport planning organisations. It provides the necessary transport policy, organisational, financial, and legislative background. The module will describe the rationale for transport planning and various factors influencing transport policies. Transport data, information, assessment requirements, funding streams, legislation and implementation are also explored. Examples of successful and unsuccessful transport projects will be evaluated with reference to the UK and internationally. The impact of transport interventions on people and place will be debated. Invited guest speakers will be those influential to transport planning roles.
Transport, Development and Viability	15 Credits	Compulsory
In this module students will learn about a range of UK recognised transport assessment methodologies applied to transport schemes and developments as well as the processes by which local authorities assess the transport implications of development proposals, and methods used by transport consultants to present transport aspects of developments.
Transport Data Collection and Analysis	15 Credits	Compulsory
This module will introduce transport data collection and analysis techniques for transport, traffic, parking, public transport and operational travel planning. Aspects covered include: primary data collection techniques, the utilisation of secondary data, quantitative/qualitative analysis techniques for transport data, the application of geographic information and local and strategic modelling in transport and travel planning. The issues and limitations surrounding the use of spatial data such as Ordnance Survey data access/use rights and the geo- coding of primary data are also covered.
Community Engagement and the Planning Process	15 Credits	Compulsory
This module is designed to introduce students to the concept of public participation, and its development into stakeholder engagement, within the planning process. Students will investigate the various ways, statutory and otherwise, planners, developers and other stakeholders must involve public participation and community engagement in various projects. Key skills in engaging with stakeholders will be developed, along with a range of engagement and presentational skills.
Comparative Planning and Transport Practice	15 Credits	Compulsory
This module gives you direct and hands-on experience of good practices in planning and transport in the development of sustainable communities, with a unique focus on comparing approaches to planning with England. You'll explore interconnected themes across different scales. At a macro level, you will consider alternative approaches to land use planning and transport connectivity, environmental protection, regional economic development, policy divergence and differing practices. Through the module and the field trip, you will gain a deeper understanding of how places are transformed by planning and transport processes and critically reflect on how lessons from one geographical context can be applied elsewhere.
Sustainable Energy	15 Credits	Compulsory
The module explores key issues relating to sustainable energy and climate change in the context of spatial and transport planning and the environment, including its management in the UK and globally, including through the IPCC, UN SDGs, and UK climate change targets and net zero goals. To appreciate the problems, students first need to understand the main energy sources and broad patterns of energy consumption. The module also then explores the use of and interaction between place based, behaviour change and technical solutions in relation to energy sources and use. The module draws on examples of good practice from the UK and internationally. Climate change is an increasingly significant consideration requiring planners, transport planners and energy and environmental managers to develop positive adaptation and mitigation strategies. To make informed decisions about responses to climate change, students need to understand where to find reliable and robust data sources which can be justified as part of a critical evaluation of energy use and climate change. Students will understand the impacts of energy use on the environment at а variety of spatial scales, from international to the individual and the impacts in relation to planning, transport and the environment.
Understanding & Managing Change	15 Credits	Compulsory
This module explores the management theories and skills required to understand and manage social and technical transitions towards more sustainable, resource efficient ways to operate organizations. Topics will include understanding transitions to sustainable regimes; how organisations move towards becoming more responsible and sustainable; understanding the elements required to design business models that make operations in a variety of organisations, including transport operations, more sustainable.
Study Skills	0 Credits	Compulsory
The content will cover finding and using reliable resources and how to use appropriate academic expression for different forms of academic communications including essays, reports, abstracts, executive summaries, essays, poster and oral presentations. Attention will be paid to ensuring that students have the skills necessary to use text matching software to avoid plagiarism and enhance scholarship skills. Teaching resources will also cover an introduction to using statistics and graphs, and there will be an in-class GIS session. Indicative subjects include: Effective reading and note taking in lectures Choosing reliable sources Use of text references and avoiding plagiarism/collusion Writing assignments Teamwork Time and project management The use of Excel formulae Exam preparation Oral presentation and visual materials e.g., PowerPoint and preparing a poster Using maps and GIS software to support research.

Key staff

Alexandra Buckland Stubbs
Senior Research Assistant
Find out more about Alexandra Buckland Stubbs

Dr Scott Copsey

Find out more about Dr Scott Copsey

Ms Sue Walsh
Programme Leader and Admissions Tutor
Find out more about Ms Sue Walsh

Further course information

Course fact sheets
MSc Transport Planning (Sandwich)	Download

Programme specifications
MSc Transport Planning (Sandwich)	Download

Additional information
Sandwich placement or study abroad year	Mandatory
Applications open to international and EU students	Yes

The industry is desperately short of transport planners, especially those who have the energy and drive to take on the environmental challenges and enable technological changes to progress us to a sustainable future … The new Transport Planning masters is an ideal route into the transport sector and there are huge opportunities in a massively diverse range of areas and interests, from global policy to autonomous drone freight solutions.

Graduate MSc in Sustainable Planning with Transport

Employed as a Local Plan and Strategic Development Assistant Manager of WSP (Transport Consultancy)

Student experience

At the University of Hertfordshire, we want to make sure your time studying with us is as stress-free and rewarding as possible. We offer a range of support services including; student wellbeing, academic support, accommodation and childcare to ensure that you make the most of your time at Herts and can focus on studying and having fun.

Find out about how we support our students

You can also read our student blogs to find out about life at Herts.

Funding and fees
Other financial support

Find out more about other financial support available to UK and EU students

Fees 2025
UK Students
Full time
- £12360 for 2025/2026 and 2026/2027 inclusive
EU Students
Full time
- £19800 for 2025/2026 and 2026/2027 inclusive
International Students
Full time
- £19800 for 2025/2026 and 2026/2027 inclusive
A bursary for the course may be available from the Rees Jeffreys Road Fund Bursary Scheme 2021/22.

Find out more about the Rees Jeffreys Road Fund Bursary Scheme.

*Tuition fees are charged annually. The fees quoted above are for the specified year(s) only. Fees may be higher in future years, for both new and continuing students. Please see the University's Fees and Finance Policy (and in particular the section headed "When tuition fees change"), for further information about when and by how much the University may increase its fees for future years.

View detailed information about tuition fees

Living costs / accommodation

The University of Hertfordshire offers a great choice of student accommodation, on campus or nearby in the local area, to suit every student budget.

View detailed information about our accommodation

Read more about additional fees in the course fact sheet
How to apply

International/EU applicants without pre-settled status in the UK

Apply through our international/EU application portal

Home and EU applicants with pre-settled/settled status in the UK

2025
Start Date End Date Year Location Link
23/09/2025 30/09/2026 1 UH Hatfield Campus Apply online (Full Time/Sandwich)
2026
Start Date End Date Year Location Link
23/09/2026 30/09/2027 1 UH Hatfield Campus Apply online (Full Time/Sandwich)

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MSc Transport Planning with Placement Year

Why choose Herts?

Funding available*

Work placements offered

Careers

What job can I get?

Work placement

Professional Accreditations

About the course

Why choose this course?

What will I study?

Key staff

Further course information

Student experience

Other financial support

Fees 2025

UK Students

Full time

EU Students

Full time

International Students

Full time

Living costs / accommodation

International/EU applicants without pre-settled status in the UK

Home and EU applicants with pre-settled/settled status in the UK

2025

2026