Master of Science in Urban and Economic Geography
Utrecht University
Key Information
Campus location
Utrecht, Netherlands
Languages
English
Study format
On-Campus
Duration
2 years
Pace
Full time
Tuition fees
EUR 2,209 / per year
Application deadline
Request Info
Earliest start date
Request Info
Scholarships
Explore scholarship opportunities to help fund your studies
Introduction
Researching Social, Spatial and Economic Developments in Cities and Regions
Cities and regions throughout the world face challenges that require integrated knowledge of urban geography, economic geography, international development studies, and planning. In this Research Master’s program in Urban and Economic Geography (previously known as Human Geography and Planning), you will gain a broad theoretical and methodological background that will allow you to become an academic or professional researcher of ongoing social, spatial, and economic developments in cities and regions. You can specialize in your preferred geographic sub-discipline while maintaining a broader perspective on the functioning of cities and regions, as well as the relevant theories and methods.
Global Inequalities
Globalization is subjecting cities and regions to continuous challenges such as increasing urbanization and growing economic and social interdependences. Complex and dynamic relationships have developed between inhabitants, migrants, businesses, and institutions, and these relationships can foster innovation, creativity, and economic growth.
However, increasing urbanization can also lead to social and economic inequalities, tensions between groups with different lifestyles, and threats to health and well-being. In addition, globalization can reinforce economic disparities within regions and cities in both developed and developing countries. Environmental changes can also generate unhealthy living conditions and lead to a displacement of people and businesses. In general, regional and urban areas worldwide experience disparate development due to differences in their position in globalized systems; their location in a developed or developing country or region; and specific cultural, social, political, and economic characteristics.
As a student in this two-year Master’s program, you will focus on research questions such as:
- Why do regions and cities differ in terms of economic and innovative performance, creativity, and quality of life?
- How do social and economic inequality and tensions arise within and between cities and regions?
- How do individuals and businesses experience changes in their urban and regional conditions, and how do they respond to these changes?
- Which governance systems and policies are most effective in addressing the social, economic, cultural, and mobility issues of the globalized and urbanized world?
- How can we use and develop scientific theories and methodologies to investigate these issues?
Research Skills and Ethics
The course content includes various courses on research skills and philosophy in order for you to acquire both advanced research skills and an ethical framework. You will also participate in research, carry out your own research, and discuss your research with peers and advanced researchers throughout the program. You will form an integral part of the research community at the Urban Future research center (UF) of Utrecht during your studies.
Program Outcome
In Urban and Economic Geography, you will study the reasons behind the diverse developments in the globalized and urbanized world, and you will learn to translate up-to-date theoretical and methodological developments into empirical research. You will also formulate effective policy recommendations to make cities and regions more viable and sustainable.
As a graduate, you will have an excellent basis for completing a Ph.D. in the fields of urban geography, economic geography, development studies, and urban and regional planning. You will also qualify for senior research functions within international and national organizations, such as the United Nations, Dutch ministries, regional and local bodies, NGOs, and multinational companies. You will be able to perform advanced scientific research within the fields of human geography and spatial planning.
Career Opportunities
This program will equip you with the ability to critically assess research designs and results and policy implications. This will give you an excellent basis for either a Ph.D. research position at a university or a senior position in national or international companies and research institutions.
Possible Prospects
As a graduate, you will be eligible for Ph.D. research or senior research and other positions in organizations such as government ministries, regional and local authorities, urban and country planning consultancies, and private research institutes.
Many of our recent graduates find jobs in companies (31%), while the second-largest group of our graduates chooses an academic career by entering a Ph.D. program in the Netherlands or abroad (26%), or by starting research-teaching activities at a university (10%). A few of our students found employment with non-academic research institutions (18%).
Academic Careers
An excellent basis for a PhD
This Master’s program provides you with an excellent basis for state-of-the-art Ph.D. research in human geography and urban and regional planning. The program ties in particularly well with Ph.D. programs at the NETHUR (Netherlands Graduate School of Urban and Regional Research) institutes. Generally, MSc graduates in Urban and Economic Geography do not have to fulfill any additional requirements before starting their Ph.D., which means they can usually complete their Ph.D. in three years.