Master of Tropical Urban and Regional Planning

James Cook University's Tropical Urban and Regional Planning programs are designed for planners in urban, shire and regional settings.

What is urban and regional planning?

Planning is the process of developing settlements and communities in a range of environments.

What you will learn

This program focuses on the relationship between people and the environment, and the characteristics of remote and rural settlements. The Master of Applied Science is professionally accredited by the Planning Institute of Australia.

How you will study

This is a flexible course, allowing you to tailor your studies to suit your professional needs and interests. This course is available in Townsville and Cairns. It is available part time (domestic students only) and full time.

Why JCU?

The School of Earth and Environmental Sciences teaches this course. The School brings together a team of academic and associate staff across multiple disciplines.

• Nationally-recognised leader in geoscience

• major research centres including the Centre for Tropical Urban and Regional Planning

• internationally-acclaimed academic teaching staff

• strong collaboration with industry and research organisations, both locally and internationally.

Career Opportunities

A postgraduate qualification from JCU can enhance your career prospects, enable you to reskill and change careers completely, or develop a specialist area of expertise and personal interest.

The tropical north, in particular northern Queensland, is experiencing a wave of population and economic growth which drives urban and infrastructural development. New developments create substantial planning challenges that span social, economic and environmental spheres. Currently, there is a critical nationwide shortage of planners.

Qualifications from the Centre for Tropical Urban and Regional Planning’s (CTURP) industry oriented courses will open plenty of opportunities for graduates as planners, policy makers, consultants, researchers, and impact assessors for government agencies at federal, state and local levels, environmental planning firms, environmental assessment consultants, property development companies, regional development organisations, and non-government agencies (e.g. overseas aid organisations).