A brief overview
The Master's Programme in Territorial Planning and Regional Development, currently offered under the Bologna system as a second-cycle higher education programme, builds on a postgraduate training programme that was delivered between 2003 and 2011 within the Doctoral School and School of Advanced Studies at UAUIM. During this period, approximately 120 students completed the programme. They came from a wide range of academic backgrounds, including urban planning, architecture, geography, sociology, economics, civil engineering, horticulture (with a specialization in landscape architecture), ecology, political science, and public administration. From the outset, the programme has been multidisciplinary in nature, addressing not only graduates in urban planning but also those from related disciplines. This multidisciplinary character continues to define the programme today.
Starting with the 2010–2011 academic year, the Master's programme was adapted to the new academic training framework and reorganized in close coordination with other Master's programmes. Thus, the first semester currently includes courses common to all five Master's programmes offered by the Faculty of Urbanism, while the second and third semesters are dedicated to specialized training. The final semester is primarily devoted to the preparation and development of the Master's final graduation project.
The programme comprises a total of 120 ECTS credits (30 credits per semester), to which an additional 10 credits are allocated for the final thesis. The final thesis is defended at the end of the fourth semester, during the summer examination session. In addition to theoretical courses, the programme includes a significant practical and research component, carried out during semesters II–IV, accounting for more than 30% of the total teaching hours and credits. When the seminars associated with the courses are also taken into consideration, the overall share of practical activities approaches 50%.
Objectives
The programme aims to train specialists in the related fields of territorial planning and regional development. The former has a well-established tradition within architectural and urban planning education, while the latter represents an important field that has developed in connection with current European Union processes.
Through participation in this programme, graduates acquire general and specific competencies in both fields and are prepared to contribute as experts or consultants to territorial planning processes. They may pursue specialist positions within central, regional, or local public administration structures, as well as careers as researchers or academic staff in relevant institutions.
Depending on their previous educational background, graduates may obtain the right to sign territorial planning documentation by registering with the Romanian Register of Urban Planners, in accordance with the applicable legal provisions (the regulations concerning the acquisition of signature right and the organization and functioning of the Romanian Register of Urban Planners – www.rur.ro).
Programme highlights
In the context of Romania’s integration into the structures of the European Union, territorial planning and regional development have become fields of increasing interest and attractiveness. At the European level, the issue of territorial cohesion has been extensively debated over the past two decades, leading to the adoption of strategic documents that propose principles and actions for spatial planning at the territorial scale (the Territorial Agendas 2020 and 2030, the strengthening of economic, social, and territorial cohesion, etc.).
Regional development, on the other hand, represents a major pillar of the European Union’s economic and social cohesion policy, being supported by significant European development funding mechanisms (the Structural Funds, the Cohesion Fund, etc.).
The advantage of the Master's programme lies in its integrated approach to education and training, reflecting the increasingly strong interconnection between the two fields, both within EU policies and at national level. The programme provides this integrated training through a multidisciplinary team of academic staff and specialists at UAUIM and associated institutions, including architects, urban planners, geographers, economists, sociologists, engineers, and political scientists, all with a high level of professional expertise.
Applicant eligibility
The Master's programme is open to graduates in urban planning, professionals working in public administration (central, county, or local authorities), as well as graduates of related higher education fields connected to spatial planning and urban planning, including architecture, geography, sociology, civil engineering, urban and regional economics, ecology and environmental engineering, landscape architecture, political science and public administration, European studies, and others.
To date, the programme has attracted specialists and graduates from a wide range of academic backgrounds. The programme is open to graduates of Bachelor’s degree programmes, as well as graduates of integrated undergraduate and Master's programmes or graduates who have completed other Master's programmes.
General Curriculum Topics
Bridging courses focusing on urban and territorial analysis, research methods, heritage, and sustainable development.
Fundamental courses addressing the legislative and institutional framework, as well as the specific tools used in the fields of territorial planning and regional development in Romania and the European Union.
Specialized and complementary courses covering community development, regional economics and statistics, strategic planning, development project management and implementation, administrative policies, regionalization, and the role of regions in Europe.
Specialized projects, including spatial planning plans, regional development plans, regional analyses, development strategies, project sheets, funding applications, and other related documents.
The dissertation and final graduation project address specific topics related to both fields, adopting an integrated approach.