Master of Planning (MPlan)

The program information below was valid for the winter 2023 term (January 1, 2023 - April 30, 2023). This is the archived version; the most up-to-date program information is available through the current Graduate Studies Academic Calendar.

The Graduate Studies Academic Calendar is updated 3 times per year, at the start of each academic term (January 1, May 1, September 1). Graduate Studies Academic Calendars from previous terms can be found in the archives.

Students are responsible for reviewing the general information and regulations section of the Graduate Studies Academic Calendar.

Program information

  • Admit term(s) 
    • Fall
    • Winter
    • Spring
  • Delivery mode 
    • Online
  • Length of program 
    • 3.3 years ‐ 10 terms
  • Program type 
    • Master's
    • Professional
  • Registration option(s) 
    • Part-time
  • Study option(s) 

Admission requirements

  • Minimum requirements 
    • A four-year honours bachelor degree with a minimum overall average of 78%.
    • Two years of planning or planning-related work experience.
  • Application materials 
    • Résumé/Curriculum vitae
    • Supplementary information form
    • Transcript(s)
      • Two official academic transcripts from each post-secondary institution.
    • Writing sample
      • At least one substantial example of work completed during the last two years of academic study. Students with professional experience may submit a professional report of which they were sole or senior author.
  • References 
    • Number of references:  3
    • Type of references: 

      references can be academic, professional, or a combination of the two. Professional referees need to have been the student’s direct supervisor in a paid or volunteer position, at least one in a planning‐related field. Academic referees should normally have taught the student in a senior undergraduate class or acted as a supervisor for a major research paper/thesis.
  • English language proficiency (ELP) (if applicable)

Degree requirements

    Coursework option:

  • Graduate Academic Integrity Module (Graduate AIM)
  • Courses 
    • 6 required one‐term PLAN courses for a total of 3.00 units:
      • PLAN 625 Methods of Social Investigation for Planners
      • PLAN 700 Planning Paradigms and Theory
      • PLAN 702 Critical Assessment of Theories, Methods and Practices of Planning
      • PLAN 704 Methods of Planning Analysis
      • PLAN 705 Design in Planning
      • PLAN 706 Contemporary Issues in Planning
    • 4 online elective one‐term graduate courses drawn from the School of Planning, or approved electives from other departments, for a total of 2.00 units.
  • Link(s) to courses
  • Other requirements 
    • Transfer between programs: permission to transfer from the Master of Planning (MPlan) program to the Master of Arts (MA) in Planning or Master of Environmental Studies (MES) in Planning programs, or from the MA or MES programs to the MPlan program, may be granted after the end of the first term of year one by the Associate Director, Graduate Studies (Graduate Officer) providing the student fulfills the requirements of the program they want to transfer to. A key requirement for MPlan students transferring to the MA or MES program is the written agreement of an appropriate faculty member to advise the students and of another appropriate faculty member to act as a committee member. The transfer does not imply any financial commitment by the School of Planning to support the student after the change in program of studies. However, this does not preclude a faculty member providing research support from grants or contract funds.
School of Planning website
Master of Planning (MPlan) future students program page