Planning & Environmental ManagementPleanáil & Bainistíocht Comhshaoil

TU835 BSc in Spatial Planning and Environmental Management is designed to prepare and equip you with the skills to be a decision-maker and expert practitioner in planning our urban and rural environments. Now more than ever, graduates are needed who can develop and implement environmental management solutions to critical problems such as climate change and biodiversity loss.

What is… Spatial Planning?

Spatial Planning is all about shaping the future of our towns, cities and regions. Planners work together with communities, businesses and government to plan the future of our urban and rural spaces.  Planning graduates will be able to prepare development plans for old and new areas, as well as developing transport and urban design solutions to create the healthier neighbourhoods needed for future generations.

What is… Environmental Management?

Environmental Management is about ensuring a sustainable planet for future generations.  It addresses the causes of environmental degradation including climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss and integrates a range of skills and techniques for managing the environment in a sustainable way. Students develop an understanding of the natural world, as well as the social and economic dimensions of environmental issues, both locally and globally.

Are you passionate about our towns and cities? And curious about the environment and the world around you? Do you want to join the fight against climate change?

The BSc in Spatial Planning and Environmental Management offers choices, opportunities and careers in creating a sustainable future.

Have a look at the TU Dublin Environment & Planning website to read some Frequently Asked Questions and find out more about TU835.

How the Course Works

The course is highly practical and applied. Every semester includes at least one major group project. Projects and fieldwork, under the supervision of practicing professionals, are an integral part of the course.

Students take all subjects in Year 1, which is a common, foundational curriculum.

In Year 2, you opt to stream into either spatial planning or environmental management.

Both streams will continue to work collaboratively together throughout the full course.

Year 4 allows full specialisation in your chosen field, including the completion of a dissertation.

Study Abroad Opportunities

Through the Erasmus programme, you can spend a semester abroad as part of the course. Recently, students have gone to Hamburg and Dortmund (Germany), Lyon (France), Melbourne (Australia) and Tampere (Finland).

The course is global in focus. In semester one of first year, students will learn about the UN Sustainable Development Goals, as part of the Planning for Resilience and Sustainable Development module.

Third year includes a field trip to another EU country.

We also have a partnership with the Gengdang Institute (BGD) at the University of Beijing, China, where some of our students have studied. We welcome students from BGD on our courses in Dublin.

Work Placement

The course is career-focussed and includes a Work Placement component during third and fourth year, with many graduates going on to find employment with their Work Placement partner.

The course includes SafePass training, to ensure all graduates have a basic knowledge of health and safety, and be able to work on-site without being a risk to themselves or others.

Through an advanced curriculum, the work placement component and tuition in professional practice, our graduates are more career-ready than ever for work in sustainable development, whether in Ireland or abroad.

Professional Accreditation

The BSc Spatial Planning is professionally accredited by both main professional planning institutes:

• Irish Planning Institute
• Royal Town Planning Institute

Environmental Management students are eligible to take up membership with a range of professional bodies, including:

• ESAI Environmental Sciences Association of Ireland
• CIEEM Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management
• CIWEM Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management
• IEMA Institute of Environmental Management & Assessment

Students will get to meet with leading representatives from professional institutes. Our graduates have a very high success rate in graduate recruitment competitions.

Careers in Creating a Sustainable Future

The BSc (Hons) in Spatial Planning and Environmental Management (TU835) offers choices, opportunities and careers in creating a sustainable future. 

Check out day-to-day life at TU Dublin Environment & Planning, part of the TU Dublin School of Architecture, Building and Environment, on our socials at Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn.

Leaving Certificate Requirements

QQI/FET Requirements

In addition to the QQI minimum entry requirements, QQI quotas and QQI points apply. The max QQI points awarded is 390. Further details at www.tudublin.ie/qqi

Mature Applicants

Applications from mature students (23+) are welcome. Further details at www.tudublin.ie/mature

English Language Requirements

If English is not your first language you will need to provide evidence of your English language proficiency as detailed on our website. Applicants for this course should have a minimum IELTS (Academic Version) English Proficiency of 6 overall (or equivalent) with nothing less than 6 in each component.

Click on the link below to view an indicative timetable for this course. Timetables are subject to change and up to date timetables will be provided to students on commencement.

View Sample Timetable

Graduates find work with local authorities, government agencies, non-governmental organisations, industry and private practice.

Many Spatial Planning graduates find successful careers in town planning, retail planning, transport planning, urban design and other specialist areas. Work can include plan making, collaboration and engagement, developing retail and transport strategies and place-making.

Environmental Management graduates are well-placed to make important contributions in a wide range of environment-related areas, such as protecting water, air and soil quality; addressing biodiversity loss and managing natural habitats; tackling issues of waste; and carrying out environmental assessments.

Recently graduates have found employment with the following public sector organisations: 

• Environmental Protection Agency
• Fingal County Council
• Gaisce – the President’s Award
• Meath County Council
• National Parks and Wildlife Service
• Rediscovery Centre Ballymun
• South Dublin County Council

Many graduates find positions within commercial and private sector organisations, including:

• Aecom
• Arup
• AWN Consulting
• Brady Shipman Martin
• Enrich Limited
• Future Analytics Consulting
• Jacobs
• RPS Environment
• Transport Insights Limited

Typical graduate job titles include:

• Conservation Officer
• Environmental Consultant
• Environmental Licensing Officer
• Environmental Planner
• Planning Consultant
• Retail and / or Property Planner
• Rural Development Officer
• Spatial Planner
• Sustainability Co-ordinator
• Town Planner
• Transport Planner
• Urban Designer

These are highly sought-after fields, with significant Government and EU investment already committed as part of the Climate Action Plan, Housing for All Strategy and the EU Green Deal.

The Irish government has committed over €4 billion investment in new housing per year to 2030. €365 million is to be invested annually in public transport and active travel (including 250 new public jobs) up to 2025. Building energy retrofit subsidies will be provided for up to 500,000 homes by 2030.

Globally, industry and governments are transitioning processes and investment towards more sustainable processes and practice in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Every departmental strategy in the Government of Ireland is being fully aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (TU Dublin’s is too).

The BSc in Spatial Planning and Environmental Management prepares graduates to join and take a professional role in this unique and unprecedented global transition.

We are currently closed for Advanced Entry Applications. The courses that will be open for advanced entry will be listed on the CAO website in January 2025. For information on how to make an Advanced Entry application, please visit our CAO Hub. If this course opens for advanced entry, the following will apply. 

To qualify for Advanced Entry applicants must be currently studying, completing, or have successfully completed, studies at Level 6, 7 or 8 in a Higher Education Institution (HEI) or an equivalent, in a related area. You must demonstrate by providing transcripts of results that you have achieved the learning outcomes for each stage you wish to advance past, for example:

• To enter Year 2 via Advanced Entry, you must demonstrate that you have met the learning outcomes for Year 1.
• For entry to Year 3, you must demonstrate that you have met the learning outcomes for Years 1 and 2.
• For entry to Year 4, you must demonstrate that you have met the learning outcomes for Years 1, 2, and 3.

If English is not your first language you will need to provide evidence of your English language proficiency as detailed on our website.

A recent survey of our graduates shows that:

• 98% of graduates are currently employed in a relevant field
• 92% of graduates said the course was enjoyable and gave them a positive outlook for their career
• 85% of graduates said they’d recommend the course to a friend or someone close

Our students continually tell us:

• their favourite subjects in secondary school were Geography, Biology, Economics, DCG, Art, etc.
• they love the course because it is hands on, active, applied and very practical
• they are passionate about the environment, fascinated with the world around them and curious about the way things work

Here are some testimonials from graduates of the course.

All in all I think it is a great course and I am delighted that I could finish it. It provides a very solid platform for employment.

This field of study is one of the most interesting, educational and relevant to today’s world. I have learned an incredible amount in my four years about our country and the rest of the world. I have loved every moment in college and will leave with some great memories and some equally good friends. I highly recommend spatial planning and the college to anybody.

The best thing about doing this course is that you are taught by professionals with vast experience in the sector, who work in it, and so you are being kept up to date with what is relevant.

The numerous field visits give you a first-hand understanding of how things work and some of the interesting places which you will visit include large factories, waste sites, professional offices and nature parks.