Free Places on MA Town and Regional Planning for September 2012 Entry!

The Department of Town and Regional Planning is awarding two free places on the MA Town and Regional Planning to UK/EU citizens for the 2012-13 academic year. The places will also include internships with either Turley Associates or Arup in their Leeds offices. Holders of these bursaries will not need to pay tuition fees and during their internships will be paid by Turley Associates or Arup.

The Department is seeking highly qualified applicants who have a deep commitment to developing a career in planning. Applicants will develop their skills and knowledge in planning on this masters course, allowing them to enter the planning profession. Internships with Turley Associates and Arup planning and built environment consultants will further develop hands-on knowledge about planning, learning from leading professionals and engaging with cutting edge projects. These internships will be offered on a flexible basis to fit around full-time study on the MA Town and Regional Planning. Bursary holders will be expected to work in the Leeds offices of Turley Associates or Arup. Turley Associates will offer one day of work per week for the period between October and January, whilst Arup will offer a continuous two week internship during the Easter vacation.

The MA Town and Regional Planning is accredited by the Royal Town Planning Institute, allowing graduates to become chartered planners. The course develops the critical skills and knowledge required for professional practice in planning. Our graduates have gone onto successful careers in the public and private sector, in fields as diverse as regeneration, urban design, transport planning, energy planning, property development, and strategic planning. The current President of Royal Town Planning Institute Colin Haylock is a graduate of this course.

Applying for a Bursary

Bursaries will be allocated on a competitive basis. Applicants will need to apply for a place on the MA in Town and Regional Planning and also submit a written statement in order to apply for a bursary. Applications should be made before 5pm on Monday 11th June 2012.

Bursary Statement

Alongside standard application materials (up-to-date transcript of academic results/degree certificate, references, personal statement), applicants for a bursary should write a statement covering:
• Why I wish to enter the planning profession
• What I have done to further my knowledge of planning work (may cover work experience and/or broader research into planning)
• What I hope to gain from an internship with Arup and/or Turley Associates
• Where I see my career in 5 years’ time

Statements should be no longer than 1 side of A4 stating name at the top of the page. Applicants should also upload a current CV with their application, noting any relevant work experience.

Applicants will receive notification of a place on the MA in Town and Regional Planning shortly after they have submitted the application. Those applicants who hold a place on the September 2012 entry to these courses will then be informed of whether they are successful in gaining a Bursary by 29th June 2012. As the Bursaries will be allocated on a competitive basis, decisions on Bursaries will only be made in June, once all applications have been received by the department.

If applicants who applied earlier in the year have gained work experience or have received information about results from previous degrees in the period between their application and June, we would encourage those applicants to contact the Department with this information.

Applications for a bursary will be reviewed by the Director of Postgraduate Programmes, Director of MA Town and Regional Planning and representatives of Turley Associates and Arup. Successful Bursary applicants will be notified by 29th June 2012. Please see detailed criteria for allocating bursaries below.

Applicants are encouraged to attend an Open Day in the Department to find out more about the course, see our facilities, and meet staff and students. Open Days will be held on:

• 25 April 2012
• 6 June 2012

If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact: Keely Robinson, Postgraduate Administrator
planning-pg@sheffield.ac.uk 0114 222 6180

Criteria for Allocating Bursaries

Essential

• UK/EU citizenship
• 2(i) honours degree (or equivalent)
• Evidence of excellent academic ability (indicated by degree result, references from academic tutors, quality of personal statement and Bursary statement)
• Evidence of commitment to a career in planning (this may be indicated by a period of work experience in the public sector (whether permanent, temporary, or voluntary (unpaid)), by evidence of research into planning as a career (consulting information and literature or talking to public sector planners)

Desirable

• Period of work experience in planning either in the public or private sector (including permanent, temporary and voluntary (unpaid) work)
• Evidence of research into planning as a career (investigation of literature and information sources about planning, talking with planners)
• Commitment to Sheffield’s MA in Town and Regional Planning (giving evidence of why this course has been chosen in particular)

Applications for the bursary will be considered using:

• Application forms (including, personal statement, evidence of degree results and other evidence of academic performance)
• Bursary Statement and CV
• References

Deadline

The deadline for applications is 5pm on 11 June 2012. Decisions will be made by 29 June 2012 (at the latest)
Our final Open Day is on 6 June 2012