University of Queensland

Graduate Certificate in Urban Development and Design

Delivery: Face to Face
Study Level: Postgraduate
Duration: 6 months
Course Type: Graduate Certificate

Examine cities strategically and creatively through contemporary urbanism, sustainable development and design studio practice, preparing to shape more efficient, responsive and meaningful urban environments for communities.

Course overview

Reimagine how cities can respond to environmental, social and development challenges. The University of Queensland’s Graduate Certificate in Urban Development and Design is intended for graduates and professionals with backgrounds in architecture, design, landscape architecture or planning who want to examine urban environments from a broader perspective.

You will connect contemporary urbanism with sustainable development or development planning before applying your learning through an intensive design course. Studio-based learning, workshops, lectures, tutorials and peer-assisted sessions bring together perspectives from urban design, architecture and planning, helping you explore cities strategically and consider creative responses to their future development.

The course is based at UQ’s St Lucia campus and includes some online study. Students commencing in Semester 1 study part-time over one year, while those commencing in Semester 2 may complete the qualification in half a year of full-time study or the part-time equivalent. It can also support progression to UQ’s Master of Urban Development and Design, subject to its admission and credit requirements.

CSP Subsidised Fees Available

This program has a limited quota of Commonwealth Supported Places (CSP). The indicative CSP price is calculated based on first year fees for EFT. The actual fee may vary if there are choices in electives or majors.

Key facts

Delivery

Face to Face

Course Type

Graduate Certificate

Duration

6 months (Full time)

Campus

St Lucia

Intake

22nd February, 2027
26th July, 2027

Units

Fees

HECS, CSP

What you will study

At UQ, a unit represents the value of individual courses that contribute to the total unit requirements of a program. Most UQ courses have a value of two units, though some may vary depending on the program or course structure.

To earn the Graduate Certificate in Urban Development and Design, you must complete eight units or three courses, as detailed below. Unless otherwise noted, each course is worth two units.

Core units

Contemporary Urbanism

Development units

Select one course from the following:

Foundations of Sustainable Development
Global South Cities: Development Planning Theory & Practice

Design units

Select one four-unit course from the following:

Masterclass (four units)
Urban Design: Urban Futures (four units)
Urban Design: Responsive Environments (four units)

Entry requirements

Academic requirements

To be eligible for this course, applicants must meet at least one of the following requirements:

Hold a bachelor’s degree or equivalent in a relevant discipline with a grade point average of at least 4.0 on a seven-point scale.
Hold a graduate certificate, graduate diploma or master’s degree in a relevant discipline with a grade point average of at least 4.0 on a seven-point scale.

Relevant disciplines include architecture, architectural design, design, landscape architecture, planning, regional and town planning and urban planning.

Study pattern requirements

Domestic students may commence part-time study in Semester 1 or commence full-time or part-time study in Semester 2. Full-time completion is only available for students commencing in Semester 2.

English language requirements

Applicants must provide evidence of English language proficiency through at least one accepted option, including:

IELTS: overall score of 6.5, with at least 6.0 in each component.
TOEFL iBT: overall score of 87, with at least 19 in listening, 19 in reading, 21 in writing and 19 in speaking.
PTE Academic: overall score of 64, with at least 60 in each communicative skill.
Cambridge English Scale: overall score of 176, with at least 169 in each skill.
Bridging English: minimum overall grade of 4, with at least a C in each macro skill.
Other evidence accepted by the university.

The Occupational English Test is not accepted for this course. Contact the university for further information.

Recognition of Prior Learning

You may be eligible for recognition of prior learning if you have previously studied or have relevant work experience. This will help to reduce the number of units that you need to study to finish your course. Contact the university for more information.

Outcomes

Career outcomes

Potential career outcomes include:

Urban Designer
Community Engagement Consultant
Landscape Architect
Urban Strategist
Design Adviser

Fees and CSP

Indicative annual fee in 2026: $4,770 (Commonwealth Supported Place)

Indicative annual fees are based on your first year of study.

A student’s annual fee may vary by:

The number of units studied.
Choice of units.
Credit from previous study or work experience.
Eligibility for government-funded loans.

Student fees shown are subject to change. Contact the university directly to confirm.

Commonwealth Supported Places

The Australian Government allocates a certain number of CSPs to the universities each year, which are then distributed to students based on merit.

If you're a Commonwealth Supported Student (CSS), you'll only need to pay a portion of your tuition fees. This is known as the student contribution amount – the balance once the government subsidy is applied. This means your costs are much lower.

Limited CSP spaces are offered to students enrolled in selected postgraduate courses.

Your student contribution amount is:

Calculated per the course you're enrolled in.
Dependent on the study areas they relate to.
Reviewed and adjusted each year.