Art and Design

Master of Spatial Planning and Design

The Master of Spatial Planning and Design is a postgraduate programme that prepares professionals for advanced practice in urban and regional planning, spatial design, and sustainable development. The programme provides specialised training in spatial planning, urban design, regional planning, environmental planning, and planning policy.

Core areas include spatial planning theory, urban design, regional planning, environmental planning, GIS for planning, planning studio, research methods, and thesis. Students engage with both theoretical and practical work through coursework, studio projects, fieldwork, and research.

The programme is offered by Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology as a public institution through the School of Built Environment. The University of Nairobi offers a related MA in Planning through the Department of Urban and Regional Planning. Both programmes are available over two years.

Students develop competencies in spatial planning, urban design, regional analysis, environmental planning, and research. The programme includes coursework, examinations, studio projects, fieldwork, and a supervised research thesis, preparing graduates for planning and design roles.

JOOUST charges approximately KES 120,000 per year while the University of Nairobi charges approximately KES 299,000 per year. No private university confirmed offering this exact programme. Entry requires at least an Upper Second Class Honours degree in Spatial Planning, Architecture, Geography, or a related field from a recognised institution.

Graduates pursue careers as spatial planners, urban designers, regional planners, environmental planners, planning consultants, and lecturers across government agencies, planning firms, research institutions, and universities.

Skills Required

Spatial Planning Theory and Practice
Urban Design and Development
Regional Planning and Analysis
Environmental Planning and Assessment
GIS and Spatial Analysis for Planning
Planning Policy and Governance
Planning Studio and Project Design
Land Use Planning and Management
Research Methods in Spatial Planning
Academic Writing and Thesis Research

Key Subjects

Spatial Planning Theory and Practice
Urban Design and Development
Regional Planning and Analysis
Environmental Planning and Assessment
GIS and Spatial Analysis for Planning
Planning Policy and Governance
Planning Studio and Project Design
Land Use Planning and Management
Research Methods in Spatial Planning
Thesis Research

Certifications

ISOCARP Professional Membership
Kenya Institute of Planners (KIP) Registration

Specializations

Urban Planning and Design

Focuses on urban planning, covering urban, planning, design, development, and managing urban planning and design.

Regional Planning

Examines regional planning, covering regional, planning, analysis, development, and managing regional planning and analysis.

Environmental Planning

Covers environmental planning, covering environmental, planning, assessment, sustainability, and managing environmental planning and assessment.

Land Use Planning

Focuses on land use planning, covering land, use, planning, management, and managing land use planning and management.

Transport Planning

Examines transport planning, covering transport, planning, mobility, infrastructure, and managing transport planning and mobility.

Planning Policy and Governance

Covers planning policy, covering planning, policy, governance, regulation, and managing planning policy and governance.

Duration: 2 years
Public, up to: Ksh 299,000
Private, up to: Ksh 249,800
Job market: High

The programme

What you study, how long it takes, and how it is delivered.

Practicalities

Study mode: Full-time, Part-time
Attachment: 0 months
Average class: 20 students
Award: Masters

What you study

10 subjects

Spatial Planning Theory and Practice
Urban Design and Development
Regional Planning and Analysis
Environmental Planning and Assessment
GIS and Spatial Analysis for Planning
Planning Policy and Governance
Planning Studio and Project Design
Land Use Planning and Management
Research Methods in Spatial Planning
Thesis Research

Modules

12 in the programme

Spatial Planning Theory and Practice
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines spatial planning theory, covering spatial, planning, theory, practice, and managing spatial planning theory and practice.
Urban Design and Development
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers urban design, covering urban, design, development, planning, and managing urban design and development.
Regional Planning and Analysis
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines regional planning, covering regional, planning, analysis, development, and managing regional planning and analysis.
Environmental Planning and Assessment
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers environmental planning, covering environmental, planning, assessment, sustainability, and managing environmental planning and assessment.
GIS and Spatial Analysis for Planning
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines GIS for planning, covering GIS, spatial, analysis, mapping, and managing GIS and spatial analysis for planning.
Planning Policy and Governance
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers planning policy, covering planning, policy, governance, regulation, and managing planning policy and governance.
Land Use Planning and Management
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines land use planning, covering land, use, planning, management, and managing land use planning and management.
Research Methods in Spatial Planning
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers research, methods, planning, statistics, and conducting research in spatial planning, preparing students for their thesis.
Planning Studio and Project Design
Year 1Semester 24 creditsCore
Examines planning studio, covering studio, project, design, planning, and managing planning studio and project design.
Transport Planning and Mobility
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers transport planning, covering transport, planning, mobility, infrastructure, and managing transport planning and mobility.
Community Participation in Planning
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines community participation, covering community, participation, planning, engagement, and managing community participation in planning.
Research Thesis
Year 2Semester 212 creditsCore
Original supervised research thesis on a spatial planning topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and planning knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Specialisations

Urban Planning and Design
Focuses on urban planning, covering urban, planning, design, development, and managing urban planning and design.
Regional Planning
Examines regional planning, covering regional, planning, analysis, development, and managing regional planning and analysis.
Environmental Planning
Covers environmental planning, covering environmental, planning, assessment, sustainability, and managing environmental planning and assessment.
Land Use Planning
Focuses on land use planning, covering land, use, planning, management, and managing land use planning and management.
Transport Planning
Examines transport planning, covering transport, planning, mobility, infrastructure, and managing transport planning and mobility.
Planning Policy and Governance
Covers planning policy, covering planning, policy, governance, regulation, and managing planning policy and governance.

A day as a student

A typical day during the Master of Spatial Planning and Design programme combines lectures, studio sessions, fieldwork, seminars, and independent study. Sessions cover spatial planning theory, urban design, regional planning, environmental planning, and GIS. Spatial planning sessions examine spatial, planning, theory, practice, and managing spatial planning theory. Urban design sessions cover urban, design, development, planning, and managing urban design and development. Regional planning sessions cover regional, planning, analysis, development, and managing regional planning. Environmental planning sessions cover environmental, planning, assessment, sustainability, and managing environmental planning. GIS sessions cover GIS, spatial, analysis, mapping, and managing GIS and spatial analysis. Studio sessions provide practical experience in planning project design, spatial analysis, and plan preparation. Fieldwork provides practical experience in site analysis and community engagement. Seminars provide opportunities for presenting research findings. The programme culminates in a supervised research thesis on a spatial planning topic.

The trade offs

In its favour

Programme addresses critical urbanisation challenges with growing demand for planning professionals in Kenya.
Two public universities confirmed offering related programmes, providing options for students.
JOOUST offers the programme at multiple campuses including Main, Kisii, Nambale, and Kisumu.
Graduates are eligible for ISOCARP international membership and KIP professional registration.

Against it

JOOUST specific programme fees not verified from official fee structure document.
No private university confirmed offering this programme.
Planning jobs may require professional registration with KIP.
Studio and fieldwork may require additional costs for materials and travel.

What it costs

Tuition at both ends of the market, and how to pay for it.

What it costs, and where

Against 73 art and design courses

Public150k to 299k

150k at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology299k at University of Nairobi

Private161k to 250k

161k at KCA University250k at Daystar University

Annual tuition in Kenyan shillings, rounded. The upright tick is the median for this field, so a bar sitting entirely to its right is an expensive programme by the standards of its own subject.

The fine print

UoN 299K, JOOUST 150K/yr verified. Daystar 249.8K/yr verified. KCA unverified.

HELB postgraduate loans are available for Kenyan students. Universities may offer scholarships for eligible students. ISOCARP and UN-Habitat may offer fellowships for planning research and education.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
University Scholarship
UN-Habitat Fellowship

Scholarships

3 recorded

HELB Postgraduate Loan
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan students pursuing postgraduate studies at recognised universities.
University Scholarship
ScholarshipKsh 299,000Kenyan
JOOUST and UoN may offer scholarships for eligible postgraduate planning students.
UN-Habitat Fellowship
ScholarshipKsh 300,000
ISOCARP and UN-Habitat may offer fellowships for planning research and education.

Getting in

The grades, the alternatives, and who accredits the award.

What you need

KCSE mean grade: N/A (Postgraduate)
Alternative entry: JOOUST and UoN require at least Upper Second Class Honours in a relevant degree. Lower Second Class may be considered with at least two years of relevant work or research experience. Contact respective universities for specific admission requirements.

How you are assessed

4 components

Coursework and Continuous Assessment
Coursework30% of the mark
Continuous assessment through coursework assignments, studio reports, seminar presentations, and class participation.
Written Examinations
Examination70% of the mark
Written examinations covering spatial planning theory, urban design, regional planning, and environmental planning.
Studio Project Assessment
Project50% of the mark
Practical assessment through planning studio projects, demonstrating spatial analysis, plan preparation, and design skills.
Research Thesis
Research100% of the mark
Original supervised research thesis on a spatial planning topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and planning knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Accreditation

The programme is accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). JOOUST (public) offers MA in Spatial Planning and Design through the School of Built Environment. University of Nairobi (public) offers MA in Planning through the Department of Urban and Regional Planning. The programme meets CUE standards for postgraduate training in spatial planning. Graduates may interact with ISOCARP for international planning standards and KIP for professional registration. The programme aligns with CUE, ISOCARP, and UN-Habitat global planning frameworks.

Accredited by

Commission for University Education (CUE)
Academic accreditationRequired
Programme accredited by CUE. JOOUST (public) offers MA in Spatial Planning and Design through the School of Built Environment. University of Nairobi (public) offers MA in Planning through the Department of Urban and Regional Planning. The programme meets CUE standards for postgraduate training in spatial planning. Graduates may interact with ISOCARP for international planning standards and KIP for professional registration. The programme aligns with CUE, ISOCARP, and UN-Habitat global planning frameworks.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

6 roles

Spatial Planner
High demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 350,000
Manages spatial planning, covering spatial, planner, planning, land, and managing spatial planning and land use.
Urban Designer
High demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 400,000
Designs urban spaces, covering urban, designer, design, development, and managing urban design and development.
Regional Planner
Moderate demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 350,000
Plans regional development, covering regional, planner, development, planning, and managing regional planning and development.
Environmental Planner
High demandKsh 110,000 to Ksh 380,000
Plans environmental management, covering environmental, planner, planning, assessment, and managing environmental planning and assessment.
Planning Consultant
Moderate demandKsh 130,000 to Ksh 450,000
Provides planning consulting, covering planning, consulting, advisory, development, and managing planning consulting and advisory.
Planning Lecturer
Moderate demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 400,000
Teaches spatial planning at university or college level, overseeing instruction, research, and academic supervision.

Graduate outcomes

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

ArcGIS
SoftwarePrimary
ArcGIS for spatial analysis and planning mapping, covering GIS, spatial, analysis, planning, and managing spatial analysis and planning mapping.
AutoCAD
Software
AutoCAD for planning drawings and design, covering CAD, drawings, design, planning, and managing planning drawings and design.
QGIS
Software
QGIS for open-source spatial analysis, covering QGIS, open, source, GIS, and managing open-source spatial analysis.
SketchUp
Software
SketchUp for 3D urban design modelling, covering 3D, modelling, urban, design, and managing 3D urban design modelling.

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Spatial planning is just about drawing maps.
Spatial planning covers theory, policy, urban design, regional analysis, environmental assessment, and governance beyond just map drawing.
This programme is only for architecture graduates.
Spatial planning is for professionals from geography, environmental science, economics, and related fields, not just architecture.
Spatial planning has limited career prospects in Kenya.
Planning professionals are in high demand in government, counties, planning firms, and international organisations as Kenya urbanises rapidly.
This programme is the same as architecture.
Spatial planning focuses on land use and regional development, while architecture focuses on building design and construction.
Planning is only about cities.
The programme covers urban, regional, rural, and environmental planning, not just cities.
You need a design background to study this programme.
The programme is accessible to graduates from various fields seeking planning specialisation, not just design professionals.