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Faculty of Sciences M-GEOGE

Master in Geography : General with focus Urban studies (ULB-VUB)

Master in Geography : General with focus Urban studies (ULB-VUB)

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  • Programme title
    Master in Geography : General with focus Urban studies (ULB-VUB)
  • Programme mnemonic
    M-GEOGE
  • Programme organised by
    • Faculty of Sciences
  • Degree type
    Master 120 credits
  • Tier
    2nd cycle
  • Field and branch of study
    Sciences and technics/Sciences
  • Schedule type
    Daytime
  • Languages of instruction
    english
  • Theoretical programme duration
    2 years
  • Campus
    Plaine/Solbosch
  • Category / Topic
    Sciences and technics - Sciences
  • Jury President
    Mathieu VAN CRIEKINGEN
  • Jury Secretary
    Eléonore WOLFF

Presentation

Details

General information

Degree type

Master 120 credits

Theoretical programme duration

2 years

Learning language(s)

english

Schedule type

Daytime

Campus

Plaine/Solbosch

Category(ies) - Topic(s)

Sciences and technics - Sciences

Organising faculty(s) and university(ies)

Succeed in your studies

The multifaceted complexity of cities is difficult to grasp, and so the Master in Urban Studies takes a holistic and immersive approach. Theory and practice are seen as mirrors, each critically reflecting the other. The city is engaged as an evolving narrative, more dialogic than linear, and students learn to see “The City” as manifold and emergent, to hear it, to participate in it, and to understand it, all while experimenting with their role in shaping it. While this obviously requires a high degree of independence and self-reliance, students must also be cooperative and collaborative.

Succeed in your studies

Choose

The information and guidance counsellors at the InfOR-études service will help you choose your studies throughout the year.

Succeed

Take part in preparatory courses or get help to succeed, before or during your studies.

Get help

Apply for financial aid, look for accommodation or a student job, get support for your specific needs.

Contacts

+32 2 650 68 11

info@masterurbanstudies.eu

https://urbanstudies.brussels/education/msc-urban-studies/msc-urban-studies
Infor-études

Presentation

The Master in Urban Studies is a 120 ECTS programme jointly offered by the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) and the Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB). Offering an interdisciplinary perspective on urban studies, students follow a core trajectory of shared courses and have the freedom to specialize by individually selecting from a large offer of elective modules and courses.

The common core contains a course on Brussels, one on the European dimension of cities and urbanisation, and a number of theoretical courses introducing you to the field of urban studies. By using Brussels as a unique case study in the programme and by organising various site visits in and around Brussels and excursions to cities in Europe, we benefit from our location in the centre of Europe. The common core also contains two modules introducing you to various urban methods and research approaches. Please see http://urbanstudies.brussels/master/programme for detailed information

Master in Urban Studies bridges disciplinary limitations by combining sociology, geography, history, cultural studies, and humanistic urban studies while providing students with an array of means and methods for analysing and understanding the specific character of cities. Academic courses are supplemented with fieldwork and excursions, reframing The City as a dynamic, immersive learning laboratory.

In the second year of your studies, it is possible to go abroad for a semester and study at one of our partner universities. We currently have Erasmus exchange agreements with the following universities: Universität Wien; Charles University Prague; University of Tartu; Aalto University; Université Paris Pantheon Sorbonne; Université de Lille; Sciences Po Bordeaux, HafenCity Universität Hamburg; Bauhaus-Universität Weimar; RWTH Aachen; Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main; Eötvös Loránd University Budapest; University of Milano-Bicocca; Université de Luxembourg; Universiteit van Amsterdam; Universiteit Utrecht; University of Oslo; NTNU Trondheim; Gdańsk University of Technology; University of Warsaw; Universitat de Barcelona; Göteborgs Universitet; KTH Stockholm; Lunds Universitet; Malmö Universitet; Université de Lausanne; Universität Bern

Access conditions

Access conditions
CONDITIONS COMMUNES MASTERS / COMMUNES MASTERS

The conditions of access to the selected Master's degree meet the requirements of Article 111 of the Decree of 07/11/2013.

To facilitate the reading of these access conditions and click on the category that concerns you, to obtain more information, please note that :

The point A concerns the candidates who have obtained a diploma in theFrench-speaking community of Belgium and who benefit from full admission rights .

The point B concerns the candidates who have obtained a diploma outside the French-speaking community of Belgium, recognised as equivalent in the framework of a European directive, an international convention, ...

The point C concerns the candidates who have obtained a diploma outside the French-speaking community of Belgium, whose application is submitted to the opinion of the academic jury

ACCES PLEIN DROIT

A. Full admission rights granted to holders of a degree obtained in the French-speaking Community of Belgium

ACCES PLEIN DROIT / BA MEME CURSUS

Admission granted to the holder of a Bachelor's degree in the same field of study (if available), awarded in the French-speaking Community of Belgium, without supplement.

ACCES PLEIN DROIT / AUTRE FINALITE

Admission granted to the holder of the same Master's degree, but with a different focus.

ACCES PLEIN DROIT / MASTER 60

Admission granted to the holder of a same Master’s degree, but a 60-credit Master’s degree according to the procedures defined by the admission jury, and with accreditation of at least 45 credits.

ACCES PLEIN DROIT / DECISION ACADEMIQUE UNIV

Rem. concerning admission to a university Bachelor's or Master's degree.

ACCES PLEIN DROIT / MINEURE/OPTION

Access granted to holders of an undergraduate level degree, having passed a subsidiary subject/minor/option or a module under the conditions set out by the board of examiners, taking into account all the credits that the student can also use at the time of admission. These extra courses form part of the student’s graduate course of studies.

ACCES PLEIN DROIT / DECISION ACADEMIQUE HE TYPE LONG

Admission granted to the holder of a Bachelor's or Master's degree from a non-University Higher Education institution -HE or ESA- (long course), pursuant to a decision by the academic authorities (including adult education diplomas, regarded as equivalent).

ACCES PLEIN DROIT / DECISION ACADEMIQUE HE TYPE LONG

Rem. concerning admission to Bachelor's or Master's degree from a Non-University Higher Education Institution -HE or ESA- (long course).

ACCES PLEIN DROIT / DECISION ACADEMIQUE HE TYPE COURT

Admission granted to the holder of a Bachelor's degree from a Non-University Higher Education Institution -HE or ESA- (short course), pursuant to a decision by the academic authorities.

ACCES PLEIN DROIT / DECISION ACADEMIQUE HE TYPE COURT

Rem. concerning admission to a Bachelor degree in a Non-University Higher Education Institution -HE or ESA- (short course).

M-GEOG-T

If your bachelor degree is not listed above, your application will be subject tocriteria established by the jury included in session C. Access by means of your application submitted for the evaluation of the jury.

Section C

The holder of a « type court" academic degree obtained in a Higher Education School or Higher School of the Arts not listed in point A, the following minimum criteria must be met for the file to be analysed by the jury:

  • at least 10 credits in the following subjects: geography or spatial planning

  • an average of more than 12/20 over the entire bachelor's cycle

ACCES PLEIN DROIT / BA 15 CREDITS MAX

By way of derogation, students who still need to earn a maximum of 15 credits in order to be awarded the degree entitling them to be admitted to the Master's programme, and who are enrolled simultaneously for these studies in a Higher Education institution in the French-speaking Community, will also be admitted.

DIPLÔME EQUIVALENT

B. Admission granted to the holder of a degree obtained abroad which is recognised as equivalent to degrees mentioned previously in application of the Decree of 7 November 2013 (décret définissant le paysage de l'enseignement supérieur et l'organisation académique des études), of a European directive, of an international agreement or other legislation, under the same conditions.

ACCES DOSSIER JURY

C. Admission granted following submission of a dossier and decision by the jury

ACCES DOSSIER JURY / GRADE ACAD SIMILAIRE

Admission granted to the holder of a degree similar to the degrees awarded in the French-speaking Community (see point A), and awarded by a Higher Education Institution outside the latter (Flemish Community, German-speaking Community, Royal Military Academy, foreign institution), under the additional conditions determined by the jury. These extra courses form part of the student’s Master's programme. A qualification or degree leading to the same career prospects or to a continuation of studies in the original system is considered similar to a degree awarded in the French-speaking community.

ACCES DOSSIER JURY / DIPLÔME VALORISE 180 CREDITS

Admission granted, under the general conditions laid down by the academic authorities, to the holder of a qualification, diploma, degree or certificate awarded outside the French-Speaking Community or awarded abroad if the qualification, diploma, degree or certificate attests to the successful completion of studies and the jury considers them to be worth at least 180 credits. The jury may impose a programme worth a maximum of 60 credits in addition to the Master's programme, bearing in mind all the credits for which the student obtains recognition at the time of admission. These extra courses form part of the student’s Master's programme.

ACCES DOSSIER JURY / CONDITIONS SPECIFIQUES JURY

Criteria laid down by the jury.

For the Didactic finality :

Inbioengineering delivered in the French Community of Belgium. The Jury mayimpose a complementary programme of 15 credits, taking into account all thecredits that the student can also use during his admission. These additionalcourses are part of the 2nd cycle study programme. For these degrees, creditsmay be used to obtain a Master's degree in geographical sciences, with anindividual programme of 90 credits.

Access to holdersof a bachelor's degree in history, art history and archaeology, information andcommunication, sociology and anthropology, humanities and social sciences,political science, economics, management engineering, architecture, and abachelor's degree in engineering sciences, with a bioengineering orientation,awarded in the French-speaking Community of Belgium, who have taken and passedat least one course in human geography (5 ECTS) during their first universitycycle. The Jury will impose a complementary programme of 15 credits, takinginto account all the credits that the student can also use during hisadmission. These additional courses are part of the student's second cyclestudy programme.

Access to holdersof a foreign academic degree recognised as equivalent to those mentioned abovein application of the decree of 7 November 2013, a European directive, aninternational convention or other legislation, under the same conditions.

For all candidates who have completed an academic career outside the European Union, each year of studies followed in a higher education institution outside the EU must have been successfully completed/be passed with a mandatory and minimum average of 14/20 (or equivalent if other rating system). If there is no legend or conversion table on the official transcript, an official document may be required from the candidate

For the Territorial Development option :

Access to holdersof a Master's degree in history, sociology, anthropology, political science,European studies, journalism, economics, management science, architecture,environmental science and management, tourism science and management,population and development science, labour science, public health science,geological science, agro-ecology, Master's degree in bioengineering deliveredin the French Community of Belgium. The Jury may impose a complementaryprogramme of 15 credits, taking into account all the credits that the studentcan also use during his admission. These additional courses are part of thestudent's 2nd cycle study programme.

Access to holdersof a bachelor's degree in history, art history and archaeology, information andcommunication, sociology and anthropology, humanities and social sciences,political science, economics, management engineering, architecture, and abachelor's degree in engineering sciences, with a bioengineering orientation,awarded in the French-speaking Community of Belgium, who have taken and passedat least one course in human geography (5 ECTS) during their first universitycycle. The Jury will impose a complementary programme of 15 credits, takinginto account all the credits that the student can also use during hisadmission. These additional courses are part of the student's second cyclestudy programme.

Access to holdersof a foreign academic degree recognised as equivalent to those mentioned abovein application of the decree of 7 November 2013, a European directive, aninternational convention or other legislation, under the same conditions.

For all candidates who have completed an academic career outside the European Union, each year of studies followed in a higher education institution outside the EU must have been successfully completed/be passed with a mandatory and minimum average of 14/20 (or equivalent if other rating system). If there is no legend or conversion table on the official transcript, an official document may be required from the candidate

For the Urban Studies :

Access on file( https://urbanstudies.brussels/education/msc-urban-studies )to holders of a bachelor's degree (180 ECTS) in history, art history andarchaeology, philosophy, information and communication, modern languages andliterature, translation and interpretation, sociology and anthropology,humanities and social sciences, political science, economics, managementengineering, architecture, landscape architecture and a bachelor's degree inengineering sciences, bioengineering orientation, awarded in the FrenchCommunity of Belgium.

Access on file ( https://urbanstudies.brussels/education/msc-urban-studies ) to holders of aforeign academic degree recognised as equivalent to those mentioned above inapplication of the decree of 7 November 2013, a European directive, aninternational convention or other legislation, under the same conditions.

VAE

D. Accreditation of prior experience

VAE / VAE CONDITIONS

In line with the procedure defined by the ULB, juries can recognise knowledge and skills acquired through professional and/or personal experience, and may grant access to the MA to any person who does not fall under the categories listed above. The jury determines the additional courses and any possible exemptions which constitute supplementary entry requirements for the student. The personal or professional experience must be equivalent to at least five years of activity. A maximum of two years of higher education can be taken into account, providing 60 credits were obtained per year.

HORS UNION EUROPÉENNE

Administrative fee for Applicants from outside the European Union

HORS UNION EUROPÉENNE / FRAIS ADMINISTRATIFS

Applicants from outside the European Union who do not meet the assimilation criteria and do not meet a criterium of article 3 of the Decree of the 11 April 2014 adapting the financing of higher education institutions to the new organisation of studies are required to pay an administrative fee of 200 euros. This payment is a prerequisite for the examination of the application. We invite you to check whether you meet the access conditions to the studies envisaged before submitting your application insofar as the administrative fee is not refundable.

Programme

The Master in Geography includes three distinct focuses: territorial development, teaching, and urban studies. While they each cover specific contents, these focuses are built around a shared philosophy: enabling students to acquire the knowledge and methods required to analyse spatial questions while developing their intellectual curiosity and their critical perspective. To this end, particular emphasis is placed on active learning, field work, and work placements. The Master in Geography takes advantage of the University's location in Brussels, encouraging students to reflect on current issues of the city.

The Master with a focus on ‘territorial development’ is devoted to analysing the structure of territories, their transformations, and development projects at various scales. Particular emphasis is placed on the economic, social, and political dimensions of territorial issues. From a methodological perspective, the programme covers the production, management, analysis, and diffusion of optimal geographical data, with a view to helping students work autonomously. Courses in this focus include lectures on specific topics (political geography, analysis of urban spaces, cultural geography, etc.) and methods (remote sensing, geomarketing, database management, etc.). In addition to lecture classes, students attend seminars where they can work on practical projects in small teams, under supervision. Students complete their curriculum with electives chosen from a wide range of courses in areas such as urban studies, mobility, transportation, tourism, environmental studies, or development.

The Master with a teaching focus prepares students to teach geography. Its main purpose is to train skilled teachers who can get students interested in the richness and significance of geographical issues in relation to understanding the world and living as a citizen. Graduates of the teaching focus receive the official title of ‘agrégé’ (AESS): only graduates of this programme—and holders of an AESS—may teach geography in secondary schools in Belgium. This programme includes courses on geography and didactics, as well as work placements involving teaching in a school environment. This approach blends theory and practice, with field experience, micro-teaching exercises, lesson preparations, organising a school trip, etc., always keeping in mind the creative and rewarding aspects of teaching.

The Master with a focus on urban studies (Erasmus Mundus programme) is fully integrated into an international urban studies programme, given entirely in English: the 4Cities Master, organised jointly by universities in Brussels (ULB and VUB), Vienna, Copenhagen, and Madrid (Universidad Complutense and Universidad Autonoma). Students attend common classes in English during both years of the Master, in Brussels and Vienna for the first year, and in Copenhagen and Madrid the second year. Since 2013, this Master has been part of the Erasmus Mundus programme. Enrolment is subject to certain criteria: applications must be sent to the team coordinating the 4Cities programme (see www.4cities.eu).

The Master in Geography with a focus on urban studies is fully given in English, in Brussels. Classes are held at both ULB and VUB, with students receiveing a joint degree upon graduation. This gives them access to a wide range of classes on urban studies (with many electives that let them specialise in topics of interest), as well as to field visits and the opportunity to complete an international work placement or a semester abroad. Please not that this programme is subject to specific access requirements. For more information, visit the programme's website:https://urbanstudies.brussels/education/msc-urban-studies/msc-urban-studies

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What's next ?

Prospects

Master in Urban Studies students are not trained for one specific profession, but an education in urban studies ensures that you develop the right skills and mindset to tackle important urban challenges. Our graduates continue as PhD researchers at universities across the world and find work in non-profits and NGOs, consultancy firms, government administrations in urban policy and planning.