Master's Degree Programme in Transport and Urban Planning Programplan

The Master's Degree Program in Transport and Urban Planning (TUP) is a full-time course of study over two years with 120 ECTS that is given in English. The program represents a continuation and specialization in relation to the bachelor's degree program in Civil Engineering, under the technical planning course option. This program offers a practical and profession-oriented specialization, extending a bachelor’s in civil engineering in the study field of integrated urban and transport planning, geographical planning, technology or landscape architecture.

In line with expectations from the industry, the program is planned to be cross disciplinary from the start, with a unique focus also on IT, digital tools and skills commonly used and highly needed in the industry, especially tools and skills related to urban and transport analytics and planning, geographical information systems (GIS) and data science.

Society and authorities place increasing demands on environmentally friendly, innovative and sustainable design of mobility and urban solutions. Climate change in the form of increased temperatures, more precipitation and extreme weather exposes constructions, infrastructure and networks to greater and less predictable stressors. Industry and researchers highlight the need of candidates with expertise at master's degree level (engineers) in the fields of smart mobility and urban analytics who have knowledge in environmental issues relating to this field as well as updated skills on new technology.

This study program offers a combination of expert and interdisciplinary knowledge where the students will achieve a high level of proficiency in sustainable urban development as well as achieving strong digital skills and knowledge. Interdisciplinary studies involve the combination of two or more academic disciplines into one activity. The interdisciplinary nature of this program has two major aspects according to the academic professionals developing this program at the faculty. The first related to the knowledge developed in urban planning and design, urban transport and mobility, as well as ethics and sustainability in this field. The second being digital competence, new technologies and tools, like simulation tools AIMSUN or SUMO, or data analysis software Python, R or Weka, or geographical information systems such as ArcGIS or QGIS.

In-depth areas in this master program will be:

Space Syntax (20 ECTS) which will provide in-depth knowledge of how complex architectural and urban systems work, and how spaces can be planned, designed and manufactured to create a better society bringing together the fields of architecture and urbanism. Space Syntax is a theoretical and analytical framework, as well as a modeling tool to design and analyze the human-built environment. Students will investigate spatial morphology and its social implications by a practical, hands-on program of lectures, workshops and a project.

Urban Mobility (20 ECTS) which will provide in-depth knowledge in land use and transportation planning for smart and sustainable cities that meet the needs of all residents. Students will learn how to experiment and test hypotheses and think strategically about multi-modal transport systems, the movement of people and goods, and intelligent transport systems in urban areas. Students will grow their expertise joining a session of lectures, workshops and through work on projects.

The goal with this program is to educate and train candidates who are qualified to address the challenges of both professional life and scholarly enquiry within their specialization as well as being a productive member of interdisciplinary teams.

Graduates from this program will:

understand the role of their specialization in organizations and society

possess deep technical skills from their own specialization that can be applied in a variety of real-life scenarios

understand how their specialization is part of a wider fabric of skills necessary to solve tomorrow's challenges

have a professional and ethical attitude towards their role in the workplace

display creative thinking in real-life situations, leaning both on theoretical knowledge and on pragmatism

plan and execute their work in a structured and independent manner, be it as professionals or as researchers in their field

have expertise that is in high demand in both the private and public sector. The most relevant employers are advisory engineering firms, municipalities or other public agencies, private companies within transport and urban planning industry and research institutes

qualify students for further studies at the doctoral degree level.

More specifically, the graduates will:

Be able to identify needs in the smart society. This particularly means that the students are trained to plan for mobilities and accessibility to/from services, jobs and amenities that are more fluent in times when tele-commuting and online consumption has increased.

Be aware of and sensitive to, and responsive when planning and suggesting policy measures to handle vulnerabilities. Pandemics, 100-year-storms, and similar have proven to be more than fiction. Planning for a resilient society includes planning for alternative transport solutions, and prioritization of lines, roads, and services in case of emergency.

Be able to integrate sustainability in plans, execution, evaluation and circularity of societal development.

Be equipped with tools and methods for planning and implementing integrative urban landscapes. With specific focus on planning for equal opportunities in urban areas where new technologies for participation in and communication with citizens may be used to different extent due to language barriers, age, trust, etc

After completing the education, the student will be especially suitable for:

Employments in urban, regional and transport planning departments in municipalities and public organizations

Jobs in firms and agencies developing stakeholder strategies, meta-data description and tech-mediation between smart-city developers and users

Consultancy firms developing strategies for smart city developments

Creation and analysis of geo-coded data, including statistical analyses

Research and evaluation work

Students who complete the master's degree program will be awarded the degree of Master of Science (MSc) in Transport and Urban Planning.

The master’s degree program is aimed at candidates who want a solid professional and academic supplement to their education in Transport and Urban Planning, and that holds a three-year bachelor’s degree or equivalent in one of these fields: Architecture, Demography, Economic history, Economics, Engineering, Geography, Geoinformatics, Geology, Human geography,Informatics, Landscape Architecture, Political science, Psychology, Physical geography, Sociology, Statistics, Tourism science & Urban planning.

Ingeniørstudiene er tilrettelagt for internasjonalisering gjennom at studenter kan ta delstudier i utlandet hovedsakelig fra fjerde semester. Se https://student.oslomet.no/hvor-nar

I tillegg har høgskolen samarbeid med institusjoner i flere europeiske land, et engelskspråklig tilbud European Project Semester (EPS) på 30 studiepoeng, som i hovedsak er beregnet for innreisende utvekslingsstudenter. For egne studenter kan EPS erstatter bacheloroppgaven EPS kan også tilbys egne 3. års studenter i 6. semester og. Dette gjøres etter individuell søknad.

Ingeniørfag er internasjonalt. Mye av pensumlitteraturen er på engelsk og flere systemer og arbeidsverktøy har engelsk som arbeidsspråk. Deler av undervisningen kan gjennomføres på engelsk. Det vil framkomme i den enkelte emneplan hvilke emner dette gjelder. Studentene vil dermed få god erfaring med og kunnskap i den engelske fagterminologien for ingeniørfag.

Et arbeidskrav er et obligatorisk arbeid/en obligatorisk aktivitet som må være godkjent innen fastsatt frist for at studenten skal kunne fremstille seg til eksamen. Arbeidskrav kan være skriftlige arbeider, prosjektarbeid, muntlige fremføringer, lab-kurs, obligatorisk tilstedeværelse ved undervisning og lignende. Arbeidskrav kan gjennomføres individuelt eller i gruppe. Arbeidskravene innenfor et emne står beskrevet i emneplanen.

Arbeidskrav gis for å fremme studentenes progresjon og utvikling og for å sikre deltakelse der dette er nødvendig. Arbeidskrav kan også gis for å prøve studenten i et læringsutbytte som ikke kan prøves ved eksamen.

Tidligere godkjente arbeidskrav kan være gyldig to år tilbake i tid. Dette forutsetter at emnet ikke er endret.

Tilbakemelding på arbeidskrav er godkjent/ikke godkjent.

Ikke godkjente arbeidskrav

Gyldig fravær dokumentert ved for eksempel legeerklæring, fritar ikke for innfrielse av arbeidskrav. Studenter som har gyldig fravær, eller har gjennomført arbeidskrav som ikke er godkjent, bør så langt det er mulig, kunne få et nytt forsøk før eksamen. Dette må avtales i hvert enkelt tilfelle med den aktuelle faglærer. Hvis det ikke er mulig å gjennomføre et nytt forsøk på grunn av fagets/emnets egenart, må studenten påregne å ta arbeidskravet ved neste mulige tidspunkt. Dette kan medføre forsinkelser i studieprogresjon.

Hensikten med kvalitetssikringssystemet for OsloMet er å styrke studentenes læringsutbytte og utvikling ved å heve kvaliteten i alle ledd. OsloMetHiOA ønsker å samarbeide med studentene, og deres deltakelse i kvalitetssikringsarbeidet er avgjørende. Noen overordnede mål for kvalitetssikringssystemet er:

• å sikre at utdanningsvirksomheten inkludert praksis, lærings- og studiemiljøet holder høy kvalitet
• å sikre utdanningenes relevans til yrkesfeltet
• å sikre en stadig bedre kvalitetsutvikling

For studenter innebærer dette blant annet studentevalueringer:

• emneevalueringerårlige studentundersøkelser felles for OsloMet

Mer informasjon om kvalitetssikringssystemet, se her: https://student.oslomet.no/regelverk#etablering-studium-evaluering-kvalitetssystem

Both the language of instruction and the course literature are in English, making the study program well-suited for international students and student mobility. The study program is structured so that it is possible for the students to take one semester abroad, in the third or fourth semester. These will also be the semesters for exchange students from abroad to join the master program at OsloMet for one semester.

Internationalization in this master program is four-fold by taking an approach from different angles. This master’s program educates and prepare students for an international competitive job market with (1) language of instruction in English to equip the future graduates to work in practice and academia world-wide with (2) international state-of-the-art knowledge in the field of mobility with digital skills and urban analytical techniques and tools, (3) using comparative Norwegian and international case studies in courses and (4) the program is taught by national and international trained instructors including English native speakers and academics who have long-standing experience in lecturing in English.

With student mobility, students have the opportunity to gain experience abroad at a foreign academic institution which will offer complementary courses being very relevant for the students at the master program in Transport and Urban Planning, and the courses OsloMet will offer on the master program in Transport and Urban Planning will be of interest to students attending these selected universities.

OsloMet is part of the Erasmus program for student exchange and has entered into several Erasmus+ agreements with relevant universities and university colleges.

Students can gain approval and recognition of up to 30 credits on application.

OsloMet has a dedicated web page with supplementary information about student exchanges: https://www.oslomet.no/en/study/exchange-students

Requirements:

An average grade C or better in previously completed courses. An exchange agreement with the desired university or college must be in place before the student can apply. Acceptance from a receiving institution to an exchange-stay with the necessary academic relevance.

Application deadline: One semester prior to the planned stay.

Required coursework means compulsory assignments or activities that must be approved within a given deadline in order for students to be able to get the course validated. The coursework requirements in this study program are linked to written assignments and compulsory attendance to some labs. The coursework requirements are described in more detail in the individual course descriptions.

Coursework requirements are set in order to promote the student’s progress and development and to ensure his/her participation in necessary elements of the program. Required coursework can also be set to ensure that students achieve a learning outcome that cannot be tested in another way.

Required coursework is assessed as approved or not approved. In the event of delays in study progress, previously approved coursework remains valid for two years, provided that the course has not changed.

Valid absence documented by e.g., a medical certificate does not exempt students from meeting the coursework requirements. Students who fail to meet the coursework requirements within the deadline due to illness or for other documented valid reasons should as far as possible be given a new chance. If another attempt at meeting a coursework requirement is not possible because of the nature of the subject/course, the student must be prepared to meet the coursework requirements on the next possible occasion. This must be agreed with the person responsible for the course on a case-by-case basis. This may result in delayed progress in the program.

If a work requirement is assessed «not approved», students have maximum two chances to retake the work requirement. A work requirement that three times is assessed «not approved», will result in loss of the right to get this course validated.

Provisions governing assessment and grading are laid down in the Act relating to Universities and University Colleges and the Regulations relating to Studies and Examinations at OsloMet. Please refer to https://student.oslomet.no./

The forms of assessment used shall promote learning and document that the students’ competence is adequate in relation to the applicable learning outcome. Assessment methods vary between courses. They include written reports (individual and group reports), oral presentations, portfolio assessments and oral examinations. There will be no written school exam on this master program as the pedagogical approach is to have assessments similar to evaluation methods used when working in a company. The forms of assessment and grade scale are described in more detail in the individual course descriptions. In connection with the final assessment in the course, a grade scale with grades from A to E for pass (A being the highest) and F for fail is used.

A portfolio assessment provides an overall assessment awarding one grade for the whole portfolio. Each student's work will be assessed together as a portfolio with one individual grade at the end of the semester, but all parts that make up the portfolio must be assessed as 'pass' in order for the student to pass the course. The overall assessment can be appealed. Students may only appeal against the determination of the examination grade awarded for the whole portfolio. Any information on weighting of grades must be considered as supplementary information in connection with the final grade.

The tuition takes place in English, and assignments will also be in English. Students may, by agreement with the person responsible for the course, submit assignments in Norwegian. The assignment given in the elective course (specialization course) in the third semester and the master's thesis should be in English.

If the examination in a course consists of more than one part, all parts of the examination must be passed in order to pass the course.

Normally each course has one or two internal examiners to assess students' work. On a regularly basis one or some of the courses will be chosen to include an external examiner, thus the students' work will be assessed by one external and one internal examiner.

Oral exams shall be assessed by two examiners, as this form of assessment cannot be appealed.

The master’s thesis will be assessed by an external and an internal examiner. In addition to submitting a written report, students must also give an oral presentation of the thesis to the external examiner and supervisor(s). The examiners will set the grade for the master’s thesis after the oral presentation and questioning. Students can appeal against the grade awarded for the written thesis in accordance with Section 5-3 of the Act relating to Universities and University Colleges. If the grade is changed as a result of re-assessment, the student must take the oral exam again. The oral exam grade cannot be appealed

The master’s degree program is profession-oriented, which means that students are to a significant extent assessed on the basis of their ability to solve problems, and on whether their presentations of solutions meet technical, academic and ethical requirements. Project assignments with reports and presentations are therefore one of the dominant assessment forms used in the study program. Guildeline for master's theses at the Faculty can be found here: Retningslinjer for masteroppgaver ved Fakultet for teknologi, kunst og design - Student - minside (oslomet.no)

Students have the right to demand an explanation for and to appeal against a grade awarded and/or formal errors in connection with exams in accordance with Section 5-3 of the Act relating to Universities and University Colleges.

After completing the program, students will be awarded a diploma showing all their final grades (final assessments) in the courses that form the basis for the degree. The title of the master’s thesis will also be included on the diploma.

Quality assurance

The purpose of OsloMet's quality assurance system is to strengthen students' learning outcomes and development by raising the quality at all levels. Cooperation with the students, and their participation in the quality assurance work, is decisive to the overall learning outcome. Among the overall goals for the quality assurance system is to ensure:

• that the educational activities, including practical training and the learning and study environment, maintain a high level of quality
• that the study programs are relevant for the professional fields
• that the quality development continues to improve

For the students, this entails, among other things, student evaluations in the form of:

course evaluations

annual student surveys for all of OsloMet

More information about the quality assurance system is available here: https://student.oslomet.no/en/acts-regulation#etablering-studium-evaluering-kvalitetssystem

Program supervisor scheme

The program supervisor scheme is part of the quality assurance of each individual study program. A program supervisor is not an examiner, but someone who supervises the quality of the study program. All study program at OsloMet shall be subject to supervision by a program supervisor, but there are different ways of practicing the scheme. Reference is made to the Guidelines for Appointment and Use of Examiners at OsloMet: https://student.oslomet.no/en/retningslinjer-sensorer