Teaching
The Urban Institute provides an undergraduate degree in Urban Planning and Property Development which is accredited both by the RTPI and RICS. More recently we have established two rapidly growing Geography programmes, run jointly with the University’s Lyell Centre, one which is oriented towards physical geography and the other towards human geography.
The TUI teaching team draw from a range of disciplinary backgrounds, including planning, urban design, geography, economics, sociology and other social sciences. Teaching is research-led and informed by knowledge of pressing contemporary social and political issues and international case studies. Highly interactive and innovative teaching methods are employed to facilitate independent and group study and analytical skills, supported by easy access to staff and excellent resources and facilities.
The team has close links with practice, and practitioners are regularly invited as guest lecturers in most courses. The planning courses are accredited by the Royal Town Planning Institute and the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors.
The Institute also supports the student-run Urban Society of Heriot-Watt.