Planning and the Market deepens economic understanding, while Property Development introduces the financial dimension of development, backed by the Development Project. This has a small design dimension and Design and the Built Environment provides the basis for this and a deepening of urban design skills. The skills stream includes a deepening of IT skills in Information Systems and Research Skills to back up the development of the dissertation proposal. The third year comprises eight compulsory modules, including a double module, Research Dissertation, which is completed by December. A European Planning module and a Current Issues in Local Government module complete the compulsory modules.
Students then select four optional modules from a choice of nine in the second semester.
But there is a wide choice spanning general topics, like The Just City and Property Development in Practice and Public Finance to specific sub-fields of planning like Households and their Houses, Transport Planning, Rural Society and Planning and Urban Design. GIS adds an additional optional skill module. The third year also includes a counselling programme and preparation sessions for the year out. Diploma First Year Students select from a range of possible placements in planning consultancies, local planning authorities and more specialised agencies, and apply for positions. This is a competitive process with employers interviewing selected applicants, but all students are placed by the end of the third year.