Urban Governance of Inclusive Sustainable Cities Erasmus School of Social and Behavioural Sciences (ESSB), Erasmus University Rotterdam

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Do you wonder what role cities play in discovering answers to major social economic and environmental issues such as sustainability, poverty, inequality, housing and growth in a just way? Then this urban studies master track is the right choice for you. 

The study programme in a nutshell

Today, cities are dynamic and fast-growing. They pose challenging governance questions as they are at the heart of cultural, social and political transitions and innovations towards more sustainable and inclusive societies. Professionals who possess the right knowledge and skills to tackle complex urban governance and development issues are therefore urgently needed to develop sustainable and inclusive governance policies. This unique master in Urban Governance of Inclusive Sustainable Cities is a collaboration between the Department of Public Administration and the Institute of Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS), combining Public Administration expertise on urban policy, politics and governance with Urban Planning and Management expertise. 

What you will learn

The programme offers a varied set of courses (obligatory and elective), skills training, working group sessions, and guest lectures by internationally well-known scholars as well as practitioners from the field. Furthermore, you conduct your own research project (thesis) in which you apply theories and social scientific research methods to examine urban governance issues.

Entry requirements

Prior education

You are eligible for admission to the master’s programme Public Administration if you have obtained a relevant Bachelor’s or undergraduate degree* from a research university that includes at least 7.5 EC in social science research methods and techniques, in the following fields of studies: 

• Public Administration 
• Sociology 
• Political Science 

If you have successfully completed a comparable bachelor’s or undergraduate degree* in disciplines related to public administration and societal processes, you may also be eligible for admission to the master’s programme Public Administration. This depends on the contents of your prior education and results obtained in courses in social-scientific methods at a bachelor’s or undergraduate level as part of your prior education. Examples of some bachelor’s degrees with which you may be eligible for admission are: European Studies, International Relations, Social Geography, Spatial/Urban Planning, Urban Management/Studies, Environmental Sciences, Economics. When you apply to the master’s specialisation of your preference, the Admissions Committee will assess whether you are eligible for direct admission to that master’s specialisation.  

* Comparable to the Dutch academic level according to the standards of the Dutch Organisation for International Cooperation in Higher Education (Nuffic). 

Read more at https://www.eur.nl/en/essb/master/urban-governance-inclusive-sustainable-cities/admission