Master of Community Planning at Vancouver Island University

Programme overview

Consider the Master of Community Planning degree at Vancouver Island University. Community planners play a huge role in the development of neighbourhoods, towns, cities and regions. An urban planner can also help shape a community’s response to a range of emerging issues such as climate change; and economic issues such as tourism by creating a sustainable city also known as ecocity.

Faculty: Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences | Duration: 2 years | Study mode: full-time | Location: Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada

What you will study

Courses include Introduction and History of Planning, Community Design, Planning Practice, Citizen Participation and Consultation, Planning Theory and Policy, Planning Law and Regulations, Research Methods, Ethics and the Public Good.

Career pathways

Graduates from accredited planning programs work in a variety of placements, from local governments (current and long range planning, sustainability planning, parks, heritage, social planning, and more) to provincial agencies (community affairs, environment, lands, and parks) to federal and international organizations (non-profit and non-governmental organizations, international government agencies). Accredited planners also work in private indus

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

To be admitted into the program, students must hold a baccalaureate degree from a recognized university in any discipline, and meet the following admission criteria:; A minimum average of "B" calculated in the last two years of the undergraduate degree, with a review of the entire degree.; Applicants whose previous degree was obtained in a country where English is not the primary/official language and from a university where English was not the language of instruction must meet one of VIU’s English Language requirements for Graduate Programs.; Acceptance and satisfactory review of the following items by the Admissions Committee:Résumé; Three letters of reference (from academic or professional referees) as well as a statement of interest addressing each of the following areas:Areas of research interest; Statement of career interest; and; Statement of volunteer and/or career experience.;...

Tuition is charged per credit, so the total depends on the modules you register for each year. Current fees are listed in the official fee schedule.

Most programmes start in September; January intake is offered for some bachelor's degrees and other programmes; many programmes offer alternative start dates throughout the year.

Applications for most academic programs open October 1 in the year before the program start date (applications for programs beginning September 2027 open October 1, 2026); deadlines vary by program.

Application fee: domestic undergraduate $46.98, domestic graduate $121.86, international all programs $156.06 (non-refundable); no application fee for Adult Basic Education.

Apply through the official page: https://www.viu.ca/apply

Explore more study programmes

Arts & Humanities