The Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) has confirmed the re-accreditation of the University of Cambridge’s Department of Land Economy taught MPhil in Planning, Growth and Regeneration, keeping door to Chartership open.

Under this decision, graduates of the MPhil will be eligible to begin the Licentiate Assessment of Professional Competence, a key step toward becoming a Chartered Town Planner.

RTPI accreditation recognises programmes that equip graduates with the knowledge, skills and values needed for a career in professional planning and puts them on the pathway to Chartered Town Planner status.

The course, which was founded in 2005, is Cambridge’s sole MPhil programme dedicated to spatial planning. The content of the course emphasises the role of planning in helping mitigate some of the most pressing global concerns, including tackling existing and future societal inequalities, addressing the impacts of climate change, and delivering public goods.

Helen Fadipe, President of the RTPI, said: “Cambridge’s MPhil in Planning, Growth and Regeneration demonstrates the mix of academic rigour and real-world relevance we look for in RTPI-accredited programmes. Its cross-disciplinary approach prepares graduates to deliver better outcomes for places and communities. We are delighted to re-accredit the course and welcome its graduates onto the path to chartered membership.”

Professor Helen Bao, Deputy Head of the Department of Land Economy, said: “The Royal Town Planning Institute guarantees the highest professional standards for the planning profession in the UK and globally, and the Department of Land Economy is proud to be associated with the RTPI. We are therefore delighted that the MPhil in Planning, Growth and Regeneration has been re-accredited by the RTPI. We look forward to working together in educating and supporting the next generation of planning professionals.”