Year 12s: what will be the first way you research your future options? >>

Interested in Real Estate and Urban Planning?

If you are interested in studying real estate and/or urban planning, then I have just started a discussion on the University of Reading forum here: http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=4358294

Although it is focussed on the UG programme offer at Reading, I am happy to respond to more general queries about the nature of real estate/property studies and pathways into the various professional careers in the built environment. The University of Reading, for instance, has UG and PG programmes for real estate, real estate investment, planning, construction, quantity surveying, project management, architecture, and (sort-of related) geography.

Joe Doak,
UG Admissions Tutor,
Henley Business School,
University of Reading

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 1

amingo26

I want to apply to Urban Planning for entry in 2018, do you have any recommendations of what I can do/what experience I can get in the meantime to bulk out my personal statement. I feel as though I don't really have enough relevant experience to talk about.

Reply 2

username1567813

Original post by amingo26

Hi,

Thanks for your question, which is often asked by people seeking to build their career in planning.

My advice is to contact the planning team in your local council, state your interest in developing a career in planning and ask if you could help, on a voluntary basis, with any data collection or analysis that they need doing. It is probably best to contact the head of the planning policy team, as they are the people who often need research/analysis done....and are often most sympathetic to aspiring young planners!

The other thing you can do is to contact any local private planning consultancies (see searchable database here: https://www.rtpiconsultants.co.uk/) and make the same request/offer. They often have similar research/analysis work that they need assistance with and they can also be supportive of young people wanting to get into planning. They may even employ you on an irregular basis as you progress through your studies!

One final option is to approach other 'built environment' organisations/ companies that operate local to you. These might be architectural consultancies, housebuilders, estate agents, environmental consultancies, civil engineering firms, pressure groups like Friends of the Earth, etc.....even academic departments at local university!

Hope this helps and good luck!

Joe Doak,
Real Estate & Planning,
University of Reading