MSc Program - Institute of Landscape Architecture, Urban Planning and Garden Art
Department of Urban Planning and Urban Green Infrastructure
MSc Program
Last modified: 28. October 2025
MSc Program
Urban Systems Engineering MSC - Sustainable Urban Planning and Design Program in English
The master's degree program in Urban Systems Engineering – Sustainable Urban Planning and Design is the only one of its kind in Budapest and is offered at the Buda Campus of the Hungarian University of Agricultural and Life Sciences.
The program is part of the Institute of Landscape Architecture, Urban Planning and Garden Art so the technical content is paired with special sensitivity to the environment.
The training program that redefines urbanism in a broader sense, expanding the field with fresh perspectives while providing a solid foundation in settlement planning. Guided by the principles of sustainable and ecological urban design, the training also embraces sustainability in its economic dimension, preparing participants to shape future-ready communities.
The program has a history of more than 20 years, and since 2003, we have been continuously developing it based on feedback and experience. Our goal is to expose students to the latest information, urban challenges, and trends.
This master's degree is for you! if you are interested in:
- developing the city of the future
- managing the systems of the city
- preserving historical heritage
- working on green, sustainable living in urban environments
- planning with the community
- mitigating the effects of climate change
- building community via creating inclusive spaces
The program spans four semesters and 120 credits, granting urban planning qualifications recognized in Hungary. Its project-based structure is organized into thematic modules, ensuring a hands-on and practice-oriented learning experience. Throughout the program, special attention is given to current labor market demands, with teamwork and rapid, practice-focused assignments playing a central role. Short, intensive design workshops held at the beginning of the autumn semester and the end of the spring semester help develop quick problem-solving skills. With the involvement of numerous international lecturers, the program offers not only diverse perspectives but also valuable opportunities for professional networking through actual project work. Every autumn and spring, immersive field trips to nearby major cities open the door to discovering the latest urban development projects through guided professional tours—combining hands-on learning with inspiring real-world experiences.
The main fields of your studies will be:
- Design module / Project subjects – Architecture, Urban Planning, Regional Planning, Diploma Design
- Environment / Landscape Module: Environmental Protection, Urban Ecology, Green Infrastructure Design, Nature Conservation, Landscape Conservation, Landscape Management
- Art History Module – Art History, Contemporary Architecture, Urban History, Sociology
- Economic Module – Urban Management, Regional Development, Urban Development, Real Estate Development, EU Regional Policy
- Technical Module – Geoinformatics, Transportation Planning, Road Planning, Public Utility Planning
As an urban planner, you will become an expert in urban systems and can easily work in an international context in the diverse fields of the profession such as planning, research, management, and development!
The program takes place in Budapest, the capital city and a cultural and university centre with countless opportunities.
Urban Planning MSc Program in Hungarian
With us, you can find answers to many of your questions!
At the heart of contemporary urban design trends lies the search for the right balance between people and the built environment.
If you’re curious about the ideas shaping the cities of the future, and if you’d like to apply your architectural knowledge on an urban scale, this is the place to put yourself to the test.
Our cities are in constant transformation. Concept-based strategic urban development can counteract the negative effects of unplanned, ad hoc investments.
If you can think in complex systems and have ambitious ideas to make our settlements better places to live, the Master’s program in Urban Planning is just for you!
The increasingly extreme weather events caused by global warming are already something we can feel on our own skin. We must therefore prepare our settlements for the consequences of a changing climate.
If you’re interested in methods of green infrastructure design or climate adaptation on a municipal scale, and if you want to contribute to a more sustainable future — this is your place!
If you hold a degree in another discipline, you may also have your previously earned credits recognized.
We therefore also welcome applicants with backgrounds in:
Information technology, particularly engineering informatics
Engineering, including environmental engineering, geological engineering, and transportation engineering
Natural sciences, such as geography or earth sciences
Agricultural sciences, including land surveying and land management engineering, agricultural and rural development engineering
The Urban Systems Engineering MSc is a full-time master’s program offered by the Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences (MATE), under the Institute of Landscape Architecture, Urban Planning, and Ornamental Horticulture. The program is led by the Department of Urban Architecture and Green Infrastructure Planning.
Our program takes place in Budapest, on the Buda Campus, which boasts more than 160 years of history and is located at the foot of Gellért Hill. The university is just two blocks away from Móricz Zsigmond Square, a vibrant student hub with excellent public transport connections — making us easily accessible from anywhere in the city. Surrounded by the lush greenery of the Buda Arboretum, the campus provides an incomparable atmosphere for our students.
As the institute’s name suggests, our program combines technical competence with a sensitivity toward the natural environment — a cornerstone of climate-conscious and future-oriented urban planning.
One of the main goals of our program is to foster a comprehensive and integrated way of thinking. While related engineering fields (such as architecture, civil engineering, or landscape architecture) mostly focus on the design of specific objects, urban planners always examine and shape the broader context.
Our students learn to identify and assess problems and values that arise in settlements, and to apply problem-solving techniques effectively. With the professional knowledge and experience you gain in this discipline, you will be able to address new challenges and phenomena, draw appropriate conclusions, and apply your skills across a wide range of fields.
Design studios and practical courses are typically conducted in team-based settings. The aim is to prepare you to organize, coordinate, and lead design teams after graduation. Regular in-semester presentations not only provide professional feedback but also help develop your verbal and visual communication skills, equipping you for future collaboration, communication, and negotiation.
We are well aware that choosing between work and further study can be a challenge. Therefore, in our MSc program, we organize the timetable and practical sessions in compact blocks, allowing you to balance your studies with work or personal life as effectively as possible.
Reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of the program, you will also gain knowledge in natural and social sciences, as well as in elective courses tailored to your personal interests.
During your studies, you will complete a four-week external professional internship, which not only allows you to test your skills in real-life conditions but also provides an excellent opportunity to establish professional connections and prepare for future employment.
The program’s objectives are clearly reflected in its structure: a quarter of all credits are allocated to thesis design courses. In the final two semesters, you will develop your master’s thesis, which will take the form of a comprehensive urban architectural and planning project based on an integrated development concept.
Graduates of our program typically find employment almost immediately after graduation — whether at design and consulting firms, development agencies, or within the public sector, including state and municipal institutions.
The knowledge and skills you acquire during the program will prepare you to develop urban development concepts and programs, and to create and coordinate urban and regional plans. You will be equipped to manage and supervise spatial planning projects at the scale of settlements, settlement groups, and regions.
With your Certified Urban Systems Engineer degree, you will be qualified to work in a variety of professional fields — including as a chief architect, or in technical authority and specialist administrative roles, as well as in municipal-level environmental management, heritage protection, infrastructure maintenance, and organizational planning.
After gaining sufficient professional experience, you may take on responsible leadership roles in preparing and managing urban development and planning projects. However, certain planning activities require specific professional licenses.
This applies, for instance, to urban planning activities: as a Certified Urban Systems Engineer, after completing the required five years of professional practice (in accordance with the current legislation), you may obtain the Urban Planning License (TT). This qualification entitles you to prepare urban development and planning tools, such as structural plans, local building regulations, site development plans, and heritage impact assessments.
(For details, see Government Decree 266/2013 (VII.11.) on professional activities in construction and related fields.)
Your Certified Urban Systems Engineer degree also enables you to build a career in the public sector, where you may serve as a county, municipal, or regional chief architect. (For details, see Government Decree 190/2009 (IX.15.) on chief architect activities.)
If you are interested in scientific research, you will have the opportunity to continue your studies in our doctoral (PhD) program. Alternatively, your MSc degree will provide a strong foundation for pursuing further studies in related fields as well.