General Information about Transforming City Regions

Transforming City Regions (TCR) is a unique, multidisciplinary master programme with a strong focus on the European dimension of territorial development. The degree programme is taught in English and is designed to respond to the environmental, social, technological, and economic challenges which European cities and regions are facing. TCR takes a technically advanced and solution-oriented approach so that you can understand economic efficiency and identify societal needs.

The TCR programme is one of the few programmes that have been newly designed at RWTH Aachen University to respond to European territorial challenges. The special focus is on a project and design-oriented education that equips graduates not only with up-to-date and solid knowledge, but also with the tools and methods to help them tackle the problems of Europe’s changing cities and regions. Despite its clear multidisciplinary orientation, the engineering and design-oriented profile of the graduates is deeply rooted in the tradition of the Faculty of Architecture at RWTH Aachen University and also gives the programme a strong identity.

The degree programme is structured in 4 semesters, with the last semester being dedicated to the Master thesis. The core of the master programme is formed by three major integrated project works during the first three semester. The increasing territorial complexity and issues with different structural and content-related priorities and the link with the foundations of other disciplines should lead to integrative and conceptual thinking. These projects are characterised by a broad spectrum of methodological, procedural, morphological, landscape architectural, ecological, legal, and economic aspects. The remaining ECTS CP are available through compulsory modules, elective courses, research modules, field trips/impromptu courses and transit courses.

If you have a degree in urban design, urban planning, urban studies, spatial planning, regional planning, landscape architecture, architecture, transport planning, environmental engineering, urban geography, urban ecology or urban governance, this degree programme is particularly suitable for you.

Key Facts

Degree: Master of Science
Start of Studies: Winter Semester
Standard Period of Studies: 4 semesters
ECTS Credits: 120
Language: English

Goals and Competences

These are the goals and competences the course aims to communicate and teach.

TCR Leaflet

TCR Study Checklist

This is a checklist about the key topics of Transforming City Regions (TCR) and our work approach. It is for you to find out if this programme suits you.

Are you interested in:

urban transformation?

The master programme Transforming City Regions (TCR) presents dynamics of urban areas in Europe. It discusses in this context definitions of cities and elaborates contemporary territorial, demographic, socio-economic, and environmental processes shaping cities and urban areas.

multidisciplinary teamwork?

Multidisciplinary teamwork is essential in TCR, especially, within the integrated projects. The different disciplinary backgrounds of the TCR candidates offer you the opportunity to work with and learn from disciplines such as urban design, urban planning, architecture, geography, social sciences, landscape planning, and others.

creative thinking?

The project-and-design-oriented education of TCR provides recent and solid knowledge on how to deal with problems of changing European cities and regions, on the one hand, but this approach also requires creative and out-of-the-box thinking.

academic research?

Especially within the core courses, the research module in urban and regional transformation, and the thesis, you will have the opportunity to consult literature, conduct research, and to document your findings in different academic and scientific formats.

multi-scalar approaches?

The TCR Integrated Projects (IP) follow a multi-scale approach. The IP 1 focuses on the neighbourhood scale, IP 2 on functional urban areas, and IP 3 on the regional scale. Combined, they provide a solid base to elaborate more complex urban issues within the concluding master thesis.

solution-oriented skills?

TCR candidates need to prove they can conceptualize urban problems; analyze real case studies; apply appropriate methodologies and design techniques; develop scenarios for future transformations; and prepare design for the implementation of such scenarios.

communication and visualization of design proposals?

Most modules deal with real case studies and outputs are presented and discussed in collaboration with partners from practice. TCR candidates need to prove that they can visualize design proposals using innovative analysis and design software and that they convincingly communicate them to a wider audience.

Programme and Application

This is a checklist about the key topics of Transforming City Regions (TCR) and our work approach. It is for you to find out if this programme suits you.

Further Information about English Proficiency

Information English Proficiency

Further Information about the Application

Information Application