Faculty of Sciences and Bioengineering Sciences
Enrolling for this study plan is possible after having obtained one of the following degrees:
Academic Bachelor's programme agogische wetenschappen
Academic Bachelor's programme architectuur
Academic Bachelor's programme communicatiewetenschappen
Academic Bachelor's programme criminologische wetenschappen
Academic Bachelor's programme economische wetenschappen
Academic Bachelor's programme geografie
Academic Bachelor's programme geschiedenis
Academic Bachelor's programme ingenieurswetenschappen: architectuur
Academic Bachelor's programme politieke wetenschappen
Academic Bachelor's programme sociologie
Academic Bachelor's programme taal- en letterkunde
Academic Bachelor's programme toegepaste economische wetenschappen
Academic Bachelor's programme toegepaste economische wetenschappen: handelsingenieur
You may also be asked to provide additional documents so we may evaluate your application.
Puntenlijst / Transcript of records
The Master of Science in Urban Studies, known as 4Cities is a two-year master program organized in three tracks: Classical, Research, and Practice. All three tracks follow a shared core curriculum in the first year, with the first semester spent in Brussels and the second in Vienna. The master includes 4 modules of 30, 20, 20 and 20 or 40 ECTS depending on the track.
Classical Track students continue to Copenhagen and Madrid for a second year of shared coursework. Students live in each of the cities for about one semester, the mobility of the students is fixed and sequentially organised through modules in each of the universities, the whole cohort of students start in the same sequence of the curriculum. In each city the programme consists of: academic courses, fieldwork, excursions & visits, exams.
Research and Practice Track students follow largely self-designed second-year curricula, consisting of an internship or work-placement (15 ECTS) and 25 ECTS of coursework at a partner university.
All students are to submit and defend a written thesis after the fourth semester.
The 30 ECTS-credits of the master's thesis brings the total amount of ETCS-credits for the master programme to 120 ECTS-credits.
The master thesis is with supervision and tutoring at each university.
The application and selection procedure for this joint master is centrally organised by the 4Cities Academic board. Inscription directly through VUB is impossible.
In total, this academic plan comprises 120 ECTS credits.
The programme starts in Brussels with courses organised by Vrije Universiteit Brussel and Université Libre de Bruxelles with three courses at each university for a total of 30 ECTS-credits. All courses are mandatory and to be taken in the first semester of the first year.
In the second semester of the first year the students move to the next university in Vienna and will follow the mandatory module of in total 20 ECTS-credits. These courses can only be taken in the second semester of the first year of the Masters programme.
1.1.VUB courses
These courses are envisioned to be part of year 1 of the model trajectory.
From the courses listed below, students must obtain 15 ECTS credits.
| 6ECTS credits - European Cities in an Urbanizing World |
| 6ECTS credits - Urban Social Geography |
| 3ECTS credits - Urban Analysis I |
1.2. ULB courses
These courses are envisioned to be part of year 1 of the model trajectory.
From the courses listed below, students must obtain 15 ECTS credits.
| 5ECTS credits - Urban Sociology |
| 5ECTS credits - Urban Political Economy |
| 5ECTS credits - Urban Analysis II |
1.3. Vienna courses
These courses are envisioned to be part of year 1 of the model trajectory.
From the courses listed below, students must obtain 20 ECTS credits.
| 7ECTS credits - Urban Transformations |
| 7ECTS credits - Urban Planning and Development |
| 6ECTS credits - Urban Analysis III |
In the second year students can choose between the Classical track, Research track or Practice track (each track consists of 40 ECTS).
The Classical track starts with a mandatory semester in Copenhagen where the curriculum is organised by the KØbenhavns Universitet. The start of the semester is the beginning of September in Copenhagen. These courses can only be taken in the first semester of the second year of the Master's Programme.The second semester consists of a mandatory semester in Madrid. The curriculum is organised by two universities Universidad Autónoma de Madrid and Universidad Complutense de Madrid. The courses can only be taken in the second semester of the second year of the Master's Programme.
To complete this module, students must obtain 40 ECTS credits.
3.1. KØbenhavns Universitet courses
These courses are envisioned to be part of year 2 of the model trajectory.
| 8ECTS credits - Urbanism and Architecture |
| 8ECTS credits - Urban Culture & Cultural Theory |
| 4ECTS credits - Urban Analysis IV |
4.1 Universidad Autonóma de Madrid courses
These courses are envisioned to be part of year 2 of the model trajectory.
| 10ECTS credits - The Sustainable and Livable City |
| 10ECTS credits - Governance and Local Welfare |
The topic of the master thesis is chosen by the students. Students can only register for the Master Thesis in the second year of the Masters. However the curriculum foresees in each university an intensive preparation and guidance of the thesis in the first and second year.
From the courses listed below, students must obtain 30 ECTS credits.
| 30ECTS credits - Masters Thesis Urban Studies |