Development and Urban Planning: How the Programme and Profession Are Evolving
The HSE Faculty of Urban and Regional Development has announced an update to its Bachelor’s programme in Urban Planning: as of 2026, it has been retitled Development and Urban Planning. Mariam Paskacheva, the programme’s Academic Supervisor, explained how the course is structured, why its development component is being strengthened, and what kind of applicants the programme is designed for.
New Structure
Today, the city is simultaneously a place to live, an object of strategic planning, and a sphere of complex investment decisions. To work effectively with urban environments, it is essential to understand all these dimensions. In the updated bachelor’s programme, we have expanded and strengthened the block of disciplines related to development. Whereas previously such subjects were introduced towards the end of the programme, they now begin in the very first year.
The curriculum consists of a common major—the core block of disciplines—which runs from the first through to the fifth year, alongside specialised pathways that begin after the second year. Students can choose between two tracks—Urban Planning or Development.
This means that during the first two years, all students follow the same curriculum, immersing themselves in the profession while gaining knowledge in both planning and development. After the second year, students branch off into their chosen track, while continuing to share the core academic block until graduation.
Who This Programme Is For
We continue to welcome applicants with a wide variety of interests related to cities. These may include students passionate about geography, economics and finance, data analytics, architecture, history, or urban studies.
The city is a highly complex system, and the profession of urban planner is inherently interdisciplinary. For this reason, our programme is suitable for future economists, urban planners, developers, data analysts, and urban development specialists.
The programme update will broaden its appeal. For example, applicants interested in finance and development, while also passionate about cities, can now view this bachelor’s degree as a fitting professional pathway.
Professional Challenge
Development largely represents the financial and managerial dimension of urban projects. It encompasses market analysis, design, investment attraction, risk management, and long-term operation of projects. The decision to strengthen this component reflects both the evolving nature of the profession and the changing market, as well as the practical expertise accumulated by colleagues, which now needs to be integrated into the education of future professionals. Development teams themselves increasingly recognise that fragmented, isolated urban construction is ineffective. Instead, there is growing emphasis on comprehensive approaches to urban development.
Urban planning precedes development. It focuses on identifying territorial challenges and opportunities, strategic planning for future growth, and designing viable scenarios for urban life. Together, these two fields aim to create comfortable, sustainable urban environments.
The principal challenge of the programme is to train a new type of specialist. We are taking responsibility for educating professionals capable of working at the intersection of urban planning and development—specialists who can make informed, balanced decisions to ensure cities grow sustainably. At present, this combination of competencies remains virtually absent from Russian higher education programmes.
How the Programme Is Structured
It would be inaccurate to say that we have completely rebuilt the programme around development. Broadly speaking, the changes involve systematising and strengthening disciplines that were already part of the curriculum. Now, the fundamentals of development have been moved to the first year, allowing students to form an early understanding of the professional pathways available to them.
We have also integrated mathematical disciplines into a continuous sequence from the first to the third year, updated research seminars, and strengthened the humanities component, including urban sociology.
Importantly, our programme has always been closely connected to practical experience. For this reason, a significant portion of the academic workload is dedicated to the project seminar, which runs from the second through to the fourth year. Its role is now being further reinforced: students analyse real-world projects, assess their strengths and weaknesses, and simultaneously study theoretical models of urban development.
Industry Partners and Practical Engagement
Industry partners play an active role in the educational process. The updated bachelor’s programme is being launched in partnership with MR Group, with a joint preparatory school for prospective applicants already scheduled for May, and pilot courses for enrolled students planned for the new academic year.
The A101 Group established a joint department within the Vysokovsky Graduate School of Urbanism last year. A101 specialists already deliver elective courses for fifth-year students and lead project workshops open to students from all years.
A distinctive feature of the programme is the active involvement of practising professionals, enabling students to gain direct insight into the realities of the development sector and understand how market projects function in practice.
Career Opportunities for Graduates
The programme significantly broadens professional opportunities for graduates. Graduates of the HSE Faculty of Urban and Regional Development already work in government institutions, consulting, analytics, architectural firms, and project bureaux. They are involved in master plans, territorial development strategies, analytical research, urban planning documentation, and legally binding planning documents. These opportunities remain fully available.
At the same time, many graduates and current students are already employed in development by major market players such as NF GROUP, Sminex, PIK, Capital Group. The principal advantage of the updated programme is that students will gain a clear, structured understanding of how development operates. Rather than entering the field by chance, they will make informed professional choices, understanding how development projects function, how they relate to broader urban growth, as well as various professional features.
We are preparing not merely task-specific employees, but strategic professionals who understand the full picture of urban development. The sector requires highly qualified personnel, including future leaders—and this presents substantial long-term career opportunities for our graduates.
The Bachelor’s Programme in Development and Urban Planning in 2026
50 state-funded places;
50 tuition-based places
2 tuition-based places for international applicants
Full admission details and application procedures are available on the HSE University Admissions Office webpage (in Russian).
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