Master of Planning (Course-based)
Advance your career in rural planning and development.
The Master of Planning (MPlan) is offered through our School of Environmental Design and Rural Development (SEDRD) and is designed for individuals with at least two years of experience seeking to add key skills and capacities. The program provides the core competencies required for planning and development and facilitates flexibility to ensure students select options that build on their current skills and knowledge.
Interdisciplinary study
Explore the challenges and opportunities faced by rural communities to find approaches, solutions, and processes of change for rural communities.
Complete in 1 year
Explicitly designed for individuals wishing to upgrade their professional training without leaving the work force for an extended period of time, the MPlan can be completed in 3 full-time semesters.
World-class education
Receive training in planning and development for rural, Indigenous and remote communities, including courses working with communities and professional planners.
Unique in Canada
University of Guelph has Canada’s only planning program exclusively focused on rural, Indigenous, and remote communities.
Broaden your resume
Build skills, capacities, and knowledge to facilitate employment opportunities in planning and development fields, both in Canada and internationally.
Learn from the best
Work and study with leading national and international scholars and practitioners in rural planning and development.
Students may enroll in either full-time or part-time studies. Students may start the MPlan program in any semester.
Students enrolled in the MPlan have three (3) program delivery options:
- In-class on campus learning
- Remote online learning
- Combination of in-class and remote online learning
The MPlan program offers at least 1-2 online courses per semester.
The MPlan program requires completion of 4.00 credits, as follows:
- Regional Planning
- 3.50 credits selected from the Rural Planning and Development course list
Course selection will emphasize either the International or Canadian field.
This course-based program is specifically designed for those with 2-3 years of working experience in government planning environment, an agency or non-governmental organization (NGO), in professional consulting, or for graduates of related professional programs.
Sample careers this program supports, include:
- Planners with local, provincial, federal governments
- Policy and program analysts
- Consultants with Canadian and international companies
- International development agencies
- Community and economic development
- Community advocates
- Environmental/conservation planning
Note: The program may be used as part of the Prior Learning Assessment Route to accreditation with the Canadian Professional Standards Board.
The MPlan program and the University of Guelph provide a series of scholarships and funding supports to graduate students. That being said, the MPlan program in Rural Planning and Development is predominantly a self-funded professional program. As such, students need to be prepared to cover the full costs of the program. Here are a few funding supports that may be available:
- Entrance Scholarships: Each year the MPlan program strives to provide entrance scholarships to student with strong academic performance. The value and quantity of this financial support changes from year to year.
- Graduate Research Assistantships: Faculty members may have opportunities for graduate students to work on funded research projects. The funded research initiatives change from year to year. For further information please contact individual faculty members.
- Graduate Teaching Assistantships: The School of Environmental Design and Rural Development typically hires a small number of graduate students to provide support to undergraduate courses. These positions are advertised in advance of each semester.
- University Scholarships: The University of Guelph offers many resources to financially support graduate students. Explore your funding options on the Graduate Studies website.
More information on courses and admission requirements can be found here.
Meet Your Profs
Global transitions are creating both opportunities and challenges for the future of rural communities, both in Canada and internationally. My research focuses on rural revitalization in the face of these global transitions. My current research explores the role of rural governance, place-based development, philanthropy, rural policy, community economic development, and rural immigration and mobility.
Agriculture in less-developed countries cannot achieve its full potential if the gender dynamics of different groups are not addressed. We must move beyond examining individual factors (e.g., biology, socioeconomic status, sex, gender, and race) and consider the relationships and interactions between them and across multiple levels, to bring attention to important differences within population groups that are often portrayed as relatively homogenous.
How to Apply
Application to this program is more like the process of a job application (rather than the process you went through applying for your undergrad degree).
You apply directly online at Applying to Guelph.
Applicants for admission to this program must meet the admission requirement of a baccalaureate in an honours program (or equivalent) in a relevant field of study from a recognized university or college with a minimal overall average of 70% (B-) in the last four semesters or 16 to 20 credits (typically the last 2 years) of study.
In addition, applicants must meet one (1) of the following two requirements:
- obtained 2-3 years of relevant experience. Relevant experience is determined by the admissions committee; or
- graduated from a professional program, such as but not limited to, in Planning, Landscape Architecture, Architecture or Engineering.
All applicants are required to demonstrate their specific interest in the program and their work and educational experience relating to rural planning and development.
Applicants will be expected to have completed undergraduate courses that prepare them for participation in the program. Undergraduate upgrading prior to applying may be necessary to ensure sufficient background.
Successful applicants must also meet U of G's English Proficiency requirements for admission. If an applicant’s first language is not English, an English Language Proficiency test will be required.
*You are still eligible to apply if you have an honours degree in an unrelated field of study but have taken courses in related areas and/or gained relevant work experience since completing the degree.
For more information regarding application to the University of Guelph, please refer to the Office of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies website at Applying to Guelph.
Once submitted, all applications will be received and reviewed by the MPlan Program Committee and will be evaluated based on:
- Academic performance in a relevant field of study
- You are required to provide transcripts from any institution where you have earned (or will earn) a degree, studied for one semester or more, or took courses that relate to your graduate study interests. This includes transfer credits and University exchange/semester abroad transcripts. Your application checklist on WebAdvisor will identify which transcripts you are required to upload.
- Minimum B- admission average
- Here's more information on Calculating Your Admission Average
- Two (2) referee assessments
- A statement of interest in the program and/or career goals
- Your statement of research interest (separate from the one requested within the on-line application form) should outline the following and not exceed two-pages:
- Your motivations for studying in the Rural Planning and Development program. Why do you wish to study Rural Planning and Development?
- Your area of research that will be pursued through the program? What do you wish to research through your program?
- How your academic, professional, and voluntary experiences prepare you for success in the Rural Planning and Development program?
- Your career goals. What are your professional aspirations at the conclusion of this program?
- Identify which Rural Planning and Development faculty member(s) you wish to work with in pursuing your research. Please refer to the list of faculty members for information on their expertise and backgrounds.
- Your statement of research interest (separate from the one requested within the on-line application form) should outline the following and not exceed two-pages:
- Any work experience in appropriate and related fields
- Please provide a current resume that gives a profile of your educational achievements, professional experiences, and voluntary experiences.
Please be aware that any material collected towards a graduate application, (for example transcripts, reference letters, etc.) must be dated within the past year. Any material dated prior to a year from the application date will not be accepted.
Domestic Application Deadlines
- September start - Apply by May 31th
- January start – Apply by September 30th
- May start – Apply by January 31st
International Application Deadlines
- September start - Apply by April 15th
- January start - Apply by May 15th
- May start - Apply by September 15th
More details on the U of G graduate program application process here.
- We welcome applications from international students however we encourage you to apply eight weeks in advance of the posted deadlines to allow sufficient time to arrange any necessary documentation, such as Transcripts or study permits/visas.
- If your first language is not English, and you do not have a degree from an English speaking University, you must provide an official English Testing score from an acceptable source. Please refer to the Office of Graduate Studies website for the required English Language Proficiency acceptable tests and required scores.
- Please use this guide to compare your academic credentials and determine the grade equivalency needed.
- More resources for international applicants are available on the U of G Graduate & Postdoctoral website.
Additional planning options
You may also be interested in the MSc in Rural Planning and Development (Research/Thesis).
Contact
For questions on applying and admissions:
Lorena Barker
School of Environmental Design and Rural Development
rpd@uoguelph.ca
519-824-4120, Ext. 56780
For questions on program options:
Leigh West
Ontario Agricultural College (OAC)
lewest@uoguelph.ca
519-824-4120 Ext. 52101