Teaching CAD / GISinnovationsTerritorial Planning

Master in Urban Design and Planning [UJCV]

This is one of the most interesting masters in the Central American region, considering the importance it has for local governments and the irreversible urgency of the disciplines implicit in the management of the territory under a human development approach.

Mastery in urban planning ujcv

It arrives at an interesting moment, when the Universidad José Cecilio del Valle renews its strategy in its vision for being the Business University of Honduras, with interesting tendencies towards the virtualisation of almost all its processes and the outsourcing of the services that implies the search of Profiles, monitoring, mentoring; Interesting model if we consider that the priority of academia is to teach, research and have an impact on the needs of society.

About mastery.

The Master in Urban Design and Planning has the advantage of being formulated within the framework of a Cooperation Agreement of this University, with the Han-a Institute for Urban Research of the Republic of Korea and with the Soosung Engineering Company, one of the largest of engineering and architecture of Korea. It is defined as a high-impact postgraduate program, aimed at enriching and enhancing professional activity to provide a comprehensive solution to urban design and planning, fundamental elements to enhance the development of the country, and required by the business sector, the public sector , civil associations and international cooperation, in accordance with established international norms and standards.

Career objectives.

  • To train professionals capable of detecting urban problems, including economic, environmental, cultural and spatial contexts, through the application of technical instruments and design principles with firm theoretical and technical bases to formulate and evaluate projects and physical-spatial interventions aimed at improving Urban life.
  • To train professionals with a high social and ethical commitment, with a global vision of what the intervention of a city means, providing concrete methodologies for the solution to urban and architectural problems, that allow to redesign the physical spaces that occupy the man in the present life .
  • To train urban developers aware of their social responsibility, capable of formulating projects focused on ordering or channeling the growth of cities according to the particular conditions of the environment, and of designing instruments that guarantee the viability of urban projects.

Profile of the graduate.

Mastery in urban planning ujcvThe Master in Urban Design and Planning of the UJCV produces professionals with solid training in Urban Design, Urban Planning, Management and Management of Urban and Regional Development Projects, with knowledge in methodological and technological aspects that allow them to plan, organize, and secure Implementation and coordination of resources and people to meet the objectives, results and goals urban, urban-marginal, local and regional development.

Mode of mastery.

For now, the master's degree combines virtual potential with face-to-face participation from 6 to 8 AM in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Although I would not be surprised if they soon make it virtual -Which for now seems a serious disadvantage- not only because this is irreversible, but because several classes are already with all their virtualized content.

The duration is 20 months (One year 8 months), period during which 12 materials are taken and a thesis project is developed.

Distribution of content.

The content of materials is distributed in four blocks, which as can be seen, are not only focused on the traditional technicality by the frequent orientation towards Engineers and Architects; To the masters can apply professionals of social areas as it happens in other countries. 

1. Management Block

  • Strategic Planning
  • Management and Strategic Approach
  • Introduction to Project Management

2. Urban Analysis Block

    • Urban Perimeters
    • Geographic information systems
    • Psycho-Social Management of the Urban Fragment

3. Design Block

    • Urban design
    • Equipment and Urban Infrastructures
    • Standards, Regulations, and Contract Management

4. Planning block.

  • The Environment in Urban Projects
  • Formulation and Management of Social Housing Projects
  • Territorial Planning

Lastly, the Thesis seminar takes place. One aspect that draws my attention and that seems very successful to me is that the students take almost all of the classes on the same project, which they complete during the different master's degrees. In the end, the presentation of the Thesis comes out much easier but also the use of knowledge is nothing short of promising.

The profile of the professionals who serve the classes not only suggests training with paradigms from developed countries, but also the process of unlearning and entering into strategic, managerial and business skills. As an example, the approach of “social housing” has nothing to do with doing with small houses for the lower class built with government bonds, but rather the concept of intelligent use of spaces with different levels of economic status.

I think that, well developed, this mastery -Apart from the technical level- It can make professionals with the essential skills in this area, such as negotiation, transmission of ideas and focus on the frequent limitation in the Territorial Planning, which is the construction of an instrument that can have practical applicability for an official of a municipality to which a PDF poem is not useful to you and that, requires a guide for monitoring and decision making every year when you must formulate your budget and investment plan.

For more information:

UJCV - Master's page in Honduras or e Graduate (at) ujcv.edu.hn

Golgi Alvarez

Writer, researcher, specialist in Land Management Models. He has participated in the conceptualization and implementation of models such as: National Property Administration System SINAP in Honduras, Management Model of Joint Municipalities in Honduras, Integrated Cadastre-Registry Management Model in Nicaragua, Territory Administration System SAT in Colombia . Editor of the Geofumadas knowledge blog since 2007 and creator of the AulaGEO Academy that includes more than 100 courses on GIS - CAD - BIM - Digital Twins topics.

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One Comment

  1. Excellent! Training new professionals for urban projects with specialized masters is very helpful for the sector, which is currently recovering.

    All the best

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