Digital Urban Studies

Place of Study: St. Petersburg, Russia
Outcome (diploma or credits): Master of Science (ITMO University)
Duration: 2 years
Language: English
Application Deadline: 19 August 2025
Admission Requirements: see below*
Tuition Fee: 429,000 rubles per year (2024)

Discover more at the program's website!

*The Master's program is designed for applicants with different training backgrounds such as architects, city planners, economists, sociologists, geographers, ecologists, IT specialists and engineers, as well as managers of state and municipal government, etc. We expect students with excellent and good grades in the Bachelor's diploma. Upper-intermediate level of English proved by a certificate; CV and motivation letter is required.

Program description

The specific outcome of the Master’s program is a combination of competencies in the field of system analysis and digital data analytics in urban studies, as well as smart and sustainable cities management. It gives graduates the opportunity to build their professional career in urban digitalization, project design, and management of smart and sustainable cities at the federal, regional, and local levels.

The program welcomes applicants with various education backgrounds such as architects, economists, sociologists, geographers, ecologists, IT specialists and engineers, and managers of state and municipal government, etc., interested in modern approaches and technologies for transforming the urban environment, implementing strategies for sustainable, and smart urban development based also on social studies and public participation strategies.

The acquired competencies and knowledge will allow graduates to become competitive in sustainable urban planning and design and find jobs at architectural bureaus, design organizations, consulting agencies, and municipalities that follow the modern agenda in urban design.

As part of the Master's program, students will gain new knowledge, understanding and competencies in such areas as concept of sustainable development, UN SDGs and indicators, ESG transformation; sustainable development strategies and management in cities and regions; will gain understanding of how the problems of climate change affect cities and influence the health of the citizens, and how they affect the processes of urban planning and urban design. Students will be introduced to ecological (green) and the circular economy, will learn the principles of urban green and blue framework design and maintenance of ecosystem services in cities, along with sustainable mobility principles. Particular attention will be paid to the psychological aspects of the human-cities-environment interactions of citizens of different ages, various social groups, citizens with special needs for an inclusive urban environment, basics of pro-environmental behavior, and public participation. Starting from the first semester students will be involved in research and practice activities and will strengthen their skills in urban research methodologies.

Program сontent

Partners

Career prospects

Graduates of the program can hold the following positions: GIS analyst, urban planner, data analyst, ML engineer. architect-urban planner, architect-planner, architect of public spaces, chief architect, project manager, employee at public authorities in the departments of architecture and urban planning, sustainability or ESG manager, head of sustainability or ESG department at a business company or municipality, or sustainable urban planner at the department of an architecture, private company or a municipality.

Our graduates work at:

List of entrance exam questions (2023)

FAQ

Contacts

Program supervisor: Irina Shmeleva, PhD, associate professor, head of the Sustainable Cities Lab, i_a_shmeleva@itmo.ru, Telegram: @ireneshmel
Program coordinator: Oksana Soldatova, ovsoldatova@itmo.ru