Master of Built Environment (Housing)

The MBE Housing aims to develop practical, managerial, analytical, and spatial skills, as well as social and cultural sensitivities, to meet housing challenges in the unevenly developing world.

Scope of the MBE Housing

Students are offered the unique opportunity to engage with housing issues from a multi-disciplinary, internationalist perspective. The coursework covers theoretical, conceptual, social, technical, managerial, legal, financial and planning aspects of housing and includes electives that deepen the engagement with housing in specialised areas (see Course Details).

Through the substantial research component, students are given the opportunity to critically explore a particular aspect of their interest in housing.

Students are taught and supervised by a multi-disciplinary team of scholars.

Duration of the MBE Housing

12 month fulltime or two years part time.

Next intake for the MBE Housing

January/February 2012

MBE students and Prof. Marie Huchzermeyer (on left), class February 2012

Target market for the MBE Housing

The MBE Housing degree draws candidates from graduates in planning and in architecture, as well as other built environment disciplines (quantity surveying, property studies for example); and from social sciences and humanities (sociology, social work, geography, political sciences, etc.); law; and engineering.  Experienced professionals in these and possibly other fields, including NGO practitioners and government officials, are encouraged to enquire.

Entry requirement for the MBE Housing

An honours or equivalent degree with a minimum of 60% aggregate is required. As the MBE Housing is interdisciplinary, the honours or equivalent degree may be in any field. ‘Differently qualified’ candidates that are considered for admission are those with substantial work experience (minimum four years) in the field of housing at senior management level, but with formal qualifications at lower levels (three year university or technicon degree). Their application procedure involves a personal interview with the selection committee. Differently qualified candidates must submit their applications early to allow for the selection procedure.

Please note that University of KwaZulu-Natal offers an undergraduate degree in Housing for which the entry requirement is a matric – please contact Laura Hunt: 031-260 2703, adebayop@ukzn.ac.za

Closing dates for applications for the MBE Housing

For best chances of admission, apply before:

31 September (foreigners and differently qualified applicants)

29 October (South African citizens or permanent residents)

Please note that applications are received any time before these dates. 

Other Housing courses at the University of the Witwatersrand

Housing courses form an integral part of the BSc Town and Regional Planning in the School of Architecture and Planning. Housing may also be chosen as an area of specialisation in the MSc Development Planning in the same School. The Housing options for degree purposes in the School of Architecture and Planning are complimented by the executive and certificated Housing courses currently offered in the School of Public and Development Management at Wits University.

Last updated: 2 August 2011