Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) is expanding access to its one-year accelerated Master of Planning program, opening additional seats for the Winter 2026 intake.
The program - the only one-year accredited master's degree in planning in Canada - offers a fast track to becoming a Registered Professional Planner (RPP). With demand for mid-level planning professionals at an all-time high, the expansion is designed to help address a critical gap in the industry.
"We know there's urgent demand for planners who can help shape Canada's growing cities, and our program provides the kind of experiential learning and professional credentialing that can make an immediate impact," said Professor Pamela Robinson, at TMU's School of Urban and Regional Planning. "Importantly, our one-year program can help internationally-trained planners who are newcomers and immigrants to Canada re-gain footing in Canada, and rebuild their careers."
The additional seats are part of a Government of Ontario initiative to train more vital urban and land use planners across the province by 2028, as it seeks to fill in-demand jobs in urban planning and construction.
TMU's accelerated master's program is targeted to three key groups:
- Professional planners seeking a competitive edge, advanced degree and fresh perspective
- Planning-adjacent staff who already work in supporting roles within the planning field (e.g. analysis, project management, administration) but seek a planning degree on the path to becoming registered planners
- Internationally trained planning professionals: Canadians or permanent residents with planning degrees and experience from another country who seek to transition into planning within the Canadian context
Delivered in a project-based studio environment, where students complete projects for community-based clients in the public, private and nonprofit sectors, the program integrates unmatched experiential learning geared toward working professionals.
Details about the one-year accelerated Master of Planning program, including Winter 2026 entry requirements, are available at: https://www.torontomu.ca/school-of-urban-and-regional-planning/graduate/winter-2026-entry-one-year-accelerated-stream/
