Joining without an IPI-accredited qualification

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Alternative Pathways to IPI Membership – Eligibility for membership without an IPI-accredited qualification

The Institute inspects and accredits on invitation planning courses. Irish Planning Institute accreditation of a course indicates that the standard of education received has provided the person with the necessary skills to undertake a career as a planning professional in the opinion of the Institute.

However, under our Constitution those who hold planning qualifications which are not accredited by the Institute can also be eligible for Graduate or Corporate (full) membership.

When it comes to Corporate membership, for example, this includes those who are a full/corporate member of another national planning institute or national association that is a full member of the European Council of Spatial Planners (ECTP-CEU) (Section 2.3.2(b)), those with qualifications equivalent to those accredited by the Institute or broadly in line (in terms of programme form and length and outcomes, for example) with our education guidelines, and those with qualifications not equivalent to those accredited by the Institute but with four years satisfactory post qualification experience (Sections 2.3.2(c)-(e)).

Below is a non-exhaustive list giving examples of some of the non-IPI accredited qualifications held by recently approved members.

Please note that information on course content, ECTS equivalents etc. must still be provided with your application as content, modules completed etc. can vary from year to year or candidate member to candidate member and each application can only be considered on the basis of information received alongside evidence of satisfactory post qualification experience as relevant.

• MSc Planning and Development, QUB*
• MPlan European Planning, QUB*
• MSc Planning, Regeneration and Development, Ulster University
• MSc Urban and Rural Planning, UWE
• MPlan Planning, University of Manchester,
• BTech Urban and Regional Planning, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology
• MSc Urban Design and City Planning, UCL
• Bachelor of Regional and Town Planning, University of Queensland
• BA Environment and Planning, University of Liverpool
• Master of Civic Design, University of Liverpool
• MSc Urban Environmental Management – Land Use Planning, Wageningen University

*Note regarding historic QUB qualifications: Queens University Belfast planning courses were recognised by the IPI from 1982 to September 2005 though those with QUB planning qualifications after this time may also be eligible for membership subject to the criteria set out in our Constitution.

Those currently completing courses not accredited by the Irish Planning Institute are not eligible for student membership but may apply for Graduate/Corporate Membership subject to satisfying the Institute’s membership requirements.