Master of Science in Professional Studies: City Sciences
This unique and innovative master's degree is the first of its kind in the region and explores what cities are, and what they can be. It goes beyond the concept of a smart city to also cover important technological, social and sustainability issues to ensure a comprehensive and holistic approach to the cities of today and tomorrow. As a world leader in smart cities and urban development, Dubai is the ideal place to study such a program and see digitalization in effect.
The Master of Science in Professional Studies: Smart Cities is the first program of its kind in the region and will provide you with the skills to lead the digital transformation agenda in both public and private sector contexts. Smart Cities is an emerging interdisciplinary approach that includes designers, technologists, and humanists working together to create and deploy smart systems, which can communicate live status updates through distributed networks on traffic patterns, pollution, parking, water, energy, and other vital information. The program has been created for thought-leaders who are fascinated by this fast-developing and extremely exciting area of Smart Cities; our current students include senior decision-makers from across the region who are helping to shape the future of the cities we live in. As a world leader in smart cities and urban development, Dubai is the ideal place to study this kind of program.
The curriculum of this unique and innovative program goes beyond the concept of the smart city to also cover important technological, social and sustainability issues that will help you to develop a comprehensive and holistic approach to creating the cities of today and tomorrow. Providing this all-encompassing view of the development of the city, the program also addresses key subjects such as water, food, waste, transport, education and energy systems, taking into account complex interactions between each of the elements.
The ultimate goal is to help you implement applied problem-solving and research methods to build and develop efficient, sustainable and community-based cities and cultivate an awareness of the interdisciplinary nature of urban economics, city development and planning theory, urban ecology and demography. The program specifically caters to working professionals through intensive seminars delivered in the evenings.
The program can be completed in as little as 16 months.
Program Learning Outcomes
Program Learning Outcomes define what you will be expected to know and what you will be equipped to do by the time you graduate. These relate to the skills, knowledge, and behaviors that you will acquire in your matriculation through the program. Upon graduation, you will be able to:
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Conduct a city impact assessment.
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Develop effective governance systems.
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Develop strategies for engaging citizens.
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Analyze and evaluate plans for urban design.
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Analyze and evaluate landscape design.
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Analyze and develop plans for urban housing.
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Analyze the capacity of urban utilities and infrastructure.
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Develop plans for mobility management.
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Assess the feasibility of spatial data infrastructures, smart grids, and next generation networks in urban settings.
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Measure city scale energy and environmental impacts.
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Apply the analysis of big data to common urban problems and service delivery.
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Analyze and evaluate basic and advanced city services.
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Assess the feasibility of smart city development plans and technologies.
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Apply qualitative and quantitative methods to develop and implement a smart city project plan.
The Smart Cities program is designed for working professionals looking to diversify and enhance their skills in order to take up leadership positions spearheading digital transformation in the smart city context.
ACCREDITATION
RIT is consistently ranked among the top American Universities. The degree you will earn from RIT Dubai is a fully recognized university degree from RIT New York and has the same value as a degree earned by studying there.
In the UAE, Master of Science in Professional Studies: Smart Cities degree program is accredited by the Ministry of Education - Higher Education Affairs, UAE and is licensed by the KHDA. The program is endorsed by Smart Dubai and Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority.
Course Code |
Course Title |
Credit Hours |
PROF - 705 |
Context & Trends Parts 1,2,3 |
3 |
PROF - 750 |
Structures of City Systems |
3 |
ARCH - 752 |
Urban and Regional Planning |
3 |
ISTE - 661 |
Informatics for Smart Cities |
3 |
ISTE - 662 |
Technology Infrastructure for Smart Cities |
3 |
ARCH - 761 |
Understanding Sustainability |
3 |
PROF - 751 | Resource Contexts for Smart City Development |
3 |
PUBL - 702 |
Decision Analysis for Smart Cities |
3 |
PROF - 798 |
Digital Transformation Towards a Smart City |
3 |
PROF - 770 |
Thesis Seminar |
0 |
PROF - 776 - 1 |
Thesis Part 1 |
3 |
PROF - 776 - 2 |
Thesis Part 2 |
3 |
Total Credit Hours - 33 |
Click here to know more about Scholarships.
To graduate, students need to complete all the requirements as listed in the curriculum. Click here for the graduation policy.
Click here to download graduate catalogue for complete descriptions of each course within the program.

Dr. Sanjay Modak
Professor and Chair

Dr. Giovanna Potesta
Smart Cities

Dr. Ayman Ibrahim
Smart Cities

Dr. Eric Hittinger
Smart Cities

Dr. Philippe Bouvier
Smart Cities

Dr. Mick McQuaid
Smart Cities
