Course on the Economics of Public Space
Online course of 300 hours in public space economics: 6 modules covering urban economics, economic valuation, financing of urban projects, economic activity in public space and economic evaluation, with an assigned technical tutor.
Course on the Economics of Public Space — studying from New Zealand
Civil engineering is one of New Zealand's largest engineering employers, driven by the need for earthquake-resilient infrastructure, roading, water and wastewater systems across a seismically active country. Major projects include Auckland's City Rail Link and Wellington's transport upgrades, with rail maintained largely by KiwiRail. Engineers work for consultancies, contractors and councils, and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment administers the Building Act and related standards, while Waka Kotahi manages the national land transport network.
Fees for New Zealand: NZ$1,470 (New Zealand dollar), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in New Zealand
Typical roles
Questions from New Zealand
What is the recognition pathway for civil and rail engineers in New Zealand?
Engineering New Zealand administers Chartered Professional Engineer registration, which is the main recognised professional standard for civil engineers. Rail is regulated through the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi and the Ministry of Transport. SEIUM's qualifications are private and not accredited by a national body, so employers or the relevant body decide how much weight to give them.
Who hires civil, rail and smart city engineers in New Zealand?
Employers include city and regional councils, central government agencies, consultancies, contractors, and rail and transport operators. Smart city roles increasingly combine infrastructure knowledge with data and digital systems. Hiring usually depends on registration, experience and project records, so a private qualification is a supporting credential rather than a guaranteed entry point.
Will I need a visa, and how do fees and employer funding work?
No student visa is needed to study from home, because all programmes are 100% online and taught in English. Each programme includes an assigned technical tutor and a final project. Fees are payable in instalments, and employer sponsorship is possible. Master's programmes take 1,900 hours, postgraduate diplomas 800 and specialist courses 300, so check the time commitment against your workload.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Apply urban economics concepts to public space.
Value the benefits of public space in economic terms.
Design financing strategies for urban projects.
Analyse the impact of public space on economic activity.
Carry out cost-benefit and multi-criteria analyses.
Take equity into account in the distribution of benefits.
Produce an economic evaluation of a public space project.
Who it's for
- Urban economists
- Urban planning technicians
- Project evaluation consultants
- European funds managers
- Public policy analysts
- Local treasury and finance officers
- Engineering or science graduates looking to move into local government
What you'll work with
- Royal Legislative Decree 2/2004 (Spanish Local Finance Act)
- Law 33/2003 (assets of Spanish public administrations)
- Royal Legislative Decree 7/2015 (consolidated Land and Urban Regeneration Act)
- Regulation (EU) 2021/1058 (European Regional Development Fund and Cohesion Fund)
- Organic Law 2/2012 (budgetary stability and financial sustainability)
- Law 9/2017 (public sector contracts)
- R
- Excel
- QGIS
- WHO HEAT
- i-Tree
6 modules
1.1Public space as a common good1.2Public goods and externalities1.3Land value and location1.4Urban rents and property prices1.5Cost of space devoted to the car1.6Theory of the tragedy of the commons1.7Ostrom's governance of the commons1.8Economics of proximity1.9Public space and urban productivity1.10Case study: land value around a park
2.1Hedonic pricing method2.2Contingent valuation method2.3Travel cost2.4Benefit transfer2.5Value of ecosystem services2.6Value of urban trees2.7Health and economic benefits of walking2.8WHO HEAT tool2.9Limitations of monetisation2.10Practical exercise: hedonic estimation with housing data
3.1Municipal budget and investment3.2Fees for occupation of the public domain3.3Special contributions for public works3.4Land value capture3.5European ERDF and EDIL funds3.6Public-private partnership formulas3.7Sponsorship and patronage3.8Business improvement districts3.9Financing maintenance3.10Workshop: financial plan for an urban redevelopment
4.1Local retail and pedestrianisation4.2Street terraces and their regulation4.3Markets and street trading4.4Events and the experience economy4.5Urban goods distribution4.6Night-time economy and public space4.7Tourism and public space4.8Impact of urban quality on retail4.9Card data and spending4.10Case study: retail impact of a pedestrianisation scheme
5.1Cost-benefit analysis of urban projects5.2Social discount rate5.3Cost-effectiveness analysis of alternatives5.4Multi-criteria analysis of projects5.5European Commission guide to CBA5.6Local economic impact assessment5.7Risks and sensitivity5.8Equity in the distribution of benefits5.9Presentation to decision-makers5.10Practical exercise: cost-benefit analysis of a superblock
6.1Selection of the space or intervention6.2Identification of costs and benefits6.3Economic valuation of the interventions6.4Financing strategy6.5Impact on economic activity6.6Cost-benefit analysis of the intervention6.7Sensitivity analysis6.8Recommendations for the decision6.9Report and presentation6.10Final project: final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
100% online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within the intake, so the course is compatible with full-time work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original regulations and applied exercises. The working software is R, Excel, QGIS, WHO HEAT and i-Tree, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Real procedures are studied, including hedonic valuations of public space, cost-benefit analyses and retail impact studies. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final integrating project.
Standards covered: Royal Legislative Decree 2/2004 (Local Finance Act); Law 33/2003 on Public Administration Assets; Royal Legislative Decree 7/2015 (Land and Urban Regeneration Act); Regulation (EU) 2021/1058 (ERDF and Cohesion Fund); Organic Law 2/2012 on Budgetary Stability and Financial Sustainability; Law 9/2017 on Public Sector Contracts.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- No prior qualification is required.
- An internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme software.
- English sufficient to read technical standards.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme totals 300 hours over 3 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.
You work with R, Excel, QGIS, WHO HEAT and i-Tree, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.
A SEIUM Institute certificate, awarded on passing the continuous assessment and the final project. It is SEIUM's own qualification, not an official state degree; its recognition depends on the programme completed and the regulations of each country.
Yes. Modules passed are recognised in a higher programme in the same area (postgraduate diploma or master's). Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.
No prior qualification is required: you need an internet connection, a computer able to run the programme software and English sufficient to read technical standards.
Start dates are set by SEIUM's faculty for each intake. Our admissions team will confirm the next available date when you apply.
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