Thank you for considering the Africa Urban Lab’s Professional Diploma in Urban Development! We know that deciding whether to apply and preparing materials for your application can be daunting, so this manual is designed to help guide you through the process.
The AUL’s Professional Diploma in Urban Development is an intensive program that combines four weeks of classroom-based instruction with a field-based Capstone Project. Over the course of the program, students gain practical knowledge on a wide variety of urban-related topics, learning directly from urban practitioners and scholars. The Diploma program has significant strengths in urban governance, finance, and economics. We also believe that it is the best program in the world for learning urban expansion planning.
The Diploma program is particularly useful for early- to mid-career professionals working in urban development, or related fields. This includes people working in government, NGOs, multilateral institutions, research, academia, or community-based organizations. If you’re looking to deepen your knowledge about the opportunities and challenges of urbanization in Africa, particularly from a policy-making angle, then this program is likely a good fit. We welcome applicants from a wide range of experiences and sectors, and believe that this strengthens the community of practice we’re building through the program.
Below, we’ll provide a breakdown of the materials you are required to submit for your application. This section will explain the purpose of each component and offer advice on how to craft a cohesive, clear, and compelling application.
There are four components for the Professional Diploma application: your personal statement, your letter of recommendation, your CV, and your writing sample. Each of these elements serves a slightly different role in helping us develop a holistic sense of who you are as a candidate and whether you would be a good fit for the program. Together, they should paint a clear picture of who you are as a candidate, the unique skills and perspective you will bring to the cohort, your potential for success in the program, and how the Professional Diploma fits into your long-term career aspirations. Below, we outline the purpose of each of these components and offer advice on preparing a maximally-impactful application.
Your personal statement is perhaps the most important part of your application. It is also one of the more difficult elements to prepare. Your personal statement should be no longer than 1,000 words. This is a Professional Diploma program, so your statement should be clear and concise, with a focus on how the program fits into your professional journey. Your personal statement should outline:
Your relevant work/educational experience: Begin by giving us a sense of your background. What experiences have led you to this program and your interest in urban development? This could include formal education, current and/or past jobs, community projects, research, or even personal experiences that have influenced your perspective. However, this section should not simply be a re-listing of your CV. Instead, it should explain what insights you’ve taken from these experiences and how they inform your approach to the themes and challenges we explore in the Diploma program. This section should comprise approximately 350 words.
Why you want to attend the Diploma program: Tell us what draws you to this program specifically. Are there topics, skills, or approaches that you’re interested in learning more about? Are you looking to shift fields and/or positions, strengthen your practice, or connect with peers working on similar issues? It’s particularly useful to connect directly with the content of the program. Review the information above and on our website about the modules included in the Diploma, the professors leading instruction, and the goals of the program. Be specific. This helps us understand exactly what your motivations are, and how you’d engage with the cohort and material. This section should comprise approximately 350 words.
Your goals after the Diploma program: Share where you hope to go from here. What do you plan to do with what you’ve learned? How will the program help you improve as a practitioner, policymaker, or community leader? Even if you don’t have a completely clear sense of where you want to go, give us a direction or explain that you want to use this program to figure out your next move. We welcome honesty and uncertainty; the program is designed to help professionals grow. What matters most is that this program fits within the broader arc of your past experiences, your present motivations, and your future ambitions. This section should comprise approximately 300 words.
Your letter of recommendation is also a crucial component of your application. This letter should speak to your strengths as an applicant, including your abilities, character, and potential to succeed in the program. It’s important that your recommender can offer thoughtful insight on how you think, work, and lead. Ideally, your letter writer should be someone in a senior managerial position who has worked closely with you for an extended period of time so that they can genuinely reflect on your strengths and readiness for the program.
You should ask your letter writer whether they are willing to write for you well before submitting their information for your application. The earlier you ask your letter writer for support, the more time they have to prepare a strong letter. If possible, you should also share your personal statement, CV, and writing sample with your letter writer prior to submission. Not only will this allow your recommender to craft a letter that speaks to your interests and aspirations, but he/she may also offer useful feedback on how to strengthen your overall application.
Once you enter their information in the application portal, your recommender will have only two weeks to submit their letter. It’s the student’s sole responsibility to contact their letter writer and ensure that it is submitted on time. Failure to submit all materials by the stated deadline may result in delayed assessment. Students should not write or submit the recommendation letter on their recommender’s behalf. Doing so will result in removal from consideration.
The CV should succinctly list your relevant educational and professional history, along with basic contact information. The purpose of the CV is to show us where you’ve been, what you’ve been involved in, and how your career has progressed over time. If there are gaps, career changes, or unconventional experiences, that’s okay. Your personal statement should expand upon and contextualize the information presented. Your CV should include the following:
Name
Email address and phone number
Undergraduate institution
Graduate institution (if applicable)
Dates of attendance at all educational institutions
Current role and past roles
Duration of employment for each role
Responsibilities in each role (2-3 bullet points each)
Certifications (if applicable)
Publications (if applicable)
Additional skills (including languages, software, volunteer experience, etc.)
It’s important to convey this information in an organized, easy to read manner. Although there is no particular format you must follow, you can find an example here.
Your writing sample should be a piece of original work that demonstrates your ability to think critically about complex issues. Ideally, it should be something that shows how you engage with matters related to urban development, governance, public policy, or similar topics. However, this does not necessarily mean that you need to prepare a new article for submission if you don’t already have a writing sample on urban issues. We’re more interested in how you build an argument, structure your thoughts, and communicate effectively.
You can submit a professional report, academic paper, policy memo, or long-form paper from a workshop or course. It should be a solo-authored piece; however, we do accept multi-authored work, so long as you clearly state which sections you wrote. Please do not submit AI-generated work. Aim for something that is no longer than 2,000 words. If you’re selecting an excerpt from a longer piece, please include a brief note for context. Because the Diploma coursework and reading is administered in English, the writing sample–and all other materials prepared for submission–should also be in English.
We hope this manual helps make the process of applying for the AUL’s Professional Diploma program a little bit easier. We know that preparing an application can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re balancing it with work and other responsibilities. There are three main takeaways that we hope you carry with you as you begin this process:
Familiarize yourself with the program. Take the time to decide whether this is the right program for you. Look into the coursework, expectations, and AUL faculty. Not only will this help you make an informed decision on whether to apply, but being able to articulate why you’re interested in the program will also strengthen your application.
Start your application early. As soon as you decide to apply, reach out to your letter writer to ask for their recommendation. Then, prepare your application materials. Share these with your letter writer so they can write a strong recommendation. Submit your materials before the deadline to avoid any technical issues.
Tell us a story about your professional arc. The application materials should fit into a coherent, compelling story about who you are, what you’ve experienced, where you want to go in your career, and how the Diploma program will help you get there. Take your time, be thoughtful, and don’t be afraid to show your uniqueness!
If you have any questions as you prepare your materials, please feel free to reach out to anyone on the AUL staff for support. Thank you for your interest in AUL. We look forward to reviewing your application!
