Course Coordinator:Nicholas Stevens (nstevens@usc.edu.au) School:School of Law and Society
UniSC Sunshine CoastUniSC Moreton Bay |
Blended learning | Most of your course is on campus but you may be able to do some components of this course online. |
Please go to usc.edu.au for up to date information on the
teaching sessions and campuses where this course is usually offered.
Urban development has shaped our planet. These impacts have not always been positive and as we face uncertain futures improved processes are required. Urban development and town planning is central to achieving a more sustainable world. This course will introduce the history, practice, policy, and theory associated with urban development and town planning. You will explore and apply the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals to case studies in the global and local context. You will gain the knowledge and skills to consider the impact of your area of UniSC study and its role in sustainable cities.
Activity | Hours | Beginning Week | Frequency |
Blended learning | |||
Learning materials – Readings; pre-recorded concept videos and associated activity | 1hr | Week 1 | 11 times |
Tutorial/Workshop 1 – On campus tutorial | 2hrs | Week 1 | 11 times |
Urban development and the processes of urbanisation
Sustainable urban development and the role of the UN Sustainable Development Goals
Global risks, challenges, complexity and the role of urban development
Theories of urban design, urban developement and town planning
Urban morphology and spatial planning
Designing with nature and urban ecosystems
What makes a ‘good place’ – connecting people and place
100 Level (Introductory)
12 units
Course Learning Outcomes On successful completion of this course, you should be able to... | Graduate Qualities Mapping Completing these tasks successfully will contribute to you becoming... | Professional Standard Mapping * Competencies from multiple Professional Bodies (see below) * | |
1 | Apply the UN Sustainable Development Goals to the processes of urban development and town planning, from the global to the local context. |
Empowered Sustainability-focussed |
1, 2, 2.1, 3, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 |
2 | Communicate the relevant theories, approaches, and data for interdisciplinary and community-led decision-making for sustainable urban development and town planning. | Engaged |
2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1.3, 3.3.4, 4.1.1, 5.3.5, 6.1.1, 6.3.4, 7.1.3, 7.3.1, 8.3.1, 9.1.1, 9.3.1, 10.1.1, 10.3.3, 11.1.1, 11.1.2, 11.1.3, 11.1.4, 11.1.5, 11.2.5, 12.1.1, 12.2.4, 13.1.2, 13.1.3, 13.2.5, 13.3.4, 13.3.5, 14.2.2, 15.2.3, 15.2.5, 16.3.1, 17.1.4, 17.2.3, 17.3.4 |
3 | Explore the role that different discipline areas – health, education, science, arts, economics, environment, sociology, engineering, law - all have in shaping and establishing sustainable urban development and town planning. |
Creative and critical thinker Ethical |
2.3, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 11.1.1, 11.1.2, 11.1.3, 11.1.4, 11.1.5, 11.2.2, 11.2.3, 11.2.4, 11.2.5, 11.3.2, 11.3.4, 11.3.5, 11.2 |
CODE | COMPETENCY |
Education for Sustainable Development Goals | |
1 | No poverty: End poverty in all its forms everywhere |
2 | Zero Hunger: End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture |
3 | Good Health and Well-being: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages |
3.1.3 | The learner understands the socio-political-economic dimensions of health and wellbeing and knows about the effects of advertising and about strategies to promote health and well-being. |
3.3.4 | The learner is able to publicly demand and support the development of policies promoting health and well-being. |
4 | Quality Education: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all |
4.1.1 | The learner understands the important role of education and lifelong learning opportunities for all (formal, non-formal and informal learning) as main drivers of sustainable development, for improving people’s lives and in achieving the SDGs |
5 | Gender Equality: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls |
5.3.5 | The learner is able to plan, implement, support and evaluate strategies for gender equality. |
6 | Clean Water and Sanitation: Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all |
6.1.1 | The learner understands water as a fundamental condition of life itself, the importance of water quality and quantity, and the causes, effects and consequences of water pollution and water scarcity. |
6.3.4 | The learner is able to plan, implement, evaluate and replicate activities that contribute to increasing water quality and safety. |
7 | Affordable and Clean Energy: Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and clean energy for all |
7.1.3 | The learner understands the concept of energy efficiency and sufficiency and knows socio-technical strategies and policies to achieve efficiency and sufficiency. |
7.3.1 | The learner is able to apply and evaluate measures in order to increase energy efficiency and sufficiency in their personal sphere and to increase the share of renewable energy in their local energy mix. |
8 | Decent Work and Economic Growth: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all |
8.3.1 | The learner is able to engage with new visions and models of a sustainable, inclusive economy and decent work. |
9 | Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure: Build infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation |
9.1.1 | The learner understands the concepts of sustainable infrastructure and industrialization and society’s needs for a systemic approach to their development. |
9.3.1 | The learner is able to identify opportunities in their own culture and nation for greener and more resilient approaches to infrastructure, understanding their overall benefits for societies, especially with regard to disaster risk reduction. |
10 | Reduced Inequalities: Reduce inequality within and among countries |
10.1.1 | The learner knows different dimensions of inequality, their interrelations and applicable statistics. |
10.3.3 | The learner is able to identify and analyse different types of causes and reasons for inequalities. |
11 | Sustainable Cities and Communities: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable |
11.1.1 | The learner understands basic physical, social and psychological human needs and is able to identify how these needs are currently addressed in their own physical urban, peri-urban and rural settlements. |
11.1.2 | The learner is able to evaluate and compare the sustainability of their and other settlements’ systems in meeting their needs particularly in the areas of food, energy, transport, water, safety, waste treatment, inclusion and accessibility, education, integration of green spaces and disaster risk reduction. |
11.1.3 | The learner understands the historical reasons for settlement patterns and while respecting cultural heritage, understands the need to find compromises to develop improved sustainable systems. |
11.1.4 | The learner knows the basic principles of sustainable planning and building, and can identify opportunities for making their own area more sustainable and inclusive. |
11.1.5 | The learner understands the role of local decision-makers and participatory governance and the importance of representing a sustainable voice in planning and policy for their area. |
11.2.5 | The learner is able to feel responsible for the environmental and social impacts of their own individual lifestyle. |
11.2.2 | The learner is able to connect with and help community groups locally and online in developing a sustainable future vision of their community. |
11.2.3 | The learner is able to reflect on their region in the development of their own identity, understanding the roles that the natural, social and technical environments have had in building their identity and culture. |
11.2.4 | The learner is able to contextualize their needs within the needs of the greater surrounding ecosystems, both locally and globally, for more sustainable human settlements. |
11.3.2 | The learner is able to participate in and influence decision processes about their community. |
11.3.4 | The learner is able to co-create an inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable community. |
11.3.5 | The learner is able to promote low carbon approaches at the local level. |
11.2 | Socio-emotional learning objectives for “Sustainable Cities and Communities” |
12 | Responsible Consumption and Production: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns |
12.1.1 | The learner understands how individual lifestyle choices influence social, economic and environmental development. |
12.2.4 | The learner is able to envision sustainable lifestyles. |
13 | Climate Action: urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts |
13.1.2 | The learner understands the current climate change as an anthropogenic phenomenon resulting from the increased greenhouse gas emissions. |
13.1.3 | The learner knows which human activities – on a global, national, local and individual level – contribute most to climate change. |
13.2.5 | The learner is able to recognize that the protection of the global climate is an essential task for everyone and that we need to completely re-evaluate our worldview and everyday behaviours in light of this. |
13.3.4 | The learner is able to promote climate-protecting public policies. |
13.3.5 | The learner is able to support climate-friendly economic activities. |
14 | Life below Water: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development |
14.2.2 | The learner is able to show people the impact humanity is having on the oceans (biomass loss, acidification, pollution, etc.) and the value of clean healthy oceans. |
15 | Life on Land: Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss |
15.2.3 | The learner is able to connect with their local natural areas and feel empathy with nonhuman life on Earth. |
15.2.5 | The learner is able to create a vision of a life in harmony with nature. |
16 | Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions: Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels |
16.3.1 | The learner is able to critically assess issues of peace, justice, inclusion and strong institutions in their region, nationally and globally. |
17 | Partnerships for the Goals: Strengthen the implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development |
17.1.4 | The learner recognizes the importance of cooperation on and access to science, technology and innovation, and knowledge sharing. |
17.2.3 | The learner is able to take ownership of the SDGs. |
17.3.4 | The learner is able to support development cooperation activities. |
Planning Institute of Australia | |
2.1 | Professional and Ethical Planning Practice |
2.2 | Plan Making, Land use Allocation and Management, and Urban Design |
2.3 | Governance, Law, Plan implementation and Administration |
3.1 | Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ and Indigenous peoples’ rights, interests and planning approaches |
3.2 | Economic Planning |
3.3 | Environmental Planning |
3.4 | Social Planning |
3.5 | Transport Planning |
3.6 | Urban Design |
Refer to the UniSC Glossary of terms for definitions of “pre-requisites, co-requisites and anti-requisites”.
Not applicable
Not applicable
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Standard Grading (GRD)
High Distinction (HD), Distinction (DN), Credit (CR), Pass (PS), Fail (FL). |
In week 3 of this course there will be an early assessment of a draft copy of your essay topic and structure and this will be peer reviewed in your tutorial
Delivery mode | Task No. | Assessment Product | Individual or Group | Weighting % | What is the duration / length? | When should I submit? | Where should I submit it? |
All | 1a | Plan | Individual | 0% | 2 pages |
Week 3 | Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check |
All | 1b | Essay | Individual | 30% | 1500 words |
Week 5 | Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check |
All | 2 | Report | Individual | 30% | 1200 words |
Week 9 | Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check |
All | 3 | Quiz/zes | Individual | 40% | 2 hours |
Week 13 | Online Test (Quiz) |
All - Assessment Task 1a:Draft | |
Goal: | A review of your essay topic and structure for assessment 2 |
Product: | Plan |
Format: | Essay structure |
Criteria: |
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All - Assessment Task 1b:Application of UN Sustainable Development Goals to Urban Development | |
Goal: | To contextualize your chosen area study with the range of UN SGDs, and identify how it relates to sustainable urban development and planning, offering opportunities for more sustainable and inclusive settlements. |
Product: | Essay |
Format: | You will reflect upon and write about your current area of study at UniSC (e.g. urban design and town planning, business and commerce, engineering, etc) and the role that it currently plays in urban development and town planning. |
Criteria: |
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All - Assessment Task 2:Urban Development & Town Planning Report | |
Goal: | To enable you to identify, apply and interpret urban development, town planning and social, economic and environmental data and information through the use of a case study. |
Product: | Report |
Format: | A case study analyses of an urban location which includes a written component, but will also include a range of maps and the presentation of a range of social, economic and environmental data. From you analyses, recommendations for change in line with UN SDGs will be made for the case study location. |
Criteria: |
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All - Assessment Task 3:Sustainable Urban Development and Town Planning Quiz | |
Goal: | To allow you to demonstrate and reflect your own knowledge and understanding of key concepts, definitions, language and theories relevant to relevant to urban development, urban design and town planning. |
Product: | Quiz/zes |
Format: | Online Open Book Quiz |
Criteria: |
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A 12-unit course will have total of 150 learning hours which will include directed study hours (including online if required), self-directed learning and completion of assessable tasks. Student workload is calculated at 12.5 learning hours per one unit.
Please note: Course information, including specific information of recommended readings, learning activities, resources, weekly readings, etc. are available on the course Canvas site– Please log in as soon as possible.
Not applicable
Academic integrity is the ethical standard of university participation. It ensures that students graduate as a result of proving they are competent in their discipline. This is integral in maintaining the value of academic qualifications. Each industry has expectations and standards of the skills and knowledge within that discipline and these are reflected in assessment.
Academic integrity means that you do not engage in any activity that is considered to be academic fraud; including plagiarism, collusion or outsourcing any part of any assessment item to any other person. You are expected to be honest and ethical by completing all work yourself and indicating in your work which ideas and information were developed by you and which were taken from others. You cannot provide your assessment work to others. You are also expected to provide evidence of wide and critical reading, usually by using appropriate academic references.
In order to minimise incidents of academic fraud, this course may require that some of its assessment tasks, when submitted to Canvas, are electronically checked through Turnitin. This software allows for text comparisons to be made between your submitted assessment item and all other work to which Turnitin has access.
Your eligibility for supplementary assessment in a course is dependent of the following conditions applying: - The final mark is in the percentage range 47% to 49.4% - The course is graded using the Standard Grading scale - You have not failed an assessment task in the course due to academic misconduct
Late submission of assessment tasks will be penalised at the following maximum rate (the rates are cumulative): 5% (of the assessment task’s identified value) per day for the first two days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task 10% (of the assessment task’s identified value) for the third day 20% (of the assessment task’s identified value) for the fourth day and subsequent days up to and including seven days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task A result of zero is awarded for an assessment task submitted seven days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task. Weekdays and weekends are included in the calculation of days late. To request an extension, you must contact your Course Coordinator and supply the required documentation to negotiate an outcome.
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For help with course-specific advice, for example what information to include in your assessment, you should first contact your tutor, then your course coordinator, if needed.
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