Course Coordinator:Silvia Tavares (stavares@usc.edu.au) School:School of Law and Society
UniSC Sunshine Coast |
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.
This course enables you to work on an individual research project. You will apply planning knowledge and skills learned in the previous years to define the research problem, undertake a literature review, do some field research and develop options to solve a planning problem. The research needs to be presented in an individual report.
Activity | Hours | Beginning Week | Frequency |
Blended learning | |||
Learning materials – Learning materials will be made available one week in advance, they may include formative quizzes, readings, short videos, podcasts, other interactive exercises. | 1hr | Week 1 | 11 times |
Tutorial/Workshop 1 – Face-to-face tutorials based on exercises and discussions focused on the assignments students need to complete in preparation for their honours thesis. | 2hrs | Week 1 | 11 times |
Planning and undertaking a research project, inlcuding defining the problem, undertaking a literature review and field research, developing options to solve a planning problem.
Application of planning knowledge and skills.
Research-related human ethics considerations.
Writing a research report.
400 Level (Graduate)
24 units (taught over 2 delivery periods)
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 | Identify how research can contribute to planning theory and practice. |
Creative and critical thinker Empowered |
1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 1.11, 11, 11.1, 11.2, 11.3 |
2 | Justify how research process including proposed research methods contributes to solving a planning problem. |
Knowledgeable Sustainability-focussed |
1, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8 |
3 | Critically analyse literature and use theoretical concepts and empirical data to justify research need, methods, and contribution. |
Knowledgeable Creative and critical thinker Engaged |
1, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8 |
4 | Undertake data gathering according to well-developed methods appropriate to your research question. |
Creative and critical thinker Empowered Engaged |
|
5 | Presentation of comprehensive research report. |
Knowledgeable Creative and critical thinker Empowered |
1, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8 |
CODE | COMPETENCY |
Planning Institute of Australia | |
1 | Generic Capabilities and Competencies |
1.1 | Recognise the need for, locate and be able to use credible information to develop new skills and knowledge |
1.2 | Perform critical analysis and synthesis |
1.3 | Develop and evaluate arguments |
1.4 | Apply creative thinking processes to complex problems |
1.5 | Make meaningful new connections between challenging, contradictory or unlikely elements |
1.6 | Think strategically and apply planning concepts, skills and knowledge in a range of spatial settings |
1.7 | Write and present with clarity, cohesion, logic, structure, relevance, accuracy and precision of expression in a range of contexts |
1.8 | Effectively use voice, body-language, structure, word choice, graphics, and presentation technologies, across a range of media, appropriate to the knowledge base and cultural background of the audience |
1.11 | Awareness of challenges and opportunities posed by operating in diverse and globally oriented settings |
Education for Sustainable Development Goals | |
11 | Sustainable Cities and Communities: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable |
11.1 | Cognitive learning objectives for “Sustainable Cities and Communities” |
11.2 | Socio-emotional learning objectives for “Sustainable Cities and Communities” |
11.3 | Behavioural learning objectives for “Sustainable Cities and Communities” |
Refer to the UniSC Glossary of terms for definitions of “pre-requisites, co-requisites and anti-requisites”.
ENP355 and ENP336 and ENP365 and ENP311 and SCS225 and enrolled in Program AR404 or AR406
Not applicable
Not applicable
Not applicable
Standard Grading (GRD)
High Distinction (HD), Distinction (DN), Credit (CR), Pass (PS), Fail (FL). |
Timely and detailed feedback is provided for each assessment. Feedback is provided both within text and general comments to build scholarly skills. Students are able to seek feedback through face-to-face discussion with the course coordinator. Tutorials will include extended discussion and review of the assessment task requirements and scope.
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 | Written Piece | Individual | 25% | 4000 words (+/- 10%), not including reference list. |
Delivery Period 1 - Week 7 | Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check |
All | 1b | Oral | Individual | 10% | 5-10 minutes |
Delivery Period 1 - Week 8 | In Class |
All | 1c | Written Piece | Individual | 15% | All documents required for ethics approval |
Delivery Period 1 - Week 12 | Online Submission |
All | 2a | Practical / Laboratory Skills | Individual | 5% | 1000-1500 word chapter |
Delivery Period 2 - Week 8 | Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check |
All | 2b | Written Piece | Individual | 35% | 7,000-10,000 words (the word count does not include the reference list). |
Delivery Period 2 - Week 13 | Online Submission |
All | 2c | Oral | Individual | 10% | 3 to 8 minutes |
Delivery Period 2 - Week 13 | Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check |
All - Assessment Task 1a:Project proposal | |
Goal: | To prepare a project proposal for the Honours thesis. This document should present a problem statement, research question(s), literature review, research methodology, expected outcomes and a schedule for the completion of the project. |
Product: | Written Piece |
Format: | Written piece. |
Criteria: |
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All - Assessment Task 1b:Project Presentation | |
Goal: | To present and receive feedback on your research proposal. |
Product: | Oral |
Format: | Oral presentation |
Criteria: |
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All - Assessment Task 1c:Human Research Ethics application | |
Goal: | To prepare and submit Human Research Ethics application that allows you to undertake research involving human participants - e.g. interviews and surveys. |
Product: | Written Piece |
Format: | Written - based on ethics forms and appendices. |
Criteria: |
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All - Assessment Task 2a:Fieldwork | |
Goal: | To carry out fieldwork, gathering data to support analysis |
Product: | Practical / Laboratory Skills |
Format: | You will undertake fieldwork relevant to the research questions to be answered to produce a 1000-1500 word chapter about the data you have collected. |
Criteria: |
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All - Assessment Task 2b:Honours thesis | |
Goal: | You are to write an Honours thesis which provides suggestions for improving the planning issue dealt with in the research across both semesters. |
Product: | Written Piece |
Format: | The Honours thesis must present: introduction (including research aims and questions); literature review, methodology, results, discussion and concludions. |
Criteria: |
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All - Assessment Task 2c:Final thesis presentation | |
Goal: | To present the final thesis. |
Product: | Oral |
Format: | Powerpoint presentation |
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.
Eligibility for Supplementary Assessment 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: 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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