APL230 Planning Theory
Credits (ECTS):10
Course responsible:Andreas Hengstermann
Campus / Online:Taught campus Ås
Teaching language:Engelsk
Limits of class size: 45 3rd year students at BYREG are prioritised.
Course frequency:Annually.
Nominal workload:The course is set up to require about 250 hours in total. Orientation values: 40h in-class presence (continuously), 40h reading and reading notes (continuously), 40h group work (2-week peak period during the semester), 20h written report (peak period at the end of the semester), 100h self-learning and admin.
Teaching and exam period:This course starts in Autumn parallel. This course has teaching/evaluation in Autumn parallel.
About this course
The course introduces planning theory and different ways of thinking about planning (so-called: Theories of planning). It opens up questions of the societal roles of planning, the relations between planning and politics, who planning is thought to be for and what can be considered ‘good’ planning. These are all questions of relevance for how one can understand the planning profession, the role of planning professionals, the craftsmanship of planning and planning ethics in the light of various theories of planning.
The course covers leading planning thinkers and different schools of thought focusing on planning ideas shaped in Western democracies - charting the histography of planning through and practice throughout the 21st century. The course follows the trajectory of planning ideas through history, emphasising planning ideas and key debates of relevance today as the course attempts to integrate a spectrum of past and contemporary planning theories. In the course, local and international examples will exemplify theory and enhance understanding of theory in planning practice.
Learning outcome
At the end of this course, successful students will be able to...
Knowledge / comprehension
- … demonstrate a broad understanding of the role of planning theory’s literature by being able to position individual scientific articles within the canon of planning literature.
- … distinguish different schools of planning theory by identifying their core characteristics.
Application / analysis
- … evaluate different planning theories by comparing and contrasting between selected theories.
- … apply a planning theory to a contemporary practice scenario by developing a housing strategy and presenting it as a scientific poster.
Synthesis / evaluation
- … discuss the relevance of planning theory for planning practice in general and for informing their future professional career by reflecting upon it in a 1,000-word synthesis.
The learning activities are organised around thematic interactive seminars held weekly. As a student, you are expected to prepare for each seminar (to read selected scientific texts weekly) and actively participate in the seminars (e.g. reading club). Part of the preparation is to work with texts and keep a reading log (reading notes). The in-classroom activities are often done in groups, including discussions and lectures.
The general workload of the course is evenly distributed over the course to allow for the successive digestion and processing of the content. The students will have continuous reading assignments, a group work, and a writing assignment at the end of the semester.
The theories are applied in a practical planning task developed in group work. A scientific poster is created for this purpose, which must be presented once during the semester and once at the end of the semester. Each group has a phase (approx. 2 weeks) of intensive work during the semester.
Exchange students (e.g. Erasmus) are explicitly invited to participate in this course.
- APL103 plus completion of 2nd year planning program
- Portfolio. Pass/fail. The portfolio consists of: The reading notes (individual work), the scientific poster (group work) and the written reflection (individual work)
Portfolio Grading: Passed / Not Passed - The external censor evaluates the students' portfolios.
- Weekly obligatory assignments and attendance at the seminars. If you do not attend a seminar, you can be requested to compensated for this with an additional assignment.
- The course may be experienced as demanding due to the reading load.
- In classroom seminars app. 40 hours.
- M-BYREG
- Minimum requirements for entrance to higher education in Norway (generell studiekompetanse).