Study-Unit Description

Study-Unit Description


CODE SPI2721

 
TITLE Introduction to Spatial Planning

 
UM LEVEL 02 - Years 2, 3 in Modular Undergraduate Course

 
MQF LEVEL 5

 
ECTS CREDITS 4

 
DEPARTMENT Spatial Planning and Infrastructure

 
DESCRIPTION Through this study-unit, the students will be introduced to the theory of spatial planning and to the realities of spatial planning as a practice, through which Governments give, as is stated in the European Regional/Spatial Planning Charter, “… geographical expression to the economic, social, cultural and ecological policies of society” at the local, regional, national, and trans-national levels. The term spatial planning, therefore refers to the formal and systematic integration of activities which have traditionally been identified through terms such as urban planning, land-use planning, economic planning, transport planning, environmental planning, participatory planning and so on.

The students will be expected to go through and critically evaluate selected texts which refer to both spatial planning and fields which are directly or indirectly connected with this practice. The study-unit will therefore consist of the following:
1. lectures, through which fundamental concepts are identified and explained, with reference to their emergence and development in specific political, economic, and cultural contexts; and
2. seminars, through which the students will be provided with the opportunity to explore the literature and present and debate their findings with their lecturer and fellow students. The organisation of the seminars would depend on the number of students registered for the study-unit.

At the end of the semester, each student will prepare a report in which the readings covered in the seminars shall be evaluated.

Study-Unit Aims:

To introduce the students to the fundamental concepts and issues connected with the practice of spatial planning, as an activity through which economic, social, and environmental policies are formally integrated and implemented.

Learning Outcomes:

1. Knowledge & Understanding:
By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:

1. Be familiar with the basic concepts and conflicts between concepts that underlie the practice of spatial planning; and
2. Have developed, on the one hand, an awareness of the complex interactions between:
- the imperative for societies to generate wealth efficiently, and on the other hand;
- the importance that should be attached to the;
- healthy development of the individual members of the said societies; and
- the wise use natural resources.

2. Skills:
By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:

Report analytically on the introductory texts on spatial planning and related matters that they would discussed and debated in the course of the study-unit.

Main Text/s and any supplementary readings:

Main Texts:

- Albrechts, L., Healey, P., & Kunzmann, K. R. (2003). Strategic spatial planning and regional governance in Europe. Journal of the American Planning Association, 69(2), 113-129;
- CEC (Commission of the European Communities) (1999). European Spatial Development Perspective;
- Towards Balanced and Sustainable Development of the Territory of the EU. Luxembourg, Office for Official Publications of the European Communities;
- Fainstein, S. S., & DeFilippis, J. (Eds.). (2015). Readings in planning theory. John Wiley & Sons;
- Gunder, M., Madanipour, A., & Watson, V. (Eds.). (2017). The Routledge handbook of planning theory. Routledge;
- Rydin, Y. (2011). The Purpose of Planning: Creating Sustainable Towns and Cities. Bristol: Policy Press;
- Stead, D., de Vries, J., & Tasan-Kok, T. (2015). Planning cultures and histories: Influences on the evolution of planning systems and spatial development patterns.

 
STUDY-UNIT TYPE Lecture, Seminar & Independent Study

 
METHOD OF ASSESSMENT
Assessment Component/s Assessment Due Sept. Asst Session Weighting
Presentation SEM2 Yes 50%
Assignment SEM2 Yes 50%

 
LECTURER/S Wendy-Jo Mifsud

 

 
The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints.
Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice.
It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2023/4. It may be subject to change in subsequent years.

https://www.um.edu.mt/course/studyunit