Course Title: Planning Thesis 1

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Planning Thesis 1

Credit Points: 12.00

Terms

Course Code

Campus

Career

School

Learning Mode

Teaching Period(s)

ARCH1403

City Campus

Undergraduate

365H Global, Urban and Social Studies

Face-to-Face

Sem 1 2017,
Sem 1 2019,
Sem 1 2020,
Sem 1 2021,
Sem 1 2022,
Sem 1 2024

Course Coordinator: Associate Professor Andrew Butt

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 3351

Course Coordinator Email: andrew.butt@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: Building 8. Floor 11. Room 31

Course Coordinator Availability: By appointment


Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

You should have satisfactorily completed HUSO1222 Research Strategies before you commence this course, or undertake it at the same time as this course as it contains areas of knowledge and skills which are implemented together in practice.  

Alternatively, you may be able to demonstrate the required skills and knowledge before you start this course. Contact your course coordinator if you think you may be eligible. 

It is expected that students enrolling in the thesis stream will have a good overall grade point average (GPA) - a distinction average or better (70%+). 


Course Description

This course requires you to conduct independent research related to urban and regional planning under supervision. You will begin writing a thesis which you will complete in Planning Thesis 2. In this course you be will be expected to develop a written research question, complete a literature review and write a project methodology. 

If you are enrolled in this course as a component of your Bachelor Honours Program, your overall mark will contribute to the calculation of the weighted average mark (WAM).  

See the WAM information web page for more information. 


Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

Program Learning Outcomes 

In this course you will develop the following program learning outcomes:

  • Demonstrate creativity, critical thinking and innovation when identifying and solving urban and regional problems in diverse contexts and assessing implications of decisions and actions.
  • Discern the value of information and knowledge from a wide variety of sources and experiences and reflect on and evaluate their application in planning practice and research.
  • Apply a range of social science research methods to conduct research and undertake policy development that consider theoretical, historical, local and international contexts for decision making.
  • Communicate ideas using diverse formats and strategies to academic and professional audiences within and external to the discipline of urban and regional planning.
  • Critically reflect on the interconnectedness of environmental, social, economic systems both locally and internationally and apply in your professional practice or further study. 


Course Learning Outcomes 

Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:

  1. Plan and design an independent research project 
  2. Write a scholarly literature review 
  3. Write about and apply appropriate research approaches and methods.
   


Overview of Learning Activities

In this course you will work independently on a research topic under the supervision of an appropriate academic staff member. You will be required to present your work orally and in writing to obtain feedback throughout the course. 


Overview of Learning Resources

RMIT will provide you with resources and tools for learning in this course through our online systems. This course is based on independent research under the supervision of an appropriate academic staff member. 

There are services available to support your learning through the University Library. The Library provides guides on academic referencing and subject specialist help as well as a range of study support services. For further information, please visit the Library page on the RMIT University website and the myRMIT student portal. 


Overview of Assessment

You will be assessed on the above learning outcomes. You will be assessed on how well you meet the course’s learning outcomes and on your development against the program learning outcomes. Feedback will be given on all assessment tasks. 

Assessment Task

  • A written introduction, literature review and methodology chapters. These will be assessed by your supervisor and graded on a pass/fail basis. The completed thesis, including revised versions of these chapters, will be graded again in Planning Thesis (100% CLO 1, 2, 3) 

If you have a long term medical condition and/or disability it may be possible to negotiate to vary aspects of the learning or assessment methods. You can contact the program manager or Equitable Learning Services if you would like to find out more. 

Your course assessment conforms to RMIT assessment principles, regulations, policies, procedures and instructions.