In the urban age, the health and wellbeing of humanity will be determined by the liveability, sustainability and productivity of cities. A growing body of evidence demonstrates that urban planning and design are inextricably linked with public health outcomes.

This subject explores the links between urban planning and health, including capacity for physical activity, access to social interaction and the quality of urban environments, to identify strategies for how urban planning, design and policy can contribute to creating healthier communities. This subject identifies the complexity of health risk factors in cities and invites students to think about how these vary between communities and how planning strategies and policies may reduce health impacts.

The subject draws on theory, spatial data analysis, case studies and the current policy and legislative frameworks locally and internationally. Students will learn to assess the health and social impacts of planning and design decisions and identify urban policy responses to protect and promote health and wellbeing. This course may involve field visits and may involve costs for travel and accommodation.