Bachelor of Urban and Regional Planning

Year

View in 2021+ Handbook

Course Overview
Further Information
Course Rules & Plans
Course Outcomes

Why study the Bachelor of Urban and Regional Planning at UNE?

This degree leads to a professional career in planning, with employment opportunities in both city and country. Planning is about designing places that will stand the test of time - not cost the earth. Planning is about working towards a more livable, more sustainable world. Planners need to be familiar with a wide range of issues and the degree provides a broad general education in all major areas of planning and urban design, including land use planning, social planning, economic planning, transport planning, environmental planning, professionalism and ethics, and environmental and planning law. Work experience is an important part of the program and means that students receive a hands-on education, opportunities to put their learning into practice and a head-start in terms of gaining on-the-job experience.

Professional membership - the degree is fully recognised by the Planning Institute of Australia as satisfying the academic requirements for membership of the Urban and Regional Planning Chapter of the Institute. Students are also eligible for student membership of the Institute.

The degree may be awarded with Honours. The Honours level is based academic merit including the completion of GEPL338 and GEPL455 which is completed in the final year. The BUrbRegPlan(Hons) graduates who achieve the appropriate level of Honours are eligible to apply to enrol for a research Master degree or the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD).

Career Opportunities

Examples of career opportunities include positions in local and state government, private consulting firms, development companies, state and federal government departments involved with urban affairs, environmental management, transport, community development, heritage conservation, regional prosperity and related fields.

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Degree Snapshot

DURATION

4 Years Full-time
Up to 10 years Part-time

FEES

CSP
International

2017 ATAR / OP

72.55 / 12

2018 STUDY OPTIONS

Armidale

Trimester 1, Online
Trimester 1, On Campus
Trimester 2, Online
Trimester 2, On Campus

Official Abbreviation

BUrbRegPlan

Course Type

Undergraduate

CRICOS Code

000376A

Commencing

Location	Admission Period	Mode of Study
Armidale	Trimester 1	Online
Armidale	Trimester 1	On Campus
Armidale	Trimester 2	Online
Armidale	Trimester 2	On Campus

Course Duration

4 Years Full-time
Up to 10 years Part-time

2017 ATAR

72.55

2017 OP

Fees

CSP / International

Total Credit Points

192

Intensive Schools

Intensive mandatory schools may be a requirement of some of the units in this course. See Unit Catalogue for specific requirements.

Entry Requirements

A candidate shall be qualified for admission (see Admission Undergraduate and Postgraduate (Coursework) Rule and Admission Undergraduate and Postgraduate (Coursework) Procedures).

Assumed knowledge is any two units of English.

Practical, Clinical or Work Experience

12 weeks of practical work experience directly related to urban and regional planning.

Professional recognition: Accredited by the Planning Institute of Australia.

Advanced Standing

Candidates are referred to the University Policy on Advanced Standing.

Scholarships

The University offers a number of Faculty/College and country scholarships available to Australian citizens and permanent residents.

Academic Colours

Mace (BCC 73)

Further Information

You can find instant answers to many of your questions or contact UNE directly via AskUNE

These course rules & plans are ONLY to be used if you commenced, transferred or changed versions in the Bachelor of Urban and Regional Planning in 2018.

Admission to Candidature

A candidate shall be qualified for admission (see Admission Undergraduate and Postgraduate (Coursework) Rule and the Admission Undergraduate and Postgraduate (Coursework) Procedures).

Advanced Standing

Candidates are referred to the University Policy on Advanced Standing.

Period of Candidature

The period of candidature shall be:
(a) four years as a full-time candidate;
(b) up to ten years as a part-time candidate.

Course Requirements

To qualify for the award a candidate must pass units to the value of 192 credit points with not more than 48 credit points at 100-level and 102 credit points at 200/300-level and 12 credit points at 400-level and 12 weeks Practical Experience.

Program of Study

Candidates shall complete an approved program of study as outlined in the Course Schedule comprising:

Course Structure	Credit Points
Core Units	162-174 cps
12 weeks Practical Experience	-
Elective Units	18-30 cps
Total	192 cps

To view complete Program of Study click here

Award of Degree

Candidates who meet the course requirements shall be awarded the Bachelor of Urban and Regional Planning.

Award/Classes of Honours

Students may be awarded the degree of Bachelor of Urban and Regional Planning with Honours on the basis of academic merit. To qualify for award of the degree with Honours students must:
(a) have completed GEPL338 and achieved at least a credit average over 144 credit points; and
(b) have completed the unit GEPL455.
(c) There will be two levels of Honours: First Class Honours and Second Class Honours. Second Class Honours will have two divisions: Division 1 and Division 2.
(d) An exceptionally distinguished student who has been awarded First Class Honours may be awarded a University Medal.

Examination of Dissertation

1. The dissertation will be assessed by at least two examiners.
2. The examiners may be internal or external to The University of New England at the discretion of the Course Coordinator.
3. The final class of honours will be determined on the basis of marks awarded for both dissertation and course work, calculated over the following units of the Bachelor or Urban and Regional Planning program of study: GEPL320, GEPL328, GEPL401, GEPL402, GEPL450, GEPL445 and GEPL455.
4. A dissertation will not be examined by a candidate's supervisor, but the supervisor should be consulted in the determination of the final result.

Articulated Award

Subject to meeting the Advanced Standing rules, candidates can apply to graduate with the Diploma in Town Planning upon successful completion of a total of 48 credit points comprising GEPL111, 112, 121 and 122 and 24 credit points from ENGT237, GEPL301, 316, 320, 324 and 359 and continue with the Bachelor of Urban and Regional Planning subject to completing within their period of candidature.

Exit Pathways

Subject to meeting Advanced Standing rules, candidates admitted to the Bachelor of Urban and Regional Planning who apply to discontinue their studies in the course may be eligible to exit with the Diploma in Town Planning upon successful completion of a total of 48 credit points comprising units GEPL111, 112, 121 and 122 and 24 credit points from ENGT237, GEPL301, 316, 320, 324 and 359.
Candidates who discontinue their studies in the course may be eligible to exit with the Advanced Diploma in Arts on completion of 72 credit points, including 36 credit points at 200/300 level.

Candidates who apply to discontinue their studies and exit with the Diploma in Town Planning or Advanced Diploma in Arts must apply for re-admission and will be subject to course requirements of the Bachelor of Urban and Regional Planning. This may mean that they will not receive full recognition for their previous studies should the course structure have changed in response to University or external accreditation body requirements.

Course Aims

The Bachelor of Urban and Regional Planning enables graduates to contribute towards making the world more liveable and sustainable through developing understanding and skills in a wide range of areas relating to place-making and land use planning. Work experience is an important part of the program.

Candidates completing the honours component are able to extend their intellectual range in their chosen study topic and hone their research abilities and analytical and communication techniques.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

BUrbRegPlan students: demonstrate a broad and coherent body of knowledge in urban and regional planning, including deep understanding of the discipline's underlying principles and concepts;
demonstrate cognitive, critical and technical skills to analyse and address land-use and built-environment problems in a range of social, economic and environmental contexts;
demonstrate knowledge and skills to exercise the judgement and responsibility required of a professional planner in the governance of diverse urban and regional contexts; and
demonstrate initiative in solving planning problems, capacity to work independently and collaboratively, and ability to consolidate and communicate information via written, oral and graphical forms.
BUrbRegPlan with Honours students: demonstrate a broad and coherent body of knowledge in urban and regional planning, including deep understanding of the discipline's underlying principles and concepts;
demonstrate cognitive, critical and technical skills to analyse and address land-use and built-environment problems in a range of social, economic and environmental contexts;
demonstrate knowledge and skills to exercise the judgement and responsibility required of a professional planner in the governance of diverse urban and regional contexts;
demonstrate initiative in solving planning problems, capacity to work independently and collaboratively, and ability to consolidate and communicate information via written, oral and graphical forms;
undertake independent research under supervision in a professional environment by: critically analysing a challenging complex or multi-faceted problem, identifying and articulating research questions, designing and planning a project in urban and regional planning; developing and constructing appropriate research methodology to address a research question; and analysing, interpreting and critically evaluating research findings;
be communicators of urban and regional planning by communicating ideas and research findings to a range of audiences using a variety of written and oral communication modes; and
be accountable for their own learning and professional work by: demonstrating initiative and intellectual independence; collaborating effectively within a research environment; and complying with regulatory frameworks and practising professional ethics relevant to their disciplinary area.

Graduate Attributes

Knowledge of a Discipline

Graduates will possess broad and coherent knowledge about land use planning and its place in contemporary society locally and internationally. Graduates will understand how planning influences society and space in a variety of urban and regional contexts. This knowledge will be delivered through various teaching platforms, in the classroom and online, via a variety of materials ranging from critical readings to maps, plans and statistics. Students will also gain real world exposure to planning through 12 weeks of practical experience. The development of knowledge in the discipline will be monitored through assignments within each unit of the course. Graduates of the BUrbRegPlan with Honours will have enhanced knowledge in a specialist area of planning through targeted research.

Communication Skills

Graduates will possess well-developed skills to communicate in various forms essential to the discipline. This will include the ability to communicate through oral communication, report writing, statistics, maps, plans and other graphical forms. It will also include skills to constructively engage with various participants in urban and regional planning. These skills will be taught and practised in lectures, tutorials and online activities and assessment tasks throughout the course. Graduates of the BUrbRegPlan with Honours will also have knowledge of academic communication in advanced research contexts.

Problem Solving

Graduates will possess skills to identify problems and develop solutions in urban and regional planning. This will include capacity to interpret urban and regional environments, their composition and social impacts, and to contribute to the improvement of those environments through autonomous and collaborative decision-making. The course will hone these skills in general methods of urban and regional planning, natural hazards, and urban design. Gradutes of the BUrbRegPlan with Honours will also have skills to apply advanced research methods to identified problems in urban and regional planning contexts.

Information Literacy

Graduates will have the ability to identify information requirements in a variety of planning situations, and skills in sourcing, using and representing that information for planning practice. This will include assembling information from primary and secondary sources, and evaluating the significance of that information for a given context. These skills will be taught throughout the course, and exercised through a variety of guided assignment tasks. Graduates of the BUrbRegPlan with Honours will have advanced skills in the developmet and implementation of methodologies in research contexts.

Ethical Conduct and Social Responsibility

Graduates will have awareness of the professional and ethical responsibilities of the planning profession in urban and regional contexts. Graduates will have skills to engage appropriately with various participants in the planning discipline, and to be appropriately responsive to various social and cultural influences in planning interactions. Graduates of the BUrbRegPlan with Honours will also have awareness of the ethical responsibilities that accompany advanced academic research.

Lifelong Learning

Skills and knowledge developed during the course will foster intellectual curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking in the graduate. Well-developed cognition of planning concepts and practices developed through the course will provide a foundation for lifelong intellectual engagement with the discipline.

Independence and Collaboration

The various learning activities undertaken during the course will provide the graduate skills to work independently and collaboratively in a variety of planning situations. Graduates will have a confidence in their autonomous grasp of planning knowledge, and skills to inclusively negotiate planning outcomes with a variety of stakeholders. These skills will be developed through on-campus and online interactive activities, ranging from self-directed learning to collaborative projects. In addition, graduates of the BUrbRegPlan with Honours will have demonstrated skills to undertake independent academic research.