Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Urban Policy Research Project

Credit Points: 24.00

Terms

Course Code	Campus	Career	School	Learning Mode	Teaching Period(s)
ARCH1067	City Campus	Undergraduate	330H Social Science & Planning	Face-to-Face	Sem 2 2006
ARCH1067	City Campus	Undergraduate	365H Global, Urban and Social Studies	Face-to-Face	Sem 2 2007, Sem 2 2009, Sem 2 2010, Sem 2 2011, Sem 2 2012, Sem 2 2013, Sem 2 2014, Sem 2 2015, Sem 2 2016, Sem 2 2017, Sem 2 2018, Sem 2 2019, Sem 2 2020, Sem 2 2021, Sem 2 2022, Sem 2 2023, Sem 2 2024

Course Coordinator: Ani Landau-Ward

Course Coordinator Phone: +(61 3) 9925 5234

Course Coordinator Email: ani.landau-ward@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: Building 8. Floor 11.

Course Coordinator Availability: By appointment

Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

Enforced Pre-Requisite Courses 

Successful completion of HUSO2165 Urban Planning Research.  

Note: it is a condition of enrolment at RMIT that you accept responsibility for ensuring that you have completed the prerequisite/s and agree to concurrently enrol in co-requisite courses before enrolling in a course. 

For your information go to RMIT Course Requisites webpage. 

Course Description

In this course you will refine and conduct a major research project as part of a student research team. This will be based on the project proposal you developed in the prerequisite course HUSO2165. 
Your team will learn about and undertake the key stages to bring applied research projects to completion.

You will develop a capacity to situate this research in relation to current knowledge in your specialist field, and you will communicate this for a professional audience. In doing so you will have the opportunity to both consolidate and apply academic and professional learning from across your degree program and associated experiences (such as placement or international travel). 

Working both independently and in groups you will develop key problem solving and professional skills associated with undertaking urban research projects and managing research timelines.

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.    Refine and implement research projects, using research techniques appropriate to the disciplines of urban policy and urban planning.
2.    Analyse research data and evaluate research findings. 
3.    Situate research in relation to urban policy context and present informed, evidence-based recommendations.
4.    Communicate research professionally and prepare research reports.
5.    Identify the role of group dynamics in group work, then determine and implement strategies for effectively collaborating with others in a professional environment.

Overview of Learning Activities

You will be actively engaged in learning that involves a range of  activities such as lectures, tutorials, group discussion, group activities and individual research.

Overview of Learning Resources

RMIT will provide you with resources and tools for learning in this course through our online systems.

A list of recommended learning resources will be provided by your lecturer, including books, journal articles and web resources. You will also be expected to seek further resources relevant to the focus of your own learning.

 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 how well you meet the course’s learning outcomes and on your development against the program learning outcomes. 

Hurdle tasks essential for progress but not marked will include; having identified a group, having an approved research proposal, having completed all ethics modules and materials for course ethics approval (Hurdle tasks linked to CLO 1,5). These tasks should all have been completed over the course of the perquisite course and you will need hurdle approval of these to progress in this course.

Assessment Tasks

1.    Research methods and analysis reporting, 20% (Linked to CLO 1, 2, 3)
2.    Research refinement and review task, 20% (Linked to CLO 1,2,3,4)
3.    Project management and progress portfolio, 10% (Linked to CLO 1, 5)
4.    Final research reporting outputs, 50% (Linked to CLO 1, 2, 3,4)

Feedback will be given on all assessment tasks. 

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 coordinator 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.