Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Planning Healthy Cities

Credit Points: 12.00

Terms

Course Code	Campus	Career	School	Learning Mode	Teaching Period(s)
ARCH1312	City Campus	Postgraduate	365H Global, Urban and Social Studies	Face-to-Face	Sem 1 2008
ARCH1312	City Campus	Postgraduate	365H Global, Urban and Social Studies	Face-to-Face or Internet	Sem 1 2012
ARCH1327	City Campus	Undergraduate	330H Social Science & Planning	Face-to-Face	Sem 1 2006
ARCH1327	City Campus	Undergraduate	365H Global, Urban and Social Studies	Face-to-Face	Sem 1 2008, Sem 1 2012

Flexible Terms

Course Code	Campus	Career	School	Learning Mode	Teaching Period(s)
ARCH1312	City Campus	Postgraduate	365H Global, Urban and Social Studies	Face-to-Face	PGRDFx2019 (ISV), PGRDFx2019 (All)
ARCH1312	City Campus	Postgraduate	365H Global, Urban and Social Studies	Face-to-Face	PGRDFlex21 (FF)

Course Coordinator: Associate Professor Melanie Davern

Course Coordinator Phone: +(61 3) 9925 3090

Course Coordinator Email: melanie.davern@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: Building 8, Level 11, Room 36

Course Coordinator Availability: By appointment

Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

None

Course Description

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. 

Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

This course will complement the RMIT capabilities you are developing in your program. 

Course Learning Outcomes

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

1. Demonstrate a critical understanding of the broader theories and determinants of health, contemporary public health challenges, and their relationship with the built environment; 
2. Critically analyse and apply policy examples applicable to public health and urban planning; 
3. Understand and utilise spatial data to plan for health and wellbeing and explore health associations and variations within cities; 
4. Develop planning interventions related to health and place, including health impact assessments.  

     

Overview of Learning Activities

You will be actively engaged in learning that involves a range of activities including lectures, workshops, guest presentations, site analysis, group discussion, and group 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 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 Tasks:

1. Understanding Policy and Practice for Health and Planning Task (20% Linked to CLOs 1, 2 and 3) 
2. Policy Proposal Task (30% Linked to CLOs 2 and 3) 
3. Policy Impact and Strategy Task (50% Linked to CLOs 1, 3 and 4).

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.