Part A: Course Overview
Course Title: Soundscape Studies
Credit Points: 12.00
Terms
Course Code |
Campus |
Career |
School |
Learning Mode |
Teaching Period(s) |
ARCH3347 |
City Campus |
Undergraduate |
370H Design |
Face-to-Face |
Sem 1 2025 |
Course Coordinator: Lawrence Harvey
Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 99259786
Course Coordinator Email: Lawrence.harvey@rmit.edu.au
Course Coordinator Location: Please email
Course Coordinator Availability: Please email
Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities
None
Course Description
A ‘soundscape’ is an environment of sound that can be actual or artificial, with its perception being tied to the relationship between the listener and the specific surroundings.
Students completing this course will gain a broad understanding of sound, aural cultural, and acoustic environments from physical, psychophysical and cultural perspectives, and the issues involved to develop research and/or bring about change within an acoustic environment.
The course is divided into two main sections. The first section provides learning opportunities to understand the core principles of soundscape studies. The second will apply these principles to enacting some change on an actual acoustic environment and use the results of subjective listener tests and objective measurement to understand real-world issues.
This course is a component of a major and minor offered by the BH104P25 Bachelor of Industrial Design (Honours) program.
Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development
Program Learning Outcomes
This course contributes to the following BH104P25 Bachelor of Industrial Design (Honours) program learning outcomes:
PLO1: Apply analytical, critical, creative, and strategic thinking to industrial design problems and research across complex, place-based, and cultural contexts.
PLO8: Demonstrate and continue to develop a working knowledge of the diverse, technological, environmental, and cultural systems that industrial design practice contributes to.
If you are taking this course as an option course or as part of a minor, this course will complement the learning outcomes you are developing in your program.
Course Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:
1. Apply your listening skills for identifying and analysing the principal components of a soundscape.
2. Critically assess a soundscape in relation to listener needs.
3. Integrate a range of electroacoustic and acoustic measurement technologies, with subjective listener assessment for soundscape research.
4. Critically discuss and present design ideas and findings about a soundscape using aural, oral and visual methods.
5. Research, plan and present a sound-design composition or project
Overview of Learning Activities
This course is taught through the following learning activities; lectures, class demonstrations, listening exercises, soundwalks, field recording activities and site visits.
Overview of Learning Resources
RMIT will provide you with resources and tools for learning in this course through our online systems.
To effectively participate in coursework, either on, or away from campus, you are advised to obtain (as a minimum) the following:
- Design and documentation equipment including a personal computer of an appropriate specification, course specific software, a digital camera or mobile phone.
When on campus you will have access to and will utilise the School of Design workshop facilities, specialist computer labs and software, and 2D and 3D printing facilities.
Course specific resources such as readings, reference lists, access to specialist software, video demonstrations and class notes will be provided online.
There are services and resources 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 RMIT student website.
A Library Subject Guide for the discipline this course is aligned to can be found here: https://rmit.libguides.com/design-industrial
Overview of Assessment
You will be assessed on how well you meet the course learning outcomes and on your development against the program learning outcomes.
Major/Minor course
Please note that this course is not numerically graded. That means you will receive either a Pass Grade (PX) or a Fail Grade (NN) on completion.
The assessment task percentage weightings give you an indication of the volume and significance of the work required relative to the whole course experience.
For assessment tasks due for submission during the relevant semester teaching period, if you receive a Fail Grade on work submitted you will have one week to address the specific feedback and resubmit for reassessment. For assessment tasks due after the conclusion of classes this option is not available.
To successfully complete this course, you need to have passed all assessment tasks.
Courses with a PX grade structure are automatically excised from the calculation of your Grade Point Average (GPA) and are not included in the calculation of Weighted Academic Mark (WAM) for embedded Bachelor Honours programs.
This approach to grading and assessment is aimed at ensuring each course is inclusive of student diversity and prior learning and capabilities can be developed as is appropriate to your discipline and interests.
Assessment Tasks
Task 1: Soundscape Analysis, 30% CLOs 1,2
Task 2: Soundscape Documentation Project, 30% CLOs 4,5
Task 3: Soundscape Composition, 40% CLOs 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.