University of Technology Sydney

C06145v1 Graduate Diploma in Urban Planning

Award(s): Graduate Diploma in Urban Planning (GradDipUrbPlan)
Commonwealth supported place?: No
Load credit points: 48
Course EFTSL: 1
Location: Online campus

Notes

This is an exit-only course. There is no direct admission to it. Current UTS students may be able to submit an Internal Course Transfer (Graduating) application to exit with this course. See the Course transfer page for further details.

This course is not offered to international students.


Overview
Course aims
Career options
Course intended learning outcomes
Inherent requirements
Course duration and attendance
Course structure
Course completion requirements
Course program
Articulation with UTS courses
Other information

Overview

The UTS Online Graduate Diploma in Urban Planning is designed for professionals who want to develop their knowledge and practical skills to become effective planners with an integrated approach to creating sustainable urban environments. Students proactively explore and engage with the various elements of urban planning, including the environment, legislation, and social sustainability.

The course provides a practical approach to urban planning across an array of subject areas. Students learn the foundation on how to apply sustainable planning practices and urban design principles and develop the analytic skills to create integrated planning solutions.

Delivered fully online, this course enables students to work full-time while gaining a holistic understanding of the environmental, policy and economic considerations that ensure good planning outcomes.

Course aims

The degree aims for students to gain a holistic understanding of urban planning, whilst navigating real-life opportunities and constraints to understand the importance of economic, social, cultural, and political contexts when planning for communities.

  • Urban planning knowledge and concepts
    Analyse the dynamics that drive land and property markets. Interpret spatial relationships and evaluate the impacts of proposals.
  • Critical and ethical thinking capabilities
    Develop an informed critical perspective on ethical issues raised by new sources to be able to demonstrate the ethical responsibilities of a professional planner.
  • Future-focused skills
    Investigate the future of cities and regions and identify the drivers of change. Understand planning solutions based on a broad comprehension of urban, regional and environmental dynamics, and analyse and develop alternatives.

Career options

The Graduate Diploma in Urban Planning is for those with a background in a non-planning field, enabling professionals to change careers due to the multidisciplinary nature of the learning. It is also for those built environment professionals who aim to strengthen their current skills through engaging with up-to-date and ground-breaking planning approaches.

Graduates are in public sector positions, including working for state and local government, and in private consulting and property development firms. Completing a Master of Urban Planning could lead to roles such as:

  • Urban Planner
  • Town Planner
  • Strategic Planner
  • Sustainability Consultant
  • Planning Consultant

Course intended learning outcomes

A.1 Enable reflective practice on one's personal views and values and interpret how they might affect one's professional judgement
A.2 Demonstrate ethical responsibilities of professional planners and urban designers and develop critical ethical thinking capability
A.3 Evaluate the history of disadvantage and inequality in societies (in an Australian context this would apply in particular to Indigenous Peoples. In addition to people disadvantaged by gender, disability, social class or ethnicity for example) and formulate a reasoned argument for how planners and urban designers should address significant social inequalities
C.1 Work effectively in teams of people with diverse professional and personal backgrounds
C.2 Communicate with people with a wide variety of cultural, social, economic, and political perspectives and interests using verbal, written, and visual media
I.1 Develop creative solutions to complex problems based on research and evaluation
I.2 Apply urban design principles to develop creative solutions for urban problems
P.1 Investigate strategically the future of cities and regions and identify the drivers of change
P.2 Articulate how and why the roles of planning and urban design have evolved in response to new social, cultural, economic, and political forces
P.3 Apply a wide array of analytic tools (which may include spreadsheets, geographic information software, three-dimensional simulations, or negotiation tools) to determine constraints and opportunities
P.4 Prepare and critique plans and design solutions based on a broad understanding of urban and regional and environmental dynamics, and analyse (and develop) alternatives
P.5 Develop and apply the principles of urban design to analyse places
P.6 Determine the legal and policy context within which planning and environmental protection occurs, the nature of land rights and claims of Indigenous Peoples in Australian cities, and the role of various levels and agencies of government
P.7 Explore the principles of environmental, economic and social sustainability and apply them to analysing and developing plans and design solutions
P.8 Analyse dynamics driving land and property markets and articulate this to planning proposals
R.1 Determine risk assessment principles and apply them to simulating future courses of action
R.3 Interpret spatial relationships and evaluate the spatial and physical impacts of proposals
R.4 Determine the sources, limitations and relationships of different data used to analyse problems and evaluate solutions
R.5 Develop coherent and logically structured arguments that use evidence appropriately

Inherent requirements

Inherent requirements are academic and non-academic requirements that are essential to the successful completion of a course. For more information about inherent requirements and where prospective and current students can get assistance and advice regarding these, see the UTS Inherent requirements page.

Prospective and current students should carefully read the Inherent Requirements Statement below and consider whether they might experience challenges in successfully completing this course.

UTS will make reasonable adjustments to teaching and learning, assessment, professional experiences, course related work experience and other course activities to facilitate maximum participation by students with disabilities, carer responsibilities, and religious or cultural obligations in their courses.

For course specific information see the Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building Inherent (Essential) Requirements Statement.

Course duration and attendance

The course can be completed in a minimum of 16 months online study, 1 x 6 credit point subject (or equivalent) per session over 8 x 7-week sessions. A 6 credit point subject requires an average of 15-20 hours of study per week.

Course structure

Students must complete 48 credit points of core subjects.

Course completion requirements

STM91623 Core subjects (Urban Planning) 48cp
Total 48cp

Course program

A typical course program is provided below, showing the recommended study sequence to ensure completion of the course within the expected duration. Refer to the Timetable Planner for confirmation of availability.

Articulation with UTS courses

This course is part of the articulated program made up of the Graduate Certificate in Urban Planning and Design (C11343).

Other information

Further information is available from the UTS Student Centre on:

telephone 1300 ask UTS (1300 275 887)
or +61 2 9514 1222
Ask UTS
UTS: Design, Architecture and Building