Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 1, 2025 (24/02/2025 - 21/06/2025)
- Study level
- Undergraduate
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Architecture, Design and Planning School
This course is an introduction to the history of urban settlements and their planning, focusing on critical elements, patterns, and time periods, as well as important innovations.
This course provides an overview of the history and spatial development of human settlements, focusing on critical elements, patterns, and time periods. The aim of the course is to render accessible the universal experience of making cities. To do so, it will emphasise urbanism as a process, defined as the many ways in which the city's physical frame is adjusted to changing exigencies. Also, it will define urbanism throughout history as a function of the social matrix. Historical reviews of particular urban elements and patterns will be followed through to the present, in order to reveal that past discourses can engage the present time in unexpected ways.
Course requirements
Assumed background
The assumed background to this course is (1) completion ofﾠthe introductory courses of the BRTP; (2) good knowledge of world history, acquired during secondary education; and (3) basic acquaintance with the main lines of Western and non-Western urbanism as a sequential narrative (e.g., Romanesque > Gothic > Renaissance > Baroque > Rococo > Neoclassicism orﾠSong Dynasty > Yuan Dynasty > Ming Dynasty > Qing Dynasty). The course is not a traditional, chronological survey of urbanism through the ages. Rather, it focuses on formal themes, the discussion moving through history and geography as necessary. Students should be prepared to read and think critically about the historical development of cities and planning. The course requires an open and enquiring mind, as well as the ability to link historical city building approaches to the ways that contemporary cities and regions are planned.
Incompatible
You can't enrol in this course if you've already completed the following:
PLAN2001
Course contact
Course staff
Lecturer
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Additional timetable information
In Week 13, students can participate in an optional, self-guided tour of the Museum of Brisbane (Check what's on: www.museumofbrisbane.com.au/whats-on). Participating students must post their names on the Discussion Board of the Blackboard. Admission to most exhibitions is free.
Aims and outcomes
The principal aim of this course is to introduce students to the history and spatial development of human settlements, and help students understand the relevance of history to contemporary planning.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Demonstrate understanding of the influences that have shaped human settlements globally and in Australia
LO2.
Demonstrate understanding of historical trends and processes affecting city planning and urban form
LO3.
Connect societal developments to city building processes
LO4.
Understand and apply the basic skills that planning historians use in research
LO5.
Work both in groups and independently toward a better understanding of traditional and modern cities
LO6.
Understand the value of diversity across time and place
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation, Presentation | Paper and presentation | 50% Group |
Presentations 17/03/2025 - 26/05/2025 Group paper 26/05/2025
All assessments are due at 1.00 pm, unless otherwise noted. |
| Examination |
Final Exam
|
50% IVAH |
End of Semester Exam Period 7/06/2025 - 21/06/2025 |
A hurdle is an assessment requirement that must be satisfied in order to receive a specific grade for the course. Check the assessment details for more information about hurdle requirements.
Assessment details
Paper and presentation
- Mode
- Oral, Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation, Presentation
- Weight
- 50% Group
- Due date
Presentations 17/03/2025 - 26/05/2025
Group paper 26/05/2025
All assessments are due at 1.00 pm, unless otherwise noted.
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06
Task description
Assessment Rationale:
30% paper, 18% presentation, 2% peer panel.
The group will be the same for both presentation and papers. Group members are first required to identify a historical period / time of interest (pre-20th century). Next, groups members should collaborate to compile a critical literature review on the time / place they have selected. After completing the reading, each group member will select one case study of interest from the reading, and conduct in-depth research about its history, social context, meaning, form, function, and scale. The case study will then be applied (compared) to contemporary cities.
Presentations will take place in class throughout the semester. A detailed description of this assessment will be posted on the Blackboard. Groups present together each week, starting on Week 4. Since case studies will be individual, group members should take turns presenting. One member should be elected to present the theoretical portion, based on the reading. The presentation schedule will be posted on the Blackboard. All group members are expected to be present. If someone must miss a presentation for a legitimate reason, they should apply ahead of time and present evidence (such as a doctor's note) and nominate another group member to present on their behalf.
Paper submissions are in a group (one group member submits in Turnitin on behalf of group and is then responsible for sharing the feedback with the group members). Presentation and paper marks will vary based on individual performance.
If students miss a peer panel for a legitimate reason, they should apply ahead of time and submit their feedback to the lecturer via email (see max. extension length).
If, for whatever reason, you find that your group is not functioning effectively, please contact the Course Coordinator for support.
Assessment tasks prohibiting use of AI or MT: This assessment task evaluates students' abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT). Students are advised that the use of AI or MT technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
The School of Architecture, Design and Planning uses Blackboard and Turnitin for assessment submission. Turnitin is accessed through the course Blackboard site. Turnitin also checks for plagiarism or instances where the original work of others is not appropriately acknowledged. Uploaded files must contain readable text and not be rasterised. Students are advised to commence assignment uploads with sufficient amount of time (consider possible technical problems with computers, internet speed, etc). After successfully submitting an assignment through Turnitin, a ‘Submission Complete!’ screen will be displayed. It is the student’s responsibility to check assignment preview and confirm successful submission. If the ‘Submission Complete!’ screen isn’t displayed, the student should regard the submission as unsuccessful. Students should download a copy of the digital receipt as proof they have submitted the assignment. Students who are experiencing upload issues must advise the Course Coordinator immediately by email and should include screenshots and a copy of the assessment for submission. To meet professional accreditation, public engagement and quality assurance obligations, digital copies of all course assessment items must be submitted in addition to any hard copy submission requirements specified in individual Course / Studio Outlines. Any physical models should be photographed and a minimum of two photographs describing the complete and full model must be included in the digital submission.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 7 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
If a student wishes to apply for an extension, they must apply online on or before the assignment due date. When possible, it is suggested that requests are submitted 2 business days prior to the submission due date for the assignment to allow processing time. Students with outstanding applications for extensions are advised to submit their assessment by the original due date, irrespective of whether the work is complete, so that what has been done can be graded.
Group requests must fill out the group member acknowledgement form: https://my.uq.edu.au/files/35533/extension-to-group-assessment.pdf with at least 50% in agreeance.
Late submission
The late penalty for this assessment item will be calculated as follows:
First 1-hour block - initial 1 hour grace period no penalty.
Second 1-hour block - An penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark allocated for the assessment item will be deducted
Third 1-hour block - An additional penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark allocated for the assessment item will be deducted. (adding up to a total penalty of 20% of the maximum possible mark)
Any submissions received after three hours will not receive any marks unless an extension has been approved. Each one-hour block is recorded from the time the submission is due.
Final Exam
- Hurdle
- Identity Verified
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Examination
- Weight
- 50% IVAH
- Due date
End of Semester Exam Period
7/06/2025 - 21/06/2025
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L06
Task description
Assessment Rationale:
Students will take an exam at the end of the course. The exam will be paper-based and invigilated. The questions will be randomly selected from (a) the lectures and (b) the readings throughout the semester.
Assessment tasks prohibiting use of AI or MT: This assessment task evaluates students' abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT). Students are advised that the use of AI or MT technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Hurdle requirements
A hurdle is an assessment requirement that must be satisfied to receive a specific grade in the course. This assessment item is designated as a Hurdle in this course. This means a minimum achievement of 50% (a grade of 4) is required for this assessment item in order to pass the course. Meeting the hurdle requirement for a course does not guarantee a passing grade for the course and in order to pass this course, students also need to achieve a minimum grade of 4 overall.Exam details
| Planning time | 10 minutes |
|---|---|
| Duration | 60 minutes |
| Calculator options | Any calculator permitted |
| Open/closed book | Open Book examination |
| Exam platform | Paper based |
| Invigilation | Invigilated in person |
Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You may be able to defer this exam.
Late submission
Exams submitted after the end of the submission time will incur a late penalty.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Cut off Percent | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) | 0 - 24 |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 2 (Fail) | 25 - 44 |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) | 45 - 49 |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes |
| 4 (Pass) | 50 - 64 |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 5 (Credit) | 65 - 74 |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 6 (Distinction) | 75 - 84 |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 7 (High Distinction) | 85 - 100 |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
Additional course grading information
Identity verified assessment with a hurdle (IVAH)
To meet assessment validity and integrity obligations, this course includes at least one piece of individual Identity Verified Assessment with a Hurdle (IVAH) that is unambiguously completed by that student, and in which a minimum level of achievement is reached. IVAH assessment item(s) contribute at least 30% towards the final grade. Examples of IVAH items include any activity in which a student’s individual performance is directly monitored, such as performances, fieldwork, oral assessment (including design critiques), design studio project work and invigilated exams. In order to pass this course students must achieve a minimum grade for the IVAH designated assessment item(s) as stated in the Assessment Task Description in the ECP.
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Library resources are available on the UQ Library website.
Additional learning resources information
This course requires students to write and present research on planning history. Please consult UQ's website for information on essay writing, report writing and generic assessment criteria. It is essential that you consult this material prior to submitting your assessment. Available at www.uq.edu.au/student-services/learning
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Multiple weeks From Week 1 To Week 13 |
Lecture |
Lecture Course introduction. What is a city? The city as artifact. The city in history Planning History in Australia and SEQ. The evolution of settlements and cities. The City Edge. Walled cities, fringe belts, city gates, water edges. The City Edge. The open city, the first suburbs, urban extensions, contemporary suburbia, edge cities. Urban Divisions. Sovereign districts, religious sites, market towns, capitalist CBDs. Urban Divisions. Urban barriers, tower houses, districts, ghettos, colonialism and neo-colonialism, cultural and economic segregation. Public Places. Public realm, nature of public space, public space vitality, public space controls, courtyards, squares, public space systems and distribution, size of public space, disencumbering, totalitarian public spaces. Public Places. Shapes and uses of public spaces, classifiers, people and space, public parks, modern public spaces. The Street. "Invention" of streets, private streets, the street as public space, streets as power display, culture and class, regulated streets, sidewalks and paving, design of streets, setbacks, porticoes, porches. The Street. Historic street types, waterways, bridge-streets, boulevards, covered streets, modernist streets, modal separation, the return of the street in planning. The Urban Skyline. Public and private skylines, landmarks, skyline design principles throughout history, colour and light. Nature. Public parks vs. private gardens. Modern Era. Modern urban elements. Learning outcomes: L03, L04, L06 |
Additional learning activity information
A detailed calendar of course activities will be provided on the Blackboard. Students should download and consult it regularly.
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments - Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.