Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 1, 2025 (24/02/2025 - 21/06/2025)
- Study level
- Postgraduate Coursework
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Architecture, Design and Planning School
This course is concerned with the challenges facing development planning in the global South, focusing on understanding the main problems related to cities. It aims to enhance the student's understanding of the current debate on development planning and the relationship between theory and practice. In so doing, the course addresses the role of institutions, practitioners and communities in bringing about sustainable and positive change in the cities of the global South. The course will borrow from, and build upon, the experiences of development planning in the global South based on case studies discussing interventions to more effectively deal with a range of issues including poverty, inequality, urban growth, transport and environmental problems.
The focus of the course is the analysis of cities in the Global South, examining their main problems and challenges.ﾠThis course introduces students to the complexities and opportunities facing urban and regional planningﾠin the Global South. The main concepts of development planning are discussed, considering their adequacy to understand and explain the new urban conditions of Global South Cities.ﾠThe Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are used a guiding policy framework for the analysis of case studies. Despite considerable economic growth and improvements in human development, most countries and cities of the Global South faceﾠpersistent problems of poverty, inequality, environmental degradation and social injustice. Development planning practitioners are confronted with challenges related to urban governance and growth, poor living conditions, segregation and polarisation.
This course is designed to introduce students to these challenges, and draws on examples of progressive and positive change. In particular it examines the issues facing national, regional and local governments in dealing with a plethora of development needs with limited resources. These include planning in contexts of uncertainty, the role of agencies, institutions, civil society and practitioners themselves. In meeting the needsﾠand expectations generated by the 'development agenda' there is a real need for practitioners to understand the complex interrelationships among institutional, cultural, social, political,ﾠand spatial dimensions of development. This course looks at these key issues through the lens of urban development planning and the discussion ofﾠcase studies from Global South Cities.
Course requirements
Assumed background
There are no prerequisites for this course. Students should have an interest in urban planning in Global South Cities.ﾠ
Course contact
Course staff
Lecturer
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Additional timetable information
Note: Attendance to the role-play sessions is compulsory, as this is part of Assignment 2. The role-play will be on (Part 1) and (Part 2), both in class time (Thursday 10am-1pm). This is for both in person and external students. The session will be via Zoom. All members of the group must be present and actively participate in the role-play.
Seminars (attendance and participation) represent 10% of total marking of the course. Students get points (maximum of 10ﾠpoints - 2ﾠper session)ﾠfor their attendance and active participation in FIVE Seminars (Weeks 3, 4, 6, 8 and 10). For in person students, seminars are on Thursday.
The final essay requires a compulsory session in Week 11 or 12 for students to report on their progress for the preparation of the essay. For more information, check the instructions on Blackboard.
Aims and outcomes
This course is concerned with the challenges facing development planning in the global South, focusing on understanding the main problems in cities. It aims to enhance student's understanding of the current debate on development planning and the relationship between theory and practice. In so doing the course addresses the role of institutions, practitioners and communities in bringing about sustainable and positive change. The course will borrow from and build upon the experience of development planning in Global South Cities based on case studies discussingﾠinterventions to more effectively deal with poverty, inequality, gender, social justice, urban growth and environmental problems such as water access.ﾠ
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Demonstrate awareness of the major theoretical traditions and practices of planning theory as it relates to development planning.
LO2.
Critically assess the roles and relationships of agencies and organisations involved in development planning, including governments, communities and practitioners themselves.
LO3.
Critically examine key concepts and challenges of development planning and their relation to practice.
LO4.
Critically analyse examples of development planning and demonstrate an appreciation of context in decision-making and outcomes.
LO5.
Develop theoretical arguments using the course literature to analyse case studies from the Global South.
LO6.
Through collaboration with class members, design appropriate and realistic strategies to tackle real-world issues as a means of applying solutions to these problems.
LO7.
Demonstrate high quality skills for group work to successfully complete course assignments.
LO8.
Analyse and reflect on your own process of co-production of knowledge while working with others.
LO9.
Effectively express your ideas in written and verbal formats.
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Participation/ Student contribution | Seminars | 10% |
Weeks: 3, 4, 6, 8 and 10 |
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation, Participation/ Student contribution |
Group assignment: Role Play Items
|
40% |
Items 1, 2, 3 9/04/2025 5:00 pm Items 4, 5 6/05/2025 1:00 pm |
| Essay/ Critique |
Essay: Development Planning
|
50% Individual |
9/06/2025 1:00 pm
There is a compulsory session to report on the progress for this essay on Weeks 11 or 12. |
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
Seminars
- Mode
- Activity/ Performance
- Category
- Participation/ Student contribution
- Weight
- 10%
- Due date
Weeks: 3, 4, 6, 8 and 10
Task description
Assessment Rationale:
Attendance and participation in seminars - Weeks: 3, 4, 6, 8 and 10 (2 points per session)
There will be five seminars to discuss readings during the semester. Seminars will be face-to-face for in person mode students. During the seminars, students will be discussing a selected reading in-depth, under the guidance of the demonstrator, as well as discussing a video linked to the lecture. All students are expected to read the selected text and watch the video prior to the seminar, as well as attend and actively participate in the seminars.
This assessment task is to be completed in-person. The use of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT) tools will not be permitted. Any attempted use of AI or MT may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 14 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. If a student misses a seminar session and if the extension is approved, then the student will receive instructions to answer in writing the questions discussed in the seminar (one page summary).
Group assignment: Role Play Items
- Identity Verified
- Team or group-based
- Mode
- Oral, Product/ Artefact/ Multimedia
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation, Participation/ Student contribution
- Weight
- 40%
- Due date
Items 1, 2, 3 9/04/2025 5:00 pm
Items 4, 5 6/05/2025 1:00 pm
Task description
Assessment Rationale:
Role-play sessions: Online for all students (in-person and external) – COMPULSORY ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPATION
The aim of the exercise is to analyse the roles and positions played by different stakeholders and negotiate solutions for the scenario presented for the exercise. All members of the group should contribute to the group work and submitted material. All group members should attend the two sessions on Zoom.
Students will form groups of eight members (depending on class size). Only ONE group member submits on behalf of the group.
If, for whatever reason, you find that your group is not functioning effectively, please contact your Course Coordinator for support.
Complex / authentic assessment using MT but not AI to support learning: Machine Translation (MT) may support students in completing this assessment task. Students may appropriately use MT in completing this assessment task. Students must clearly reference any use of MT in each instance. Use of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) in this task is prohibited. A failure to reference MT use and / or the use of generative AI 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 14 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.
Essay: Development Planning
- Hurdle
- Identity Verified
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Essay/ Critique
- Weight
- 50% Individual
- Due date
9/06/2025 1:00 pm
There is a compulsory session to report on the progress for this essay on Weeks 11 or 12.
Task description
Assessment Rationale:
Students will choose a city in the Global South and two themes to work on for the final assignment. This city cannot be the same city used for any of the previous assignments. The case study cannot be Kampala, Phnom Penh or Mexico City and case studies discussed in class cannot be used for the essay, these cases include:
· Gated communities in Buenos Aires (and Pilar)
· Water in Cape Town and Jakarta
· The right to the city in Yogyakarta
· Slums/informal settlements in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo
This essay encourages students to demonstrate a critical understanding of development planning, using a case study and supporting their arguments with academic literature.
Complex / authentic assessment using MT but not AI to support learning: Machine Translation (MT) may support students in completing this assessment task. Students may appropriately use MT in completing this assessment task. Students must clearly reference any use of MT in each instance. Use of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) in this task is prohibited. A failure to reference MT use and / or the use of generative AI 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.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 28 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.
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.
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
Find the required and recommended resources for this course on the UQ Library website.
Additional learning resources information
The links to recommended short videos published on YouTube are included in the lecture notes for each week (Learning Material Section). ﾠ
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 1 - Development planning: challenges in the cities of the global South and course presentation 2 - Development Planning: Current challenges in the city of the Global South 3 - Poverty, inequality and informality 4 - Policy approaches to slums 5 - Collaborative planning and urban governance and presentation for case study for role-play 6 - Urban growth, suburbia and post-suburbia 7 - Gender and planning 8 - Social justice, the right to the city and First Nations peoples rights (Greg Kitson) 9 - Water access and use in the city 10 - Corruption in the city 11 - Ideas travel back and forth: how can the Global North learn from the Global South? |
Multiple weeks From Week 2 To Week 10 |
Seminar |
Seminar Seminar 1 - Discussion of Assignments 1 and 3 Seminar 2 - Discussion of Lemanski and Marx (2015) Seminar 3 - Discussion of Acioly's lecture (UN-Habitat series) Seminar 4 - Discussion of Roitman and Phelps (2011) Seminar 5 - Discussion of Chant and Datu (2015) Special Seminar (online) - Support for Assignment 3 Seminar 6 - Discussion of Zarate (2011) |
Multiple weeks From Week 7 To Week 9 |
Case-based learning |
Role-play The aim of the exercise is to analyse the roles and positions played by different stakeholders and negotiate solutions for the scenario presented for the exercise. It takes place on Weeks 7 and 9. The case study is Kampala, Uganda. The activity is done online at the same time (class time) for in-person and external students. It is a compulsory exercise (Assignment 2). For more details, read instructions on Blackboard. |
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.