2010-2011 Course Outlines Winter.pdf - scarp | ubc

SCARP Course Outlines 2010‐2011 Winter

PLAN 425: Introduction to Community and Regional Planning .......................................................... 3

PLAN 502: Introduction to Planning Theory and History .................................................................... 5

PLAN 504: Ecological Context of Planning ........................................................................................... 7

PLAN 506: Legal Context of Planning ................................................................................................ 10

PLAN 511: Quantitative Methods and Computer Applications ........................................................ 12

PLAN 513: Economic and Other Quantitative Analysis Techniques for Planning ............................. 14

PLAN 514: Quantitative Methods II ................................................................................................... 16

PLAN 515: Planning Research: Qualitative Methods & Research Design ......................................... 18

PLAN 540A: Omnibus: Becoming a Good Sustainability Planning Practitioner ................................. 20

PLAN 547C: Masters Project .............................................................................................................. 22

PLAN 548A, Plan 548I, Plan 550F: Reflecting on Your Planning Internship ...................................... 27

PLAN 548B: Social Learning Studio ‐ Building Inclusive Communities in a Age of Uneven Development ...................................................................................................................................... 30

PLAN 548D: Affordable housing policy and planning ........................................................................ 35

PLAN 548E: Cross Cultural Planning (Educating the Heart) .............................................................. 37

PLAN 548F: Sustainability, Planning and Governance ‐ Approaches to Whole Region Change ....... 39

PLAN 548G: Arranging and Preparing for Your Planning Internship ................................................. 41

PLAN 548H: Getting a Job and Launching Your Planning Career ...................................................... 43

PLAN 548J: Transportation Planning and Analysis ............................................................................ 45

PLAN 548K: Planning for Disaster‐Resilient Communities ................................................................ 47

PLAN 548L: Theory and Methods of Urban Design ........................................................................... 49

PLAN 548M: Strategic Planning ......................................................................................................... 51

PLAN 548N: Global Change, Complexity and Panarchy: The 21st Century Context of Planning ....... 53

PLAN 548O: Local Assessment for Project Planning .......................................................................... 55

PLAN 548P: Practical Practice: City Planning as a Craft ..................................................................... 57

PLAN 548Q: Designing a Research Proposal ..................................................................................... 59

PLAN 548R: Digital Video and Planning ............................................................................................. 60

PLAN 548S: Practicum in Participatory Process Facilitation .............................................................. 62

PLAN 548T: Decision Insights for Planning and Policy Analysis......................................................... 65

PLAN 548U: Tools for Project Design in International Development Planning ................................. 67

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PLAN 548W: Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (GIS) ............................................... 69

PLAN 548X: Internship ........................................................................................................................ 71

PLAN 548Y: Environmental & Aboriginal Law Issues ......................................................................... 74

PLAN 549C: Master’s Thesis ............................................................................................................... 75

PLAN 550: Directed Studies ................................................................................................................ 80

PLAN 550E: Creating North America’s ‘Most Liveable City’ – Vancouver, British Columbia: Political, Ecological and Economic Realities ..................................................................................................... 81

PLAN 561: Urban Development Market and Financial Analysis ........................................................ 83

PLAN 580: introduction to Urban Transportation Planning .............................................................. 85

PLAN 587A: Introduction to Physical Planning and Urban Design ..................................................... 87

PLAN 587B/E: Introductory Urban Design Studio ............................................................................. 89

PLAN 587C: Interdisciplinary Urban Design Studio ........................................................................... 92

PLAN 589: Influencing the Policy Process ......................................................................................... 94

PLAN 590A: Land Use and Environmental Policy .............................................................................. 96

PLAN 592: Structural Change and the City ......................................................................................... 98

PLAN 595: Negotiation, Facilitation and Mediation: Principles and Practices ................................ 100

PLAN 596: Seminar on Eco‐Economic Systems (ecological economics) .......................................... 103

PLAN 597: Planning for Water Resources Management ................................................................. 106

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PLAN 425: INTRODUCTION TO COMMUNITY AND REGIONAL PLANNING

2010W, Term 1, W, 0900‐1200, WMAX 150 (Undergraduate students only) Credit Hours: 3.0 Co‐Instructors: Victoria Barr

Email: [email protected]

Sarah Church Email: [email protected]

Introduction

Planning is emerging as a local, regional, national, and increasingly international tool. In the past, understanding planning was simpler; it was the land‐use regulation tool of government. However, cities have become too varied and diverse to sustain such a narrow focus; economically and socially they now operate at a global level. The scale and complexity of the urban has changed dramatically. For example, our cities are becoming ever more culturally diverse, family dynamics are transforming, and the methods used to design cities are rapidly developing. These changes have impacted the operation of planning. Planners have reached out to other fields of thought as the discipline grapples with these complex issues. Planners are therefore increasingly working within interdisciplinary teams on issues that have broader demands than land use. Today, planning for a sustainable future often leads the planning agenda in urban and rural areas, as climate change has taken political centre stage. From all of this, critical planning questions arise: how can urban and rural areas co‐exist in harmony? How do we plan for rural communities as societies become increasingly urban? Should we consume only those resources produced locally? How do we work together to solve the complex planning problems we face?

Course Description

Introduction to Community and Regional Planning offers an introduction to the complexities of contemporary planning. We focus this course around four key themes that encompasses urban and rural planning today: Planning Tools, Planning for Resilience, Community Involvement, and Social Justice and Equity. The course content will draw from international and Canadian readings that we will orient to current Canadian planning practice through lectures, seminars, in‐class work, a field trip, guest speakers, and assignments.

Course Aims

The course will provide participants with a foundation in the dynamic and multifaceted themes of contemporary planning. It will engage participants in the various research and teaching concentrations at UBC’s School of Community and Regional Planning. The aim is to present, share and develop instructive and stimulating experiences that will help students to gain an initial understanding of contemporary urban and rural planning.

Please note that this is an introductory course only; the core elements of planning will be covered, to give you a taste of the breadth and complexity of the field. If you find you are particularly interested in one or two of these key elements, we encourage you to learn more about that area through additional coursework and/or field experience.

Learning Objectives

Through lectures, discussions, reading and assessment, it is expected that by the end of the course you will be able to:

1. Think critically about the various perspectives of contemporary planning introduced through the course, and examine and re‐assess your own values and beliefs about contemporary planning.

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2. Learn to work within small teams, collaborating with other students to produce a unified product.

3. Refine your analytical and evaluation skills of the planning of urban and rural areas through questioning, active listening, debate, writing, and urban photography.

4. Learn to question and analyze past, current and future planning processes within your own case study neighbourhood.

5. Connect themes in contemporary planning with local and international case studies.

6. Generate planning policy recommendations through course readings and discussions and your own observations of your case study neighbourhood.

7. Ultimately, generate your own opinion of the roles and responsibilities of contemporary planning, and be able to reflect upon planning’s past, current, and future roles.

Course Text and Supplemental Readings

The required text for this course is Planning Canadian Communities (2008), 5th Edition, by Gerald Hodge and David L.A. Gordon. This text will be available for purchase at the UBC Bookstore. In addition, a copy will be on reserve at the UBC library. Other readings will be assigned to correspond with the content of lectures. These additional readings will be available on the course website.

Assessment and Evaluation Methods

The assessment for this course will be balanced between in‐class assignments, a public participation exercise, a team‐based project and a final assignment. The above learning objectives will be assessed through these assignments as follows:

In‐Class Assignments 15% Public Participation Exercise 15% Mid‐Term Group Assignment 30% (total) Presentation: 15% Written report: 15% Final Individual Paper 40%

Assignment Deadlines

Two percent of the final course grade will be subtracted for every 24 hours (including weekends and holidays) that any of the course assignments are late. For example, this means that if you turn in your public participation exercise, mid‐term assignment or final paper in four days late without a valid excuse, you will lose eight percent of the final course grade.

Referencing and Plagiarism

References and bibliography must follow the model of the American Psychological Association (APA). Poor and/or inconsistent referencing will be reflected in your marks, therefore, please pay very careful attention to these guidelines: http://www.library.ubc.ca/pubs/apastyle.pdf.

Students must cite ALL references and are alerted to UBC’s plagiarism warning and guidelines: http://www.library.ubc.ca/home/plagiarism/.

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http://www.library.ubc.ca/pubs/apastyle.pdf

http://www.library.ubc.ca/home/plagiarism/

PLAN 502: INTRODUCTION TO PLANNING THEORY AND HISTORY

2010W, Term 1, W, 1400‐1730, WMAX 150 Instructor: Professor Leonie Sandercock Email: [email protected] Telephone: 604‐822‐0225 This course is open only to 1st year SCARP Masters students

Course Description

For most of its 20th century history, the field of planning oscillated between seeing itself as a rational/technical activity and seeing itself in quite messianic ways – bent on saving cities/citizens/the environment from imminent destruction. At its best, planning has been, and should remain, a social project concerned with managing our co‐existence in shared space in such a way as to enhance and advance social, cultural, and environmental justice. At least, that is my personal definition of planning. This course will help you to explore yours.

If we want to pursue a planning practice that is sensitive not only to the rich complexity of differences in contemporary cities but also to the ecological challenges of living sustainably on the planet, then we must be informed about the theories that underlie present practices (and their historical roots) and also be able to interrogate those theories for their flaws, exclusions, and inconsistencies. At a time when traditional doctrines of planning are being increasingly challenged, we need to be open to new ways of theorizing, new ways of knowing and doing, ways that recognize difference and conflict and disorder and open new deliberative and emancipatory spaces.

This course asks:

Where does planning come from, intellectually speaking? What are its colonial as well as modern roots, its history, and how does this shape and perhaps limit contemporary practice?

What is planning theory? Why is it important? What are its current debates and challenges?

The field of professional planning is a relatively new one, with the first planning school in North America established at Harvard in 1929. (SCARP’s Masters program was established in 1954). Planning theory emerged slowly at first, in the 1950s, and continues to evolve along with the profession. There is no definitive body of literature that makes up planning theory. It is a highly contested ‘field’, and necessarily so, because it seeks to define the profession, its goals, values, and trajectory. Various thinkers/practitioners are regarded as important contributors to this developing body of work, and you will meet some of them in this course. Their writings help us to interrogate the very broad field of planning practice, from its ideas to its institutions, its processes to its outcomes.

Content

The purpose of this class is to introduce you to the terrain of planning history and the domain of planning theory; to familiarize you with leading authors and ‘schools’ of theorizing; and to think about the qualities of planning imagination that might be necessary to deal with the challenges of 21st century cities and regions.

The approach is partly historical, partly thematic. We will discuss the main intellectual movements of the last two hundred years, as they relate to the emergence of planning. And we will struggle with enduring themes:

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• What constitutes valid knowledge in planning? As defined by whom? • Is there such a thing as ‘the public interest’? Ditto. • In what sense/s is planning a rational and/or scientific activity? • How do we theorize ‘difference’ in planning? • What theories help us understand the nature of power, and of power relations in planning? • What is a workable theory of social change?

Format

The class meets once each week for two 90 minute sessions, with a 30 minute break. The format varies. The first part of the session may be lecture and discussion, a film, a guest presentation, or student group presentations of a specific text. The second part will usually be peer learning in small and large group discussion and presentations – my ‘coffee shop model of learning’ (what some folks call ‘conversational learning’).

All students must come to class prepared to discuss the readings, to offer insights, to ask questions and to participate in all class activities.

Learning Objectives

1. You will be aware of the historical roots of planning, both traditional and alternative histories.

2. You will have your own answer to the question, “What is planning theory?”

3. You will be able to articulate your thoughts on why planning theory is important.

4. You will be familiar with the evolution in planning theories from rational comprehensive, expert driven planning toward a more participatory planning that values local and experiential knowledge and views the planner as a partner in positive change.

5. You will be well versed in the current debates in planning theory and be able to express your thoughts on the merits/flaws in these debates.

6. You will be able to formulate/clarify your own defensible position on key issues that confront planners such as: Is there a public interest and if so, how can we plan for it? Should we plan for diversity?

Class Assignments and Grading Due Date

1. History Paper (2000 words) (30%) Oct. 20 2. Group Theory Presentation (35%) Nov. 17/24 3. Reflective Theory/Practice Assignment: Planner for a Day (35%) (2000‐2500 words)

Dec. 01

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PLAN 504: ECOLOGICAL CONTEXT OF PLANNING

2010W, Term 1, T & Th, 0900‐1030, WMAX 150 Credit Hours: 3.0 Instructor: William E. Rees E‐mail: [email protected] Telephone: 604‐822‐2937

Course Description:

This course advances a planning‐oriented approach to bioecology and ecosystems theory for sustainable development. We begin by tracing the origins and development of prevailing attitudes (paradigms, worldviews) toward ‘the environment’ and their role in creating today’s human ecological crisis. We then explore the interaction of evolutionary and cultural factors in determining human ecological behaviour. With this as context we examine the de facto structure and function of ecosystems; how they are perceived as resource systems for human use; and the behavioural response of those systems to (over)exploitation. Students will consider the planning implications of thermodynamic law, human trophic dynamics (energy and material flows in human‐dominated ecosystems), autopoiesis, self‐organization, complexity theory, and related structural and functional properties of the ecosphere. We will specifically consider the possibility that unsustainability is actually a manifestation of H. sapiens extraordinary evolutionary success. Next we advance an ecological framework for understanding global urban‐centred regions in their global systems context using ecological footprint analysis. Finally we examine potential policy frameworks for developing more sustainable humankind‐ecosystems relationships and some of the barriers to putting them in place. The principles examined are illustrated throughout by examining current examples of, and mainstream responses to, such symptoms of human ecological dysfunction as climate change, climate change denial; biodiversity losses, landscape and soil degradation, BP’s well‐head blowout in the Gulf of Mexico, peak oil, etc.

NB: Plan 504 is advised for all Planning students and it is a core course in the Ecological and Resources Planning stream. For most other students, PLAN 504 is strongly advised as preparation for PLAN 596 and the Spring term workshop on ‘Global change, Complexity and Panarchy: Framing Planning for the 21st Century’.

• the major energy and material flows that characterize human obligate dependence on the natural environment;

• the structural and functional properties of ecosystems and economies as far‐from‐equilibrium, self‐organizing dissipative structures;

• the differences between primary production in nature and secondary production in the economy;

• ecological footprint analysis: quantifying the human ‘load’ on Earth;

Course Objectives:

The overall objective of this course is to provide planning students with a sustainability‐oriented bio‐ecological perspective modern human society in relation to the ecosphere. A second major objective is to assist students to understand the gulf between scientific knowledge pertaining to global change and mainstream policy responses. Students will come to understand that there are no ‘environmental’ or ecological problems per se. Rather, ecological trends ranging from climate change, through ocean acidification, to soil erosion are emergent phenomena attributable to the fundamentally dysfunctional

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relationship between techno‐industrial society as currently conceived and the ecosystems that sustain it. We explore the hypothesis that unsustainability is the inevitable by‐product of human evolutionary success gone awry. Achieving sustainability requires raising to consciousness the hidden biological and cultural causes of this dilemma.

Specific learning objectives include:

• alerting students to how the ‘social construction of reality’ bears on society’s perception of local/global ecological change and its importance;

• providing a basic understanding of the structural and functional properties of ecosystems and economies as far‐from‐equilibrium, self‐organizing dissipative structures;

• familiarizing student planners with: a) humankind’s role in, and impact on, the natural ‘environment’ as our species becomes an increasingly dominant component of all global ecosystems b) the planning implications of autopoiesis, self‐organization, homeostasis and panarchy in ecosystems;

• introducing students to the ‘human nature’ of humankind–ecosystems interactions. What are the roles of nature (genetic predispositions) and nurture (memetic programming) in the widening gap between knowledge and policy action? To what extent is our contemporary ecological crisis a manifestation of human evolutionary ‘success’?

• helping students to develop a new conceptual planning framework based on ecosystems theory and principles relevant to sustainable development at relevant spatial scales; what is the appropriate ‘niche’ of industrial society in relation to major resource ecosystems;

• applying this framework to examine selected contemporary issues stemming from human‐induced global change; e.g., fisheries collapses, biodiversity loss.

• equipping student planners to be effective critics of prevailing planning and development theory and to become constructive contributors to the transformation of planning practice for sustainability and cultural survival.

Course Organization:

The course covers several broad topic areas. Within each there will be lectures as well as student seminars or short debates on current planning‐relevant local ecological and global change issues. As shown below, the instructor will assign readings as the course proceeds. Most readings will be provided in electronic form. (NB: It is essential that students keep pace with reading assignments). In addition to participating in class discussion and seminars, students will prepare short assignments and a major paper (with annotated bibliography) on a topic related to the lecture material, selected in consultation with the instructor. Students will use ‘academic journal format’ for the organization of their papers.

Tentative course schedule for Winter 2010: (NB: Exact schedule and readings shown are subject to change—updates, substitutions, additions and deletions will occur.)

Representative Readings:

Epstein, R. and Y. Zhao. 2009. The Threat that Dare not Speak its Name ‐ Human extinction. Perspectives in Biology and Medicine 52 (1): 116‐125.

Hern, W.M. “Is human culture oncogenic for uncontrolled population growth and ecological destruction? Human Evolution 12: 97‐105.

Randers, J. 2008. “Global Collapse—Fact or Fiction?” Futures 40: 853‐864.

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Rees, W.E. 2003. Is Humanity Fatally Successful? Journal of Business Administration and Policy Analysis 30‐31: 67‐100 (2002‐2003)

Smith, J. W. and G. Sauer‐Thompson. 1998. “Civilization’s wake: Ecology, economics and the roots of environmental destruction and neglect.” Population and Environment 19: 541‐575.

Rees, W.E. 2008. “Human Nature, eco‐footprints and environmental injustice.” Local Environment ‐ The International Journal of Justice and Sustainability 13 (8): 685 – 701.

Rees, W.E. 2010. What’s Blocking Sustainability? Human Nature, Cognition and Denial”. In Press with Sustainability: Science Practice and Policy.

Tainter, J. 1995. “Sustainability of Complex Societies.” Futures 27: 397‐404.

Course Requirements and Grading:

20% Class participation

80% Written work—short assignments and major paper

Course Assignments:

Variable, depending on class size and student interests. In general, participants are expected to participate in in‐class debates, reviews of readings, short assignments, general discussion, etc. There will be one major paper, topic to be selected by students in consultation with the instructor. (See also "Course Organization.")

Course Policies:

There are no special "course policies" for this course.

Course Materials:

There are no required texts or purchases. Weekly readings will mostly be available on‐line (otherwise copies will be provided).

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PLAN 506: LEGAL CONTEXT OF PLANNING

2010W, Term 2, T & Th, 0800‐0930, WMAX 150 Credit Hours: 3.0 Instructor: Raymond Young Email: [email protected] Telephone: 604‐689‐7400

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Planning 506 is an introduction to some of the legal concepts and principles that will be of use to you in practice as a professional planner, and in any private or public role in which you seek to shape public outcomes in relation to growth management, planning, land‐use, social and environmental issues.

It is a course directed to the law relating to public decision‐making and the exercise of decision‐making power by public officials. While public law (also know as administrative law) principles apply over the entire spectrum of governmental activity, this course will focus on public law in the context of growth management, planning, land‐use and environmental legislation and authority.

The core of public law lies in the legal relationship between citizen and government ‐ between those who exercise power and make binding decisions, and those who assert rights ‐ both rights of transparency, accountability and participation as well as to substantive outcomes. This area of law is known as "public law" or "administrative law".

Planners who work for government will exercise power. Planners who consult for citizens will assert rights. This course is all about the interface between power and rights and about the role of the Courts (known as judicial review) in establishing the rules within which the interplay between public decision‐making authority and private rights, takes place.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Planner as advocate, planner as advisor, planner as decision maker, planner as policy formulator, and planner of all trades must exist, operate and survive in a social, political and economic universe founded upon the rule of law. This course is designed as a planner's guide to reading some of the signs in that universe so as to become alert to legal issues relevant to planning, and to also to be able to understand the import and content of some of the messages along the way.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND GRADING

a) You have to attend class ‐ absence is not an option, except with prior notice for good reason.

b) Silence is not golden ‐ you have to participate. Speak up or I will not know you.

c) At the beginning of each lecture, starting with the second lecture (before you sit down), one quarter of you, in rotation (to be worked out) must provide to me a written question (no longer than three sentences) arising out of the previous lecture. Your name must be on the question. Questions can be things you didn't get, or follow up questions from things you did get, but have thought further about or legal questions that may assist you in another course you may be taking. Each failure to provide a question when it is your turn, will result in a 5% deduction from the statement required in paragraph (d). This should not preclude others asking oral questions whenever they wish.

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d) On March 1, 2011, you have to provide me with a two‐page statement setting out how and why planning 506 has either added value or a dimension to other courses you have taken or are taking or, alternatively, has not been very useful or not useful at all, and why and how it might add value to other courses you are taking. This assignment is worth 25% of your mark, and everyone who hands it in automatically gets 25 marks.

e) On the last day of class there will be a two‐question exam. You must answer only one of the questions. No notes, no books, nothing except pen and paper. You will have 60 minutes. The exam will be out of 75 marks.

COURSE MATERIALS

To assist you in any research that you may be motivated to undertake, the Law Librarian has kindly prepared an On‐Line Subject Guide for "Legal Context of Planning" (Planning 506). It can be accessed at the Law Library website homepage under REFERENCE: "Course Guides".

Law texts are expensive. The Law Librarian has put the texts I favour on reserve in the Law Library and those are clearly identified in the On‐Line Course Guide. Jones and de Villars, Principles of Administrative Law is required reading. There are several different editions. At the conceptual and elementary level of our discourse, the edition you use does not matter. The only annoying thing is that the chapter reference for required reading on pages 3 and 4 of the Outline may be different for different editions. Take it as a minor challenge to match the new chapter numbers to the subject matter of the readings required.

Relevant statutory material, including the Growth Management, Planning and Development Control legislation, can be accessed through the Course Guide under "Local Government Act".

GUEST LECTURES

This year there will be two guest lectures. These will be two days in March, and the subject will be an introduction to basic real property concepts for planners. The guest lecturer will be Patricia Kendall who has represented the Resort Municipality of Whistler in respect of almost every major development proposal in the past twenty years – both in respect of real property matters and in respect of the regulation of development.

COURSE ORGANIZATION

I: Introduction to Administrative Law Concepts

This introduction to basic public law ideas has broad application to the exercise of power generally; however, the focus of examples will be substantially on planning and land use authority.

II. Essential Concepts of Planning and Land‐Use Legislation

This Part II, while truncated in the Outline, consists of one‐half of the course time, and introduces students to a fairly standard legislative scheme enabling growth management, planning and land use control. This half of the course will focus directly on planning and land use legislation, its major components, their purpose and how they are implemented by planning legal tools. This focus is in addition to the emphasis on planning and zoning examples in Part I of the course that introduce basic public law concepts.

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PLAN 511: QUANTITATIVE METHODS AND COMPUTER APPLICATIONS

2010W, Term 1, T, Th, 1100‐1230, WMAX 240 Credit Hours: 3.0 Instructor: Mark Stevens Email: [email protected] Telephone: 604‐822‐0657

Course Description

PLAN 511 is the first of a two‐part series (with PLAN 515) that introduces students to the application of social science research methods to policy‐oriented studies in the field of community and regional planning. PLAN 511 emphasizes the use of quantitative methods and computer applications. It is intended as a survey course that can lead into other elective courses for more in‐depth coverage of specific analytical and research methods.

SCARP Core Requirement: For SCARP masters students, either this course or PLAN 514 (Quantitative Methods II) fulfills the core course requirement in quantitative methods. PLAN 511 is intended to build quantitative literacy; PLAN 514, to build proficiency. Students with limited prior exposure to quantitative methods and quantitative computer applications should take PLAN 511. Students with background in natural science or engineering, but little familiarity with social science data and planning applications, should take PLAN 514. Students with quantitative social science background who need a refresher should also take PLAN 514. Students with strong/recent training in quantitative social sciences (e.g., an undergraduate degree in economics) can request an exemption from the core requirement in quantitative methods.

Prerequisites

Basic familiarity with the use of personal computers. Registration is limited to students in either the School of Community and Regional Planning (SCARP) or the Resource Management and Environmental Studies (RMES) program.

Course Objectives

This course aims to help students develop basic literacy in the use of quantitative methods and computer applications in planning analysis and research. Students will learn to (1) comprehend and critically evaluate the use of numerical data in planning reports and journal articles, (2) identify approaches and techniques for data collection and analysis that are appropriate for a given purpose, and (3) conduct basic quantitative analysis using computer applications.

Format

The class meets twice a week for 1.5 hours each time. Topics to be covered include: descriptive statistics and indicators; analyzing and forecasting change; assessing correlation and causation; hypothesis testing; cost‐benefit analysis; spatial analysis and GIS; urban and regional models; quantitative data (e.g., census and statistical data, survey data); and research design. Topics will be introduced and reinforced through multiple avenues, such as lecture, readings, discussion, and computer‐based exercises.

Students are expected to have Microsoft Excel on their personal computers (any version).

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Evaluation

Grading for the course will be based on the following:

% of Grade Course element

45% Weekly problem sets (9 @ 5% each) 45% Assignments (3 @ 15% each) 10% Class attendance and attentiveness

Students should notify the instructor if they expect to hand in an assignment late. Points will be taken off for late assignments as follows:

Days past due Points deducted (/100)

1‐7 days 5 points 8‐14 days 15 points 15‐30 days 30 points >30 days assignment not graded

Students not handing in an assignment within a month of the due date will be given a 0 grade for that assignment. Students with extenuating circumstances should notify the instructor as soon as possible before the due date.

Readings

The required textbook for this class can be purchased through the UBC Bookstore. The textbook is entitled “Social Statistics for a Diverse Society, 5th Edition”.

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PLAN 513: ECONOMIC AND OTHER QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS TECHNIQUES FOR PLANNING

2010W, Term 1, M, 1830‐2130, WMAX 150 Credit Hours: 3.0 Instructor: Eric Vance Email: [email protected] Telephone: 604‐469‐3325 Course Description

Quantitative analysis is undertaken by all planners during their professional careers, regardless of their areas of specialization.

PLAN 513 is one of SCARP’s longest running and most popular courses, taught for many years by Craig Davis and for the past 11 years by Eric Vance. It provides an introduction to a variety of quantitative evaluation and impact assessment techniques of relevance to planners. While a number of the techniques covered are in the area of economics, there is also review and discussion of social and financial impact and evaluation techniques, along with some discussion of pertinent environmental issues. Most of the techniques examined are quantitative.

The primary focus of the course is on practical application of the analytical techniques in a variety of settings. The intent is to provide planners with a basic understanding of the techniques and concepts so that they are comfortable in using them and can understand and critically analyze work produced by others who are specialists in the field.

Learning Objectives

This course is intended to provide an overview of:

• basic economic, financial and other quantitative concepts from a planning perspective; • the difference between impact and evaluation analysis; • the principal techniques of evaluation and impact analysis; • the strengths and weaknesses of each technique; • practical application of the techniques and concepts in a wide variety of situations relevant to

planning; and • information sources available in applying each technique.

Content

A variety of techniques are commonly used by planners in quantitatively evaluating the economic, social, financial and environmental merits of proposed and existing projects, developments and activities in both urban and rural settings. They are also widely used in policy development.

This course examines a wide variety of quantitative analysis techniques and concepts used in planning, such as economic base analysis, multiplier analysis,

input‐output analysis, cost‐benefit analysis, full cost accounting, market analysis, real estate development economics, multiple accounts evaluation, social impact assessment, demographics, municipal finance, and green economics. It discusses the strengths and weaknesses of each approach, their practical applications in a variety of situations, and how and where they can be integrated. It also identifies information sources that can be used in applying the techniques, including data produced by Statistics Canada and BC Stats.

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The course places strong emphasis on the practical use of the techniques and draws heavily on case studies and examples of relevance to planners. Some of the ethical issues involved in how the techniques are used and interpreted are also discussed as the course progresses. There are three guest lecturers – all planners ‐ who are well‐known specialists in their particular areas of analysis and provide very pertinent “real world” examples of how quantitative analysis is applied in their jobs and projects.

Student participation in discussions is a core part of the course.

Format

The class meets once per week in the evening for three hours, with a break midway through the class. Class time is allocated to a mix of lectures, case studies, and discussions.

Readings are assigned in advance. All students are expected to have done the readings and be fully prepared to participate in the class discussions.

Evaluation

Evaluation will be on the basis of two papers and class participation:

• 10% Participation in class discussions throughout the term. • 40% First paper. • 50% Second paper.

Readings

There is a wide variety of readings as part of the course, which will be assigned at least one week prior to when they will be discussed in class.

Some internet research will also be required.

Prerequisites

None. The course assumes that students do not have any formal background or training in economics or other quantitative techniques. All that is required is a willingness to learn, keep up with the readings and actively participate in class discussions.

This course is intended for SCARP students. Students from other departments will only be considered if there is space available and they can clearly demonstrate how the course is directly relevant to their area of study.

Feel free to contact me at any time if you have any questions about PLAN 513. I would also be pleased to provide copies of the course evaluations from previous years so you can see what other students have to say about PLAN 513.

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PLAN 514: QUANTITATIVE METHODS II

2010W, Term 1, M, 0930‐1230, WMAX 150 Instructor: Ari B. Goelman E‐mail: [email protected]

Description

This course provides foundational training in the application of quantitative reasoning to policy‐oriented studies in community and regional planning. It aims to provide students with basic proficiency in the logic, interpretation and use of quantitative arguments. It covers elementary statistics, probability, and other types of quantitative reasoning useful for description, estimation, comparison, and explanation. These skills are useful in all areas of planning, from environmental to transportation, housing, and social planning.

SCARP Core Requirement

For SCARP master’s students, either this course or PLAN 511 (Quantitative Methods I) fulfills the core course requirement in quantitative methods. PLAN 511 is intended to build quantitative literacy; PLAN 514, to build proficiency. Students with background in natural science or engineering, but little familiarity with social science data and planning applications, should take PLAN 514. Students with quantitative social science background who need a refresher should also take this course. Students with limited prior exposure to quantitative methods and quantitative computer applications should take PLAN 511. Students with strong/recent training in quantitative social sciences (e.g., an undergraduate degree in economics) can request an exemption from the core requirement in quantitative methods.

Prerequisites

Successful completion of PLAN 511 (Quantitative Methods I), or an equivalent introductory course in quantitative data and analysis (e.g., an undergraduate course in statistics), is a prerequisite. This course assumes that students have basic familiarity with MS Excel or similar spreadsheet software. (Students who need a refresher in Excel are encouraged to attend the tutorial offered in PLAN 511 during the first week of class.) Priority registration will be given to students enrolled in either SCARP or the Resource Management and Environmental Studies (RMES) program.

Learning Objectives:

This course aims to help students develop basic capabilities in working with quantitative data for planning analysis. This includes developing core vocabulary, conceptual understandings, critical thinking, analytical capabilities, and computer skills.

The course is designed to provide students with the basic tools to conduct master’s project/thesis research that makes use of quantitative data. For example, students will gain the skills to design a survey (including sampling strategy), effectively organize the data, conduct basic statistical analysis to describe the data, test explanatory hypotheses, produce well‐designed tables and graphs, and communicate the findings effectively. Students will also gain knowledge to help read, understand, and critically evaluating the use of quantitative data and methods in reports produced by other analysts.

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The class meets once a week for 3 hours. Classes will include lectures, discussion and time to practice the applications under discussion. Each week, a student will be responsible for leading the discussion of a piece of quantitative research that they will select and distribute the previous week.


% of Grade Course Element

25% Midterm 5% Midterm note sheet 15% Assigment # 1: Article Discussion 10% Assigment # 2: Problem Sets 15% Assigment # 3: Survey Design 20% Assignment # 4: Final Project 10% Participation

Course Policies:

Points will be taken off for late assignments as follows:

Days past due Points deducted (/100):

1‐7 days 10 points 8‐14 days 20 points >14 days assignment will not be graded

Students with extenuating circumstances should notify the instructor as soon as possible.

Course Materials:

Required text: Meier, K.J., J.L. Brudney, and J. Bohte. 2009. Applied Statistics for Public & Nonprofit Administration, 7th ed. Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth.

Recommended texts: Berry, W.D. and M. Sanders. 2000. Understanding Multivariate Research. Boulder, CO: Westview Press.

Gonick, L. and W. Smith. 1993. The Cartoon Guide to Statistics. New York, Harpers Collins.

Recommended readings will be drawn from these texts, supplemented by additional readings to be supplied throughout the term.

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PLAN 515: PLANNING RESEARCH: QUALITATIVE METHODS & RESEARCH DESIGN

2010W, Term 2, W, 1400‐1700, WMAX 150 Credit Hours: 3.0 Instructor: Pamela Ponic Email: [email protected] Telephone: 778‐938‐3313

Course Description

This course is the second in a two‐part series (first part: PLAN 511 ‐ Planning Research: Quantitative Methods and Computer Applications) that introduces students to the application of social science research methods in the field of community and regional planning. This course focuses on qualitative methods and research design. This is a core course for SCARP master's students. It is intended as a survey that may prepare students for further elective courses for more in‐depth coverage of specific analytical and research methods. Through the course, students will learn about and apply each step of the qualitative research process including conceptualization and operationalization of research questions, ethical considerations, data collection and analysis, and presentation of research findings to specific audiences.

Working in small groups, students will be supported and guided to apply their learning through a community‐based research process with a service learning course partner to meet an identified research need. Groups will be responsible for producing reports for the partner organization. Methods which will be applied may include: interviews, focus groups, visual or arts‐based techniques, participant observation, or community mapping.

Learning Objectives

The overall purpose of the course is to develop skills in qualitative research methods that can be used by planners to more effectively understand and address community‐identified issues and research needs. These skills will also be transferrable for students conducting qualitative research for their individual theses or projects.

By the end of the course you will be able to:

a) describe the epistemological principles of community‐based research in relation to traditional research processes;

b) articulate clear and answerable research purposes and questions;

c) identify suitable qualitative methodology and method(s) to answer specific research questions;

d) collect, analyse, and report qualitative data;

e) understand and assess qualitative research results in planning literature;

f) discuss and problem‐solve strategic, logistical, and ethical challenges; and

g) critically reflect on your role as researcher in the knowledge production process.

Format

The class meets once a week for three hours, with a 15‐minute break in the middle.

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Prerequisites

This course is required. Students with prior survey courses in qualitative research methodologies at the graduate level may apply to the Director for exemption. The course is not open to students outside of SCARP.

Evaluation

There are four components of evaluation in the course that relate to the community‐based research process to be conducted with the service learning partner.

1. Individual paper on the methodology and methods (30%)

2. Individual reflective journal and fieldnotes (20%)

3. Group presentation of research results (10%)

4. Group report of research results to be submitted to service learning partner (40%)

Recommended Texts

The following two texts will be referenced for readings, and students will be responsible for the obtaining the readings.

Gaber, John and Sharon Gaber. (2007) Qualitative analysis for planning and policy: Beyond the numbers. Chicago, Ill and Washington, D.C.: American Planning Association.

I.K. BARBER LEARNING CENTRE / HT165.5 .G33 2007

Hay, Iain (ed.) (2005) Qualitative Research Methods in Human Geography. Victoria, Australia: Oxford University Press. KOERNER LIBRARY RESERVE: GF21 .Q83 2005.

A reading list will be supplied via the Library course reserve section (search PLAN 515).

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http://webcat1.library.ubc.ca/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?SC=CallNumber&SEQ=20090528122451&PID=CXa6xQIn7kjYpp0K2ajPlQB6XmH&SA=GF21+.Q83+2005

PLAN 540A: OMNIBUS: BECOMING A GOOD SUSTAINABILITY PLANNING PRACTITIONER

2010W, Term 1, M, 1330‐1700, WMAX 150 Credit Hours: 3.0 Instructor: Anthony Dorcey Email: [email protected] Telephone: 604‐822‐5725

Course Description:

Students enter SCARP's masters program with a rich diversity of education, employment and volunteer experiences. Their undergraduate majors may be in the natural, applied or social sciences, or the humanities or the arts. A few already have a masters degree and occasionally a doctorate in a field other than planning. Work and volunteer experiences are often equally varied with some students having been out of school for several years. Most bring some international experience and a few are coming to study in Canada from homes in other countries. The Omnibus is designed to capitalize on the wealth of knowledge, skills and perspectives that students bring to the program, while introducing them to the ever increasing variety of sustainability planning principles, practices and practitioners, and helping each student develop personal learning goals and strategies that meet their individual needs and career ambitions.


Six Primary Learning Objectives

1. To develop a preliminary understanding of planning practice and practitioners.

2. To explore differing perspectives on sustainability planning.

3. To introduce planning models, methods and analysis.

4. To acquire an initial familiarity with governance processes within which sustainability planning and actions take place

5. To practice communication and interaction skills essential to planning practitioners.

6. To design a personal development strategy


A variety of active learning formats will be used to present, discuss and develop ideas and to build communication and interaction skills. There will always be preparatory work for a class session. When there are presentations by myself or a guest or students they will generally be relatively short and then shift to discussion formats. Much of the time I will be acting as a facilitator and thus modeling for you this critically important skill. I also like to pose questions that stimulate critical thinking and discussion and the creation of imaginative solutions. At times we will use breakout groups to expand the opportunities for involvement in discussion, to open up topics for exploration and to create ideas. They will also be used to provide opportunities to practice the skills and techniques for productive group work including facilitation, recording ideas and reporting results. Frequently we will use examples of the issues addressed by sustainability planning practitioners and place our consideration of them in a particular context. For example: "Assume that you are planning practitioners supporting Vancouver's

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Mayor. Please identify the criticisms of the City's ecodensity proposal that he should anticipate arising when he speaks in the community and recommend how he should respond to them. You have 30 minutes to generate your suggestions. We will then compare and contrast the proposals created by the three breakout groups." Increasingly web based tools are becoming readily available to assist in learning and in planning practice. We will experiment with the use of some of them including Google Apps.


Grades for the course will be allocated as follows:

• Participation throughout the term (10%) • Individual Assignment (35%) • Group Assignment on a case (35%) • Leading and facilitating session on case (20%)

Course Assignments:

There will be two assignments, one Individual and the other Group.They will each have component parts with drafts of each staged through the term. They will be assigned at the first class and the final products due before the final class of the term.

Course Policies:

For policies on participation in class and group work please see materials on the course website http://tonydorcey.ca/Omnibus/08Omnibusindex.html.

Course Materials:

Almost all the materials for the course will be available from my website. There will be an agenda for each class which provides links to the preparatory readings, indicates questions to consider in preparing for the session, and lists the items we will address along with how we will approach them. The agenda will usually include links and references to other sources where additional information can be found. As products are created during the course they will be uploaded to the web site. Class sessions will vary in length sometimes being four 45 minute sessions with a 10 break in between; other times, three 50‐minute sessions with a 15‐minute break in between; and on other occasions, two 90‐minute sessions with a 30‐minute break in between.

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PLAN 547C: MASTERS PROJECT

2010W Term 1 2010W Term 2 Credit Hours: 6.0 SCARP Faculty

Course Description

A student may complete his or her masters program by undertaking either an academically oriented thesis of 12 credits (549C) or a professionally oriented project of 6 credits (547C) together with 6 credits of additional coursework. Students are required to make a choice by the end of September (which is the beginning of a student's second academic year) of the Master's program. But it is highly recommended that the student complete this before the suggested time.

Registration

Registration in PLAN 549C or 547C is mandatory in both Summer and Winter Sessions beginning in the summer of the first year and continuing until completion of the thesis or project.


The professional project is the capstone project of choice for those students with a practical bent and who intend to enter professional practice after graduation. Its major purpose is to provide experience in the execution of a planning or urban design project. Students will gain experience in project design and scoping, in researching project‐relevant literature, in the application of appropriate analytic methods, in the analysis of context‐specific data, and in the formulation of appropriate conclusions. In short, the professional project option provides an opportunity for students to develop and exercise their skill and judgment in problem definition and to demonstrate professional competence in the supervised design and execution of an individual planning study.

Given the increasing scope of professional planning activities and employment opportunities across the public and private sectors, the substantive focus and content of professional projects will vary greatly. Such projects may also take many different reporting forms‐‐indeed, students are encouraged to use the project option to hone their professional presentation skills in diverse media as well as in writing.

To maximize the intended value of the professional project experience, the program of research and reporting under the project option will generally have the following characteristics:

1. A total of six (6) credits are offered for successful completion of a professional planning project. Project students therefore take six (6) more credits of coursework than thesis students.

2. A professional project is an investigation into a well‐defined practical planning‐related question or problem. Professional projects can be designed to contribute to a student’s experience of a client‐consultant or employer‐professional employee relationship. In some cases, students may choose to involve an actual external client to provide context and enhance the realism of the professional project experience.

3. Each professional project will proceed with the formal agreement of, and under the supervision of, a SCARP faculty member. In addition to real‐world context, any participating 'client' can provide additional guidance and supervision. (See following point.)

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4. To facilitate focused research and reporting and on‐time completion, projects will proceed according to a written problem statement or terms of reference prepared by the student in consultation with the supervising faculty member. The 'problem statement' of the project should therefore reflect the conceptual and practical framework to be followed.

5. In all cases, a professional project must satisfy the academic norms of the university and SCARP. The supervising faculty member will be the final arbiter as to whether the student's professional project activities and report have achieved the necessary standard. This stipulation is an essential underpinning to all project‐related problem statement or terms of reference.

6. A professional project is limited in scope. Original data collection is not necessary, but is possible. In general, participating students will apply known concepts, data, methods and procedures to a specified situation or problem context and generate a report (variable format) of restricted scope and scale. However, in designing his/her study and writing the professional reports, students are expected to demonstrate familiarity with at least the limited body of literature of direct relevance to the project.

7. Individual professional projects should be designed to ensure adequate reporting in roughly 30‐50 pages, 1.5 spaces (or the agreed equivalent in other acceptable media). Project reports should be logically organized, structured to have effective communication value (use of sub‐headings, tables, charts and other figures, etc., is encouraged) and be fully referenced.

8. As noted above, the supervising faculty member is responsible for assessment of the final product with input from any external client if relevant. If there is no external client to review the final product a second reader will review the report (as detailed below). A final oral examination is normally not required though should be regarded as an option at the discretion of the supervisor(s) in special circumstances.

9. In all cases the student will be required to make a formal presentation of his/her findings to a SCARP project symposium as part of the normal reporting procedure. This is particularly important where the professional project is substantially documented in video, PowerPoint, or other presentation media. To enhance the professional value of this experience, other students and faculty will be invited to attend and comment on the presentation.

10. On‐time completion of projects is an important element of professional practice. Students should regard the professional project as an opportunity to demonstrate competence in overall project management within the conceptual, time, and space constraints set out in the project terms of reference. Faculty supervisors will normally take on‐time completion into account in assigning final grades for professional projects.


Thesis/Project Advising Groups

Each faculty member can run a thesis/project advising group for second year students whom they are supervising. Students are expected to participate in the sessions offered by the supervisor of their project or thesis. This makes the supervisory process more productive for students and faculty. It tends to cluster students and faculty around common topics and themes. A significant benefit of the group sessions is the opportunity thus created for students to support each other in developing and completing their research. Separate credit is not given for these group sessions, they are considered to be part of the 12 credits for the thesis and 6 credits for the project.

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The group sessions are designed to lead students through the development and implementation of a proposal for their project or thesis and, if necessary, make a choice between the two options. Key components are discussed in relation to the student's areas of interest including problem statements, goals, objectives, research questions, conceptual and analytical frameworks, methods, case studies, and write‐ups of results, conclusions and recommendations. Advice is provided on strategies for selecting manageable topics, conducting literature reviews, choosing case studies, undertaking field work and interviews, drafting text, and presenting the final results. Previous projects and theses are reviewed.

The specific meeting time and place is agreed to by each faculty member with their group of students in light of their schedules.

The advising group approach means that students must have identified the faculty member whom they wish to supervise their project or thesis by the beginning of their second year. If during the course of the term it should become evident that another supervisor would be more appropriate, a change can be made if both parties are agreeable but it is obviously preferable that this potential disruption not occur. In considering potential supervisors, students should discuss with them not only the topics in which they are interested but also the specific approach they take to supervising and how this influences the design of their group advising sessions.


Submission of Completed Draft Professional Project Report

While there is much room for latitude depending on the project focus and reporting medium, the typical professional report prepared by students electing the professional project option should contain the following elements:

1. Project ‐ Title Page

2. Executive summary

3. Table of contents

4. List of tables and figures

5. Introduction (including the problem statement)

6. Detailed project description (including essential history and context; relevant literature; methods of investigation)

7. Findings and implications

8. Conclusions

Review by Second Reader

A second reader is required for a professional project, who can be a faculty member or someone from outside of the School who is an experienced professional with an interest in the topic. When students choose to involve an actual external client to provide context and otherwise enhance the realism of the professional project experience, this individual can serve as the second reader.

Expectations of an Outside Second Reader

The outside second reader is asked to provide, at a minimum, a "second set of eyes" to review a professional project, on the basis of criteria outlined below. If the draft is acceptable to the outside reader on the basis of these criteria, the outside reader signs the draft as "meeting the required

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standard." The outside reader is invited, but not required, to attend the student presentation at the symposium.

Procedures

The primary faculty advisor has the responsibility for working with the student to insure the professional project has an appropriate design and approach. The student may ask the outside second reader for advice during the research and preparation of the project. The student will normally complete a project and submit a draft report to the faculty advisor. The faculty advisor will review it and may ask for revisions if needed. The faculty advisor has responsibility for determining when a draft is ready for review by the outside reader. When the project is judged by the first reader to be ready to distribute, a cover letter should be prepared to send to the second reader, with a set of explanatory notes attached. The letter should indicate that the first reviewer is ready to sign the report as meeting the standard, subject to the approval from the outside reader.If the outside reader judges that the draft "meets the required standard" in terms of the criteria below, the outside second reader signs the project. If the project does not meet the criteria, the outside reader should communicate the reasons to the student and the faculty member, who will ask for appropriate revisions.

Criteria

The outside reader is asked to review the draft on the basis of the following criteria:

• Is the draft well written in that it is generally free of grammatical mistakes, easy to follow and well presented?

• Does the project have a clearly stated question that it tries to answer, or goal that it addresses? • Does the project report place the question or goal in the context of literature relevant to the

topic and methods, given the more limited expectations regarding the literature review in a professional project compared to a thesis, as discussed in the appendix to these notes?

• Is the approach used to address the question or goal appropriate and adequately applied, given the expectations of a professional project, as discussed in the appendix to these notes?

• Overall, does the project seem to be an acceptable professional product?

Course Assignments:

Scheduling Presentation of Final Approved Report

Once the final report is approved by the Supervisor and the Second Reader, the student may schedule a presentation by submitting a Professional Project Presentation Form seven (7) days before the presentation. See "Important dates & Deadlines" on the SCARP website for project presentation schedule. Final reports are to be approved for presentation seven (7) days before the scheduled presentation date. Completion of presentations outside of these dates are only approved in exceptional circumstances and must be approved first by the Supervisor and then by the Director.

Presentations

A time is scheduled for a group of completing students to present their final reports to the School and other invited guests. The objectives of the presentations are to inform the School of the results of your work and to demonstrate your presentation skills in a context that simulates common characteristics of professional practice.

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The proceedings are chaired by the Chair of the Masters program. Each student is required to make a 15‐20 minute presentation designed to summarize the content of their report in ways appropriate to the School audience and the specific characteristics of the context within which the Professional Project was undertaken. Following the presentation there is a discussion period during which the student responds to questions and comments from the audience for up to 15 minutes. The presenter is responsible for managing the discussion period, which is intended to replicate the kind of situation that is likely to exist in practice contexts following presentation of a report. It is the responsibility of the Director to ensure discussion is kept within these bounds.

Submission

It is the responsibility of the student to obtain the signature of the Supervisor on the project title page and deliver three copies (2 spiral bound) of the final signed report to the Masters Secretary seven days before the presentation. One copy of the final report will be put in the students file (this can be on disc), one in SCARP's main office and the other will be forwarded to the School’s section of the UBC Fine Arts Library. Additional copies of the professional project should be given directly to the Research committee.

The program completion date will be considered the presentation date if all course credits are complete.

Course Policies:

Professional Project Supervision

Each student is required to have a Professional Project Supervisor who is a faculty member in the School. The Supervisor is to be selected and approved by the end of September of the first year in the program. This procedure is formalized by completing a Project Supervisor Selection form. The student determines his or her own supervisor in consultation with faculty, subject only to a reasonable distribution of students among faculty. The Supervisor must indicate his or her agreement to oversee the project by signing the student's project proposal. This document (one page is adequate) must be placed in the student's file before he or she begins detailed research on the project. Students are responsible for submitting their completed Project Supervisor Selection form and project proposal to the SCARP office by the September deadline.

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http://www.scarp.ubc.ca/Title_Page%20PROJECT.htm

PLAN 548A, PLAN 548I, PLAN 550F: REFLECTING ON YOUR PLANNING INTERNSHIP

Schedule: 2010W, Term 2 Credit Hours: 1.0 (Plan 548A) 2.0 (Plan 548I) 3.0 (Plan 550F) Instructor: Penny Gurstein Email: [email protected] Telephone: 822‐6065 Description

The course is intended as a learning platform for student involvement in developing SCARP’s pedagogical vision for the future and in the planning for the Integrated Planning and Design (IPD) Facility. This includes:

• Design and implement engagement processes to feed into IPD Working Group deliberations • Communicate SCARP’s vision and strengths • Enrich process by adding depth to it (i.e., identify best practices on good processes; doing

research on innovative spaces for pedagogy)

There will be one‐, two‐, and three‐credit options based on student involvement:

1. Plan 548A ‐ One credit:

• Plan and conduct engagement processes within the SCARP community to illicit the SCARP vision, priorities and spatial needs to inform the three Working Group workshops planned by the design consultants

• Synthesize the findings of the processes in a form useful for the SCARP representatives on the Working Group

2. Plan 548I ‐ Two credits:

• All above for one‐credit plus do research on a specific aspect of the building process such as – i.e., innovative spaces for planning and design pedagogy; innovative sustainable building practices and prepare an individual report on this

3. Plan 550F ‐ Three credits:

• Requirements for one‐credit plus a larger project determined by the supervisor and the student – i.e., a report or website that documents the engagement process

Learning Objectives

Students will learn:

• How to conduct research, develop planning documents and stakeholder engagement strategies under very tight time constraints.

• How to generate credible and defensible analyses that meet clients needs and anticipate the challenges that will come from other stakeholders.

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• How to design and produce short and effective communication documents using multiple media and for distribution through print and web channels.

• How to think strategically and design strategies for acting professionally and effectively in a real high stakes political context while meeting your clients needs (i.e. SCARP stakeholders).

• How to present information and proposals and respond to questions effectively in time constrained and pressure‐ridden situations.


The course will be in the Winter term and conducted in parallel with the process of the IPD feasibility study. It is intended that SCARP faculty, alumni and others with relevant experience will be invited to lend their expertise. The three critical time periods that we will need to prepare for are:

Charette 1: Learning Landscapes January 17‐January 21 Charette 2: Spaces for Learning January February 21 ‐ February 24 Charette 3: Low Energy Landscapes March 28 ‐ April 2


Student assignments will involve the design of engagement tools, and prepare and present background material to support SCARP’s engagement in the IPD feasibility study.

Grading:

•Research report: 100%

Course Assignments:

•Preparation of a report (Assignment maximum length: 20 double‐spaced pages)

Course Policies:

It is expected that students will be: • hand in assignments in a timely manner

Course Materials:

All course materials will be made available on the course web site.

Special Needs:

Please inform the course instructor as soon as possible if you have special needs and require accommodation of any kind. Please visit Planning for the Integrated Planning and Design Facility (IPD) http://www.students.ubc.ca/access/ for more information on campus resources.

Academic Integrity:

The University is an environment that fosters learning and the free exchange of ideas while maintaining responsibility and integrity. Violations of academic integrity include but are not limited to plagiarism, cheating, dishonesty, fabrication of information, submitting previously completed work and misusing or destroying school property. Any material or ideas obtained from digital or hard copy sources must be appropriately and fully referenced. Students are expected to uphold all the standards articulated in UBC's academic integrity site. If the instructor finds evidence of a violation of academic integrity the

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case will be investigated by the Faculty of Graduate Studies and, where appropriate, action will be taken. Disciplinary action may lead to a failing grade or suspension from the University.

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PLAN 548B: SOCIAL LEARNING STUDIO ‐ BUILDING INCLUSIVE COMMUNITIES IN A AGE OF UNEVEN DEVELOPMENT

2010W, Term 1, W, 1730‐2030, WMAX 140 2010W, Term 2, Th, 1730‐2030, WMAX 150 Credit Hours: 6.0 Instructor: Nathan Edelson Email: [email protected] Course Description:

Planners who engage with civil society encounter a number of challenges and opportunities, e.g., the need to collaborate with organizations and individuals who are members of diverse cultures or sub‐cultures and who are grounded in different epistemologies and have varying priorities. This course provides an introduction to concepts and theories about community development and social learning combined with hands‐on experience with the kinds of social learning processes that form the foundation of effective community engagement and participatory planning. Students will act as planning consultants and facilitators for projects in the non‐profit sector that enhance students’ understanding of academic course content while addressing sustainability issues and contributing to the strengthening of civil society. These organizations will have a neighbourhood focus in areas such as Chinatown, the Downtown Eastside, Grandview Woodlands, the Downtown Eastside and elsewhere in Metro Vancouver. The focus will be on developing practices that help community organizations to build capacity to better meet their objectives and to help overcome the forces of gentrification and improve the lives of people facing challenges in their lives rather than have them displaced to other neighbourhoods where needed social supports and services are less likely to be available.

Planning students in the Social Learning Studio will:

• Work collaboratively planning “consultants” to support community organizations in the design and planning of Community Service Learning projects and to support the community organizations that host CSL projects;

• In Term I, collaborate with community organizations to design short‐term CSL projects that relate to the theme of social, environmental, economic or cultural sustainability;

• In Term II, facilitate the implementation and monitoring of those projects in cooperation with the community organizations and relevant partners;

• Reflect on the process of identifying, planning, implementing, and evaluating the project and examine the links between the lived experience of being a planner and the concepts and theories presented in the course readings and discussions; and

• Reflect on the course itself as an instance of a social learning community of practice.


Students will be introduced to key concepts related to social learning processes, community development, gentrification and uneven development and will develop an understanding of

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how these concepts can inform participatory planning practices. In addition, through hands‐on experience, students will develop skills in the following areas:

• Collaborative priority‐setting, decision‐making, and problem‐solving; • Project planning, implementation, and evaluation: including determining what kinds of

community projects are feasible and meaningful; facilitating the development of project plans that provide structure and direction while allowing flexibility and group decision‐making; and designing and implementing appropriate monitoring and evaluation method;

• Leadership: including building rapport, trust, and teamwork in diverse contexts, including inter‐professional relationships;

• Translating macro‐level sustainability and gentrification issues into high level policy responses as well as concrete, short‐term projects that make a difference in community settings; and

• Critical self‐reflective professional practice.


The course includes regular class sessions and allows time for students to meet on a sustained basis with their community partner organizations and other professionals. Classroom sessions will use a variety of instructional techniques including workshops, discussion of readings, student presentations, and small group dialogue. Individual reflective journaling is also used to enhance the learning process. The course is highly experiential. Students in the course will be expected to work collaboratively with other students, community partners and other professionals working in the area to enrich the learning objectives of the course and to meet the goals of the community projects. The instructor will play the role of team leader, mentor, and guide.

Since the success of the CSL projects and the university’s relationships with the organizations hosting projects depends on the important roles played by the planning students, and since the course is intended to prepare students for professional practice, the expectation is that students will attend classes on time and will only miss classes in exceptional circumstances such as illness. Assignments not submitted on time will lose marks, unless arrangements have been made with the instructor in advance.

Through the class sessions and through the process of working with community organizations and other professionals to plan, implement, and evaluate their Community Service‐Learning projects, Social Learning Studio participants will be introduced to a variety of topics and will learn how these topics are relevant to planning practice in community settings. The themes that will be central to the course include: social learning; Community Service‐Learning; social, economic, environmental and cultural sustainability; cross‐cultural communication and collaboration (“culture” here is intended to include sub‐cultures such as those found in different kinds of professions, organizations or aspects of civil society), cycles of planning/action/reflection, and participatory leadership. A special emphasis will be placed on

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the theories of gentrification and ways in which low income neighbourhoods can be revitalized without displacing existing residents.


15% ‐ Class Participation:

• Criteria include regular attendance, sharing observations on readings, reflections and presentations, keeping class up to date on the progress and challenges of community project.

• Class Presentation on Readings: Due September 29 to November 3, 2010 • A 20 minute presentation on class reading and a 3 page written summary outlining the

reading and its implications for Building Inclusive Communities

10% ‐ Contract with Community Organization:

• A clear contract that describes the project the student will carry out with the community organization ‐ including the purpose and objectives of the project from the perspective of the community organization and the student, the kinds of support and expertise the planning student can offer, the supports the student will need from the community and the university, the expected outcomes and critical deadlines.

15% ‐ Mid Term Reflection:

• Each student will keep a weekly journal containing observations of some of what they experience reviewing the literature, class discussion and in working with the community partner. The written journal is a learning tool for the student and can be kept confidential. It will be used as a basis for part of class discussion. At the end of the first semester each student will send a 5 to 10 page written commentary that summarizes some of the main points covered in the Reflective Journal.

• Criteria for evaluation include: sincerity of effort to engage in critical self‐reflection and demonstrated insight into the links between personal experiences, course readings, and planning theory.

35% ‐ Final Project:

• A 10 to 20 page paper and a 20 minute oral presentation that summarize the substantive work that has been completed with the community partner and the ways in which this work relates to relevant planning literature and social learning theory The criteria will be the following, noting that the percentages assigned to each portion may vary depending on the nature of the project and the possible circumstances that are beyond the control of the student:

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o Progress of project in completing contract objectives ‐ 10% o Media strategy (proposed or realized) ‐ 5% o Proposed ongoing social learning model related to project ‐ 5% o Oral presentation ‐ 5%

15% ‐ Final Reflection:

• At the end of the second semester each student will send a 10 to 15 page written commentary that summarizes some of the main points covered in the Reflective Journal.

• Brief descriptions of the CSL projects that the student facilitated, observations on what worked and did not work in the projects, and the factors that affected each project’s success and lessons.

• Thoughtful analysis of the processes whereby the CSL projects were identified planned, implemented and evaluated.

• Reflections on the links between the lived experience of being a planner and the concepts and theories presented in the course readings and discussions. These reflections can be a synthesis and refinement of the earlier journal entries. Reflections must make specific links between points made in specific readings and the student’s own experience.

• Reflections on the course itself as an instance of a social learning community of practice.

Criteria for evaluation include: clarity of description of the CSL projects and their key planning and social learning processes, clarity and insight into links between planning theory and this instance of participatory planning practice, and insight into social learning processes.

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PLAN 548D: AFFORDABLE HOUSING POLICY AND PLANNING

2010W, Term 2, F, 1330‐1530, WMAX 150 Credit Hours: 1.0 Instructor: Margaret Eberle Email: [email protected] Telephone: 604‐254‐0820

Course Description:

Hardly a day goes by that we are not faced with an image of a homeless person, either in the media or in our daily lives. Homelessness is the manifestation of a complex set of factors, one of which is a lack of affordable housing. This course will provide an introduction to affordable housing policy and planning and explore key issues related to the current practice of affordable housing planning and policymaking primarily at the local level. Federal, provincial and municipal level housing policies and programs are examined in historical perspective. Present day issues and challenges are explored such as homelessness, affordability and sustainability. Planning for affordable housing involves many stakeholders and jurisdictions ranging from the local and regional (density, land supply) to the provincial (mental health, addictions), and the federal (taxation, homelessness, Aboriginal affairs). Although typically associated with senior levels of government, affordable housing and homelessness are increasingly being viewed as municipal concerns.

Objectives:

By the end of the course students should be able to:

• Understand the legislative, political and historical context of affordable housing policy and practice in Canada;

• Identify major issues and debates in contemporary affordable housing policy and planning (approaches, innovations, opportunities, barriers);

• Be familiar with key concepts in affordable housing and homelessness; and • Consider the tools and techniques relevant to affordable housing planning and policy making.

Content:

Course material is organized around selected topics and case examples. The course will draw on the affordable housing research, policy and planning experience of individuals and agencies in BC (including guest speakers). The course will also examine perspectives from other cities in Canada. Although there will be formal lecture components, students are expected to read the required readings thoroughly for each class and be prepared to fully participate in a discussion about the topic based on the readings.

Prerequisites:

Non‐SCARP students who wish to take the course must obtain permission from the instructor.

Readings:

There is no course text. Readings are found on UBC library course page for Plan 548D. Go to UBC library home page, click on course material, enter subject code and course number. Under online course material, click on Plan 548D. Most are available on line, the remainder are on reserve.

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Assignments & Evaluation:

Students are responsible for:

Assignment Weight

I. Written assignment 75%

II. Class participation: regular attendance and active participation 25%

Detailed class schedule

1. Introduction to affordable housing

An introduction to affordable housing concepts. Housing supply and demand. Demographic drivers and trends. Definition affordable housing. Core housing need. Housing continuum. Canadian Housing Observer. Rationale for affordable housing.

2. The evolution of Canadian housing policy

A review of the major periods of housing policy in Canada: background and pre‐WWII; the creation and consolidation of the welfare state; and the withdrawal (and partial return) of the federal government. Evolution of federal, provincial and municipal roles in affordable housing. False Creek South.

3. Homelessness: causes and effects

Review the situation of homelessness, its causes, its effects as well as federal, provincial and municipal roles and responses. Will include: definition(s) of homelessness, the role of federal government, provincial government, local governments and community agencies. Lessons learned, Housing First versus continuum of care.

4. Municipal tools for affordable housing

Efforts by municipalities to identify and address the growing disparity between what low and moderate income households can afford to pay for housing and the cost of housing are growing. This class will focus on tools available to local government for creating non market and market based affordable housing, both ownership and rental. Includes legislation, challenges and examples.

5. Planning for affordable housing

In class case study of a BC community.

6. Creating affordable market and non market housing

How municipalities, community organizations and the private sector work to retain existing and create new affordable market and non market housing using a variety of tools. May include guest speakers. Discussion of examples, challenges, opportunities and lessons learned.

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PLAN 548E: CROSS CULTURAL PLANNING (EDUCATING THE HEART)

2010W, Term 1, W, 09:00‐12:00, WMAX 140 Credit Hours: 3.0 Instructors: Nathan Edelson

Email: [email protected] Norma‐Jean McLaren Email: [email protected]

Course Description:

The metaphor of the ‘mongrel city’ captures the urban condition of the 21st century in which difference, otherness, and heterogeneity prevail. In the context of globalization, four sociocultural forces are re‐shaping cities: international migration, an unresolved post‐colonial condition, the resurgence of indigenous peoples, and the rise of civil society. Together these forces produce cities of difference, characterized by a located politics of difference, which is the context in which planning takes place. We may not consciously set out to be cross‐cultural planners, but we all find ourselves inevitably working in cross‐cultural situations. This kind of work requires an understanding of the visible landscapes of the multicultural city and also of our own less visible inner landscapes.

Planning can be described as “the art of the possible”. All planners must act within a context over which they have limited control. Successful planners learn how their actions and those of their community and institutional partners can help change that context over time. The art is to work with partners to move from disagreement and despair toward common understanding and hope. Hope creates the path forward between the illusions of despair and delusion. (Nathan Edelson)


The course will be taught as a learning community. This means that it is a forum for sharing experiences, through deep conversation, exploring new ideas, and cultivating our capacities for self‐observation as well as integrating diverse ways of knowing. The course demands emotional as well as intellectual energy and commitment. The goal is to give students an opportunity to look at practice and theory related to planning diverse communities and to also consider the personal as it imposes itself into the equation.

There will be small group exercises, brainstorming, discussions, seminar‐type sessions, and more, depending on the topic. Weekly discussions and exercises will be based on assigned readings/case studies, and participating students will take turns leading discussion on the week’s readings. The course is intended to provide a safe space where students can learn new skills and approaches, and take risks, without the fear of ‘messing up’ on the job. Guest speakers with urban, rural and aboriginal work experience will complement the course content.

This course is being co‐taught by Norma‐Jean McLaren and Nathan Edelson. Norma‐Jean is a consultant specializing in diversity and anti‐racism training, creative planning for personal and organizational change, developing personal and leadership skills in healing processes, and community building/empowerment work. Nathan has been the Senior City Planner for Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside and has worked on a variety of contentious issues and community building programs in many communities here and outside of Canada.


Examining the juxtaposition of the theoretical, the practical and the personal ‐ Students will be given weekly questions that will be the basis for a weekly journal. The journal will allow a deeper examination

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of self within community; questions will ask students to examine their own ways of knowing, responses to story, triggers, fears and hopes, and self in terms of privilege vs. exclusion, strengths and limitations.

o Students will be asked to summarize the awareness they have gained through the journaling. An emphasis will be on discoveries and re‐discoveries that will support them in future and on issues that will need to be addressed to achieve their success in inclusive community planning and development.

o A paper of no more than 4 pages will be due November 17. This paper will summarize the student’s learning in the areas listed above and relate this to the theory and practice discussed during the term.

Experience and Analyse community Processes – Working in pairs, students will observe and analyse three current projects, events and city initiatives. These might include use of public space, involvement of wider community in a local planning process or involvement in a community event. Students will observe and then report on the success or failure of these processes/events in involving the wider community, and will look at the possibilities presented to establish relationships across a wider community. Working pairs will develop an appropriate strategy to observe the process by attending meetings and/or watching recorded public meetings or events and if appropriate, speak with several key stakeholders and analyze these through the lens of relevant readings. Students will be asked to include your assessment of the ways of knowing/learning apparent within the process. Central to your work will be analyzing the cross‐cultural issues at play in the process, your response to them, and how the process/event addressed these issues.

o Group component: The discussion in class will include your reflections on how effective was the community process or the use of public space in encouraging cross‐group use/ learning/comfort; what ways of knowing/learning/discussing were accommodated within the process/event and what could have been done to accommodate other ways. (Discussion will take place during the last two sessions of the class)

o Individual component Each course member will write a paper on the experience – including what you observed, what reactions you had, what assumptions you made, what triggers you experienced in the process, your judgments and your learning. This paper should connect your learning during the experience on how at least three of the class readings relate to outcomes in this process:

how the process, event or use of space was able to, or could have been expanded/changed to accommodate other ways of knowing or learning, and how relationships may have been established or changed….

what are the implications of failing to be inclusive of other ways of knowing, learning and of expanding community capacity – how use of space/process affects sense of belonging or inclusion.

what was the learning about yourself in terms of ways of working within community ensuring inclusive involvement in discussion and decision making and in planning for use of public space.

Summarize this in a paper (max 2500 words). Questions to guide you through this process will be provided. (Due December 8th)

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PLAN 548F: SUSTAINABILITY, PLANNING AND GOVERNANCE ‐ APPROACHES TO WHOLE REGION CHANGE

2010W, Term 1, W, 1400‐1700, WMAX 240 Credit Hours: 3.0 Instructor: J.O’Riordan Email: [email protected] Telephone: 250‐477‐9107

Course Description

This course presents the case for transformational change in governance of natural resources and urban complexes to deal with global challenges associated with climate change, fiscal limitations in the public sector, peak oil and the loss of natural capital.

This change is termed Integrated Resource Management which applies ecological principles to resource and urban development on a whole systems basis ‐‐ there is no waste, all resources including waste have value and that the ecological footprint can be continuously reduced while the economy grows. IRM is both a business model and an ecological model.

This course will apply IRM principles to a variety of resource management policies in British Columbia including strategic land use planning and forestry on the Central and North coasts, marine planning, watershed management and integrated regional planning of urban systems. Students will be encouraged to debate how to remove institutional and policy barriers to implementing IRM

Learning Outcomes

The course is structured to achieve four learning outcomes:

Knowledge: Scope and content of strategic land use plans, the legal rights of First Nations in land and resource management plans, solid and liquid waste management plans, watershed management, development of business case analyses.

Policy Understanding: Current Provincial policy for water management, climate change, salmon aquaculture, forests and land and resource management, watershed governance, liquid and solid and waste infrastructure in urban systems.

Government Decision Making Processes: I will use my experience in presenting policy advice to Cabinet to demonstrate how the decision making process works in BC and what approaches are required for securing successful outcomes.

Leadership and Teamwork: Demonstrate leadership in preparing and presenting assignments and learn how to integrate skills of different disciplines to develop unified recommendations. Develop ability to respond to comments and critiques to improve final products.

Integration: Understand differences between sectoral and integrative approaches to decision making.

Written and Oral Presentation: Each student will prepare written presentations as part of a team contribution. This presentation will be marked individually. The students will also be marked on how well they present their information orally and respond to questions and comments from the class who will be playing roles as senior civil servants and stakeholders as simulated planning tables.

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Course Organization

The class will consist of 9 lecture/seminars, three classes when assignments will be presented and a field trip.

• Lecture 1. Bridge in: The concept of sustainability, whole system change, application of planning tools, the concept of integrated resource management and what is meant by governance.

• Lecture 2. Field Trip Olympic Village ‐ SE False Creek • Lecture 3. Strategic land use planning • Lecture 4. The changing role of First Nations in land use planning and resource management • Lecture 5. Resource Recovery for water and waste infrastructure • Lecture 6. Group Assignments • Lecture 7. Aquaculture and Marine Planning • Lecture 8. Thinking as Watershed • Lecture 9. Government decision making processes and structures • Lectures 11, 12. Individual Assignments • Lecture 13. Governance and Reality

Course requirements and Grading

Grades for the curse will be allocated as follows:

• Group assignment (35%) • Individual Assignment (45%) • Participation in class on weekly readings (20%)

Group Assignments:

Groups of 4‐5 students will be assigned to consider ecological, economic, social and governance aspects of case studies. These will be assigned in the first lecture. The students will present an integrated approach to resolving a resource management of urban infrastructure issues.

Individual Assignments:

Each student will prepare a decision document in the form of a cabinet submission to address an issue of governance and sustainability of their interest. The students will be assessed on their ability to present the case orally and well as in written form.

Course materials

Readings from literature and government documents will be posted on an internal website for the class to access. The readings will be assigned at least a week in advance. For each class students will be identified to be a leader in the discussion for the following class on a rotational basis.

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PLAN 548G: ARRANGING AND PREPARING FOR YOUR PLANNING INTERNSHIP


Course Description:

An internship during the summer between first and second year can be an immensely valuable professional development experience. It not only provides the opportunity to learn about what is involved in the day‐to‐day practice of planning but in the best of all worlds it

• connects you with a topic for project or thesis research; • refines your thinking on a focus for your degree that can guide courses selected for second year;

and, • leads, not infrequently, to a future employer.

However, while it has been our experience that most students eventually find an internship, the search can be challenging and the productivity of the internship experience can fall short of its considerable potential for both the student and the host organization if it is not designed with care. Feedback from some of those who have hosted our students indicates that they are not always adequately prepared for seeking internships and entering the world of planning practice and thus to benefit from the internship. This 1‐credit course has been designed to overcome these difficulties and assist you in arranging and preparing for your internship.


The instructor will work with students to:

• review the purpose of an internship and the key roles of the student, faculty supervisor, and the host organization;

• guide students in developing their personal goals and strategies for getting the most out of an internship;

• describe internship opportunities and expectations of host organizations; • advise students on how to search for suitable internship opportunities; • prepare them to present themselves to best advantage in making initial contacts and conducting

subsequent interviews; • provide students with fundamental understanding of planning workplace ethics and practices; • develop an appreciation of the critical components of an internship agreement that includes

consideration of all items that are essential for a productive experience for everyone involved; and,

• set up the record keeping of work activities and reflections that will be the basis for assessing the internship and learning from it.

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The class will meet from 12.30 to 14.00 on 9 Mondays beginning at the start of term. On selected days the class will meet jointly with second year students in Getting a Job and Launching a Planning Career (PLAN 548H) in order that both groups can hear and talk about the same issues. A schedule for specific days will be available on the course web site at the first class.

Classes will involve mixed formats including presentations by the instructor and occasional guests, and breakout sessions to practice skills (e.g. interviewing) and discuss issues (e.g. dealing with work place challenges).

Drawing on the individual web sites created in Omnibus, the course will be built around the particular internship interests of students.


Student assignments will involve:

• Preparation for each class: sometimes involving reading, other times preliminary drafting for the other two assignments or preparing to undertake exercises in class.

• Revising the initial resume prepared in Omnibus to meet the specific purposes of searching for an internship.

• Developing a strategy document for acquiring and carrying out an internship and its assessment.

The individual web sites created in Omnibus will be used to post revised resumes and draft strategy documents so that they can be reviewed and discussed by members of the class.

Class sessions will in part focus on developing specific skills relevant to obtaining an internship, such as interviewing.

Course Assignments:

Further details on course assignments and grading will be posted on the course web site http://tonydorcey.ca/Internship/InternshipIndex.html

Course Policies:

A class participation policy will be posted on the course web site.

Course Materials:

All course materials will be made available on the course web site http://tonydorcey.ca/Internship/InternshipIndex.html.

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http://tonydorcey.ca/Internship/InternshipIndex.html

PLAN 548H: GETTING A JOB AND LAUNCHING YOUR PLANNING CAREER


Course Description:

The course is designed to assist second year students who are nearing completion of their degree in obtaining the job with which they would like to launch their planning career. Class sessions will in part focus on developing specific skills relevant to obtaining employment, such as interviewing, and in part on building an understanding of current job prospects, career development paths and employer expectations of interviewees and employees.


The following topics will be covered with each of them being addressed in the specific context of preparing to get a job and launching a planning career:

• Understanding the range of planning employment and career development opportunities in government, business and civil society organizations.

• Weighing the pros and cons of working internationally at the beginning of a planning career. • Developing a job search strategy to meet your interests. • Locating specific job opportunities. • Making the first contact with potential employers. • Customizing a resume for specific job opportunities. • Preparing a portfolio of your previous work. • Designing a web site to supplement a resume and include information on yourself appropriate

to pursuing employment. • Preparing for job interviews. • Being knowledgeable about the requirements for becoming a PIBC/CIP member and its

Statement of Values and Code of Professional Practice. • Conducting job interviews by phone and face‐to‐face. • Negotiating employment agreements. • Preparing for the first day on the job. • Finding a mentor.


The class will meet from 12.30 to 14.00 on 9 Mondays beginning at the start of term. On selected days the class will meet jointly with first year students in Arranging and Preparing for Your Internship (PLAN 548G) in order that both groups can hear and talk about the same topics. A schedule for specific days will be available on the course web site at the first class.

Classes will involve mixed formats including presentations by the instructor and breakout sessions to practice skills (e.g. interviewing) and discuss issues (e.g. completing theses or projects while working).

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Drawing on the individual web sites, the course will be built around the particular employment interests of students.


Student assignments will involve:

• Preparation for each class: sometimes involving reading, other times preliminary drafting for the other two assignments or preparing to work with others in class.

• Developing a strategy document for seeking and obtaining the job you desire. • Developing a resume to meet the specific purposes of searching for the type of employment

opportunity being sought. Resumes and draft strategy documents will be posted to either the individual's web site or to the course web site so that they can be reviewed and discussed by members of the class.

Course Assignments:

Further details on the course assignments will be posted on the course web site http://tonydorcey.ca/Job%20Seeking/JobIndex.html.

Course Policies:

Course participation and other policies will be posted on the course web site http://tonydorcey.ca/Job%20Seeking/JobIndex.html.

Course Materials:

All course materials will be provided on the course web site http://tonydorcey.ca/Job%20Seeking/JobIndex.html.

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http://tonydorcey.ca/Job%20Seeking/JobIndex.html

PLAN 548J: TRANSPORTATION PLANNING AND ANALYSIS

(Cross listed with CIVL 583 Urban Engineering Methods and Models and CIVL 441 Transportation Planning and Analysis) 2010W, Term 2 M, 1100‐1200, CIVL‐CEME 1202 W, 1100‐1300, CIVL‐CEME 1202 Credit Hours: 3.0 Instructor: Jinhua Zhao Email: [email protected] Telephone: 604‐822‐0107

Course Description

This course introduces fundamentals about transportation planning and analysis: 1) systems overview: demand, supply and institution; 2) analytical methods: modeling framework, four step models (generation, distribution, mode split, assignment), and activity based models; and 3) data needs: surveys, sampling techniques, and automatic data collection methods. The course emphasizes the application of urban analysis methods and models to the design of transportation systems. Three application areas include: the relationship between transportation and land use, the impact of transportation on environment and climate change, and the role of government policies in managing urban transportation. Credit Hours: (3)

Course Outline

Overview

Section 1: Overview of Transportation Planning and Analysis Section 2: Transportation Systems: Demand, Supply and Institution

• Traveler Behavior: Demand Analysis • Infrastructure and Service Planning: Supply Analysis • People and Process: Institutional Analysis

Methods & Data

Section 3: Transportation and Analytical Models • Demand Modeling Framework • Four Step Models: Generation, Distribution, Mode Split and Assignment • Activity Based Modeling

Section 4: Transportation and Data Collection

• Surveys and Sampling Technique • Revealed Preference and Stated Preference • Automatic Data Collection Method

Three Areas of Application

Section 5: Modeling the Transportation and Land Use Connection • Characterizing Land Use Factors

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• Modeling Land Use Impact on Travel Behavior • Modeling Transportation Impact on Land Use

Section 6: Modeling the Impact of Transportation on Environment

• Greenhouse Gas Emission and Climate Change • Transportation Energy Consumption • Air Quality, Noise and Public Health

Section 7: Modeling the Policy Intervention to Transportation System

• Role of Government and Taxes for Transportation • Analyzing Congestion Pricing • Analyzing Parking Policy

Hands‐on Project

Section 8: Student Group Project and Presentation

Course Materials

The primary textbooks are

1. M.D. Meyer and E.J. Miller, Urban Transportation Planning: A Decision‐Oriented Approach, Second Edition, McGraw‐Hill, 2001

2. Ortuzar, J. de D. and Willumsen, L. G., Modelling Transport, Third Edition. Willey, New York, 2001

And there are other handouts and readings

Course Requirement and Grading

Reading requirement

Students are expected to complete the assigned readings before each lecture and to participate actively in class discussions.

Grading

Problem Sets 30% (6 points per assignment x five assignments)

Midterm Exam 20%

Final Exam 30%

Group Project 20%

Problem Sets: Students are encouraged to discuss with others on the problem sets but individual submission is required by each student.

Midterm and Final Exams: Closed Book but Aid Sheet is allowed

Group Project: Students are expected to form groups of 4‐5 students to work on the project. Each group will submit one report, present as one team and be graded as a whole.

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PLAN 548K: PLANNING FOR DISASTER‐RESILIENT COMMUNITIES

(Cross‐listed with RMES 500x) 2010W, Term 2, M, 1400‐1700, WMAX 150 Credit Hours: 3.0 Instructor: Mark Stevens Email: [email protected] Telephone: 604.822.0657 Doctoral students: Dilnoor Panjwani and Lily Yumagulova Description

This course introduces students to the study of disasters and disaster management planning. It addresses such questions as: what causes catastrophes? why are disaster losses increasing? and, how can communities become more disaster‐resilient? The course focuses primarily on natural hazards in the U.S. and Canadian context. It will also touch on technological hazards, human‐induced disasters, and disasters in the developing country context. Drawing primarily from social science and planning literatures, but also considering natural science and engineering perspectives, the course seeks to develop interdisciplinary insights into the challenge of developing disaster‐resilient communities. There are no prerequisites for this course. Students from any disciplinary background are welcome.

Course Objectives

This course aims to help students to (1) become familiar with the social science and planning literature on disasters and disaster management planning; (2) develop an understanding of how environmental risk arises from complex interactions between the physical environment, built environment, and human society; and (3) develop skills in interdisciplinary research and application.

Format

This is a seminar course that meets once a week for 3 hours. Each week, class will begin with an informal lecture. This will be followed by a student‐led discussion of the assigned readings and by in‐class exercises that reinforce the lecture topic. Occasional guest lectures will provide perspectives from researchers and practitioners on current topics in the field.

Evaluation

Grading for the course will be based on the following: % of Grade Course Element 20% Assignment #1 ‐ Disaster data 40% Assignment #2 ‐ Risk factors 30% Assignment #3 ‐ Planning for resilience 10% Participation and discussion leadership

Assignments are designed to provide students with the opportunity to apply and assess concepts discussed in class, as well as to further explore specific case studies and examples. Through student presentations, the assignments are also designed to help students learn from one another, including appreciating perspectives from different disciplines.

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Assignments will be graded on the following criteria, as applicable: appropriate application of course concepts, identification and use of relevant sources, originality, clarity and completeness of documentation, clarity of explanation, reasoning and argument, and professional writing/presentation. Course Policies Students should notify the instructor if they expect to hand in an assignment late. Students with extenuating circumstances should notify the instructor as soon as possible. Points will be taken off for late assignments as follows: Days past due Points deducted (/100) 1‐7 days 5 points 8‐14 days 15 points 15‐30 days 30 points >30 days assignment will not be graded

Readings There is no textbook for this course. Readings will be compiled in a course reader and will be available electronically through WebCT. Back to top

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PLAN 548L: THEORY AND METHODS OF URBAN DESIGN

2010W, Term 1, T, 1400‐1730, LASR 202 Credit Hours: 3.0 Instructor: Maged Senbel Email: [email protected] Telephone: 604‐822‐9158

Course Description

This course covers the fundamentals of urban design theory and invites students to apply these theories in a specific neighborhood design. The course surveys major historical and contemporary trends in urban design theory and practice, and introduces emerging theories on the future forces affecting the development and functioning of urban regions. We will discuss cities at multiple scales and will apply our evolving understanding to development at the neighbourhood scale in locations in the Vancouver area. The course is designed to provide a collaborative, interactive, applied and community based environment for the development of spatial thinking and basic urban design literacy.

This is a required course for Urban Design students and is a foundation for anyone interested in gaining a basic literacy of Urban Design. It meets the distributional requirement for the Urban Design area within SCARP’s Masters level degree program. The course is an entry point into the field from which students can build deeper knowledge and praxis with additional coursework and focused research. This course is open to all SCARP students and they will be given priority during registration, but students from other graduate programs are encouraged to register early for the waiting list section. Students from Architecture and Landscape Architecture are particularly encouraged to register. No prior design or drawing experience is required.

Learning Objectives

The primary objective of the course is to introduce students to prevailing ideas in the field of urban design and to the anticipated challenges that will likely affect the evolution of cities. By the end of the course students will have gained the following:

1. direct experience in understanding, interpreting and applying theories of urban design; 2. a basic capacity to critique urban design and the normative doctrines that produce them; 3. an understanding of urban design as a dynamic force integral to the evolution of cities; 4. an introduction to a range of methodological approaches to the spatial analysis of cities. 5. an introduction to the language and terminology of land use and urban design; 6. a heightened awareness of the details of the built environment to foster lifelong design learning.

Format

The class will once a week for 3 hours. We will first meet in the Urban Design Studio at 2pm and break at 3:30. We will then reconvene in WMAX 150 at 4pm (TBD). The course will include two parallel streams of activity; ideas and design actions. The first session will centre on a physical model of a Vancouver neighbourhood, to which we will make changes, additions and modifications.

In the second session the class will include presentations and interactive discussions about readings in urban design.

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http://www.scarp.ubc.ca/profiles/faculty/Maged%20Senbel


In 2010 we will be working on Vancouver’s Chinatown. Each week two teams of students will make design changes to each of the digital and physical models based on the previous week’s discussions and will present those changes to the class. No prior design or model building experience is necessary.

Students will additionally be required to make presentations demonstrating an understanding and critical engagement of course readings and will write critiques of other students’ designs.

Curricular and Pedagogical Context

The syllabus is designed to apply the contemporary thinking in urban design theory and methods to a real community setting. The class integrates the models of community based learning and problem based learning to foster a dynamic learning environment. Course output will also contribute to ongoing research on the development and improvement of tools for design visualization and improved decision‐making in urban design. Course outputs will also feed into other SCARP courses such as PLAN 548R – Digital Video for Planners and PLAN 587A – Introduction to Physical Planning and Urban Design.

Course Requirements

All coursework will be conducted in teams assigned at the beginning of the semester. The following activities will be required on a rotating basis, following the schedule on page 6, and will culminate in the production of a book of student work:

Design 60%

Critique and Readings Presentations 25%

Model base, book and blogging 15%

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PLAN 548M: STRATEGIC PLANNING

2010W, Term 2, F, 0900‐1200, WMAX 150 Credit Hours: 3.0 Instructor: Ann McAfee Email: [email protected] Telephone: 604‐936‐7108 Course Description:

The first half of the Strategic Planning course introduces the theory and practice of developing and implementing strategic/policy plans using examples from metropolitan, city, area, community, and neighbourhood plans. A range of topics including land use, transportation, environment, economic, social, and financial directions are combined into integrated plans for sustainable futures. The course considers the challenges and opportunities of engaging broad public participation in plan preparation and implementation.

The second half of the course focuses on developing regional‐metropolitan plans. Lectures will introduce example regional plans and monitoring processes developed under various governance systems. Students will apply their knowledge of strategic planning to review Metro Vancouver’s Regional Growth Strategy.


Strategic Planning: acquaints students with methodologies for analysis and development of strategic/policy plans for communities, cities, and regions in Canadian and international contexts; assists students to select appropriate processes to involve stakeholders in plan making and implementation; offers practical experience in writing and presenting policy reports to elected officials, and provides a context for considering the roles of politicians, planners, various levels of government, private sector, NGOs, and citizens in planning sustainable futures.


1. Introduction to Strategic Planning: What is "Strategic Planning?" The challenge of combining land use, transportation, social, environmental, and economic directions into a Strategic Plan. Course overview and assignments.

2. Approaches to Strategic Planning: Comparison of Traditional Strategic Planning Methodologies (SWOT) and Choicing Methodologies. Examples from Canadian and International experience. Discussion of strengths and shortfalls of approaches.

3. Engaging People in Policy Planning: Planning to plan‐‐agreeing roles and responsibilities, public engagement techniques, maintaining momentum.

4. Moving From Plans to Action: Coordinating neighbourhood/city/regional plans, phasing and funding plan implementation.

5. Assignment 1 Workshop on Strategic Planning Directions for Land Use/Growth Management, Transportation, and Environment: Students lead discussions sharing information from literature and Plan reviews.

6. Assignment 1 Workshop on Strategic Planning Directions in Governance, Social, Economic, Cultural, Community Character/Services, and Financial Sectors: Continuation: Students lead discussions sharing information from literature and Plan reviews.

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7. Developing Regional‐Metropolitan Plans: Overview of challenges developing "multi‐jurisdiction" plans in a variety of contexts and governance structures (e.g. Metro Vancouver, Melbourne, Philippines, and Ukraine).

8. Metro Vancouver’s Growth Strategy: Field Trip to Metro Vancouver offices ‐‐ date and location to be confirmed.

9. Writing Strategic/Policy Planning Reports: The challenges of assembling strategic directions, conveying options, and framing recommendations for a Council or Board. Presenting and responding to decision makers and the press. Example reports illustrate how to present complex policy issues, reframe existing policies, deal with legal challenges, anticipate new directions, handle "unpleasant realities", and manage inter‐jurisdictional plans.

10. Working with Politicians and Staff to Prepare Municipal Business‐Strategic Plans: Guest speakers: presentation using examples from strategic planning in smaller municipalities. Date to be confirmed.

11. Managing and Monitoring Plans: Techniques for work programming, budgeting, assessing and updating strategic plans. Examples from Vancouver Transportation Plans, Melbourne, Auckland, and Shanghai.

12. Assignment 2 Workshop on Metro Vancouver Regional Growth Strategy: Students share findings from Policy Reports assessing Metro Vancouver's Regional Growth Strategy and Municipal Regional Context Statements. Details to be confirmed depending on status of new Regional Growth Strategy.


Grading for Strategic Planning will be based on:

• 40% Assignment 1 Written Report and Individual Class Presentation • 40% Assignment 2 Written Report and group class discussion • 20% Participation in class discussions on weekly readings.

Course Assignments:

Assignment 1: review and presentation of issues, policy directions, and actions for a topic typically addressed in metropolitan/city strategic plans. Students select a topic and review information from literature and practical examples from 2 strategic plans and present their findings. The task includes preparing a bibliography of books, journal articles, and examples of strategic plans (with web sites) to share with the class. The intent is to have each student assemble information for other students to reference in future work. Due: February 4 or 11 depending on topic. 40% course grade.

Assignment 2: preparation and presentation of a Council report on a Regional Context Statement responding to Metro Vancouver’s Regional Growth Strategy. Due April 1. 40% course grade

Course Policies:

For Assignments 1 and 2 students will be judged on their ability to identify, compare, and present (both written and verbal) strategic planning issues and associated policies. Assignment 1 should demonstrate the ability to compare and critique different approaches to policy planning. Assignment 2 should demonstrate the capacity to provide practical policy advice in a format which can be used by a municipal council. Assignment 3, weekly readings, student contributions to class discussion.

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PLAN 548N: GLOBAL CHANGE, COMPLEXITY AND PANARCHY: THE 21ST CENTURY CONTEXT OF PLANNING

2010W, Term 2, W, 0900‐1200, WMAX 150 Credit Hours: 3.0 Instructor: William E. Rees Email: [email protected] Telephone: 604‐822‐2937 Context

Indications are that, contrary to mainstream economic and policy directions, the next 30 years will not be a simple extension of the past three decades. Climate trends already exceed the worst‐case scenarios of the IPCC and are accelerating, the oceans are acidifying, fisheries are continuing to decline, deserts are advancing, petroleum supplies are in doubt (peak oil), tropical deforestation is continuing, etc. While there is universal agreement that these ecological outcomes are the product of prevailing global ‘development’ trends and are fundamentally unsustainable, no major government, mainstream international agency or transnational corporation has begun seriously to contemplate, let alone implement, the kinds of policies and programs necessary for sustainability. The implicit assumption is that society can safely continue indefinitely to ‘trade‐off’ the ‘environment’ for economic gain as long as the perceived short‐term benefits exceed any losses. And once we’ve reached that point, we need only employ some novel technology to mitigate the damage and get back on course.

This assumption, at the heart of conventional global development strategies, assumes smooth change and predictable systems behaviour. However, it is increasingly clear that complex dynamic systems including ecosystems, economies and societies under stress, are characterized more by discontinuously unpredictable behaviour, particularly lags and thresholds (surprise!). Pushed beyond critical bifurcation points (‘tipping points’), these systems may fall into unfamiliar stability domains that are incompatible with human needs and purposes. Indeed, periods of chaotic behaviour leading to catastrophic (to the existing system) changes may be normal stages of systems evolution in nature. The long history of human cultures that have collapsed from the heights of achievement never to rise again underscores difficulty of avoiding or reversing the process.

Content and Purpose

This course examines global change and complex systems dynamics through the lens of panarchy theory. The term ‘panarchy’ was coined to describe the overlapping hierarchical structure of the complex ecosystems (lakes, forests, grasslands, etc.), human systems (governance systems, industrial sectors, corporations, settlements, etc.), and combined (socio‐ecological) systems that now make up the ecosphere. Panarchy theory describes how all such subsystems are interconnected within a global hierarchy in characteristic, never‐ending adaptive cycles of growth, accumulation, release [ also called ‘collapse’ or ‘creative destruction’] and renewal “that take place in nested sets at scales ranging from a leaf to the biosphere over periods from days to geological epochs, and from the scales of a family to a socio‐political region over periods from years to centuries (Holling 2001, 392)”.

Students will assess historic examples of systems evolution and implosion that may help in the analysis of contemporary cases of rapid global change. Does complexity theory with its unfamiliar notions of deterministic chaos, strange attractors, bifurcation points and rapid discontinuous change (catastrophe) apply to human systems? As importantly, to what extent is panarchy theory useful in the interpretation and management of these complex systems behaviours? Can we use panarchy concepts to influence contemporary trends and cycles in ways that enhance the prospects for continued human civilization?

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Accelerating ecological, economic and social changes currently threaten to push the human enterprise beyond heretofore invisible tipping points into unknown and possibly hostile territory. ‘Planning’ is based on the assumption that humans can positively influence societal evolution and create desirable futures. Presumably, if we come to understand the complex dynamics of panarchy cycles, it should be possible to assess their relevance to sustainability planning “and to identify the points at which a system is capable of accepting positive change and the points where it is vulnerable” (Holling 2001, 392). In short, is it possible through foresight, analysis and planning to suspend human institutions and even whole cultures at or near optimal points in their developmental cycles so as to reduce the probability of traumatic collapse?

Learning Objectives

This course is intended to enable students to perceive and plan for global change from the non‐conventional framework provided by complex systems theory and panarchy theory. At the end of the course, participants should be able to discuss and interpret:

a) the principal drivers and systemic weaknesses of contemporary global development models; b) complexity theory and its relevance to: (i) historical cases of systems collapse at both the ecosystem

as societal levels and (ii) prevailing global ecological and economic trends; c) the related concept of panarchy and the application of panarchy theory to problems stemming from

accelerating global change; d) the relevance of such concepts as systems stability, resilience, creative destruction and adaptive

management, to contemporary planning for sustainability. Course organization

The course will feature lectures, case study workshops and student seminars.

Following a series of introductory lecture/discussions on complex systems and panarchy theory, we will turn our attention to the analysis of specific cases of systems change through the lenses provided by these theories. Cases will range from regional ecosystems collapses that were driven by and negatively affected the connected human community (e.g., the collapse of North Atlantic cod stocks) to the collapse of entire human cultures (e.g., the Greenland Norse; Easter Island).

The cases analysed will be used to assess: a) the explanatory power of complexity and panarchy theory in explaining observed systems behaviour; b) the utility of these theories to help frame positive interventions in managed systems and; c) where relevant, the failure of management to respond effectively to obvious negative trends. Again, the major question to be investigated is: how well do the “never‐ending adaptive cycles” of natural systems describe the evolution of combined systems or strictly human systems? An important subsidiary question is: In what ways do ecosystems, combined systems and human systems differ and how do these differences affect management options for a sustainable future?

Course Materials

There are no required texts for this course. The instructor will provide relevant readings, mostly in digital form, depending on the interests of participants and specific cases chosen for assessment. Many key papers on the development and application of panarchy theory can be found or are archived with on‐line journal, Ecology and Society (http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/ ).

Course Requirements, Assignments and Grading

Students will be evaluated on the basis of class participation, seminar presentations, and a term paper based on the seminar presentations. Grades will be based on:

25% class participation

75% seminar and final paper based on the seminar paper and class feedback Back to top

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PLAN 548O: LOCAL ASSESSMENT FOR PROJECT PLANNING

To be offered in June 2011 (2011S) Credit Hours: 1.0 Co‐Instructors: Louise Morris Teresa Poppelwell

Email: [email protected]

Course Description

This course will examine the theory and practice of designing community‐based projects in the developing world. The course will examine how needs can be identified and prioritized at the community and local municipal level to increase the effectiveness of projects and ensure communities are empowered by the process and local authorities are better able to serve their constituents. The course will review various assessment models and methods used by planners for determining need. The course will draw on case studies from both rural and urban contexts.

The course is useful for planners who would like to work internationally in municipal and community development planning and programming.

Objectives

The course aims to provide participants with an enhanced understanding of how to design community‐based development programmes and local governance projects. It will equip participants with knowledge of the methods and tools that are commonly used in determining need and conducting assessments and how to apply these in the field.

Content

Course material is organized around selected topics and case studies. The course will draw on journal articles, and ‘living’ documents used by NGOs, the UN and the World Bank.

Prerequisites

Non‐SCARP students who wish to take the course must obtain permission from the instructor.

Assignment and Evaluation

Students will be required to apply the techniques learned in locally‐based assessment in a scenario of their choice or a scenario provided by the instructor. Students may select either to develop a plan for conducting a rapid assessment, municipal assessment or community mapping exercise based on their project scenario.

This will account for 80% of the course grade. Students will be required to present their work in class. Regular attendance and active participation will account for 20% of the course grade.

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Topics

A. Community‐based Project Planning

I. Designing projects

• The role of a planner vis a vis the community • Empowering communities and ownership – key issues for consideration • Examination of case studies to determine how programmes and projects enable

communities • Making assistance effective: the importance of ensuring social inclusion and reducing

corruption II. Assessment methods and techniques

• Review of methods commonly used by planners and communities and how to apply these in both rural and urban settings

• Planners as facilitators • Determining the effectiveness of different methods in various contexts • Designing programmes and overcoming constraints

B. Municipal Based Project Planning

I. Designing Projects

• The Governance Agenda • Strengthening Local Government and improving service delivery • Hearing All the Voices: Different Levels of Government, Citizens, Stakeholders, NGO’s, CBO’s II. Assessment methods and techniques

• Methods to assess municipal performance: measuring effectiveness and efficiency • Defining local needs and setting Priority Areas • Role of the Planner in the process • Managing Risks • Developing Program Priorities

Readings: TBA

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PLAN 548P: PRACTICAL PRACTICE: CITY PLANNING AS A CRAFT

2010W, Term 2, W, 1900‐2200, WMAX 150 Credit Hours: 3.0 Instructor: Larry Beasley Email: [email protected] Telephone: 604‐687‐5108

Course Description:

In a combination of lectures, workshops and group discussions, this course will explore the approach, role, style, and essential skills of planners in the typical situations of practical urban planning: working within existing neighbourhoods; putting together new mega‐project plans; developing overall and regional policy for transportation and land use; shaping social policy; regulating development through zoning and development‐based urban design; and direct proactive urban design to shape the city. From the point of view of actual practice, the emphasis will be on the craft of planning, exploring the settings you will be working in, the attitudes you will need to bring to situations in the field, the tools utilized on a day‐to‐day basis to cope with complex planning situations, and the kinds of people and professions that you will be working with. Recent experience in Vancouver will be used as hands‐on case studies and key players will be invited to be part of the class discussions.

The sessions will combine commentary and critical discussion.

(evenings will be 3 hours from 7 ‐ 10pm; full days will be 6 hours and a lunch hour from 9am ‐ 4pm).

• Session 1: Wednesday evening, January 6. • Sessions 2 and 3: Saturday full day, January 9. • Sessions 4 and 5: Saturday full day, January 23. • Session 6: Tuesday evening, January 26. • Sessions 7 and 8: Saturday full day, January 30. • Session 9: Wednesday evening, February 10. • Session 10: Tuesday evening, March 2. • Sessions 11 and 12: Saturday full day, April 10. • Sessions 13: Wednesday evening, April14.


This course should prepare planners to face the first day working as a professional planner. It will look at skills and techniques not normally emphasized in the theoretical side of planners’ education.


The course will be held in 3‐hour Wednesday evening sessions and 6‐hour Saturday sessions.


60% for in‐class participation, including assignment, workshops and readings.

20% for a class project.

20% for a maximum four‐page paper.

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http://www.scarp.ubc.ca/profiles/faculty/Larry%20Beasley

Course Assignments:

Please see above.

The course agenda is as follows:

• Session 1: Crafting a viable planning approach, project assigned for Session 12, area urban design critique, paper assigned

• Session 2: Regulating development ‐ the basics, assignment for Session 3 ‐ FSR estimates • Session 3: Regulating development zoning primer • Session 4 and 5: Urban design ‐ to shape development of the City • Session 6: Development negotiations ‐ the economics and drama, readings for Sessions 7/8:

Ford, Wilson, Hastings‐Sunrise Terms of Reference • Sessions 7 and 8: Neighbourhood planning/Community development and social planning • Session 9: Overall Policy Making for Land use and Transportation, readings for Session 10:

Bramham, Cox (Vancouver Sun articles) • Session 10: Mega‐project planning, reading for Session 11: Gunton • Sessions 11 and 12: Your role as a planner and class project presentations • Session 13: Your style as a planner and closing overview of course

Course Materials:

A package of reading will be provided. No special materials are needed.

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PLAN 548Q: DESIGNING A RESEARCH PROPOSAL

2010W, Term 2, T, 1230‐1400, WMAX 150 First class is on Feb 22, 2011 Credit Hours: 1.0 Instructor: Penny Gurstein Email: [email protected] Telephone: 604‐822‐6065 Course Description:

This course is intended for first year students to prepare them to undertake a final project or thesis. The course encompasses what is entailed in a research process from conceptualization and operationalization of a research problem and question(s), choosing methods of data collection, and considerations of the analytical framework, analysis, interpretation, ethical dimensions, and audience. At the end of the course, the student will have a research proposal that they can use to guide their selection of a supervisor and in conducting their research.


At the end of the course students will:

• Understand the research process and the stages in the process including how to identify the research problem and question(s), the methods of data collection suitable for the research question(s), and the potential audience of the research;

• Have developed a research proposal to guide their research and obtained feedback on it.


The class will meet from 12.30 to 14.00 on 6 Tuesdays from February 22 to April 5. Classes will involve mixed formats including presentations by the instructor and other faculty, presentations on the development of their proposal by students, and breakout sessions for student‐to‐student feedback. At the end of the course, the research proposals will be presented, and invited faculty and students will provide feedback.


Student assignments will involve the preparation and presentation of a research proposal and an evaluation of a proposal done by another student.

Course Assignments:

• Preparation of a research proposal (Assignment maximum length: 10 double‐spaced pages) Presentation (maximum 10‐minutes) of a research proposal

• Evaluation and recommendations for improvement of a research proposal (Assignment maximum length: 2 double‐spaced pages). Students will be assigned a research proposal from a student based research interests.

Grading:

• Research proposal ‐ 60% • Presentation of research proposal ‐ 20% (maximum 10‐minutes) of a research proposal • Evaluation a research proposal ‐ 20% Back to top

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PLAN 548R: DIGITAL VIDEO AND PLANNING

2010W, Term 2, T & Th, 14:00‐16:00, WMAX 250 (Cosmopolis Lab) Credit Hours: 3.0 Instructor: Jonathan Frantz Email: [email protected] Telephone: 778‐840‐3847

Course Description:

This is an introductory course that provides students with a basic understanding of how digital video can be used within the planning profession. Learning occurs through a community based planning project. This year we are working in Chinatown, one of Vancouver’s historic neighbourhoods. We will explore the theoretical connections to democratization of planning, and storytelling; practical aspects of implementing a participatory video process; and the role that creative and non‐traditional forms of community engagement have within planning practice. Through this course students will gain the practical and technical skills needed to independently produce a complete video. They will also have valuable time working with community members and interacting with a client group. No experience is required.

Learning Objectives

The intent of this course is to provide students with a foundational understanding of how video can be utilized in planning; this includes the theoretical connection, practical application and technical knowledge. Through this course students will gain the technical ability to produce a complete digital video, but they should not expect to master the art of production in this course alone.

Course Organization

We approach learning through an applied video project. Students will work in groups and produce a 5‐minute video from concept to completion. To support the technical and creative learning required for video production we have added a lab component to the course. Students will be expected to attend a two‐hour lecture class each week, with the two‐hour lab time having some flexibility to it, providing opportunities for students to gain additional mentoring as needed.

Throughout the video production process we will discuss various theoretical, practical and technical topics as they arise. The focus of the video project will be loosely defined be affiliated community project and our client group, but students will have control over the specific topic, style and video approach.

This video class will run in close connection with the design course offerings, which are also focused on Chinatown. We will collaborate for some classes, site visits and progress reviews. Students interested in gaining a deeper understanding of the Chinatown project are encouraged, but not required, to take the term one‐design course prior to the video course.

Course Requirements

70% of the mark is based on the group video project and 30% for an individual paper. Marks for the video project will be based on an evaluation matrix and allocated throughout production. The focus of the individual paper is to prepare a video pitch. The paper is short, and non‐academic, and could be used for students to develop ideas for projects or thesis work.

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Course Policies:

Students should be prepared to work collaboratively in a group. The peak of the production process is set for the middle of term, to offset conflicts with other classes and projects that are loaded at the end of term.

Course Material:

There is no required book for this class. We will draw on a few academic articles, but the reading requirement is not overly heavy. There is a $125 fee for the use of the Cosmopolis Lab.

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PLAN 548S: PRACTICUM IN PARTICIPATORY PROCESS FACILITATION

2010W Term 1, Sat & Sun in October 16‐17, 0900‐1700, WMAX 240 Credit Hours: 1.0 Sec 001 Instructor: Aftab Erfan E‐mail: [email protected] Tel.: 604‐727‐2729

Course Description:

Most professional planners are in meetings most of the time. Whether at a staff meeting, at an appointment with developers, or at a public consultation session, planners of all ranks can find themselves needing to function in a facilitative role. There are many books on techniques for working with groups, but the only way to develop your intellectual and emotional facilitative muscles is to practice. This is an intensive course on facilitation for both new and experienced students. It introduces a specific theory and practice of working with groups, that is based in process‐oriented psychology with a focus on understanding group dynamics, facilitating group decision‐making and assisting individuals and groups in exploring and growing from conflict situations.

Please note that we will be using the dynamics arising within the classroom as our learning field. For this reason you can expect to feel uncomfortable at times, particularly if you are conflict‐averse. Successful participation in the course requires a certain degree of openness to new experiences and possibilities for personal growth.

(There is some overlap between this course and PLAN 548J offered in Spring 2010. Those students who took 548J are welcome to enroll in this course to complement their theoretical understanding of the approach and to gain further facility with the tools through opportunities for supervised practice.)


By the end of the class students should be able to:

1. Facilitate generative discussions in both small and large groups; 2. Assist a group through a decision making process using the tools introduced in the course; 3. Recognize and work with conflict in groups using the tools introduced in the course; 4. Reflect on their own strength and weaknesses as facilitators and group members and

articulate ways that they can improve.

Assignments and Grading:

1. Individual Exercises – 80% Each student will complete a set of 8 short exercises designed to test your ability to apply the theory and practical tools discussed in the course. Some exercises will require you to observe and comment on dynamics in the groups you are already part of. Others will

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require you to make facilitative interventions in your personal or academic life (e.g. in your family, or in a group you’re working with for another class) and reflect on the experiences. You may choose to do the exercises entirely within the context of your life and existing interactions, or you may form a group with some of your classmates to create an intentional space for carrying out the exercises. The written record of the exercises is due to the instructor on Dec 3rd, 2010.

2. Class Participation – 20% All students will be expected to attend the entire course and take part in the activities. Class participation will not be evaluated based on how much a student talks in class, but based on the degree to which he or she is fully present during the two days.

Course Readings and Requirements:

• Class Organization: Class will start at 9:00am and go for approximately 3 hours in the morning and 3.5 hours in the afternoon. There will be an hour break for lunch and 2 short breaks on each of the two days. Class will end by 5:00pm.

• Reading assignments: The focus of this class is on knowledge acquisition through experience

and reflection. There are no required readings per se. Students will receive the course manual, describing the theories, tools and exercises covered in the course by email. For further suggested readings please contact the instructor.

• Consultation: Students are welcome to consult with the instructor regarding their final

assignments, and regarding further resources for developing a path of becoming an expert facilitator. If you are struggling with the course content or process, particularly if you feel emotionally hooked, please also contact the instructor for support.

Course Outline and Schedule:

(Please note that this is a course on group dynamics and the agenda will likely change depending on what emerges during the course.)

Saturday morning:

• Introduction to the course and the role of the facilitator • The conscious and unconscious in a group: Understanding group dynamics and early

signs that conflicts may be emerging (theory followed by exercise) • Group decision making: models and approaches, introducing the four steps to deeply

democratic decision making and comparison with other models (theory following by individual and group practices)

• Facilitator’s skills and metaskills (theory and individual exercise)

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Saturday afternoon:

• Conversation on Feet: using somatic resources to enliven conversations, helping participants take a stance (theory followed by practice)

• Listening and communication vises: tools for assisting group members in saying what needs to be said and hearing what needs to be heard (theory following by practice)

Sunday morning:

• Check‐in and check‐out: tools for beginning and ending sessions, creating openness and safety in meetings and supporting participants as they leave the meeting (theory followed by practice)

• Role theory: introducing a view of groups and group dynamics based in field theory and the new sciences, understanding what roles people take in groups and how this can impede group processes, learning to read the group – not just the individuals, learning to shift roles (theory and exercise)

Sunday afternoon:

• Edges and Cycling: recognizing signs of an emerging conflict using semantic and intellectual resources (theory)

• The Argument: what to do with the elephant in the room, making it safe to disagree, the principles of conflict resolution, conflict and the gift of personal growth (theory followed by individual and group practice)

Potential Reading List for Facilitators:

The following is a suggested set of readings offering insights on the style of facilitation that will be taught in this course. This is not a comprehensive list of facilitation resources.

Bush, Robert A Baruch, and Joseph P. Folger, 2005 (Revised edition, original 1996), The Promise of Mediation: The Transformative Approach to Conflict, Jossey‐Bass (Particularly: chapters 1 and 2 on the theories of conflict resolution, and chapters 4 and 5 for the transcript and analysis of a simulated conflict resolution process)

LeBaron, Michelle, 2002, Bridging Troubled Waters: Conflict Resolution from the Heart, Jossey‐Bass: San Francisco (Particularly: Part 2 on developing the emotional, somatic, imaginative and intuitive ways of knowing)

Lewis, Myrna with Jennifer Woodhull, 2008, Inside the No: Five Steps to Decisions that Last, self‐published in South Africa (order online or ask the instructor for a copy)

Mindell, Arnold, 2000 (second edition), The Leader as Martial Artist: Techniques and Strategies for Resolving Conflict and Creating Community, Lao Tse Press Ltd: Portland OR

Mindell, Arnold, 1997, Sitting in the Fire: Large Group Transformation Through Diversity and Conflict, Lao Tse Press Ltd: Portland OR

Mindell, Amy, 2001, Metaskills: the Spiritual Art of Therapy, Tempe, Arizona. New Falcon 94/Lao Tse Press

See also the articles at this link: http://deep‐democracy.net/resource‐library Back to top

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http://deep-democracy.net/resource-library

PLAN 548T: DECISION INSIGHTS FOR PLANNING AND POLICY ANALYSIS

(Cross‐listed with RMES 500J) 2010W, Term 1, T, Th, 1400‐1530, WMAX 150 Credit Hours: 3.0 Instructor: Timothy McDaniels Email: [email protected] Telephone: LASR 415, 604‐822‐9288 / AERL 437, 604‐822‐3487

Course Description

Good decision making is a skill, like reading, tennis or driving. It must be learned and can be improved with practice. Yet, the hows and whys of good decision making are almost never taught in schools, and only taught in real life through the trials of personal experience. This class teaches the elements of decision making, and through that, how to do good planning and policy analysis.

Decision making is a topic of enormous interest to a variety of academic disciplines, including psychology, computer science, health care, environmental management, political science, economics, business and many others. In fact, much of the action in these fields is in applying decision theory in insightful ways to new problems. The process developed in decision research for good decision making is directly parallel to, and informs the writing on, good process for planning and policy analysis. Good policy analysis and planning involves good decision making, except that, in the public domain, analysts need to help others structure, understand, and make difficult decisions.

Finally, it is important to recognize that concepts such as sustainability, climate adaptation, building resilience and ecosystem‐based management all are fundamentally about how decisions are and should be framed, processed and implemented. Better decision‐making, by individuals, organization and governments, is how we can make progress in the face of grim environmental trends.

The course has been re‐designed as of Fall, 2010, because it will serve as the “core” policy analysis/decision making class in two graduate programs, SCARP and IRES. The course will allow students to effectively choose the level of complexity and emphasis they seek, through choices in some of the readings. We will draw on readings from several of the key books used as texts in decision making for MBA and public policy programs. The emphasis here is on policy analysis for problems with multiple, conflicting objectives, rather than welfare economics benefit/cost approaches with a single objective.

This course will explore the links between the rich writing on good decision making in all aspects of life and good practice in policy analysis, planning and evaluation. We begin with an introduction to recent academic and popular writing on decision making, including normative (what would be perfect) descriptive (how we typically do it) and prescriptive (how to do it better) views. These concepts serve as a starting point for learning about good practice as a professional in policy analysis. We will make use of several applied case studies in British Columbia in which concepts of decision research have been used as a basis for designing and conducting applied policy analysis and program evaluation.

The course is particularly relevant for those interested in working with stakeholders in citizen involvement contexts. Such groups are often asked to provide advice on complex environmental or technology‐related public policy issues. How to structure such processes so they are meaningful, responsible and effective is a topic of growing interest for many professionals. We will address several case studies of this nature. In addition, there is a growing interest in applying decision analysis tools as a

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basis for policy analysis. This course will help students tackle these emerging opportunities in professional practice.

Learning Objectives

The objectives of this course include:

• Understanding current perspectives on decision making, including normative, descriptive and prescriptive viewpoints.

• Practice with decision making through interesting assignments in which the students select the topics.

• Understanding the process and structure of policy analysis, using an interesting textbook and many recent articles discussing case studies.

• Providing a supportive and lively context for students to practice and critique policy analysis and planning methods, including standard benefit/cost analysis and multiple objective approaches.

• Introduce students to concepts of program evaluation, which could be viewed as ex post policy analysis.

• Laying the foundation for students’ future policy analysis on theses and in professional contexts.

Evaluation

60% Two short assignments and class participation 40% Term project paper

Materials

There are two required books and several books recommended for deeper interest.

• Bazerman, M, (1999), Judgement In Managerial Decision Making • Wiley (any edition) after 1998 • Hammond, Keeney and Raiffa, 1999, Smart Choices, Harvard Business Press

For Deeper Interest:

• Bardach, E, 1996, The Eight‐Step Path of Policy analyses, Berkeley Academic Press • Patten and Sawicki, (1993) Basic Methods of Policy Analyses and Planning (any edition) • March, James, 1994, A Primer on Decision making, Basic books • Clemen, R and T. Reilly, “Making hard decisions with Decision Tools”

Additional Points:

• Guidance for choices among recommended books will be provided in class. • A booklet of readings and some electronic files for readings will be provided. • There will be a Web CT site for the class.

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PLAN 548U: TOOLS FOR PROJECT DESIGN IN INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLANNING

2010W, Term 2, March 21 & 22, 1730‐2130 and March 26, 0830‐1330, WMAX 150 Credit Hours: 1.0 Instructor: Louise Morris

Course Description

You have your first job in international development planning and now you must manage a project. It is time to fly to a far off location, or maybe you are working in Canada at headquarters or at the home office. SCARP has prepared you with theory courses and planning practice. But now you are on your own. You will be faced with many challenges that require solid decisions that will affect peoples’ lives. To function in the world of international planning you will be required to manage projects in a ‘results based approach’, design project initiatives, produce project documentation, and work with tools accepted by international donors. How do you meet these new challenges? This course will offer students an opportunity to better understand how projects are developed and designed in an international development context and the formats, tools and frameworks that are commonly used in international development planning. It will introduce students to: Logical Frameworks Analysis (LFA’s), Project Measurements Frameworks (PMF), Project Implementation Plans (PIP’s), Project Plans or work plans, and the Results Based Management (RBM) approach.

Objectives

The aim of this course is to introduce students to the documentation and tools used in project design in international development planning, and to provide a basic understanding of the Results Based Management framework. The course will build the students skills in a very practical ‘hands on’ approach to use documents and tools. This course should assist student’s to better understand how to perform in the work environment in development aid projects for such agencies as CIDA, the U.N. and NGO’s etc.

Content

Course material will be organized around selected themes and will include documents commonly used by international organizations. Actual scenarios that professionals may face in the field will be used to help students develop understanding. Real life international projects will be used to develop project documentation.

Prerequisites

This course is open to SCARP and non‐SCARP students. No prerequisites are necessary. However some experience and course work in international development planning is beneficial. The short course will be comprised of presentations and hands on working sessions to build the students capacities to work in an RBM approach and to produce project management documentation.

Assignment and Evaluation

Students will be required to design a short Project Plan including a Logical Framework Analysis with indicators. It is suggested that students bring a project of their choosing to be used as a sample for developing their project management documentation. Assignments account for 80% of the course grade and class participation will account for 20% of the course grade.

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Topics

Topics may include:

1. Roles and Responsibilities of International Organizations 2. Project Phases: Concept Papers to Final Reports 3. Project Management Approaches: Capacity Building and Results Based Management. 4. Learning basic skills in developing LFA’s (impact, outcome and output statements). 5. Project monitoring and the use of indicators and Project Monitoring Frameworks. 6. Results based reporting and the requirements donors have in reporting on results. 7. Project Plans and Project Implementation Plans (PIP’s). 8. Cross‐cutting themes

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PLAN 548W: INTRODUCTION TO GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS (GIS)

2010W, Term 1, F, 0900‐1200, Geography (GIS Lab – Room 239) Credit Hours: 3.0 Instructor: Bill Gushue Email: [email protected] Telephone: 604‐736‐6336 Course Description:

This course introduces students to the theory, history and capabilities behind GIS, with computer laboratory workshops and exercises that focus on the application of GIS technology in design and planning areas. It is intended as a course for students not formally exposed to GIS or related geomatic technologies who desire a baseline understanding of the technology, and an ability to create, view, analyze, manipulate and present spatial information. Emphasis will be placed on hands‐on exercises that reinforce the concepts introduced in the lectures and demonstrations.


This course aims to help students develop a basic understanding of what constitutes a GIS, understand the capabilities and limitations of GIS, and gain practical skills in data design, creation, storage, analysis and presentation. Students will be exposed to a broad range of topics required to understand GIS technology. The basic concepts, combined with practical skills in operating GIS software, will provide students with a foundation in spatial information administration, analysis and production. This foundation will help students better understand emerging trends, issues and technologies, or serve as a starting point for further development.


This course meets once a week for a 3 hour session in the Geography GIS Lab ‐ Room 239). The course consists of 8 modules, each module having a 30 – 60 minute lecture, a 30‐60 minute demonstration, and a 3 hour lab assignment split into two parts (sometimes spanning 2 sessions). Lab assignments will be collected at the end of each session, graded when both parts are complete, and returned the following week. The final exam is an in‐class lab assignment that must be completed independently.


80% Lab Exercises (8 – 2 part lab assignments) 10% Final Lab Assignment (completed in class) 10% Class Participation & Attendance Course Assignments:

All assignments including the final assignment are weighted equally. Lecture topics and corresponding lab assignments are as follows:

Section 1 ‐ Introduction to GIS Concepts, Definitions and History

Section 2 – Inputting Data and Basic Editing

Section 3 – Database Types, Attribute Tables, and Data Exporting

Section 4 – Geoprocessing ‐ Analysis & Query Capabilities

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Section 5 – ArcMap Layout Views and Output Formats

Section 6 – Imagery and Layer Management

Section 7 – Geodatabases, Advanced Editing & Typology

Section 8 – 3D Surfaces & Automation, Customization, Modeling and Interoperability

Section 9 – Final Assignment – Biodiversity in Greater Vancouver

Course Policies:

The final assignment will take place on December 3rd.

Course Materials:

Copies of laboratory demonstration materials will be provided. Articles that compliment lecture material will be compiled in a course reader. There is no assigned textbook for this class.

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PLAN 548X: INTERNSHIP

2010W Term 1 2010W Term 2 Credit Hours: 3.0

Course Description:

Please Note Course Sections are: Internship that runs through Terms 1 and 2 (Sec.0X1); Term 1 only (Sec.0X1); Term 2 only (Sec.0X3)

An Internship Program provides the mechanism for students to earn academic credit for relevant work experience outside the University. An Internship is essentially a three‐way partnership among the student, the agency and the School. The Internship may relate to the student’s thesis research and have the same Faculty Supervisor but it should be a separate "stand alone" project. The primary goal of the Internship Program is to assist students to develop professional skills and capabilities through guided "hands on" experience in a workplace environment while gaining academic credit. Typically an Internship involves the equivalent of one day per week during one term; other agreed upon arrangements are possible. Students have worked with local government planning offices and development firms.

1. If appropriate, students are encouraged to do one internship during their time at SCARP. A student should have completed one term (4 months) in the Masters program before starting an internship.

2. In exceptional circumstances at the Director’s discretion, students can do a maximum of two internships during their time at SCARP. Memos by the student outlining why the second internship is important to their education and from their faculty advisor recommending the second internship need to be submitted to the Director for her approval.

3. Each internship course is worth a maximum of three‐credits. Two internships courses are worth a maximum of 2 courses X three‐credits = six‐credits.

4. Students doing MITACS internships can get credit for one internship course credit of three‐credits. This is included in the maximum number of credits allowed for internships.


To help students to develop professional capabilities and planning expertise through orientation within a planning agency; to strengthen the connection between the academic and professional communities; and to enable professionals to keep informed about contemporary planning literature.


The student, in consultation with his or her Faculty Supervisor identifies the kinds of work experiences appropriate to undertake;

1. it is recommended that the student contacts the agency to schedule time for an interview at least six weeks prior to the beginning of the term in which the Internship will take place;

2. the student meets with the Agency Supervisor and develops preliminary objectives for the project; and

3. the Faculty Supervisor, student and Agency Supervisor complete placement by ratifying the Internship Agreement form.

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The student and Faculty Supervisor should work together in creating the Internship Agreement. The student is expected to outline goals for the Internship that are relevant to his or her academic objectives.

The student, with the assistance of the Agency Supervisor, then describes the work required to fulfill his or her objectives. This outline will form a work program for the Internship. The Internship Agreement should describe:

1. the project (a planning report or as otherwise stated in the Internship Agreement);

2. the Internship objectives;

3. the outline of the anticipated job description including specific projects or assignments;

4. the educational opportunities that are provided by the agency;

5. Internship schedule including timelines for the project with relevant deadlines and expected completion dates.

The Internship Agreement represents an informal understanding on the part of the participants to take part in a teaching and/or learning exercise of mutual benefit to all parties. The School of Community and Regional Planning can assume neither responsibility nor liability for any work (complete or incomplete) undertaken by the student in the course of his or her Internship studies.


Faculty Supervisor:

1. Consults with the agency to determine educational objectives, appropriate experiences, and the expectations for the student during the project;

2. facilitates communication between the agency and student;

3. discusses with the student his or her academic objectives;

4. approves the student’s choice of agency placement; helps the student to develop an Internship Agreement that integrates his or her goals with those of the Internship project;

5. reviews the following project status reports:

• a Mid‐term Evaluation from the agency that evaluates the student’s performance thus far;

• a final planning report (or as otherwise described in the Internship Agreement) from the student at the end of the Internship that satisfies the academic standards of the University;

• an Internship Final Evaluation from the agency that evaluates the student’s performance; and

• a Post‐Internship Assessment from the student that evaluates the experience.

6. the Faculty Supervisor assigns the student a grade for the Internship in consultation with the agency and submits it to the Administrator.

Student:

1. Consults with a Faculty Supervisor to formulate academic goals that can be discussed with the agency during the interview;

2. develops, with the assistance of the Faculty Supervisor and the Agency Supervisor, an Internship Agreement outlining objectives and a work schedule (including timelines and expected completion

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dates) and has it endorsed by all parties; the completed Internship Agreement form along with a Registration/Change of Registration form are to be submitted to the School Administrator;

3. learns about and acts in a manner consistent with the agency "culture" and its commitment to a high level of service to the public;

4. learns about and adheres to agency regulations regarding confidentiality and public access to information;

5. submits a final planning report (or as otherwise stated on the Internship Agreement) to the Faculty and Agency Supervisors by the term’s designated due date for final papers; and

6. submits a Post‐Internship Assessment to the Faculty Supervisor at the conclusion of the course.

Agency Supervisor:

1. Provides the student with realistic, challenging assignments that facilitate learning (students should not be conducting work of a clerical nature);

2. helps the student learn about the agency "culture" and adjust to the workplace;

3. informs the student about the agency regulations regarding confidentiality and public access to information;

4. provides compensation for any pre‐approved costs (i.e., printing, materials, postage) incurred by the student while conducting the project;

5. provides the student with ongoing feedback about his or her progress;

6. submits both an Internship Mid‐term Evaluation and Internship Final Evaluation of the Internship experience to the School, describing achievements and providing suggestions for improvement; and

7. participates in assigning the student a grade for the Internship.

Course Policies:

Ownership of Research

The student and agency both retain ownership over the product produced during the Internship. Publication and other use of information are subject to the agency’s confidentiality policies. Acknowledgment is subject to the agency’s standard practices with respect to staff and consultant reports. Neither the student, the agency nor the School will attribute the report to any of the other parties without prior agreement.

Termination of Agreement

All parties have the right to terminate the Internship Agreement for any cause, subject to discussion between the student, Faculty Supervisor, Agency Supervisor and agency management.

Registration

Students wishing to register for an Internship course are required to complete and submit to Patti Toporowski an "Internship Agreement" form (available on SCARP website). Students must complete and submit this form to receive credit for an Internship course. It is also possible to register for an Internship course during the Summer Session. Note: Catalogue numbers differ in the Summer and Winter Sessions.

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PLAN 548Y: ENVIRONMENTAL & ABORIGINAL LAW ISSUES

2010W, Term 1, Sept 28 & 30 and Oct 5 & 7, 1730‐2030, WMAX 150 Credit Hours: 1.0 Instructor: Professor Wally Braul Email: Wally.Braul@fmc‐law.com Telephone: 604‐443‐7148

Course Description

The law governing environmental and aboriginal issues is complex and undergoing significant change. This course introduces the core legal principles in these two areas of law. It does not presume prior legal education or training. The course will necessarily be limited to several issues and which are of immediate relevance to planners. The 13‐hour course will be presented in four sessions. The course will focus on the following issues: contaminated sites; prosecutions and enforcement; the duty to consult and accommodate First Nations. A session will be devoted to each of these three issues. The fourth session will cover, in a more abbreviated fashion, other planning‐specific issues such as fish habitat protection, environmental assessment, development of Indian Reserves, and new climate change legislation (to be determined by the class).

Learning Objectives

This course has two objectives: (a) identify the core legal principles that govern current issues and which will likely continue to apply to new circumstances; and (b) identify the facts that are particularly relevant for the legal disposition of a matter. The student will have a clearer sense of the relevance of the law in the selected issues.

Course Organization

Although much of the course will be delivered by lecture, there will be substantial moderated discussion where students are expected to rely on pre‐assigned material. The lecturer will ask questions and present scenarios for discussion purposes. Class participation will account for a maximum of 20% of the overall grade. The rest of grade will be based on an in‐class closed book exam.

Course Requirements and Grading

The lecturer will ask questions and present scenarios to trigger discussion. Class participation will account for a maximum of 20% of the overall grade. The rest of grade will be based on an in‐class closed book exam.

Course Assignments

Most of the readings will consist of leading cases to be sent to the registered students one week prior to the first lecture. Students must read the applicable readings prior to the session.

Course materials

Most of the readings will consist of leading cases to be sent to the registered students one week prior to the first lecture. Students must read the applicable readings prior to the session.

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PLAN 549C: MASTER’S THESIS

2010W Term 1 2010W Term 2 Credit Hours: 12.0 Sec 001, Cat No 80423, Terms 1 & 2 (students continuing thesis for both terms) Sec 002, Cat No 71336, Term 1 (students completing thesis by December) Sec 003, Cat No 35579, Term 2 (students who have been on official leave for term one) Course Description:

A student may complete his or her masters program by undertaking either an academically oriented thesis of 12 credits (549C) or a professionally oriented project of 6 credits (547C) together with 6 credits of additional coursework. Students are required to make a choice by the end of September (which is the beginning of a student's second academic year) of the Master's program. But it is highly recommended that the student complete this before the suggested time.

Registration in PLAN 549C or 547C is mandatory in both Summer and Winter Sessions beginning in the summer of the first year and continuing until completion of the thesis or project.


The thesis has two objectives:

1. to satisfy the student's curiosity and advance his or her knowledge about some aspect of the planning field; and

2. to help the student learn how to think through and investigate a planning related problem of his or her own choice and to communicate his or her findings convincingly.

The major elements of a standard written planning thesis are:

1. the definition of a planning‐related problem in its context;

2. the identification of specific research objective(s), research questions, or design issues to be addressed in the thesis;

3. the identification and collection of the data or information required to understand the problem and address the thesis objectives (questions);

4. the analysis of the data or information in order to draw authoritative conclusions;

5. a discussion of the theoretical and public policy implications of the work; and

6. recommendations and ideas for further research.


The scope of the work should be limited to allow the student to complete the thesis and graduate by the end of the second academic year. Continuation after that date is subject to evidence of substantial progress and approval of the student's Research Committee.

Each faculty member runs a thesis/project advising group for second year students whom they are supervising. Students are expected to participate in the sessions offered by the supervisor of their project or thesis. This makes the supervisory process more productive for students and faculty. It tends to cluster students and faculty around common topics and themes. A significant benefit of the group sessions is the opportunity thus created for students to support each other in developing and

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completing their research. Separate credit is not given for these group sessions, they are considered to be part of the 12 credits for the thesis and 6 credits for the project.

The group sessions are designed to lead students through the development and implementation of a proposal for their project or thesis and, if necessary, make a choice between the two options. Key components are discussed in relation to the student's areas of interest including problem statements, goals, objectives, research questions, conceptual and analytical frameworks, methods, case studies, and write‐ups of results, conclusions and recommendations. Advice is provided on strategies for selecting manageable topics, conducting literature reviews, choosing case studies, undertaking field work and interviews, drafting text, and presenting the final results. Previous projects and theses are reviewed.

The specific meeting time and place is agreed to by each faculty member with their group of students in light of their schedules.

The advising group approach means that students must have identified the faculty member whom they wish to supervise their project or thesis by the beginning of their second year. If during the course of the term it should become evident that another supervisor would be more appropriate, a change can be made if both parties are agreeable but it is obviously preferable that this potential disruption not occur. In considering potential supervisors, students should discuss with them not only the topics in which they are interested but also the specific approach they take to supervising and how this influences the design of their group advising sessions.


The length of the thesis is not fixed. In some cases it may be possible to communicate an excellent thesis in as few as 50 pages. Most theses should be in the 80‐100 page range. Wherever appropriate, illustrations should be used to facilitate communication, and lengthy data sets, if any, should be presented in an Appendix. An urban design oriented thesis may have more illustrations than text and the illustrations may be submitted on large sheets if they can be duplicated.

Theses may also include video or other media presentations, but must be structured to meet high standards of professional or academic rigour as well as basic Faculty of Graduate Studies (FoGS) requirements.

Course Assignments:

Students should begin to think about possible thesis subjects on entering the School, but most will not wish to close their options until the end of September of the first year of study.

Students are advised to examine theses previously completed by Planning students to obtain a better idea of what is expected (available in the Fine Arts Library). The theses will show that a very wide range of subjects and approaches are acceptable.

Course Policies:

Thesis Regulations The Master's thesis and thesis defense are integral parts of the Master's program. The Faculty of Graduate Studies has produced two important reference documents that are intended to assist students through their Master's programs. They include Guidelines for the Various Parties Involved in Graduate Student Thesis Research; and Instructions for the Preparation of Graduate Theses. Up‐to‐date copies of (1) and (2) above are available from the Faculty of Graduate Studies reception desk. The Graduate Studies web site has information at: http://www.grad.ubc.ca

Research Committee Each student is required to have a Research Committee comprised of not less than two persons, one of whom shall be a faculty member in the School. The Chairperson of the Research

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Committee is the student's Research Supervisor and one other member is the Research Committee Member. Research Committee Members, who may include a practicing professional, provide advice and guidance to the student. Each student is required to have a Research Supervisor selected and approved by the end of September of their first year in the program. This procedure is formalized by completing a Research Supervisor Selection form. The student determines his or her own committee in consultation with faculty, subject only to a reasonable distribution of faculty to research committees. Both the Research Supervisor and Research Committee Member(s) must indicate their agreement to oversee the thesis by signing the student's thesis proposal. This document (one page is adequate) must be placed in the student's file before he or she begins detailed research on his or her thesis. Students are responsible for submitting their completed Research Supervisor Selection form and thesis proposal to the SCARP office by the September deadline.

Submission of Complete Thesis Draft

The student is required to submit a complete final draft of his or her entire thesis to their Research Supervisor and Research Committee Members by an agreed date no later than five weeks prior to the anticipated defense. It is the student's responsibility to keep his or her Research Committee informed of changes in the expected completion date. The draft of the entire thesis includes: abstract (about 300 words); table of contents; list of figures and tables; text; list of references; and appendices. Students should keep in mind that their thesis defenses may not be scheduled sooner than three weeks following the date in which the Research Supervisor and Research Committee Member confirm that the thesis is ready to be defended.

Scheduling the Defense

1) A minimum of five weeks prior to the proposed date of the defense the student is required to deliver the final draft of his or her thesis to both the Research Supervisor and the Research Committee Member(s). Defenses can be scheduled whenever the committee is available, except during the First‐year orientation in September. Refer to the "Important Dates and Deadlines" section of this Handbook for graduation deadlines.

2) A minimum of three weeks prior to the proposed defense date:

a) The Research Supervisor and the Research Committee Member(s) select the External Examiner and determine whether that person is willing to serve on the Thesis Examining Committee. It is the Research Supervisor's full responsibility to ensure that the External Examiner is given ample time to prepare for the defense. The student is not to have any contact with the External Examiner.

b) The student must submit one copy of the thesis to the Master's Secretary for transmittal to the External Examiner. The student distributes copies of the complete thesis to the Research Supervisor and the Research Committee Member(s) of the Examining Committee.

c) The student, in consultation with the Research Committee, schedules the defense including date and time and confirms that all Research Committee members are available.

d) The student completes a Booking Master's Thesis Defense form (available on the SCARP web site), including the Research Supervisor's and Research Committee Member's signatures, and submits the form to the Master's Secretary, along with a copy of the thesis abstract and a request for A/V equipment, if required.

e) Only in extraordinary circumstances will an exception be made to the minimum time requirements for scheduling a thesis defense. In such circumstances it is the responsibility of the

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student to provide a written request for the exception using the Booking Master's Thesis form. An exception will only be authorized when it is acceptable to all members of the Thesis Examining Committee and is confirmed by the signature of the Research Supervisor. The student must also sign the "exception" portion of the form.

3) The Master's Secretary books the room for the thesis defense and writes to all participants to confirm the details.

Oral Examination

The student is required to pass an oral examination, also known as the thesis defense. The thesis defense is an important milestone in a student's graduate career and should be approached with a sense of occasion. The examination has several purposes: to give the student practice in making an oral presentation of his or her work; to demonstrate that the student is able to enter into a meaningful dialogue on the thesis and its significance; and to satisfy the Thesis Examining Committee that the work meets a reasonable standard for a Master's thesis. There are at least three members of each Thesis Examining Committee, two of whom must be from the School: the Research Supervisor; the Research Committee Member(s); and the External Examiner, who may be an academic or a professional, and who is selected by the Research Committee. The External Examiner is contacted by the Research Supervisor when the thesis is ready to be defended.

During a typical oral examination: The candidate will give a 15‐20 minute presentation of highlights of the thesis research. This will normally include a concise statement of the problem, a brief description of the research methods employed, and a summary of the results, including discussion of the theoretical or policy context. The candidate may take notes into the oral examination for reference but is expected to address the examiners directly and may not read from a written text. Members of the Thesis Examining Committee will question the candidate about the thesis research. Visitors will also be invited to pose questions. When all questioning is complete, the Research Supervisor will ask the candidate and visitors to leave the room while the Thesis Examining Committee deliberates over the results. Once the results have been decided, the candidate will be invited to return and will be informed of the Thesis Examining Committee's decision by the Research Supervisor.

Generally the thesis will be passed, either with or without minor revisions. However, if extensive revisions are required the Examining Committee may require a re‐examination. In cases where the thesis is considered seriously deficient or the student is unable to present an adequate oral defense, a second oral examination is required. The Thesis Examining Committee determines the parameters for grading the thesis and assessing the final grade. The Research Supervisor submits to the Master's secretary the thesis grade that will become part of the student's permanent record.

Submission of the Thesis

The student should allow a minimum of one week following his or her thesis defense for final editing of his or her thesis. The thesis must be submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies (FoGS) by established deadlines for graduation. For specific dates please refer to FoGS Dates and Deadlines page (www.scarp.ubc.ca) . FoGS is the final arbiter for determining whether a thesis meets the University's formatting requirements. If a thesis is not presented in the form required, FoGS has the right to reject it until further revisions are made. A final thesis must be accepted by FoGS before a degree will be conferred. UBC students are encouraged to submit their theses electronically. To submit a thesis electronically you must first complete all submission requirements, and have it checked by the Faculty of Graduate Studies. After it has been approved for submission you may submit your thesis electronically

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http://www.grad.ubc.ca/students/thesis/index.asp?menu=007,002,002,000




to the Library through the cIRcle system. All thesis requirements are described on the Faculty of Graduate Studies website.

A minimum of two copies of the final thesis are required: one copy is for FoGS as noted above and one copy is for the School. The School's copy of the thesis is provided by the student in a spiral binding for deposit in the Planning section of the Fine Arts Library. Research Committee Members may also request copies of the student's thesis. It is the student's responsibility to check and provide copies for Research Committee Members as required. *Thesis submission dates to FoGS are subject to change. It is the student's responsibility to check with FoGS for correct deadlines.

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PLAN 550: DIRECTED STUDIES

2010W Term 1 and Term 2 Credit Hours: 3.0 Term 1 & 2, Plan 550A, Sec 001, Cat No. 59400 Term 1, Plan 550B, Sec 002, Cat No. 10814 Term 2, Plan 550C, Sec 003, Cat No. 73690

Course Description:

Content

With permission of the Director, students may individually or in small groups engage in independent studies under the supervision of a member of faculty who is capable of guiding their work in an area of special interest not otherwise covered in the curriculum. Most Directed Studies courses are extensions into greater depth of a topic covered in one or more regular courses, and thus are generally of interest only to second year students.

Registration

Students wishing to register for a Directed Studies course are required to complete and submit to Patti Toporowski an "Approval for Registration in a Directed Studies Course" form (download PDF here). Students must complete and submit this form to register and receive credit for a Directed Studies course.

A maximum of six credits of Directed Studies courses may be used for credit toward a student's graduate degree.


If a faculty member in the Planning School agrees to supervise a student in the proposed work, a copy of the outline, signed by the supervisor, will become part of the "Approval for Registration in a Directed Studies Course" form (refer to the Registration section below for further details).


Students seeking to initiate a Directed Studies course should begin by preparing a brief outline (approximately one page) describing the proposed project. The outline should primarily deal with the scope and subject matter to be covered over the duration of the course. It should be in sufficient detail to indicate that the content does not substantially overlap with other courses at UBC and is within an area of academic competence of a member of the Planning faculty. In addition, the outline should indicate the method of study (e.g. library research) and the results to be offered for evaluation.


To be determined by directed studies supervisor

Course Assignments:

To be determined by directed studies supervisor

Course Policies:

To be determined by directed studies supervisor.

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PLAN 550E: CREATING NORTH AMERICA’S ‘MOST LIVEABLE CITY’ – VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA: POLITICAL, ECOLOGICAL AND ECONOMIC REALITIES

2010W, Term 2, T, 1400‐1700, UBC Robson Square Credit Hours: 3.0 Instructors: Patrick Condon & Sam Sullivan

Cross listed with ARCH 597B, LARC 582B, PLAN 550E

Course Purpose

Vancouver has led North America in the quest for more liveable and sustainable cities. Between 1990 and 2010 the population of the downtown peninsula more than doubled, leading to dramatic gains in sustainability (reduced car use, increased walking, lower per capita GHG production). However, adding density in other parts of the city has proven more difficult, and even the successful downtown Vancouver examples seem tied to suburban prototypes (grass strips on sidewalks, suburban style planting details). Efforts to bring density to other Vancouver neighbourhoods, already occupied by very low density single family homes, has proven even more difficult unless this density is “gentle” and almost “invisible”. Absent those features, most efforts to add density outside the downtown core have failed. An investigation of the political history that lead to these architectural results will be a central focus for this course. Students, guests and faculty will attempt to understand why these impulses are so strong and to what extent they are subject to change. Barring this understanding we, as a democratic society, may fail to accelerate the progress toward urban sustainability we all so clearly desire.

Description

Given an emerging consensus among most environmentalists, many economists and progressive social theorists, it would seem that a much higher density city (for residential, institutional, commercial, and jobs land uses) should be a goal for city leaders. Yet for the last four decades almost all North American metropolitan areas have sprawled dramatically. What are the arguments for densification? What are the arguments against densification? What economic, political, technological and cultural forces have driven the suburbanization of North American cities? What political, cultural, economic and technological changes might bring about denser cities? Does the suburban culture still dominate political and bureaucratic decision‐making in Vancouver and, by extension, in other North American cities as well? If Vancouver continues to densify where should this density go and where should it not go? The history of Vancouver in the era just before and after the suburbanization juggernaut will be investigated. People who played key roles in city development over the last five decades will be guest speakers in this course.

Learning Objectives

1. To receive the as yet unassembled history of the development of this city from the individuals who created it.

2. To probe deeply into the relationship between the economics of city development and the role of the public sector in providing infrastructure and incentives.

3. To understand the costs and benefits of pursuing sustainability in a democratic context, where political actions may or may not be responsive to market signals and/or the environmental imperatives.

4. To provide an opportunity for students to probe deeply into the relationship between public policy, political activity, the electoral process, land and development economics, the semiotics of public space, and the development of the sustainable city (the organizers feel that in no other course will

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these complex relationships be so ably unpacked, given the pedigree of the speakers who will participate in this exploration).

Draft Course Schedule

• Week One: Course Introductions. Mr. Sam Sullivan and Professor Patrick Condon. The city and global sustainability.

• Week Two: Market Driven Densification

• Week Three: The Urban Reform Movement

• Week Four: Granville Island and South West False Creek

• Week Five: The Expo Lands/ Yaletown

• Week Six: Coal Harbour, City Gate, Downtown South

• Week Seven: The Urban Reform Movement and governance Issues. City Plan

• Week Eight: The Urban Reform Movement and political Considerations – Neighbourhood self‐interest and the broader public good.

• Week Nine: Lessons Learned. Planning and urban design for sustainability in a democratic context.

• Week Ten: Conclusions based on what we have learned. Moving toward a political, design, and policy consensus for action.

• Week 11 to 13: Individual student presentations on course related investigations.

Course requirements

Participation in all seminars: 30% of grade

Course paper one: 30% of grade

Course paper two: 40% of grade.

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PLAN 561: URBAN DEVELOPMENT MARKET AND FINANCIAL ANALYSIS

2010W, Term 2, F, 0900‐1200, WMAX 240 Credit Hours: 3.0 Instructor: Jay Wollenberg Email: [email protected] Telephone: 604‐682‐9714

Course Overview

This course provides a thorough introduction to market analysis and financial feasibility analysis for urban development projects and for applications in urban/regional planning. The course emphasizes quantitative analysis of the market and financial forces that shape the growth of urban areas and that determine the viability of new urban development projects. The course covers forecasting the amount and distribution of urban development (including residential, retail, office, and industrial), gauging market opportunity, and using urban land economics to evaluate project financial performance.

Learning Objectives

Students will learn to:

• Forecast market potential for new residential, retail, office, and industrial development. • Analyze the financial performance of urban development projects, including pro forma analysis,

land residual analysis, and present value analysis. • Analyze the financial performance of income‐producing properties using present value analysis,

IRR, and other measures. • Apply market and financial analysis to planning policy issues such as heritage building

preservation, affordable housing, and financing the costs of growth. • Use financial analysis computer models in spreadsheet software.

The material is heavily quantitative, but the instructor’s aim is to ensure that all students gain confidence and competence in the course content, even those students whose math skills may be weak or rusty.

Course Organization

The course is divided into ten main modules:

1. Introduction and overview of the course. 2. Financial analysis Part 1: introduction to analysis of development projects (objectives of financial

analysis, terminology, pro formas, residual land analysis, measuring profit). 3. Financial analysis Part 2: present value analysis (time value of money, present value calculations,

net present value, sensitivity analysis). 4. Financial analysis Part 3: analysis of income‐producing properties (return on investment,

internal rate of return, mortgage calculations). 5. Computer modeling. 6. Financing the costs of growth, Part 1: sources of municipal capital funding, development levies. 7. Financing the costs of growth, Part 2: community amenity contributions, density bonusing,

transferrable development rights.

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8. Market analysis for residential development: terminology, population and household growth translated into housing demand, forecasting housing supply, anticipating residential growth patterns and development opportunities, market studies for residential developments.

9. Market analysis for retail, office, and industrial development: terminology, trend analysis, forecasting approaches, anticipating development patterns, identifying opportunities, market studies.

10. Review and wrap‐up.

Format

The course meets once per week, for three hours. The class format is interactive lectures, discussions, and in‐class exercises.

Course Requirements and Evaluations

There are 9 assignments, one due at the start of each class (except the first class). The assignments consist of mainly quantitative problems or questions that test understanding of the course material and that require some thinking that builds on the material covered in class.

The answers to the assignments are reviewed in class, with an emphasis on covering any questions that students found particularly challenging.

Each assignment is graded numerically. Late assignments or missing assignments are graded 0 unless there is a reason such as illness. The course grade is the sum of the assignment grades. There are no papers, presentations, group projects, or exams. There are no marks for class participation.

Any student that obtains a mark less than 80% on any assignment has the option of re‐submitting the assignment but the maximum grade that can be achieved for a re‐submitted assignment is 80%. Grading focuses mainly on whether answers show a basic quantitative grasp of the material. Fundamental errors in logic or analysis result in large deductions; minor computational errors result in small deductions.

Course Materials

Each student receives a binder of course materials that include notes, illustrations, and readings that support the interactive lectures and discussions. However, there is no transcript of the lectures and no textbook. The course is delivered in a fashion that is meant to be engaging and interactive to encourage critical thinking and dialogue.

Policies

Attendance is not mandatory, but given the nature of course delivery attendance is an essential part of the course. Students who miss classes will find it challenging to complete the assignments and will not achieve all of the learning objectives. Students who must miss any classes are advised to contact their colleagues to share notes and discuss the content of the missed class. 3

Requirements and Prerequisites

By the second class, students will need either a calculator with business functions or a laptop with Excel or equivalent software that they can bring to class. This is discussed at the first class. There are no specific prerequisites, but students with no previous exposure to microeconomics (supply, demand, pricing) or whose undergraduate programs did not include quantitative work may have to work a little harder to master the material.

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PLAN 580: INTRODUCTION TO URBAN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING

2010W, Term 2, M, 1400‐1700, WMAX 240 Credit Hours: 3.0 Instructor: Lawrence (Larry) Frank Email: [email protected] Telephone: 604‐822‐5387

Objectives and Scope

Transportation decisions impact many aspects of urban life. Young and old alike are affected by the viability and relative ease of traveling to destinations on foot, by bike, transit, or reliance on private vehicles. Transportation investments are arguably the single largest shaper of urban spaces and of development patterns. The safety, speed, and comfort for a particular mode of travel are a function of the investments that have been made in specific types of travel options. Regions, and parts of regions, vary considerably in terms of their supportiveness of traveling in ways that are health promoting (active) and environmentally sustainable.

Transportation planning is experiencing a re‐awakening. The connections between transportation, land use, air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, physical activity, and obesity are becoming better understood. Considerable media attention in recent years has been devoted to the impacts of the built environment on climate change and the environment. Attention has also been focused on the economic impacts of transportation investments and more recently on how transportation impacts physical activity and health. Many are concerned about the impacts of urban sprawl on overall sustainability and on how transportation investments can create or help to reduce sprawl. These and other issues provide some context and backdrop for this class.

Set within the Vancouver region, we are fortunate to have many forward thinking experts on creating a livable region and the role of transportation within this context. We will learn from the perspectives of a variety of experts in our region who are engaged in making transportation planning decisions. Metro Vancouver currently has several rail projects being planned and implemented, the Olympics are coming, a major highway expansion is planned; and considerable investments are proposed and underway in non‐motorized infrastructure.

The course introduces students to the fundamentals of urban transportation planning and the types of skills and knowledge that transportation planners need. It further familiarizes students with contemporary transportation planning issues and methods of analysis. The course is highly relevant regardless if students intend to focus on transportation itself, or other aspects of urban planning. The course can be taken stand alone, or as the first in a sequence of courses in SCARP’s Urban Design and Transportation Concentration.

Newly evolving theories and approaches to addressing emerging transportation problems will be central to the class. Relationships between transportation and urban land use systems and new tools to address environmental and quality of life impacts of transportation are presented. Transportation investment decisions (or lack thereof) have been held accountable for increased economic prosperity or spiraling economic decline. Transportation infrastructure (roads, rail lines, etc.) is extremely costly even when compared with other services which are capital intensive (sewers, storm‐water drainage, etc.). Therefore, transportation decisions made today can impact a region for generations to come.

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Transportation investment decisions affect our travel choices which in turn have dramatic impacts on our environment and our health. Transportation is about providing access to locations and impacts social equity, and the benefits or burdens felt by different segments of the population. Transportation networks are often the single most important determinant of a community, and the most distinct physical feature that characterizes a place.

Course requirements

Essay Paper I: 25% ‐ Essay focusing on the needs of a specific population (eldery, youth, poor, female, etc) and how specific transportation decisions helps or hinders their access to opportunities.

Take Home Exam: 30% ‐ Open Book Review of Basic Transportation Planning Concepts

Final Project : 35% ‐ Group Project To Be Announced

This course requires no prior work in transportation. Some knowledge of basic statistical concepts and analytical methods is recommended.

Course Schedule:

Week 1 Introduction Week 2 Major Components of Urban Transportation Systems Week 3 The Transportation Planning Process Week 4 Regional Spatial Structure, Land Use, and Relative Costs Across Modes Week 5 Social Dimensions of Transportation Planning Week 6 Transportation Planning in an Era of Climate Change Week 7 The Public Health Impacts of Transportation Investment Week 8 Site Design and Street Design Standards Week 9 Transit Planning Week 10 Travel Preferences, Attitudinal Predisposition, and Causation Week 11 Strategies for Reducing Travel Demand within the Transportation Planning Process

and Policy Issues Week 12 Class Summary ‐‐ and Student Presentations

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PLAN 587A: INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICAL PLANNING AND URBAN DESIGN

2010W, Term 2, T & Th, 1400‐1700, LASR 207 Credit Hours: 3.0 Instructor: Maged Senbel Email: [email protected] Telephone: 604‐822‐9158

Course Description

This is the foundational course for students interested in pursuing the urban design at SCARP and the prerequisite course to other urban design studios within the School. The course also meets the distributional requirement for the Urban Design area within SCARP’s Masters level degree program. Students are required to take PLAN 548L – Theory and Methods of Urban Design prior to taking this course.

The course is designed to expose students to foundational knowledge, issues and skills in physical planning and design with hands‐on graphic tools. Students will be working in a studio environment over an intensive 6‐week period. The course will be taught in a series of short lectures and exercises to introduce students to the discourse of physical planning, urban design and land use practice, as well as to provide them with basic skills and techniques necessary to succeed in subsequent studio courses.

Course content begins with basic visual awareness and explorations of creativity. It focuses on both direct and indirect urban design to provide a sampling of practical activities common in the field. Skills introduced in the course include: basic drafting, land use mapping, layout and paste‐up, sketching, and a number of graphic shortcuts. Lectures will cover topics ranging from land use, zoning, and design standards, to graphic and verbal communication of design work.

Objectives

The primary objective of the course is to provide students with the basic skills necessary for participating in the urban design field, either as planners or designers. The course is open to all graduate students in planning and no previous design experience is expected. Specific objectives for this course include the following:

1. To introduce students to the language and terminology of land use and physical planning

practice; 2. To provide direct experience in the techniques, skills, writing, communication and presentation

techniques commonly used in the urban design field; 3. To provide an understanding of the urban design role in city planning, as well as its integrative

nature in bringing a variety of sub‐fields together in practice; 4. To connect general theory in urban and regional planning to the design fields, including the key

drivers of sustainability, smart growth and livability. 5. To heighten students’ awareness of the details of the built environment to foster lifelong design

learning.

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Format

The studio will meet twice per week for 3 hours each session. We will meet collectively at the beginning of each day for brief lectures, course administration, explanation of exercises, and discussion of issues related to the projects. Various methods and techniques will be demonstrated and explained as needed throughout the course. As needed during the semester we will venture into the field for observation, mapping and site reconnaissance. On these days there is a strong likelihood the sessions may run longer than expected. Transportation options for fieldwork will be discussed in class. Students will also be expected to undertake group work in the field outside of class times.

Students will set up individual workspaces in the studio where they will be able to work on projects. Much of the course time each session will be used for group and one‐on‐one desk crits with the course instructor. Successful studio experience demands that students physically work in the studio outside of scheduled class time to enable collaborative work, allow for cross‐fertilization of thinking and learning, and provide an outlet for constant feedback and input from peers.

Course Requirements

Students will be evaluated on their successful completion of the following course requirements.

1. Memory and Imagination Collage This is an introductory exercise intended to cultivate your capacity to access your memory as a resource for design ideas. You will be required to present a small board portraying the character and characteristics of an enhanced space from your memory.

2. Orthographic Drawings This exercise begins with an in‐class workshop on plan drawing. You will then be assigned an open space to draw in plan section and elevation at 1:100 scale. You have to use a combination of on‐site measurement, deductive scale measurements and photographs to construct your drawings.

3. Critical Eye Assignment This is an in‐depth assignment designed to develop your skills in both objective and subjective analysis of the space you drew in #2 above. It will heighten your awareness as a designer and a “reader” of the built environment.

4. Computer Drawing You will produce a set of computer‐generated drawings diagramming your analysis of South Campus using adobe illustrator or sketchup to generate land use and systems diagrams.

5. Digital Model Each student will be responsible for constructing a portion of a 3‐D model in Google Sketchup of the South Campus Neighbourhood.

6. Land Use Analysis This is a group assignment requiring students to complete a site specific analysis of South Campus according to one of several assigned urban systems.

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PLAN 587B/E: INTRODUCTORY URBAN DESIGN STUDIO

2010W, Term 2, T &Th, 1400‐1700, LASR 207 Credit Hours: 3.0 Instructor: Maged Senbel Email: [email protected] Telephone: 604‐822‐9158

Course Description

This is the second in a series of Urban Design studio courses offered at SCARP, and the first where students have the opportunity to participate in project‐oriented urban design. The course will expose students to the skills and issues associated with planning practice in urban design. Concentrating on direct and indirect design techniques, students will undertake group and individual work leading to the production of both design proposals and urban design plan components.

Working on issues pertinent to local jurisdictions, participants in the course will undertake context analysis, data collection, mapping, diagramming, and spatial decision‐making necessary for creating appropriate policies, guidelines and project designs. Students will be expected to engage in the professional discourse and skills of the urban design field, including: graphic presentation techniques, public presentation and communication methods, critique, and a variety of other analytical and observation methods.

Prerequisites

Students enrolled in this course must have successfully completed PLAN 587A or must have prior experience in design and graphic representation and must obtain the instructor’s consent before registering.

Studio Project

For this 6‐week introductory studio, we will develop urban design and land use proposals for Vancouver’s Chinatown. The project is visionary in its objectives of creatively exploring options for a dynamic community with unique cultural and economic arrangements and a strong commitment to heritage conservation. Students will directly with a client from the Chinatown Community.

The class will include individual and group work. Students will have the opportunity to explore a variety of design options for the public realm, land use and urban form. Student groups will have five major presentations during the course of the studio beginning with site analysis and culminating in a design proposal.

Objectives

1. The primary objective of the course is to introduce students to the urban design process from initial urban analysis through schematic design and presentation of land use and urban design drawings. Other objectives include:

2. Exposure and direct experience in basic design, communication and presentation techniques commonly used in the urban design field;

3. Development and use of basic spatial analysis methods, the synthesis of this material and its relation to urban design decision‐making;

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4. Understanding the rationales for both direct and indirect design at various geographic scales, along with knowledge of the components typically included in urban design plans;

5. Development of basic spatial critical thinking and the ability to articulate spatial systems thinking.

Format

The studio will meet twice per week for 3 hours each session. We will meet collectively at the beginning of each day for brief lectures, course administration, explanation of exercises, and discussion of issues related to the projects. Various methods and techniques will be demonstrated and explained as needed throughout the course. As needed during the semester we will venture into the field for observation, mapping and site reconnaissance. On these days there is a strong likelihood the sessions may run longer than expected. Transportation options for fieldwork will be discussed in class. Students will also be expected to undertake group work in the field outside of class times.

Students will set up individual workspaces in the studio where they will be able to work on projects. Much of the course time each session will be used for group and one‐on‐one desk crits with the course instructor. Successful studio experience demands that students physically work in the studio outside of scheduled class time to enable collaborative work, allow for cross‐fertilization of thinking and learning, and provide an outlet for constant feedback and input from peers.

Course Requirements

Students will be evaluated on their successful completion of the following course requirements.

Community Design Workshop (TBD) Preparation Reflection

Workshop Assimilation Compilation Assimilation

Conceptual Design Development of a Chinatown Master Plan

Final Group Design Presentation of final plans to client

Each assignment will be assessed in terms of the following four criteria: Creativity evidence of imaginative thinking and innovative problem solving Critical thinking evidence of deep thinking and analysis about a project, design or drawing Industriousness evidence of effort and efficiency in terms of how productive you are in the time

available relative to your skill level Professionalism neatness, precision, attention to detail and attractiveness of your presentation

Late Assignments

Late assignments will be deducted 3% of your final grade/day up to a maximum of two days. Assignments more than two days late will receive no credit. In the event of an emergency please contact the instructor as soon as possible to notify him of your intended absence.

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Class Participation

Students are expected to attend every studio session. Missing a studio session will result in an automatic 3% reduction in your overall grade. During studio you are expected to participate in discussions and reviews of each other’s work, and to conduct yourselves in a courteous and professional manner. You are expected to be critical yet respectful and supportive in your engagement of each other’s work. You are expected to be attentive to whoever is speaking whether we are in studio or out of the studio touring or on a professional visit.

Required Equipment

Students will be required to supply individual drafting tools (e.g., adjustable triangles, compasses, templates), drawing materials (e.g., pens, papers, erasers, sharpeners, colored pencils, drafting tape), presentation materials (e.g., sticky‐back adhesive, photo copying, markers) and fieldwork materials (eg, photography, sketchbooks, etc).

As no texts or readers are required for the course, most course costs will involve the supply of these materials as well as reproduction costs. Most of these materials are inexpensive and will be a necessary investment if you expect to continue work in the field. Students can expect to spend about $75 on tools and materials and anywhere from $50 ‐ $100 on reproduction costs.

Students wishing to work digitally will be encouraged to do so. Computing program teaching modules will be offered as needed for coursework. Students are encouraged to supply their own computer to facilitate their development in digital design.

Urban Design Computing Lab

A small 6‐screen computer lab is available in the studio classroom for those students enrolled in the course. A $120 lab fee is required of all students enrolled in this course to cover the costs of printing and computer maintenance.

Readings and Handouts

Students will be expected to generate their own reference lists based on their team’s precedent studies and urban systems analysis. Additional readings may be distributed during the semester as required.

Studio Culture

Above all be sensitive to and respectful of each other’s comfort levels in studio. While spending time in the studio can be a celebratory, collaborative and joyful experience, it must also be a safe and respectful one. At times you will want to be loud and animated and other times you will want to be quiet and focused. Please be sensitive to the mental space of your colleagues. Offensive or disrespectful behavior will not be tolerated.

Studio Guidelines

The space and furnishings provided for urban design students are expensive and difficult to replace. Please treat all furnishings and equipment with care. The kitchenette facility is provided for your convenience and is not an invitation to treat the studio as a cafeteria. Please keep all food material away from your studio desks and protect your drawings and drawing boards from crumbs and liquid spills. Absolutely no food or drinks are allowed in the urban design computer lab and no alcoholic beverages are to be consumed anywhere in the urban design studio.

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PLAN 587C: INTERDISCIPLINARY URBAN DESIGN STUDIO

2010W, Term 1, M, W, F, 1300‐1700, Landscape Architecture Studio Credit Hours: 9.0 Co‐Instructors: Patrick Condon

Email: [email protected] Telephone: 604‐822‐9291

Scot Hein Email: [email protected] Telephone: 604‐873‐7003

Course Description and Requirements

Description

Using Professor Condon's recent book Seven Rules for Sustainable Communities as a basis for the course focus, and supported with emerging civic thinking about Vancouver's future urban patterning (2050 horizon) contributed by the City of Vancouver's Senior Urban Designer Scot Hein, this joint landscape and planning studio will produce a multi‐layered vision for the balance of the city outside of the metro core. While ambitious in scope, the methodology for the intended academic experience/outcomes will be simple and will build upon prevailing best urbanism practices and recognized strategies for growth. The primary course deliverable will be a plan framework with students, working individually and in teams, clarifying and documenting future city wide urban systems (the plan layers) for open space and connectivity including natural attributes, hierarchy of movement and respective locations/modes, land use and built form, including scale and typological appropriateness as well as special opportunities for district energy, urban agriculture and cultural celebration. Prevailing localized neighbourhood centres and other emerging urban villages, along with predominant arterial corridors, will be more specifically investigated to reveal opportunities to reinforce/emphasize desired local patterns of land use and amenities while achieving growth capacities. Students, after completing designs for specific geographic areas, will assemble into a cogent overall vision/plan framework which is intended to be published for a wider discussion following the conclusion of the studio.

Assignments and Final Project Format

Assignments are three:

1. History and Morphology of the Streetcar City

2. Major Issues – The Demographic Tsunami and the GHG Catastrophe

3. A “Minus 80” Plan for a City of the Old. Vancouver 2050.

We will be formatting these projects into a report, similar to those produced in previous classes and available for review on line at:

http://www.landfood.ubc.ca/urbanstudio/fresh_eyes_on_gibson_2000/Part_one.htm http://www.landfood.ubc.ca/urbanstudio/scenes_on_hastings_2001/index.htm http://www.landfood.ubc.ca/urbanstudio/urbanstudio2002/2002.htm http://www.landfood.ubc.ca/urbanstudio/squamish2004/overview.htm http://www.urbanstudio.sala.ubc.ca/2005/overview.htm http://www.urbanstudio.sala.ubc.ca/urbanstudio%202008/overview.htm

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http://www.landfood.ubc.ca/urbanstudio/fresh_eyes_on_gibson_2000/Part_one.htm

http://www.landfood.ubc.ca/urbanstudio/scenes_on_hastings_2001/index.htm

http://www.landfood.ubc.ca/urbanstudio/urbanstudio2002/2002.htm

http://www.landfood.ubc.ca/urbanstudio/squamish2004/overview.htm

http://www.urbanstudio.sala.ubc.ca/2005/overview.htm

http://www.urbanstudio.sala.ubc.ca/urbanstudio%202008/overview.htm

Grades will be assigned on:

20% Assignment #1

20% Assignment #2

15% Assignment #3 part 1 – The district

20% Assignment #3 part 2 – The neighborhood

15% Assignment #3 part 3 – The parcel

10% Participation and attendance

Grades for assignment 1, 2, and 3 will be individual grades. Grades for Assignment 3 will be team grades for part one and individual grades for part 2 and 3.

Expectations

Landscape architecture students are expected to attend all studio classes and, since this is a nine credit class, work two hours outside of studio for each hour inside (total 24 hours per week). Expenses should not be higher than in other studios but must be borne by students. Collaboration is a built in feature this term with students from planning. A welcoming attitude and proper team spirit is expected.

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PLAN 589: INFLUENCING THE POLICY PROCESS

2010W, Term 1, T, 0900‐1200, WMAX 140 Credit Hours: 3.0 Instructor: Tom Hutton Email: [email protected] Telephone: 604‐822‐4818

Course Description:

Since the early 20th century planning for cities has emphasized the regulatory dimension of policy, focusing on planning for growth via a suite of development control, growth management and spatial planning policies. In the early years of the 21st century, urban planners among advanced and transitional societies are encountering a more complex array of issues associated with the growth and change of city‐regions and urban communities, responding to new development factors and interdependencies, and engaging with new urban theory and innovative planning concepts. More specifically, urban planners are engaged in policy experimentation and innovation associated with the emergence of sustainable development as paradigm for integrating economic, social, cultural and environmental imperatives within the urban realm. Planning 592 offers insights, skills and practice‐based experience for urban development planning, drawn from an instructive set of case studies. These will include observations from the experience of Vancouver, often advanced as an exemplar of progressive planning, and a distinctive form of contemporary urbanism shaped by policy as well as market and social forces; but our survey will also draw on other Canadian cities, as well as exemplary international cases.


Planning 589 is designed to serve as a foundational course for SCARP’s Urban Development Planning Area of Concentration (AOC). Specific objectives of Planning 589 include the following:

1. To develop an understanding of the contexts within which urban development planning is conducted, in terms of both macro‐level processes and more localized contingencies, and with regard to the relationship between urban development planning and other domains of planning and public policy.

2. To investigate the operational features or ‘mechanics’ of urban development planning, including the range of policies and tools available to planners in shaping urban structure, built form, and the environment.

3. To examine cases of innovation in urban development planning, including implications of sustainable development principles for the practice of development planning in city‐regions and urban communities.


The 589 program format will include a mix of lectures, student‐led seminars, guest presentations, and a field trip/site visit.

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Course Assignments:

Themes and case studies for Planning 589 for 2010 will include the following:

1. Course introduction: purpose, overview, program 2. Urban development planning in context 3. Urban development planning and local – regional planning within multiscalar planning and

policy systems 4. Urban development planning: innovation in development control and growth management 5. Urban development and planning for mega‐projects and other strategic‐scale development and

redevelopment 6. Urban development planning and industrial land use and zoning 7. Urban development, new urbanism and innovation in site planning and design 8. Case study of Inner City Development Planning in Vancouver: from False Creek South to South

East False Creek 9. Innovation in sustainable urban development planning: a comparison of eco‐density planning in

London and Vancouver 10. Innovation in urban development planning for housing: case studies of Amsterdam (inner city

districts, including the Eastern Docklands; Almere, Ijburg) and Milan (Bicocca) 11. Course summary, synthesis and review

Course Policies:

There are no specific policies for PLAN 589.

Course Materials:

Journal articles can be accessed on‐line or will be provided by the course instructor. Reading list to be announced.

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PLAN 590A: LAND USE AND ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY

2010W, Term 2, M, 0930‐1230, WMAX 240 Instructor: Mark Stevens Email: [email protected] Telephone: 604.822.0657

Course Description:

PLAN 590a introduces students to land use and environmental policy in Canada and the United States, with an emphasis on current approaches to promoting “sustainable development”. Sustainability requires a balance between three “Es”: environment, economy, and equity. Land use plays a critical role in achieving this balance because the use of land by humans has environmental, economic, and equity implications. By studying the impacts of various land use activities and approaches on natural systems, economic well‐being, and the equitable distribution of societal costs and benefits, students will be better prepared to promote sustainable solutions in their careers as practitioners of community and regional planning. PLAN 590a is an elective course for SCARP masters students (particularly those emphasizing the Ecological and Natural Resources Planning and/or Urban Development Planning streams) that can serve as a stand‐alone introduction to land use and environmental policy, law, and planning or can lead into more specialized courses.

Objectives:

After completing this course, students should be able to articulate:

• the conflicting values of different stakeholders that shape societal views on land use; • the connections between land use and environmental systems; and • current “best practices” (and not‐so‐best practices) at federal, provincial, regional, city,

neighborhood, and building levels that are intended to reduce the negative impacts of human behavior on the creation of sustainable communities.

Format:

The course meets once a week for 3 hours each time. Topics to be covered include: the three “Es” of sustainability and how they shape our values with respect to land use; land use and its impact on the natural environment; land use and environmental policy in Canada and British Columbia; regional and city growth management and comprehensive land use planning; urban form and “Smart Growth”; ecological design and “green” building. Topics will be introduced and reinforced through multiple avenues, such as lecture, reading, discussion, film, and field trip(s).

Readings:

There is no assigned textbook for this class. Readings will be drawn from several books, journal articles, and professional reports. Readings will be accessible through the course website.

Assignments and grading:

90% 1. Exercises (3 @ 30% each) 10% 2. Class attendance and attentiveness Late assignments policy:

Students should notify the instructor if they expect to hand in an assignment late. Points will be taken off for late assignments as follows:

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Days past due Points deducted (/100) 1‐7 days 5 points 8‐14 days 15 points 15‐30 days 30 points >30 days assignment not graded

Students not handing in an assignment within a month of the due date will be given a 0 grade for that assignment. Students with extenuating circumstances should notify the instructor as soon as possible before the due date.

Prerequisites:

Registration is limited to graduate students.

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PLAN 592: STRUCTURAL CHANGE AND THE CITY

2010W, Term 2, T, 0900‐1200, WMAX 140 Credit Hours: 3.0 Instructor: Tom Hutton Email: [email protected] Telephone: 604‐822‐4818

Course Description:

Accounts of urban "structural" or transformational change have largely emphasised economic dynamics and outcomes. Long‐run processes of industrial restructuring have been central to urban transformation among advanced and transitional societies. The rise of service industries and employment, and the decline of Fordist manufacturing, have wrought profound changes in the urban industrial structure, economic base, and labour force.

At the same time, transformational change within cities (and, more specifically, metropolitan areas) can be viewed as a more multi‐faceted, comprehensive, and interrelated set of processes that transcend (but certainly include) economic restructuring. These processes include, notably:

1. the reshaping of metropolitan structure and land use;

2. the emergence of a new urban social morphology (with respect to class structure, ethnicity, and community reformation;

3. the reproduction of urban spaces and built form; and

4. the formation of new, extra‐regional relationships within extended urban hierarchies, trading systems, and socio‐cultural networks, characteristic of the global (or transnational) city. An integration of these dimensions of growth and change can offer a more rounded depiction of urban transformation than narrowly economistic models. The purpose of this course is to facilitate a critical evaluation of the contemporary city as crucible of structural change (socioeconomic, cultural, spatial and physical) and the policy issues and planning responses associated with such change. Planning 592 offers a rigorous analytical grounding in processes of urban transformation, incorporating theoretical and empirical perspectives, as well as an entrée to normative issues and planning approaches associated with structural change both in ‘developed’ and ‘transitional’ urban societies.


1. To depict the basic contours of urban change and restructuring, including an appreciation of underlying dynamics and influences (market and policy influences, localized and exogenous dynamics);

2. To assess the role of cities both as `sites’ and `agencies’ of globalisation, as well as the emergence of transnational urbanism as an alternative development model ;

3. To acknowledge and analyse the principal dimensions of urban transformation (economic, social, cultural, physical, environmental, and spatial) and, more particularly, the key interdependencies among these facets of change;

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4. To identify the complex range of planning problems and policy issues associated with urban change, including community impacts of restructuring, and with special attention to the recent transformation of the metropolitan core;

5. To examine and critique the nature of planning responses to fundamental urban change, with an emphasis on policy innovation, sustainable development approaches, and community‐level initiatives.

For 2010 the focus will be on an assessment of signifying processes of change in the metropolitan core, within a context of transition and transformation at the level of the metropolis and extended urban systems. The readings and discussion will include, however, not simply localised implications of inner city change, as important and consequential as these are; but also connections to larger processes of metropolitan growth and change: economic, social, cultural, physical, and spatial, and the associated re‐imaging of the 21st century city. These issues will be examined within a range of interactive formats, including (a) presentations by the instructor, during which discussion is encouraged and expected, (b) student‐led seminars, and (c) case study discussions. The course programme also includes a structured site visit to Vancouver's Central Area, widely seen as an exemplar of redefining processes of change, and as an instructive case study for planning innovation. Students are also strongly encouraged to introduce issues of personal interest related to the broad theme of urban transformation, to diversify the course content and add value to the learning experience.


The course will take a graduate seminar format. Each student will be asked to lead one seminar. Please see notes above in "Learning Objectives" for further details on course organization.


1. Class readings (592 course reader + supplementary materials)

2. Student‐led seminars (topics of student choice)

3. Essay (written assignment linked to broad course themes, and to student overall programme interests and needs; to be negotiated with the instructor)

Course Assignments:

Please see above.

Course Policies:

There are no special policies for PLAN 592.

Course Materials:

To be announced.

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PLAN 595: NEGOTIATION, FACILITATION AND MEDIATION: PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICES

2010W Term 1, W, 0800‐1130, WMAX 240 Credit Hours: 3.0 Instructor: Anthony Dorcey Email: [email protected] Telephone: 604‐822‐5725

Course Description:

Every day you engage in bargaining and negotiation to reach agreements or resolve disputes in your family life, at work and around your community. Much of the time people are not aware that this is what they are doing. A moment's reflection after a normally busy day might reveal examples as varied as reaching agreement with your partner during breakfast on who would prepare dinner that evening; getting into a dispute with your boss over the details in a new contract that still aren't fully resolved; and helping some neighbours with whom you spoke briefly on the street to coordinate how the group of you will approach the developer of a new apartment complex at the end of the block when you meet with her at the church hall tomorrow night. Some people have a natural flair for handling such interactions well and a few have enhanced their skills by watching others, reading books about how to do it or taking training. This course is designed for students who have so far done relatively little to hone their negotiation skills. It is intended to develop your understanding of the principles and practices of negotiation, and how facilitation and mediation can assist negotiations when the relations between the parties are difficult, the issues to be addressed are complex, and there are large numbers of participants involved. It is designed to develop your basic negotiation and facilitation skills while providing a foundational understanding of underlying theories and research.


By the end of the course each student should be able to:

• negotiate with others to reach agreements and resolve disputes; • facilitate groups in planning and making decisions; • understand the potentials of mediation; and • identify when, where and how negotiation, facilitation and mediation might be usefully

employed.

Content

1. Development of the field. 2. Dispute resolution and reaching agreement. 3. Differing perspectives on negotiation. 4. The roles of facilitators and facilitation approaches and techniques. 5. The role of mediators and mediation approaches and techniques. 6. Developing basic negotiation and facilitation skills and practicing techniques.


A variety of active learning formats will be used to present, discuss and develop ideas and to build communication, interaction and collaboratory skills. There will always be preparatory work for a class

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session. When there are presentations by myself or a guest or students they will generally be relatively short and then shift to discussion formats. Much of the time I will be acting as a facilitator and thus modeling for you this critically important skill. I also like to pose questions that stimulate critical thinking and discussion and the creation of imaginative solutions. At times we will use breakout groups to expand the opportunities for involvement in discussion, to open up topics for exploration and to create ideas. They will also be used to provide opportunities to practice the skills and techniques for productive group work including facilitation, recording ideas and reporting results. Frequently we will use examples of the issues addressed by practitioners and place our consideration of them in a particular context. For example: "Assume that you have been asked by your boss to develop a strategy for negotiating with a high rise developer on a package of benefits for the City as part of the agreement for going ahead with his development. What would you include in a draft strategy for discussion with your boss? You have 30 minutes to generate your ideas. We will then compare and contrast the proposals created by the three breakout groups." Increasingly web based tools are becoming readily available to assist in learning and in practice. We will experiment with the use of some of them including Google Apps.

Classes will involve sessions of varying lengths, sometimes two 90‐minute sessions with a 30‐minute break in‐between, other times three 60‐minute sessions with a 15‐minute break between each session, and upon occasion four 45 minute sessions with three 10‐minute breaks in between.


There will be two assignments, one Individual and the other Group. They will each have component parts with drafts of each staged through the term. They will be assigned at the first class and the final products due before the final class of the term.

Evaluation

• 10% Participation in class discussions and group exercises throughout term. • 25% For individual assignment, to be apportioned between three components. • 65% For group assignment to be apportioned between three component analytical exercises of

1,000 words each and the presentation.

Course Assignments:

Individual Assignment ‐ Draft a personal negotiation, facilitation and mediation skills development strategy. This assignment will be completed by using web pages. Students will learn how to create simple web pages using Google Sites. (Students who took Omnibus (PLAN 540A) in the Fall 2008 or are taking it this fall will be able to draw on their experience and a little of the content for the one built in that course.) There will be four components to the individual assignment that will be delivered through each student's personal web pages and linked as appropriate.

• An assessment of your previous training and experience with negotiation, facilitation and mediation and how you would like to build upon this in light of your emerging ideas on your career.

• A journal reflecting on the experiences and lessons from in‐class exercises and the outside of class case study negotiations.

• A statement of the personal principles and strategies that will guide your development as a negotiator, facilitator and mediator.

• A personal negotiation, facilitation and mediation skills development strategy that includes your evolving thoughts on further studies and skill development.

See the Individual Assignment on the course web page for further details.

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http://www.google.com/a/help/intl/en/edu/demos.html

Group Assignment ‐ Undertake and report on a case study negotiation. The Group Assignment involves designing and undertaking a case study negotiation in groups of 3 or 4 students, completing three analytical exercises focused on stages of the negotiations as they develop, and a presentation at the end of term based on your experience. The analytical exercises are designed to help you develop your understanding of the knowledge, skills and attitudes that we are examining in the course by applying them to an issue of particular interest to you. They are also intended to assist you in advancing your communications, negotiation, facilitation and mediation skills and how these might be used in diverse contexts. The presentations at the end of term are designed to share your group members' experiences and reflections with others in the course. See the Group Assignment on the course web page for further details.

Course Policies:

Class Participation

For policies on participation in class and group work please see the class materials on the course website.

Course Materials:

Reading Materials and Resources

There will be three required texts which will be available in the UBC Bookstore.

• Getting To Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In by Fisher, R, Ury, W. and Patton, B. (2nd Edition. Penguin: 1991)

• Everyday Negotiation: Navigating The Hidden Agendas in Bargaining by Kolb, D. and Williams, J. (Jossey‐Bass: 2003)

• The Facilitator's Guide To Participatory Decision‐Making by Kaner, S. et al., (2nd Edition. Jossey‐Bass: 2007)

Almost all the additional reading materials will be available from the course website. There will be an agenda for each class which provides links to the preparatory readings, indicates questions to consider in preparing for the session, and lists the items we will address along with how we will approach them. The agenda will usually include links and references to other sources where additional information can be found. As products are created during the course they will be uploaded to the web site.

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http://books.google.ca/books?id=sjH3emOkC1MC&dq=getting+to+yes&pg=PP1&ots=3jJ4AaHx8c&sig=bZp35tuaIQSgItd34YnXcLhE0NI&hl=en&prev=http://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&q=GETTING+TO+YES&btnG=Google+Search&sa=X&oi=print&ct=title&cad=one-book-with-thumbnail

http://www.pon.harvard.edu/resources/book-reviews/everyday-negotiation-navigating-the-hidden-agendas-in-bargaining/

http://books.google.ca/books?id=kVQBehRCHW0C&q=The+Facilitator%27s+guide+Kaner&dq=The+Facilitator%27s+guide+Kaner&pgis=1

PLAN 596: SEMINAR ON ECO‐ECONOMIC SYSTEMS (ECOLOGICAL ECONOMICS)

2010W Term 2, T & Th, 0930‐1100, WMAX 150 Credit Hours: 3.0 Instructor: William Rees Email: [email protected] Telephone: 604‐822‐2937

Course Description:

This course is intended to provide a systematic exploration of the physical relationships between the global economy and the biosphere as reflected by the emerging discipline of ecological economics. Mainstream neoliberal economic models make no reference to the ecosystems sustaining the economy and emphasize efficiency as a means of maximizing economic growth. By contrast, the starting premise of ecological economics is that the economy is a sub‐system of the ecosphere and dependent on the rest of the ecosphere for both material and process resources, including waste assimilation. It therefore emphasizes equity in the context of a ‘steady‐state’ (constant material throughput) economy. In this contrasting light, students examine the assumptions and determinants of mainstream economic analysis, particularly the concept of continuous economic growth, and how well prevailing models for environmental planning and international development reflect current understanding of ecosystem properties and behaviour. We consider the socioeconomic policy implications of biophysical limits as expressed through such ecological economic concepts as natural capital and natural income; the constant capital stocks condition for sustainability (weak and strong versions); the merits and drawbacks of monetizing (pricing) nature; biophysical constraints on growth and the concept of optimal scale; inter‐ and intra‐generational equity as sustainability criteria; the strengths and weaknesses of available environmental policy instruments from an ecol‐econ perspective; far‐from‐equilibrium thermodynamics; ecological footprint analysis as a measure of human demands on natural capital and in determining regional and global ecological deficits. Using this framing, we develop a cautionary approach to globalization and trade for comparison with WTO assumptions and prescriptions. Time permitting and depending on the content of student seminars, we will examine alternative perspectives on limits, from technological innovations that purportedly enable perpetual growth (e.g., toward a “Factor‐10” economy) to alternatives such as ‘managing without growth’ (both population and material growth).

Specific Learning Objectives:

On completion of the course, students should be able to discuss:

• The philosophical origins of two socially constructed models of economic reality: the mechanical expansionist (neoliberal market) economy and the eco‐thermodynamic steady‐state economy;

• The physicality of economic process—biophysical connections of the economy to the ecosphere: natural capital, natural income and the ecological footprint of the human economy;

• The relationships among population growth, material economic growth and environmental decline: the economy as dissipative structure;

• The question of optimal scale: carrying capacity, ecological deficits, equity, and the implications of uneconomic growth;

• Market failure: ecosystemic reasons why an unregulated market will produce less than socially optimal results;

• True‐cost economics; the strengths and weaknesses of pricing natural capital as a sustainability tool.

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• Public intervention in the free market: strengths and weaknesses of conventional (environmental economics) approaches to achieving environmental quality objectives and acceptable rates of resource exploitation;

• Ecological (steady‐state) economics and sustainable development: an exploration of policy and planning implications;

• Policy alternatives for sustainability with equity in an ecologically constrained world.


This course is divided between lectures/discussions and student‐led seminars on central topics in ecological economics introduced by the lecture material. Some seminars will be organized as debates on critical areas of dispute between mainstream and ecological economics. The apportionment of the course between lectures and seminars depends on enrollment and student preferences. The following represents one possible organization of the course for 2010‐2011but is subject to revision depending on numbers and student interests:

Schedule of course topics and related readings

(NB: Readings are subject to change with the flow of the course. There will be substitutions, additions and deletions. Not all readings listed will be assigned and others will be.)

Week 1 • Introduction to ecological economics–gateway to sustainability? • Comparing the beliefs, assumptions and values of ecological economics, academic ecology, and

neoliberal (neoclassical) economics • Newtonian/Cartesian mechanics vs. far‐from‐equilibrium thermodynamics; equity vs. efficiency;

development vs. growth; • The paradigm shift: Essential tenets of ecological economics

Week 2 • The “natural capital” concept – lessons from capital theory • Hicksian income as criterion for sustainability • The constant capital stocks criterion for sustainability • Weak sustainability: Aggregating capital and income accounts (The environmental economist’s

choice?) Week 3

• Strong sustainability: Separate accounts for natural and human‐made capital (the ecological economists’ preference)

• Is any nation sustainable? (weak criterion/strong criterion) • Biophysical vs. monetary assessments in sustainability analysis. • Physical accounts and ecological footprint analysis. • The principle of near perfect substitution: Salvation or dangerous delusion?

Week 4 • Why play with pricing? • Valuing nature – What are nature’s services worth? • Tangible vs. intangible values (and what about the priceless?)

Week 5 • Tangible vs. intangible values (and what about the priceless?) • Commodifying nature: Can total social valuation/total social cost pricing save the world?

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• Contingent valuation methods: The ecological economics critique • Benefit/cost analysis – does this “most powerful tool in the economist’s kitbag” create

dangerous illusions? Week 6

• Optimal economic scale: The marginal/total costs and benefits of growth • Problems with pricing • Uneconomic growth • Introduction to “environmental policy” tools • What is pollution? Environmental and ecological economics perspectives • Whatever happened to resource scarcity?

Week 7 (mid‐term break, February 14‐18 inclusive; classes cancelled)

Week 8 • Classifying pollution by biophysical impact and medium • Waste disposal costs – pollution prevention vs. pollution damage (pollution avoidance and

welfare damage) costs • Assimilative capacity as a scarce resource: How to allocate? • Available policy instruments • Moral suasion and the “common property” (open access) problem

Week 10 • “Stake‐holder” bargaining vs. government regulation • Regulation (command and control) and subsidies • Pollution charges and taxes • Comparing subsidies and taxes: Who benefits, who pays?

Week 11 • Tradable pollution rights: Optimizing pollution control through resource quotas • If pollution taxes and tradable rights are so relatively efficient, why aren’t they used more

often? • The ecology and ecological economics of (bio)resource harvesting • Maximum sustainable yield: Not! • Limiting the take: On resource quotas and taxes. • Toward ecological fiscal reform • The economy as “far‐from‐equilibrium dissipative structure” • Complex systems theory and the problem of scale

Week 13, 14, 15 • Student Seminars • Tying up loose ends: Wither economics?


Students will be evaluated on the basis of class participation, seminar presentations, and a term paper based on the seminar presentations. Grades will be based on:

25% class participation 75% seminar and final paper based on the seminar paper and class feedback

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PLAN 597: PLANNING FOR WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT

2010W Term 2, W, 0800‐1130, WMAX 240 Credit Hours: 3.0 Instructor: Anthony Dorcey Email: [email protected] Telephone: 604‐822‐5725

Course Description:

In planning for water resources and watershed management generalist planners and specialists from a variety of natural, applied and social science disciplines have to work with each other. Principles that have been developed for such planning over the last fifty years including Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) are examined along with how they have been put into practice in B.C., other parts of Canada and internationally. Further introductory information about the course is available from the agenda for the first class as it was offered in 2010.


The course should be of particular interest to students in planning who are focusing on urban and regional development, and disaster, environment and natural resources management; in resource sciences who are specializing in fisheries, hydrology, forestry and wildlife; and in engineering who are specializing in water, energy, environmental management, and mining. By the end of the course each student should be able to:

• work with others in planning for water resources management; • analyze any water resources management issue in terms of the bio‐physical, socio‐economic

and legal‐institutional systems involved; • identify the special contribution they could make to the analysis; and • know what in general other specialists might be able to contribute to the analysis.


Part 1: Concepts, theory and models of three basic systems analyzed and integrated in planning for water resources management: (i) geophysical, chemical and biological, (ii) socio‐economic, and (iii) legal‐institutional.

Part 2: Planning water resource uses and hazards: (i) water supply (domestic, industrial, agricultural), (ii) waste disposal (domestic, industrial, agricultural), (iii) fisheries and aquaculture, (iv) recreation, (v) hydropower, and (vi) flood control.

Part 3: Planning and governance for regional water resources management: (i) watersheds and river basins, (ii) lakes, (iii) estuaries, (iv) coastal zones, and (v) international basins.

Note the content is adapted in light of the backgrounds and interests of students in the class.

The class meets once a week for two sessions of one and one‐half hours with a half‐hour break. Almost all readings and resource materials are made available through the course web site. Readings are assigned in advance of each class and students are expected to be prepared to participate in a discussion led by the instructor during Part 1 and by students during Parts 2 and 3. Use is made of Google Apps which provide various collaboratory tools.

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http://tonydorcey.ca/597/09597/09597Intro1.html

http://tonydorcey.ca/597/09597/09597Intro1.html

http://tonydorcey.ca/597/09597/index.htm


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Assessment of student performance will be based on: • 10% Participation in class discussion throughout the course. • 30% Preparation and presentation of a topic in Part 2. • 60% Analytical exercises requiring a 1,000‐1,500 word response that are assigned three times

during the term. Course Assignments:

The three written assignments are similar to those from last year:

• Analytical Exercise 1 • Analytical Exercise 2 • Analytical Exercise 3

The required presentation on a topic selected by the student for one class session will also be similar to last year. As long as there are sufficient numbers of students in the course, these presentations will be done in pairs as last year. Please see the instructions for preparation and the list of topics chosen by students in previous years for presentation sessions during the second part of the course.

Course Policies:

Permission of Instructor

All students interested in taking the course should contact the instructor to make sure that the course is appropriate for them at this stage in their studies. Please email the instructor providing a brief summary of your previous training and experience relevant to the course and the relevance of the course to your program of studies and future career aspirations.

Class Participation

For policies on participation in class and group work please see class materials on the course website.

Course Materials:

Please go to the course web site for 2010 to see the readings that were assigned including those selected by students to meet their particular interest. Most of the readings for Part 1 are the same as last year but those in Parts 2 and 3 depend on choices made by students.

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http://tonydorcey.ca/597/09597/09An1.htm



http://tonydorcey.ca/597/09597/09preppres.htm



http://tonydorcey.ca/597/09597/09agendas.htm

2010-2011 Course Outlines Winter.pdf - scarp | ubc

Documents

Transcript of 2010-2011 Course Outlines Winter.pdf - scarp | ubc