Bachelor of Science Honours in Urban and Regional Planning
Physical Planning and Construction - Physical Planning Design and Management
Purpose and Rationale
The rationale for restructuring the qualifications in Urban and Regional Planning is to better align the educational programs with industry demands and career prospects. By offering a three-year bachelor's qualification followed by a one-year honours qualification, learners will have the opportunity to delve deeper into specific developmental contexts and enhance their problem-solving abilities.
Furthermore, the articulation between the bachelor's qualification and the MSc Development Planning program will allow for a smoother transition for learners who wish to specialize in development planning. This restructuring also aims to meet the academic requirements for registration with the South African Council of Town and Regional Planners, ensuring that graduates are well-prepared for professional practice.
The change in name from 'town and regional planning' to 'Urban and Regional Planning' reflects the evolution of the field and the specific focus of the qualification. Overall, these changes seek to provide learners with a more robust educational foundation, increased specialization opportunities, and alignment with professional accreditation standards.
Outcomes
- The qualifying learner has an advanced integrative understanding of development and planning issues important to the South African context.
- The qualifying learner has knowledge of how to manage complexity and uncertainty within a changing temporal, socio-economic, political and environmental context as a professional planner, across scales ranging from the local to the national.
- The qualifying learner is able to cope with and plan within South Africa's diverse social and cultural dynamics.
- The qualifying learner has an advanced understanding of planning as part of wider social, political, cultural, administrative, economic and natural systems, and their operating and financial characteristics.
- The qualifying learner can research, analyse and interpret information in different ways and can effectively communicate its significance to different types of audience.
- The qualifying learner has been prepared both for the next stage of his/her career, whether it be professional, entrepreneurial or in some other field, and to meet the demands of continuing professional and life-long development.
- The qualifying learner has been prepared both for the next stage of his/her career, whether it be professional, entrepreneurial or in some other field, and to meet the demands of continuing professional and life-long development.
Assessment Criteria
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcomes 1:
- Demonstrating advanced knowledge of the extensive, diverse heritage of indigenous and colonial human settlement and culture in Africa.
- Showing advanced knowledge of historical and current theoretical planning models and approaches for industrialized and developmental contexts.
- Having an advanced practical and theoretical grounding in physical planning and design.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcomes 2:
- Ability to identify and address complex problems by employing appropriate procedural planning theories, concepts, and quantitative planning techniques.
- Making value choices in problem-solving.
- Demonstrating individual skills in investigating a specialized area of planning, defining the problem, analyzing it through relevant theory, and developing practical proposals.
- Ability to deal with planning problems at various scales, from local to national.
- Familiarity with resource allocation issues and applying project budgeting, financial viability, and implementation strategies.
- Applying the concept of sustainability to socio-economic, political, cultural, and legal issues affecting the physical and natural urban or rural environment.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcomes 3:
- Demonstrating competency in skills required for multi-disciplinary teamwork, field research, academic exercises, design work, and projects involving community participation.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcomes 4:
- Knowledge of the structural and operating characteristics of infrastructural and other systems and their limitations on development.
- Understanding of planning and its role in society.
- Critical, analytical, and creative thinking abilities to appreciate, interpret, research, refine, apply, and augment existing knowledge in planning.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcomes 5:
- Ability to use mathematical, visual, graphic, verbal, and writing skills for thinking and communication.
- Proficiency in IT (especially CAD and GIS) and manual graphics for investigating and interpreting spatial and temporal dimensions of planning.
- Competence in qualitative and quantitative research methods for interpreting and evaluating research material.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcomes 6:
- Exposure to various career paths in planning through interactions with staff, business people, planning professionals, and fellow learners.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcomes 7:
- Understanding how frameworks influence the selection and application of appropriate procedures and roles in different contexts.
- Skills in time management, prioritization, and initiative to address all facets of the qualification adequately.
Integrated Assessment:
- Assessment through written assignments, oral and graphic presentations, and written examinations.
- Testing the ability to integrate theory and practice and apply learning to planning-related problems.
- Research report and Integrated Planning Project provide opportunities for extensive application of skills in independent research.
- Qualifications like Advanced Planning Thought and Comparative Planning Systems designed for integrated assessment.
Qualification Details
- Type
- Honours Degree
- NQF Level
- 08
- Min. Credits
- 120
- SAQA Source
- More Information
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This page includes information from the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) . Builtneat Pty Ltd trading as Study Start, has modified all or some of this information. SAQA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.