Course Title: Urban Design Work Practice 3

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Urban Design Work Practice 3

Credit Points: 12.00

Terms

Course Code	Campus	Career	School	Learning Mode	Teaching Period(s)
ARCH1277	City Campus	Undergraduate	365H Global, Urban and Social Studies	Face-to-Face	Sem 2 2007, Sem 2 2008, Sem 2 2010
ARCH1277	City Campus	Undergraduate	365H Global, Urban and Social Studies	Workplace	Sem 2 2013

Course Coordinator: TBA

Course Coordinator Phone: TBA

Course Coordinator Email: TBA

Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

Urban Design Work Practice 1 & 2

Course Description

The course provides an opportunity to learn through university-directed practical experience. The focus is to further develop students abilities to manage their own career as a life-long learning process and enables one to further understand ‘professionalism’ in an urban design setting. Deeper understandings at professionalism such as ethics and project issues are further enhanced in this course through elaborating and building upon the knowledge students have acquired (or acquire) when in the work setting. Students are able to develop and explore particular interests and skills in a work placement setting. The work placement provides a basis for a professional network, while positioning students favourably in terms of future employment opportunities. The University class component of this course will include student involvement in determining work place topics from which detailed investigations and presentations will be conducted. These topics will be the focus of a series of student-directed seminars in which concrete examples from work placements will be used to critically explore career growth and professional issues.

Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

See below.

• Skills in professional self-development and self-management.

• Particular skills focused upon urban design (and planning) activities.

• The application of academic and theoretical knowledge as well as technical skills to practical situations.

• Workplace office and administration skills relevant to urban design (and planning).

• Professional and interpersonal skills such as working in teams, listening, negotiating, mediating and/or leading.

• Experience of working in a professional capacity with members of the public, government officers and other professionals, in a range of settings.

• A critical understanding of the role of professionals and of professional ethics.

• An understanding of current developments and debates in urban design.

Overview of Learning Activities

Students will be provided with the opportunity to learn the following and expected to undertake (and where applicable complete) the following:

• Work Placement: The work placement of 30 days provides a basis of understanding the skills and practices of working as part of an urban design organisation. This will include organising your own work placement, directed by the course coordinator (Beau) and field placement officer (Margie). A list of organisations to which you may apply have been provided to you, although you may also approach other firms if you wish. If students have not negotiated placements by the week prior to the start of semester staff will provide assistance.

• Participation in seminars/discussions: Students are encouraged to actively participation in seminars and discussions held throughout the semester. Note, that these will require some preparation beforehand and in particular you will be required to actively lead one seminar on the basis of a collectively agreed topic. The seminars will provide a forum to share experiences, to reflect on professional roles, ethics, and to address any difficulties students are facing. They will also provide a medium to link concrete experiences and examples from practice including your theoretical, academic and professional knowledge. Students will be encouraged to identify important professional skills, their work practice experience and to address any shortcomings they might experience.

• Assignments: Written assignments undertaken by students will provide opportunities to reflect upon their work practice experience and plan for future professional development. For example, the daily journal (assessment item 8) will encourage reflection of ones experience throughout the semester (and not just documentation of activities). While the Career Action Plan (also, assessment item 8) will provide a basis for deep and considered reflection of ones work as well as provide a plan of ongoing action directed towards ones career and professional development.

Overview of Learning Resources

Any student concerned that their literacy skills are likely to prevent them from succeeding in the course should contact the Learning Skills Unit Building 94 Level 3 23-27 Cardigan St, Carlton.
Ph 9925 4488
Website: http://aps.eu.rmit.edu.au/lsu

Overview of Assessment

Each student is required to complete assignments as well as tasks for their successful completion of the work practice course. The following summarises the tasks and assignments that ones assessment will be based upon:
1. Obtaining a work placement position. Prior to commencement of ARCH 1277 (in semester 2) one must obtain a work placement position. This placement must be approval by the course coordinator (Beau). Note, that a Placement Agreement Form must be filled out and signed by all parties and submitted to the Field Education Administration Officer (Margie).
2. A five minute presentation in Week 3: ‘How my placement will assist me to achieve my career goals’.
3. A discussion of ones work between the course coordinator and your work placement supervisor (mid-way through the semester or earlier if necessary).
4. A completed work placement ‘Supervisor Report’ to be submitted to the course coordinator immediately upon completion of your placement.
5. Leading and facilitating one seminar session during the semester as well as the production and submission of a 2000 word paper.
6. Presenting to the class a summary of ones ‘Career Action Plan’.
7. A ‘Career Action Plan’ and ‘Daily Journal’ submitted to the course coordinator immediately upon completion of your placement.