RE3COI: Comparative International Planning

Module code: RE3COI

Module provider: Real Estate and Planning; Henley Business School

Credits: 20

Level: Level 3 (Honours)

When you'll be taught: Semester 2

Module convenor: Mr Pin-Te Lin, email: pin-te.lin@henley.reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: Yes

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 27 June 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

The aim of this module is to understand planning practices and systems in different countries and draw lessons from them. It sets the context, history and development of planning in a given country, region or state and then explores that system through particular issues/themes/techniques (e.g. housing, community planning, zoning, etc.) associated with planning. The module thus provides an opportunity to develop a global view of how planning is practised, and the advantages and problems of different planning systems set against their political, economic, social and cultural context. By also discussing different themes in planning, the module allows for an appreciation of the versatility of planning in contributing to resolving various economic, social, environmental and cultural issues. 

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to: 

1. Apply theories of lesson drawing;  
2. Identify and evaluate: i) historic, cultural and political constraints and enablers that shape different planning systems and ii) how particular issues/themes/techniques manifest themselves and operate within a particular context; 
3. Develop and refine online discussion skills and essay writing skills.

Module content

The lectures will be delivered by a combination of University of Reading staff, PhD students and Guest lecturers who are experts on different planning approaches across the world. The initial session will be lecture-based and will set the scene by explaining the theory and practice of comparative studies and lesson drawing. This will be followed by lectures on planning systems in different countries and presentation of specific issues/themes/techniques that are examined contextually through case studies from the countries being studied.  
 
Given the nature of the module aims, the content will alter from year to year. The core aims and outcomes will however be maintained. The following list is indicative for the weekly activities: 

• Introduction: Comparative planning, lesson drawing and policy transfer 
• Planning in India and bottom-up planning 
• Planning in Singapore and public housing
• Planning in the Netherlands and water management 
• Planning in Ireland and post economic crises 
• Planning in Japan and property rights 
• Planning in Lebanon and informality
• Planning in China and regional planning
• Module summary; Assessment -1 feedback; Assessment – 2 & 3 brief and discussion 
• Tutorials to discuss Essay Plans & Annotated bibliographies; Module evaluation 

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

The teaching and learning method for the module will be one of blended learning. This will involve a mixture of three hours of case study-based lectures and activities around reading materials supplemented by student contributions to an online discussion forum each week. The forum contributions will discuss and debate the planning system and the issues/themes/techniques discussed within lectures in a particular week. 

Study hours

At least 30 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

One non-assessed written assignment on which feedback will be given (Essay Plan and annotated Bibliography)

Reassessment

Additional costs