REMP63: Independent Study in Planning and Development

Module code: REMP63

Module provider: Real Estate and Planning; Henley Business School

Credits: 40

Level: Postgraduate Masters

When you'll be taught: Full year

Module convenor: Dr Christopher Maidment, email: c.s.maidment@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: No

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 28 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This module gives students the opportunity to carry out an in-depth Independent Study into a planning and development-related topic of their choice.

The first part of the module introduces students to the process of choosing and defining a research proposal, alongside developing core academic and professional skills. The second part of the module introduces research philosophies and methods in both qualitative and quantitative methods. A field trip to a European city will give students the opportunity to apply these research methods in a controlled environment. During the summer period students will draw on their learning and secondary data collection to develop their in-depth Independent Study, supported by a programme of group supervisory tutorials.

The module will enable students to develop their understanding and skills in all aspects of research, including learning from international examples and allow them to develop an in-depth, critical understanding of their chosen topic.

Module learning outcomes

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

• Evaluate the appropriateness of different research methods by designing a research proposal to address a specific problem.
• Apply appropriate research methods to collect primary and secondary data about an international case study of planning and development practice.
• Understand the value of learning from alternative contexts and apply this to an international case study of planning and development practice.
• Analyse literature, secondary data and/or primary data to prepare an in-depth Independent Study that addresses a specific research problem.

Module content

Skills for Professional and Academic Practice

• Searching and critically reviewing different literatures
• Persuasive written and oral communication
• Creative thinking
• Preparing your research proposal
• Comparing international contexts and policy transfer
• Contemporary research in planning and development

Skills for Research 

• Research philosophies and different types of data
• Being an ethical researcher
• Qualitative research methods
• Quantitative research methods
• Collecting secondary data
• Data analysis

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

The module is taught using in-person lectures that will introduce students to a range of core academic and research skills, philosophies and methods. These will be supported by guest lectures that will introduce students to contemporary research in the discipline and workshops that guide students through certain aspects of the process. Fieldwork in a European city will allow students to apply their research skills. Group project supervision sessions, starting in Semester 2 and continuing part-way into the Summer period will support students as they develop their Independent Study. Students will also be supported in their learning through the provision of a range of digital resources to compliment the lectures and allow students to deepen their understanding of key concepts and skills.

Study hours

At least 70 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 50% 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.

At the end of Semester 1 students will present their research proposal and receive informal feedback from their peers and the module tutor. The presentation will be assessed on a pass/fail basis.

During Semester 2 and the Summer Period the student will participate in group supervision meetings and will receive informal feedback on the development of their Independent Study.

Reassessment

Additional costs