Foundational Issues in City and Regional Planning (BYG905)

The course is a seminar-based course providing an introduction to smart cities as an interdisciplinary research field.


Course description for study year 2024-2025. Please note that changes may occur.

Facts

Course code

BYG905

Version

1

Credits (ECTS)

10

Semester tution start

Spring, Autumn

Number of semesters

1

Exam semester

Spring, Autumn

Language of instruction

English

Offered by

Content

The course is a seminar-based course providing an introduction to smart cities as an interdisciplinary research field. By the end of the course, students should prepare a manuscript, which can be developed further into an article, book chapter or conference paper. These manuscripts can be developed collaboratively or individually. ​

Seminars: The seminar consists of lecture sessions that cover smart city concepts and appraoches through different theoretical and disciplinary perspectives, such as (but not limited to):

  1. Introduction to inter-, multi-, and transdisciplinary research
  2. Policy & governance
  3. Wireless communication networks
  4. Built environment
  5. Transport and mobility
  6. Green Infrastructure
  7. Safety and Security
  8. Participation
  9. Children/childhood

PhD students and supervisors prepare lectures, find relevant literature, and lead related discussions. Each seminar is following by a reflection session.

Writing workshops The writing workshops are intended to guide the students in developing their manuscript either individually or jointly with another PhD student. The workshops will be structures as follows:

  1. Identifying an interdisciplinary research question
  2. Developing the outline, theory and methodology
  3. Fundamentals of article writing
  4. Feedback on draft

The writing workshops are based on short lectures and peer discussions and feedback.

Final assignment: The final assignment should address interdisciplinary perspectives on a smart city related topic. The final manuscript should be at least 5000 words excluding footnotes and references.

Learning outcome

  • The student is able to reflect on smart city as a concept or series of concepts and make connections to various dimensions of sustainability, local and global
  • The student is able to position their own work and research in relation to the (dominant) smart city discourses/theories in circulation
  • The students gains insight into theoretical, conceptual and methodological perspectives on the smart city from different disciplines
  • The student can contribute to the development of interdisciplinary/transdisciplinary concepts, methodologies and/or tools for smart city research within their own field

Required prerequisite knowledge

None

Exam

Form of assessment Weight Duration Marks Aid
Written assignment 1/1 Passed / Not Passed All

The student will be assessed on the quality of the written assignment (e.g., paper draft). The assignment is assigned at the beginning of the course and submitted at the end. This is a pass/fail course.No re-sit opportunities are offered for the assignment. Students who do not pass this assignment can retake it the next time the course is held.

Coursework requirements

Active participation in class

Course teacher(s)

Course coordinator:

Daniela Müller-Eie

Head of Department:

Tore Markeset

Method of work

The seminar course consists of lecture sessions, reflections/discussion sessions, writing workshops, and a final paper submission.

Open for

Single Course Admission to PhD-courses Technology and Natural Science - PhD programme

Course assessment

There must be an early dialogue between the course supervisor, the student union representative and the students. The purpose is feedback from the students for changes and adjustments in the course for the current semester.In addition, a digital subject evaluation must be carried out at least every three years. Its purpose is to gather the students experiences with the course.

Literature

Search for literature in Leganto