3 ECTS credits
90 h study time

Offer 1 with catalog number 4014940FNR for all students in the 1st and 2nd semester at a (F) Master - specialised level.

Semester
1st and 2nd semester
Enrollment based on exam contract
Impossible
Grading method
Grading (scale from 0 to 20)
Can retake in second session
Yes
Taught in
English
Partnership Agreement
Under interuniversity agreement for degree program
Faculty
Faculty of Sciences and Bioengineering Sciences
Department
Geography
Educational team
David Bassens (course titular)
Tatiana Debroux
Bas Van Heur
Activities and contact hours
8 contact hours Lecture
6 contact hours Seminar, Exercises or Practicals
62 contact hours Independent or External Form of Study
Course Content

Course subject:  spatial analysis

Description:

Students learn through fieldwork how to look at and understand neighbourhoods in the city. The fieldwork is done in little groups of five students. Students are given a neighbourhood in Brussels for which they are asked to design a planning profile for.

It looks at neighbourhoods that define the structure of the city, that play a role in how we read the city and that are an important object for urban policy making.

Analysing the neighbourhood is done at different levels such as refining its morphology, making a mental map(as used by Kevin Lynch), conducting qualitative research, interviewing the main actors, looking at the dynamics and social practices that are specific to the neighbourhood by summing these up in a SWOT analysis. On the basis of this analysis student propose a planning profile that is embedded in the research done. The result is presented publicly and in a written report.

Course material
Digital course material (Required) :
Additional info

Methods:

  • lectures
  • seminars
  • fieldwork
  • presentations

Literature consulted:
'- Bridge, G. & Watson, S. (2002) From ‘Imaging the city by Kevin Lynch in: Bridge, G. & Watson, S. (Eds.) The Blackwell City Reader, pp. 3-10 (London, Blackwell).

Learning Outcomes

Algemene competenties

Aims and objectives:

The logic behind this course is that students have to adopt practical and analytical skills allowing them to ‘analyse the urban’. There are six fields of attention:

(1) analysing and using statistics: being able to collect and analyse statistics in combination with the use of some basic statistical analyses
(2) conducting qualitative research: being able to apply scientific interview techniques, text analyses, reading landscapes, historical analyses
(3) applying cartography: developing basic skills of mapping (land use mapping + transmitting it into simple GIS programmes)
(4) applying special methods: social area analyses, SWOT, scenario techniques
(5) developing project management: being able to set up a research agenda, reporting and presentation skills, ...
(6) communicating and presenting results in an academic and clear manner to peer , orally and w in a written report.


Students will work with:

(1) statistics
(2) qualitative research
(3) cartography
(4) special methods: social area analyses, SWOT, scenario techniques
(5) project management

Grading

The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
Other Exam determines 100% of the final mark.

Within the Other Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:

  • Examen andere with a relative weight of 1 which comprises 100% of the final mark.

Additional info regarding evaluation

Examination method: The evaluation of the work in UA1 is based on an appreciation of the group presentation, as well as on the final written report. The report is evaluated on its structure, style, format, and content – i.e. it has to compile the diverse elements gathered at each step, that is : a concise presentation of the.

Allowed unsatisfactory mark
The supplementary Teaching and Examination Regulations of your faculty stipulate whether an allowed unsatisfactory mark for this programme unit is permitted.

Academic context

This offer is part of the following study plans:
Master of Urban Studies: 4CITIES Classical track
Master of Urban Studies: Standard track
Master of Urban Studies: 4CITIES ResearchPractice track