Bachelor of Environments

Urban Design and Planning

Urban Design is founded upon the social, environmental, political, aesthetic and economic importance of design in the public realm, serving the public interest. It focuses on the intersections between architecture, landscape architecture, planning and geography. Students who have a desire to learn about and engage with the design of urban futures will explore the two strongly related fields of environmental practice: urban design as the shaping of urban space and urban planning as the strategic and regulatory mediation of urban change.

 

Urban Design and Planning

Urban Design is founded upon the social, environmental, political, aesthetic and economic importance of design in the public realm, serving the public interest. It focuses on the intersections between architecture, landscape architecture, planning and geography. Students who have a desire to learn about and engage with the design of urban futures will explore the two strongly related fields of environmental practice: urban design as the shaping of urban space and urban planning as the strategic and regulatory mediation of urban change.

Course planning for an Urban Design and Planning Major

Students enrolled in the Bachelor of Environments should take no more than 125 points of 1st year level subjects. Students must complete at least 75 points worth of 3rd year level subjects, including at least one 3rd year level breadth subject. Students will need to be mindful of this when course planning.

In order to complete a major in Urban Design and Planning, you will need to undertake the following subjects:

1st year level

2nd year level

3rd year level

And two of:

2nd year level

3rd year level

Students should familiarise themselves with the Bachelor of Environments Course Structure.

 

Breadth information for Urban Design and Planning major

The Melbourne Model aims to produce graduates who are trained in a particular discipline (depth) as well as knowledgeable across disciplines (breadth). The breadth component of the new degrees aims to build multiple competencies in students by exposing them to different ways of knowing through cross-disciplinary learning and teaching. 

In the first year of the Bachelor of Environments, students can take any two 100-Level subjects from the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Commerce, Bachelor of Music or Bachelor of Science as well as the University Breadth Subjects and the non core subjects available as breadth.

In the second and third years of the Bachelor of Environments, students will choose their major field of study and they must choose breadth studies that contrast with their major. The eleven major areas of study are grouped into four clusters based on the types of knowledge they represent: scientific, socio-cultural, design and business.

For example, a student taking a Design major such as Urban Design and Planning will take breadth studies that contrast with the design way of knowing, such as commerce, languages, politics, maths, science or psychology. Due to the Urban Design and Planning major falling under the design category, students are not permitted to take Art History, Planning or Design subjects as breadth.

A search engine of breadth subjects available to Bachelor of Environments students may be found here.  Some students may also choose to take breadth study from within the Bachelor of Environments as long as these subjects come from a different cluster to their major area of study – see breadth elective subjects for a list of approved subjects.

Environments Electives

Bachelor of Environments students will undertake 37.5 (3 subjects) of Environments electives within their degree. A list of possible Environments Electives can be found here.

 

SAMPLE COURSE PLAN - NB. Subjects DO NOT have to be taken in this order

Sample course plan for students commencing in semester 1

Semester 1, Year 1 Reshaping Environments
880-102		 Virtual Environments
880-108 (Recommended)		 Governing Environments
880-108 (Highly Recommended) 		Breadth
Semester 2, Year 1 Natural Environments
880-101		 Designing Environments 880-104 Urban Environments
880-107 		 Breadth
Semester 1, Year 2 Urban History
702-246		 Bachelor of Environments Elective Bachelor of Environments Elective Breadth
Semester 2, Year 2 Architecture Design Studio 2
702-240		 Major Selective Bachelor of Environments Elective Breadth
Semester 1, Year 3 Urban Landscape Studio 3: Urban Open Space 702-365 Urban Design Studies
702-248		 Cities: from Local to Global 702-247   Breadth
Semester 2, Year 3 Urban Precinct Studio
702-385 		Morphological Mapping
702-384 		Major Selective Breadth

 

  first year subjects in blue
  major subjects (2nd and 3rd year) in white
  breadth subjects in green
  Bachelor of Environments elective subjects in orange

 

Urban Design and Planning

Sample course plan for students commencing mid-year

Semester 2,
Year 1		 Reshaping Environments
880-102		 Urban Environments
880-107		 Governing Environments
880-108 (Highly Recommended)		 Breadth
Semester 1,
Year 1		 Natural Environments
880-101		 Designing Environments
880-104		 Virtual Environments
880-108 (Recommended)		 Breadth
Semester 2,
Year 2		 Architecture Design Studio 2
702-240		 Urban Design Studies
702-248		 Bachelor of Environments Elective Breadth
Semester 1,
Year 2		 Urban Landscape Studio 3: Urban Open Space 702-365 Cities: from Local to Global 702-247 Urban History
702-246		 Breadth
Semester 2,
Year 3		 Urban Precinct Studio
702-385
Morphological Mapping
702-384		 Major Selective Breadth
Semester 1,
Year 3		 Major Selective Bachelor of Environments Elective Bachelor of Environments Elective Breadth

 

  first year subjects in blue
  major subjects (2nd and 3rd year) in white
  breadth subjects in green
  Bachelor of Environments elective subjects in orange

 

Careers and Further Study

Completion of the Urban Design major will provide a basis from which to gain professional practice in the field and to apply for 2-year programs in the Master Urban Design in The Bachelor of Environments of Urban Planning or Master of Urban Design, or for 3-year Masters programs in Architecture and Landscape Architecture.

Master of Urban Design

The Faculty of Architecture Building and Planning currently offers a post professional Master of Urban Design degree for graduates who have completed professional studies in architecture, landscape architecture, or urban planning. From 2011, it will also offer a 2-year professional Master of Urban Design degree tailored for students who have completed the urban Design major within B.Envs.

Master of Urban Planning

The Master of Urban Planning is a two year professional degree for graduates who want to practice as urban planners. It provides graduates with:

Master of Urban Planning - Career Outcomes

Many Master of Urban Planning graduates enter the public sector and work in government departments and agencies, or for local councils in cities and regions. The private sector offers an increasing range of employment opportunities, including in urban planning and design consultancies, major development and investment companies, large corporations and utility companies.

Contact Us

If you have any questions, please contact the Environments Student Centre on:

Ph: 8344 6432 | 8344 6417 | 8344 8150

Web: envs-courseadvice@unimelb.edu.au

Visit: Environments Student Centre

Ground Floor, Old Commerce Building

University of Melbourne

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