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Planning and Building Sustainable Cities (LAWS90029)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)
To learn more, visit 2023 Course and subject delivery.
About this subject
- Overview
- Eligibility and requirements
- Assessment
- Dates and times
- Further information
- Timetable(opens in new window)
Contact information
November
Lecturer(s)
Jody Williams (Coordinator)
Ilsa Kuiper
Email: law-masters@unimelb.edu.au
Phone: 13 MELB (13 6352), International: +(61 3) 9035 5511
Website: law.unimelb.edu.au
Overview
Availability(Quotas apply) | November |
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Fees | Look up fees |
The concepts of sustainability are increasingly changing and driving the legal and regulatory context of our large, complex and smart cities. The global sustainable development goals have also led urban regulators to embrace more participatory and innovative forms of governance for our society and economy.
This subject explores how sustainability concepts and framework apply in the regulation and governance of planning and construction towards smart, resilient and sustainable cities. In particular, it will focus on the role of municipal and state laws in achieving liveable communities. This topic offers a further but alternate perspective of shifting regulatory dynamics that pitch towards sustainability objectives, whether on built environment projects or across broad-scaled applications.
The subject will explore the interesting tension between planning and building law and the respective contribution of each in driving sustainable outcomes. Climate change and green building developments are profiled in view of the changing political, legal and academic agendas. New ideas on Environmentally Sustainable Development (ESD) for urban settings are explored. A focus on ESD Local Planning Policies includes assessing whether planning regulation in Victoria incorporates best practice in environmental assessment. Within the urban environment, the subject further considers sustainability in the architecture, engineering and construction sectors, project procurement and across the built form lifecycle. This includes studying how sustainability objectives continue to challenge the legal, regulatory and policy frameworks and foster the interplay of emerging tools and digital developments.
This subject has been designed for those interested in the intersection between planning and construction law and environmental law. The subject includes guest lectures, visiting some of Melbourne’s iconic green buildings and infrastructure projects, and assessing urban planning initiatives for their contribution to the development of Melbourne as a sustainable city.
Intended learning outcomes
A student who has successfully completed this subject should be able to:
- Explain, in an urban and contemporary context, the role and function of law – regulatory and contractual – to achieve sustainability objectives in the built environment
- Interpret the changing role and forms of governance and economy within a sustainable city and how these changes are affecting laws and legal relationships
- Apply skills gained from the subject to be able to deal at an advanced level with the major regulatory aspects of planning and buildings sustainability cities
- Critically reflect on, and be confident in working across the complexities and interaction points between environmental, planning and construction law in the pursuit of liveable, smart and resilient communities
- Examine and analyse the complexities and emerging legal issues relating to urban planning and construction laws for sustainability.
Last updated: 31 January 2024
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
Corequisites
Non-allowed subjects
Recommended background knowledge
Applicants without legal qualifications should note that subjects are offered in the discipline of law at an advanced graduate level. While every effort will be made to meet the needs of students trained in other fields, concessions will not be made in the general level of instruction or assessment. Most subjects assume the knowledge usually acquired in a degree in law (LLB, JD or equivalent). Applicants should note that admission to some subjects in the Melbourne Law Masters will be dependent upon the individual applicant’s educational background and professional experience.
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 31 January 2024
Assessment
Description | Timing | Percentage |
---|---|---|
An in-class reflective presentation supported by independent research, class discussions and subject materials
| During the teaching period | 20% |
Option 1: Take-home examination
| 12-15 January 2024 | 80% |
Option 2: Research paper on a topic approved by the subject coordinator
| 7 February 2024 | 80% |
Hurdle requirement: A minimum of 75% attendance. Note: the attendance hurdle does not apply when the subject is delivered online. | Throughout the teaching period | N/A |
Additional details
Note: Students must choose assessment from the options listed above. If an option contains parts, all parts must be completed if that option is chosen.
Last updated: 31 January 2024
Quotas apply to this subject
Dates & times
- November
Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours Total time commitment 150 hours Pre teaching start date 18 October 2023 Pre teaching requirements Please refer to the Reading Guide on the LMS subject page for confirmation of which resources need to be read and what other preparation is required before the teaching period commences. Teaching period 15 November 2023 to 21 November 2023 Last self-enrol date 23 October 2023 Census date 16 November 2023 Last date to withdraw without fail 5 January 2024 Assessment period ends 7 February 2024 November contact information
Lecturer(s)
Jody Williams (Coordinator)
Ilsa KuiperEmail: law-masters@unimelb.edu.au
Phone: 13 MELB (13 6352), International: +(61 3) 9035 5511
Website: law.unimelb.edu.au
What do these dates mean
Visit this webpage to find out about these key dates, including how they impact on:
- Your tuition fees, academic transcript and statements.
- And for Commonwealth Supported students, your:
- Student Learning Entitlement. This applies to all students enrolled in a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP).
Subjects withdrawn after the census date (including up to the ‘last day to withdraw without fail’) count toward the Student Learning Entitlement.
Additional delivery details
This subject has a quota of 30 students.
Enrolment is on a 'first in' basis. Waitlists are maintained for subjects that are fully subscribed.
Students should note priority of waitlisted places in subjects will be given as follows:
- To currently enrolled Graduate Diploma and Masters students with a satisfactory record in their degree
- To other students enrolling on a single subject basis, eg Community Access Program (CAP) students, cross-institutional study and cross-faculty study.
Please refer to the Melbourne Law Masters website for further information about the management of subject quotas and waitlists.
Melbourne Law School may reserve places in a subject for incoming international cohorts or where a subject is core to a specialisation with limited alternate options.
Last updated: 31 January 2024
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
Specialist materials will be made available via the LMS in the pre-teaching period.
- Related Handbook entries
This subject contributes to the following:
- Links to additional information
- Available through the Community Access Program
About the Community Access Program (CAP)
This subject is available through the Community Access Program (also called Single Subject Studies) which allows you to enrol in single subjects offered by the University of Melbourne, without the commitment required to complete a whole degree.
Entry requirements including prerequisites may apply. Please refer to the CAP applications page for further information.
Additional information for this subject
If required, please contact law-masters@unimelb.edu.au for subject coordinator approval.
- Available to Study Abroad and/or Study Exchange Students
This subject is available to students studying at the University from eligible overseas institutions on exchange and study abroad. Students are required to satisfy any listed requirements, such as pre- and co-requisites, for enrolment in the subject.
Last updated: 31 January 2024