ABH456 Planning Theory and Ethics
To view more information for this unit, select Unit Outline from the list below. Please note the teaching period for which the Unit Outline is relevant.
| Unit code: | ABH456 |
|---|---|
| Prerequisite(s): | (ABB254 or UXB231) and (ABB303 or UXH331) and (ABN402 or UXB330) |
| Equivalent(s): | UXH430 |
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Timetable | Details in HiQ, if available |
| Availabilities |
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| CSP student contribution | $1,192 |
| Domestic tuition unit fee | $4,704 |
| International unit fee | $5,436 |
Unit Outline: Semester 2 2026, Gardens Point, Internal
| Unit code: | ABH456 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Pre-requisite: | (ABB254 or UXB231) and (ABB303 or UXH331) and (ABN402 or UXB330) |
| Equivalent: | UXH430 |
| Coordinators: | Ksenia Nikolaeva | k.nikolaeva@qut.edu.au Mark Limb | mark.limb@qut.edu.au |
Overview
In this theory and ethics unit you will be prepared for planning practice and the dilemmas you will face as a professional. The unit will encourage you to engage with the substantive and procedural theories that inform how and why we plan, and provide the philosophical foundations that justify contemporary planning in both the private and public sectors. In this unit you will reflect on the diverse views and disciplinary insights that are present in a range of alternative theories of planning, and demonstrate your capacity to articulate your own personal philosophy of planning and the importance of ethical behaviour and codes in professional practice. This is a final year unit that will draw on the knowledge and skills you have developed through your previous units and through the experience of practice that you have gained as part of Work Integrated Learning or through working in the industry.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:
- Reflect on the importance and application of ethical behaviour in professional practice
- Critically reflect on and apply a diverse range of theoretical, cultural and ethical perspectives.
- Evaluate the relevance of planning theory to planning practice and the purpose of planning
- Synthesise a variety of sources in the literature to support your arguments to justify planning intervention.
- Communicate persuasively, including through collaboration with colleagues, for the application of ethics in planning practice
Content
The unit is arranged into three interrelated themes:
- The importance of planning theory - an investigation of the application of theory to planning and why it is relevant. The section will cover the language of theory, the history of planning theory, and the relationship of theory to practice. A brief overview of the origin and nature of property rights and an explanation of the range of instruments available to society to achieve its goals for the use and development of resources is presented.
- Ethics, Planning Values and Practice - connects theory to practice and emphasises the importance of ethical theory. As foundations to good planning practice we will cover deontology, teleology, and codes of ethics.
- Classic and Contemporary Theories of Planning - provides a sampling of the dominant procedural theories in planning (such as synoptic, transactive and mixed scanning). In addition emergent theories such as network theory and splintering urbanism will be introduced.
Learning Approaches
This unit employs student directed and student led learning approaches and active learning to explore the historical and contemporary theories of planning, link the relationship of theory to practice, define the role of ethics in planning practice and assist you in developing your own conceptual and ethical foundation for planning practice.
Your participation in the unit will include:
• A total of three hours of contact per week, which includes formal and participative lectures and a tutorial.
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Learning approaches will include:
• Independent engagement with online learning resources
• Attendance at weekly lectures, including guest lectures to provide an introduction to importance of planning theory, ethics, planning values and practice, and classic and contemporary theories of planning
• Participation in weekly workshops that provide you with opportunities to engage in Socratic discussion, debate key theories and their application and engage with hypothetical contexts and role plays
• Student-led seminars and mini-presentations
• Guest lecturers.
Feedback on Learning and Assessment
Self-Feedback:
Development of evaluation criteria for the assessment of the Seminar. Students are encouraged to weight assessment criteria for the final Seminar and defend their weighting with each other.
Peer feedback:
Formulation of Talent Panels to provide peer feedbacks of organisation and presentation skills.
Teacher feedback:
Feedback on assessment items through the use of Criteria Referenced Assessment and comments on assessment items, and opportunities to schedule individual consultations.
Assessment
Overview
The assessment items in this unit assess your understanding and application of core concepts in planning theory and professional ethics and are designed to test your capacity to synthesise and express ideas in relation to the sorts of decisions that need to be made as part of planning practice.
Unit Grading Scheme
7- point scale
Assessment Tasks
Assessment: Mid-semester exam
An in-class exam consisting of questions relating to theory and planning practice. The assessment requires synthesising the readings and current planning issues with respect to the application of ethics to planning practice. Your responses are required to reference current literature and case study examples.
The use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools is prohibited during this assessment.
Assessment: Reflective diary & seminar
This assessment consists of two connected parts: an individual reflective diary and a group seminar presentation. From Weeks 2 to 8, students will write short reflective diary entries responding to tutorial case study discussions presented by other groups, developing their own critical position on planning theory and ethical issues. Later in the semester, students will work in groups to prepare and deliver a professional seminar that reflects on an approved ethics-related topic, while also engaging with other groups’ presentations in the reflective diary.
The reflective journal component of this assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late assessment period and assignment extensions.
The use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools is prohibited during this assessment.
Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is a commitment to undertaking academic work and assessment in a manner that is ethical, fair, honest, respectful and accountable.
The Academic Integrity Policy sets out the range of conduct that can be a failure to maintain the standards of academic integrity. This includes, cheating in exams, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion and contract cheating. It also includes providing fraudulent or altered documentation in support of an academic concession application, for example an assignment extension or a deferred exam.
You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.
Breaching QUT’s Academic Integrity Policy or engaging in conduct that may defeat or compromise the purpose of assessment can lead to a finding of student misconduct (Code of Conduct – Student) and result in the imposition of penalties under the Management of Student Misconduct Policy, ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.
Resources
There is a textbook required for this unit.
Assigned Readings
Additional assigned readings will be available on the unit Canvas site.
Resource Materials
Prescribed text(s)
Fainstein, Susan and DeFilippis, James (Eds)(2016). Readings in Planning Theory, Fourth Edition. John Wiley & Sons, New York.
Risk Assessment Statement
There are no extraordinary risks associated with the classroom/lecture activities in this unit.
Course Learning Outcomes
This unit is designed to support your development of the following course/study area learning outcomes.AB01 Bachelor of Built Environment (Honours)
- Apply theoretical, practical and cultural knowledge and skills across a range of disciplines and specialist knowledge and skills in one built environment area.
Relates to: Mid-semester exam , Reflective diary & seminar - Communicate knowledge, ideas and creative solutions in diverse modes, for a range of contexts and diverse audiences.
Relates to: Mid-semester exam , Reflective diary & seminar - Strategically collaborate with diverse stakeholders and communities, including First Nations peoples.
Relates to: Mid-semester exam , Reflective diary & seminar - Reflect on feedback and experience, and display professional and ethical judgment and initiative.
Relates to: Mid-semester exam , Reflective diary & seminar