This course is only offered in the following delivery mode:

Campus Experience

Attendance is required at scheduled weekly studio-based activities including critiques to complete components of the course.
Lectures will be available as recordings. Other learning activities, including weekly studio sessions and critiques, will not be available as recordings.
The course will not include live online events, group discussions/studio activities.
Attendance on campus is required for the final critiques.
The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.

This studio-based course integrates lectures, collaborative studio sessions, and self-directed learning to help students navigate the complexities of wicked problems and urban planning challenges.

• Each week begins with a one-hour lecture that covers essential background knowledge and scientific principles necessary for the wicked problem design project. These lectures lay the groundwork, ensuring students acquire the disciplinary knowledge required for their studio work.
• After this lecture and discussion, students participate in both group and individual studio activities. These sessions focus on problem-based inquiry, allowing students to apply their learning to real-world urban planning challenges. Weekly tasks ensure consistent progress towards the final critique of the studio project.
• Each phase of the project includes formal critique sessions where students present their work to a panel of experts, receive constructive feedback, and refine their approaches.
• Interactive tasks and peer-to-peer learning activities create opportunities for collaboration, encourage the sharing of insights, and help build strong relationships within the cohort.
• Students are expected to allocate time outside of class for self-directed learning, working both independently and with their assigned groups as needed. Tutors provide support during weekly studio sessions, and regular tasks assist students in demonstrating their understanding and application of concepts discussed in lectures and studio sessions.
• Studio activities are designed to promote collaboration and peer-to-peer learning. By engaging with diverse perspectives and receiving feedback from both peers and instructors, students develop their problem-solving skills. Discussions go beyond basic critique to encourage a deeper engagement with project justifications and learning outcomes.
• Self-reflection and self-evaluation are integral to studio activities. These practices enable students to monitor their progress and gain a clear understanding of assessment criteria. By actively participating in these reflective exercises, students can assess whether they are meeting course expectations and adjust their approach as needed.
• Active participation in weekly studio sessions is essential for success. Regular engagement enriches students’ understanding of course content, enhances assessment performance, and builds confidence in tackling complex urban planning challenges.

Taught courses use a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas to provide students with learning materials including reading lists and lecture recordings (where available). Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

There is no set textbook for this course. Several required readings plus recommended readings will be notified during the course.

The content and delivery of content in this course are protected by copyright. Material belonging to others may have been used in this course and copied by and solely for the educational purposes of the University under license.

You may copy the course content for the purposes of private study or research, but you may not upload onto any third-party site, make a further copy or sell, alter or further reproduce or distribute any part of the course content to another person.

In the event of an unexpected disruption, we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and course assessment continues to meet the principles of the University’s assessment policy. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator/director, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the university website for information about how to proceed.

Enrolled students are expected to attend studio classes in person for five hours each week to enhance their knowledge and develop practical skills for tackling wicked problem design projects. A significant portion of the projects involves group-based/collaboration activities with peers for research and hands-on work.  You will need to maintain a reflective journal, writing weekly entries throughout the semester that capture thought/reflection on the course content and your learning experience. The journal must reflect your individual work and will be submitted at the end of the course for assessment. Please note that copying from one another will be regarded as plagiarism.

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed for potential plagiarism or other forms of academic misconduct, using computerised detection mechanisms.

Similarly, research students must meet the University’s expectations of good research practice. This requires:

• Honesty - in all aspects of research work
• Accountability - in the conduct of research
• Professional courtesy and fairness – in working with others
• Good stewardship – on behalf of others
• Transparency – of research process and presentation of results
• Clarity - communication to be understandable, explainable and accessible

For more information on the University’s expectations of academic integrity, please see the Academic Conduct section of the University policy hub.

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about taught courses is made available to enrolled students in Canvas.

Students may be asked to submit assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. In exceptional circumstances changes to elements of this course may be necessary at short notice. Students enrolled in this course will be informed of any such changes and the reasons for them, as soon as possible, through Canvas.

The minimum pass requirement for this course is 50%.

The Urban Planning programme policy requires ALL elements of course assessment to be submitted by the due date/time, to pass this course.

Requests for extensions of time must be submitted and approved before the due date unless there are exceptional circumstances. The Extension of Time Form for Coursework Submission will be available on the Canvas course page. Students are responsible for completing the required details of this form, including obtaining necessary academic approval.

Any coursework not received by the due date and time, and for which no extension of time has been approved, will receive the grade ‘DNC’ (Did Not Complete). A DNC for any one piece of coursework will result in a DNC for the WHOLE course. A DNC for the course is a FAIL.

Alongside formal assessments, students will also engage in peer assessments throughout the course. This involves evaluating each other's work among course participants. You will assess their work based on specific criteria, provide constructive feedback, and evaluate their performance relative to the standards. While peer assessments will not contribute to final grades, they serve as valuable opportunities for students to practice assessment skills, foster discussions about the purpose of assessment, and reflect on success criteria and their implications.

Feedback on taught courses is gathered from students at the end of each semester through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions. Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students. In addition, class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

As this is a new studio course in the Urban Planning programme and is in its development stage, students are welcome to provide feedback at the end of the semester, which will help enhance the course in the following year. 

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

Tuākana is a multi-faceted programme for Māori and Pacific students providing topic specific tutorials, one-on-one sessions, test and exam preparation and more. Explore your options at Tuakana Learning Communities.

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website.

We all go through tough times during the semester, or see our friends struggling. There is lots of help out there - please see the Support Services page for information on support services in the University and the wider community.

If your ability to complete assessed work is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due. If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page. This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter.

Students with concerns about teaching including how a course is delivered, the resources provided, or supervision arrangements, have the right to express their concerns and seek resolution. The university encourages informal resolution where possible, as this is quicker and less stressful. For information on the informal and formal complaints processes, please refer to the Student Academic Complaints Statute in the Student Policies and Guidelines section of the Policy Hub.