Credits: 5
Schedule: 25.02.2019 - 01.04.2019
Teacher in charge (valid 01.08.2018-31.07.2020):
Idil Gaziulusoy, Ramia Mazé
Teaching Period (valid 01.08.2018-31.07.2020):
Period IV (spring 2019 and 2020)
Recommended for USP students in year 1
Learning Outcomes (valid 01.08.2018-31.07.2020):
Students who successfully complete this course should be able to:
• Discuss concepts, models and methods of futures inquiry particularly as applied in urban sustainability transitions.
• Apply theoretical understanding in analyzing and planning a given urban transition situation.
• Construct a hypothetical urban transition project proposal with reference to relevant key literature and examples/cases.
• Communicate verbally, visually, in writing, and reflect critically on own role within a multidisciplinary group and relevant professional contexts.
Content (valid 01.08.2018-31.07.2020):
The Urban Transitions and Futures course introduces students to theories and practices of socio-technical and socio-ecological transformations in the urban context. These include theories of transition management, resilience and social practice, typologies and processes of urban transformation at micro, meso and macro organisational, spatial and temporal scales, as well as methods of futures and participatory inquiry in the context of urban sustainability transitions. This introduction is followed by how these theories are relevant to developing strategies for sustainable (socially, ecologically and economically resilient) and just urban futures through analysis of a given transition situation. The students apply their learning by developing a project outline as a group including roles of relevant professions (architects, urban planners, designers, researchers, policy makers, public, private and civil society actors, etc.).
Activities and teaching methods in support of learning:
• Lectures and guest lectures
• Class discussions and seminars
• Excursions/trips/excercises/workshops in- or outside of class
• Group work
Assessment Methods and Criteria (valid 01.08.2018-31.07.2020):
Assessment is done continuously by:
• Participation in contact teaching sessions
• Group work, group presentations and final documentation
• Contribution to group work and completion of assignments
• Completion of a short individual reflection
• Peer-evaluation
Workload (valid 01.08.2018-31.07.2020):
5 ECTS
- Contact teaching (lectures, workshops, tutoring, presentations, etc.) 45h
- Individual and group work (in contact teaching sessions and independently) 55h
- Reflection and thinking 15h
- Preparing group presentations and documentation 20h
- 85% attendance
Study Material (valid 01.08.2018-31.07.2020):
TBC
Prerequisites (valid 01.08.2018-31.07.2020):
Master students
Grading Scale (valid 01.08.2018-31.07.2020):
0-5
Registration for Courses (valid 01.08.2018-31.07.2020):
All interested students can register through WebOodi (either at Aalto or at University of Helsinki) regardless of their programme.
The order of priority for admitting students:
USP major students;
USP minor students;
Department of Design students and CS students (taken in in the order of registration);
Students for whom the course is part of his/her major's or programme's alternative studies and has been scheduled in the student's PSP (HOPS) for the current academic year;
Exchange students for whom the course is a part of his/her officially approved learning agreement and scheduled to be taken during the current semester;
All other students.
• Maximum number of students: 30
• Minimum number of students: 15