About Our Program:

Planning Abroad is an elective course for both graduate students and undergraduate students in the Urban and Regional Planning program.  Students from other disciplines, particularly architecture and public administration, would find the course relevant, and are welcome.  

The course addresses the following “knowledge component” criteria of the Planning Accreditation Board: 

4.3.1 Structure and Function of Urban Settlements – by focusing on cities and their changing social and physical manifestations;

4.3.2 History and Theory of Planning Processes – by focusing on the history of both physical and social planning in Amsterdam and environs; and,

4.3.3 Administrative, Legal and Political Aspects of Plan-Making and Policy Implementation – by focusing on planning systems. 

The course also addresses the “value component” criteria of the Planning Accreditation Board, specifically 4.3.12 Diversity of Views and Ideologies; 4.3.13 Conservation of Significant Social and Cultural Heritages Embedded in the Built Environment; and, other value component criteria aimed at planning practice. 

The course has four specific objectives:
  1. The first is to expose students to urban social and physical structure in a series of urban places. 
  2. The second is to expose students to both historical and current aspects of urban development and planning.  The historical is examined by identifying and understanding artifacts and comparing and contrasting great planning ideas, plans, and implementations throughout the past (e.g., non-secular symbolism, the physical infrastructure of river towns, various architectural styles)This is accomplished by visiting both governmental and academic institutions.

  3. The third objective is to simulate non-tourist life in great urban places.  This includes reliance on non-motorized (walking) and motorized (transit, intra-regional and regional trains) modes of transportation;  visiting world-class museums, venues, and academic institutions; and, learning about local culture. 

  4. The fourth objective is to provide interaction with professional (at various levels of government, in public and private research organizations) and academic personnel in urban and regional planning and closely related disciplines (Architecture, Geography, Civil Engineering, and GIS Technology).  Through interaction with faculty and students, it is the hope that participants will use this opportunity to develop their own contacts and begin patterns of professional associations.

 

For information about other Florida Atlantic University International Programs:

http://www.fau.edu/goabroad/