11370 Special Project (Environmental Studies)

Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.

Subject handbook information prior to 2025 is available in the Archives.

UTS: Design, Architecture and Building: Architecture
Credit points: 6 cp
Result type: Grade and marks

Requisite(s): 144 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10413 Bachelor of Design Architecture Master of Architecture
These requisites may not apply to students in certain courses.
There are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.

Description

This subject is offered as an elective in the Master of Architecture (C04235). It falls under the special project series of electives which are developed around specific a content area and mode of investigation/learning. Content delivered under this special project may be defined by the student due to its self-directed nature, by the supervising academic or by a lead subject instructor. Depending on the type of content, each special project has the ability to be run over a full session, as an intensive block-mode or approved self-direct individual study plan. This flexible learning approach enables students to examine a defined area of study in greater detail and develop increased knowledge, expertise and skills that support specific academic and career development.

Enrolment in this subject is contingent on the nature of the project being delivered.

Individual projects are granted in negotiation with the supervising academic and require the approval of the course director. Students must demonstrate that they have a viable project, effective study plan and appropriate academic supervision.
Participation in group and intensive block-mode studios is capped at 12 students unless otherwise approved by the coordinating academic.
Participation in global or travelling programs is by invitation only following successful attendance of candidates at formal briefing sessions.

Subject learning objectives (SLOs)

On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:

1.	Demonstrate advanced skills in research and architectural thinking
2.	Develop a critical and informed position relative to the project
3.	Establish a high-quality response to project brief through an engagement with sub-disciplinary areas of knowledge: history, theory, tectonics and or/practice
4.	Take responsibility for the production of outcomes suitable for the project to be evaluated at postgraduate level
5.	Engage in advanced architectural discourse surrounding topic of area

Teaching and learning strategies

Forms of subject delivery and learning activities are determined in negotiation with the academic supervisor or led by the subject instructor. This may include inquiry-based studio lectures and related discussion, problem identification and analysis, experiential immersion and practice-oriented sessions. The nature of the learning activities will be determined by the subject context with a view to establishing authentic and relatable links to industry practice or research. Active learning activities will test understanding using higher order skills inherent in analysis, peer and tutor critique, empathetic discussion and artefact output. Students should be aware of the expectations for preparatory work and how this links to activities undertaken in scheduled meetings. Online resources for this subject are located on CANVAS.

Students will have several opportunities to receive feedback during the subject. The feedback provided will vary in form, purpose and in its degree of formality:

Formative feedback will be provided during the learning process, typically provided verbally by the subject's teaching staff. It will address the content of work and a student's approach to learning, both in general and more specific ‘assessment orientated’ terms. It is designed to help students improve their performance in time for the submission of an assessment item. For this to occur students need to respond constructively to the feedback provided. This involves critically reflecting on advice given and in response altering the approach taken to a given assessment. Formative feedback may also, on occasion, be provided by other students. It is delivered informally, either in conversation during a tutorial or in the course of discussion at the scale of the whole class. It is the student’s responsibility to record any feedback given during meetings or studio sessions.

Summative feedback is provided in written form with all assessed work. It is published along with indicative grades online at UTS REVIEW. Summative feedback focuses on assessment outcomes. It is used to indicate --how successfully a student has performed in terms of specific assessment criteria.

Content (topics)

The subject content will be arranged in consultation with the supervising academic or teaching staff. Each application for an independent study is required to outline the core learning objectives of the project, the topics and themes to be studied, provide a timetable for the semester’s work and the types of assessment suitable for the projects. Students will be required to attend at least two group meetings where they will present their findings to others enrolled in the special project subjects.

For electives run in typical subject modes, a detailed brief including program, assessments and expectations will be delivered through Canvas by the teaching staff. Assessments will typcially be run through ReView.

Assessment

Assessment task 1: See further information for details

Intent:	Project framework: There may be one or more special projects being run under this subject number in any given semester, you will be provided with a detailed project description of the project, assessment tasks and delivery schedule by your supervising academic. The detailed project description of the project will be provided to you before the first teaching week. Learning outcomes: Each project description will define specific subject (SLOs), drawn from the list that appears in this outline under the heading: Subject Learning Objectives, and course intended learning outcomes (CILOs), drawn from the following; A.1 Ability to take autonomous responsibility for actions and decisions A.2 Ability to establish and develop an informed and ethical position toward social, technical and environmental practices A.3 Ability to position work within an extended disciplinary context A.4 Ability to recognise and appreciate cultural diversity including indigenous perspectives C.1 Ability to work cooperatively and professionally as part of a team, initiate partnerships with others, take a leadership role when required, and constructively contribute to peer learning C.2 Ability to communicate ideas effectively in a variety of ways including oral, written, visual, physical and digital C.3 Ability to constructively engage with subject learning activities C.4 Ability to engage in, and contribute to, debate at a professional level I.1 Ability to develop innovative approaches I.2 Ability to understand and challenge disciplinary conventions I.3 Ability to initiate and execute meaningful self-directed iterative processes I.4 Ability to produce inspirational responses that exemplify integration of learning experiences I.5 Ability to innovatively use architectural technologies and materials P.1 Ability to apply communication techniques, knowledge and understanding to practical applications in architecture P.2 Ability to apply relevant digital and/or manual techniques and technologies to architectural practice P.3 Ability to thoughtfully apply/deploy disciplinary learning in work, with a continuing commitment to personal professional development P.4 Ability to demonstrate knowledge of current architectural practice R.1 Ability to source, evaluate and utilise appropriate academic and professional references R.2 Ability to independently select and apply appropriate research methodologies to carry out investigative study R.3 Ability to analyse, synthesise and formulate complex ideas, arguments and rationales and use initiative to explore alternatives R.4 Ability to demonstrate knowledge of architectural precedent and to place architectural practice within a contextual framework R.5 Ability to reflect and engage in self-critique and critical thinking Assessment components: There will be 2 or 3 formal tasks that contribute to the overall assessment of the subject. No task will be worth more than 60% of the total grade. The specific details of each task will be outlined in the project description provided by the supervising academic and will issued to you before the first teaching week. Working mode: There will be no more than 30% group-assessed work.
Weight:	100%
Criteria:	All assessment criteria will be defined within the detailed project description provided by the supervising academic.

Intent:

Project framework:
There may be one or more special projects being run under this subject number in any given semester, you will be provided with a detailed project description of the project, assessment tasks and delivery schedule by your supervising academic. The detailed project description of the project will be provided to you before the first teaching week.

Learning outcomes:
Each project description will define specific subject (SLOs), drawn from the list that appears in this outline under the heading: Subject Learning Objectives, and course intended learning outcomes (CILOs), drawn from the following;

A.1 Ability to take autonomous responsibility for actions and decisions
A.2 Ability to establish and develop an informed and ethical position toward social, technical and environmental practices
A.3 Ability to position work within an extended disciplinary context
A.4 Ability to recognise and appreciate cultural diversity including indigenous perspectives
C.1 Ability to work cooperatively and professionally as part of a team, initiate partnerships with others, take a leadership role when required, and constructively contribute to peer learning
C.2 Ability to communicate ideas effectively in a variety of ways including oral, written, visual, physical and digital
C.3 Ability to constructively engage with subject learning activities
C.4 Ability to engage in, and contribute to, debate at a professional level
I.1 Ability to develop innovative approaches
I.2 Ability to understand and challenge disciplinary conventions
I.3 Ability to initiate and execute meaningful self-directed iterative processes
I.4 Ability to produce inspirational responses that exemplify integration of learning experiences
I.5 Ability to innovatively use architectural technologies and materials
P.1 Ability to apply communication techniques, knowledge and understanding to practical applications in architecture
P.2 Ability to apply relevant digital and/or manual techniques and technologies to architectural practice
P.3 Ability to thoughtfully apply/deploy disciplinary learning in work, with a continuing commitment to personal professional development
P.4 Ability to demonstrate knowledge of current architectural practice
R.1 Ability to source, evaluate and utilise appropriate academic and professional references
R.2 Ability to independently select and apply appropriate research methodologies to carry out investigative study
R.3 Ability to analyse, synthesise and formulate complex ideas, arguments and rationales and use initiative to explore alternatives
R.4 Ability to demonstrate knowledge of architectural precedent and to place architectural practice within a contextual framework
R.5 Ability to reflect and engage in self-critique and critical thinking

Assessment components:
There will be 2 or 3 formal tasks that contribute to the overall assessment of the subject. No task will be worth more than 60% of the total grade. The specific details of each task will be outlined in the project description provided by the supervising academic and will issued to you before the first teaching week.

Working mode:
There will be no more than 30% group-assessed work.

Weight:

100%

Criteria:

All assessment criteria will be defined within the detailed project description provided by the supervising academic.