17907 Urban Economics and Infrastructure Planning
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.
Credit points: 6 cp
Result type: Grade and marks
There are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.
Description
The subject uses concepts from basic microeconomic theory to understand the development of overall urban structures and the operation of land markets within cities. It then focuses on the economic principles underpinning urban economic planning and transport infrastructure investments. This enables students to critically assess, understand and explain key urban trends such as urban consolidation and challenges such as housing affordability and urban disadvantage. Students engage with real world cases to appreciate the role of planning in resolving several economic policy challenges, including equitably funding infrastructure investment, and addressing spatial inequality and inadequate housing supply.
Subject learning objectives (SLOs)
On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:
| 1. | Communicate clearly using a variety of media and technologies |
|---|---|
| 2. | Explain urban and socio-economic structure and its distributional consequences |
| 3. | Explain economic drivers of growth, restructuring and decline of cities and regions |
| 4. | Critically reflect on economic basis for policy and funding model decisions |
| 5. | Critically analyse theoretical concepts used to explain economic structure and property markets |
Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)
This subject also contributes to the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes:
- Evaluate the history of disadvantage and inequality in societies (in an Australian context this would apply in particular to Indigenous Peoples. In addition to people disadvantaged by gender, disability, social class or ethnicity for example) and formulate a reasoned argument for how planners and urban designers should address significant social inequalities (A.3)
- Communicate with people with a wide variety of cultural, social, economic, and political perspectives and interests using verbal, written, and visual media (C.2)
- Investigate strategically the future of cities and regions and identify the drivers of change (P.1)
- Apply a wide array of analytic tools (which may include spreadsheets, geographic information software, three-dimensional simulations, or negotiation tools) to determine constraints and opportunities (P.3)
- Analyse dynamics driving land and property markets and articulate this to planning proposals (P.8)
Contribution to the development of graduate attributes
The term CAPRI is used for the five Design, Architecture and Building faculty graduate attribute categories where:
C = communication and groupwork
A = attitudes and values
P = practical and professional
R = research and critique
I = innovation and creativity.
Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs) are linked to these categories using codes (e.g. C-1, A-3, P-4, etc.).
Teaching and learning strategies
This subject is delivered weekly via online learning platforms. Each week, students work through a sequence of structured online learning materials, typically including written material, pre-recorded lectures, required readings with discussion questions, individual reflection in response to structured questions, hands-on activities to apply concepts to practice, in-depth case studies, and multi-media resources. In most weeks, students will also participate in interactive live sessions with peers and facilitators. The weekly sessions cover the learning required to successfully complete the assessment tasks. Assessments are a crucial part of the learning strategies; the first set includes weekly quizzes to consolidate topics covered that week. The remaining two assessments, are designed to mirror the sorts of economic understanding and skills you would be expected to demonstrate as an urban planner.
Content (topics)
- Urban economics content includes topics on:
- The economics underpinning why cities exist (economies of scale, scope and transport and regional economics);
- The economics of how cities function (externalities, local public goods and pricing of urban services);
- Land markets in cities (accessibility, amenity and rent gradients, and housing markets and affordability;
- Major approaches to infrastructure funding and impact on city structure;
- Housing affordability challenges and policy strategies;
- Socio-economic structure of urban areas and distributional consequences.
Assessment
Assessment task 1: Three quizzes
| Intent: | Three weekly quizzes will help consolidate student’s understanding of the material covered in the learning activities of the previous week. Quizzes will require a range of answer formats, from multiple choice or true/false. | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This task addresses the following subject learning objectives: 2, 3 and 4 This task also addresses the following course intended learning outcomes that are linked with a code to indicate one of the five CAPRI graduate attribute categories (e.g. C.1, A.3, P.4, etc.): A.3 and P.1 | ||||||||||||||||
| Type: | Quiz/test | ||||||||||||||||
| Groupwork: | Individual | ||||||||||||||||
| Weight: | 30% | ||||||||||||||||
| Length: | 10 questions | ||||||||||||||||
| Criteria: | Identify economic drivers and impacts Explain Infrastructure's role in shaping cities Explain government's role in housing provision | ||||||||||||||||
| Criteria linkages: |
SLOs: subject learning objectives CILOs: course intended learning outcomes |
Assessment task 2: Memo: Submission to the Parliament Economic Development Committee
| Intent: | This assessment item focuses on the funding public goods and services and how economic development could be enhanced. In the real world, planning and related professionals often have to write memos (and very short policy documents) differentiating economic hierarchy, infrastructure and funding in their state or place and potential policies to improve economic development. The assessment provides an opportunity to draft and present a concise independent analysis using evidence (footnotes, citations etc.) appropriately.
| ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This task addresses the following subject learning objectives: 1, 3 and 5 This task also addresses the following course intended learning outcomes that are linked with a code to indicate one of the five CAPRI graduate attribute categories (e.g. C.1, A.3, P.4, etc.): C.2, P.1, P.3 and P.8 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Type: | Report | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Groupwork: | Individual | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight: | 35% | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Length: | 1500 words (+/- 10%) excluding reference list | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Criteria: | Explain the economic structure of cities Formulate economic development strategy Apply economic theories to analyse city structure Communicate clearly | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Criteria linkages: |
SLOs: subject learning objectives CILOs: course intended learning outcomes |
Assessment task 3: Planning strategies and policies for affordable housing
| Intent: | This assessment item focuses on the challenges of housing supply and affordable housing in urban and regional centres and government response. In your career, you may lead developing submissions for a local council, non-government organisation, community, consulting firm or as a practitioner on calls for submission to planning and housing departments or parliamentary committees on issues and options for government response to housing. The assessment offers an opportunity to look at the evidence base to develop a professional and insightful submission and apply critical analysis of existing strategies that work or need revisiting or changing using a new approach. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This task addresses the following subject learning objectives: 1, 2, 4 and 5 This task also addresses the following course intended learning outcomes that are linked with a code to indicate one of the five CAPRI graduate attribute categories (e.g. C.1, A.3, P.4, etc.): C.2, P.1, P.3 and P.8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Type: | Report | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Groupwork: | Individual | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight: | 35% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Length: | 1500 words (+/- 10%) excluding reference list | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Criteria: | Clearly identify housing affordability problems Critically evaluate existing housing policy Understand potential strategies and mechanisms to resolve housing problems Analyse gaps and likely outcomes of responses Clear communication | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Criteria linkages: |
SLOs: subject learning objectives CILOs: course intended learning outcomes |
Minimum requirements
Students must achieve at least 50% of the subject’s total mark.