BIRCHAM INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY

Faculty of Engineering & Technology

MODULE: Urban Planning & Design

Program delivered by distance learning higher education up to a maximum of 42 credits. This module may be combined or completed with other online university courses from this faculty.

DESCRIPTION:

This program deals with critical issues of human settlement and urban development. It provides communities with an informed basis for coordinated public- and private-sector action. Urban design and planning constitutes a professional field of growing complexity, responding to the urban complexities of this time. It considers the social and cultural relationships between people and the form and quality of their built environment; and the administrative, political, and decision making dimensions of shaping urban areas and regions.

Courses list (each subject accounts for 3 credits):

1 BIU Earned Credit = 1 USA Semester Credit (15 hours of learning) = 2 ECTS Credit (30 hours of study).

Construction Industry

Land Use Planning

Academic Supervisor: Graeme Dean Hamilton

More information about this supervisor and online university course instructors at BIU Human Network.

This module is applicable to Specialist, Expert, Bachelor's, Master's and Ph.D. (Doctor) Programs. This distance learning degree program is designed at the postgraduate level – Master’s or Doctoral. This module may be easily adapted to complete the Specialist, Expert or Bachelor’s adult degree program requirements. A further option is the enrollment into the online university courses listed in this module.

* University Course (3 credits): Select 1 subject from this module.

* Specialist Diploma (15 credits): First 5 subjects or select 5 subjects from this module.

* Expert Diploma (21 credits): First 7 subjects or select 7 subjects from this module.

* Bachelor's Degree (130 credits): The Admission certificate issued after submission of the application for admission will show the amount of credit transferred and validated from previous education and experience, and the amount of credits required to complete this undergraduate program's major. Additional courses from other modules of this faculty will be assigned in case that the credits displayed on this module are not enough to complete the bachelor's required credits.

* Master's Degree (35 credits): Select from 3 to 9 subjects from this module depending on the amount of credits transferred from previous education and experience. Add 13 credits corresponding to a final project to the selected subjects.

* Ph.D. (Doctor) (45 credits): Select from 3 to 9 subjects from this module depending on the amount of credits transferred from previous education and experience. Add 18 credits corresponding to a final thesis to the selected subjects.

BIU issues an admission certificate after receiving your complete application for admission. This document will show the amount of credits transferred and validated from previous education and experience, and the amount of credits required to complete the degree program's major. BIU can not perform this evaluation without the complete application for admission.

Courses Description (each subject accounts for 3 credits):

Construction Industry

This course reviews the organization, relationships, practices, terminology, project types, procurement methods, industry standards, contract documents, and career opportunities in the construction process, with emphasis on the organization and uses of architectural and engineering drawings and specifications.

Instructor: Miguel Ángel Fernández Sánchez

Land Use Planning

This course presents the properties soil that govern the use of soil for purposes related to plant growth and construction engineering with emphasis on sustainable use and conservation. It identifies soil resources for human needs and the management of soil landscape data to ameliorate the environmental impact of human activities.

Instructor: Miguel Ángel Fernández Sánchez

Urban History & The City

This course provides an analysis of city forms and designs, emphasizing their relation to the culture. Analysis of everyday, visible evidence of the city. Topics include self-identity with place, city, image and perception, visual design analysis and place as representation of culture.

Instructor: Graeme Dean Hamilton

Housing & Community Facilities

This course surveys housing and community development problems and standards. It explores issues of culture, political environment, social context, economic circumstances, and other factors which define and limit housing facilities and delivery. It integrates housing with community facilities such parks, schools, drainage, sewerage, utilities, libraries, solid waste and transportation.

Instructor: Antoine K. Abou Assaf

Human Habitat

This course studies the concepts, methods, techniques and applications for the analysis of the human habitat, settlements, distribution, population and cultural environment. It explores the relation of human habitats with available land space, geography, overpopulation and ecological impact.

Instructor: Vicente Enrique Martín Olmos

Urban Development

This course explores urban economics and impacts on real estate development with emphasis on land allocation, location theory, rent / value theory, factors affecting growth and decline of cities, and the role of governmental regulation, policy and finance in controlling real estate and urban development.

Instructor: Graeme Dean Hamilton

Urban Affairs & Public Policy

This course explores urban policy concerning the major problems confronting cities and metropolitan regions today. It examines the means and consequences of public intervention in urban land, housing, and transportation to manage traffic and urban development, its life cycle, expansion and decay. It considers the effects of economic globalization, income inequality, and metropolitan decentralization.

Instructor: Earle Taylor

Urban Design Implementation

This course studies effective urban design implementation, considering heritage of past urban design, the theories of city building, and the elements, patterns, and evolution of urban form that shapes cities. It presents methods of urban morphological analysis to express community values and goals in the design of their cities.

Instructor: Miguel Ángel Fernández Sánchez

Urban Geospatial Analysis

This course explains the use of aerial photographs and satellite image data in urban planning, urban change analysis, land-use and land cover classification, and environmental planning applications. It provides problem-solving approaches using GIS (Geographic Information Systems).

Instructor: Miguel Ángel Fernández Sánchez

Landscape Planning

This course studies the theory and techniques of regional design to analyze, evaluate, plan, design, and manage the resources of the regional landscape. It considers the social, economic, political, and individual forces affecting community development and growth. It also examines conflicting land-use pressures of urban/rural fringe.

Instructor: Miguel Ángel Fernández Sánchez

Urban Plan Evaluation

This course explores the methods and techniques for a priori assessment of physical urban improvement plans, program designs, and public policies. It includes cost effectiveness and goal achievement, as well as more conventional cost-benefit and cost-revenue forms of analysis.

Instructor: Graeme Dean Hamilton

Urban Planning

This course examines the principles and theories of urban structure and institutions, the concepts and logic of urban planning, the evolution of planning ideas in response to changing social, economic, and environmental conditions. It considers public and private responsibilities, and the major procedures used by urban planners.

Instructor: Graeme Dean Hamilton

Valuation of Real Estate

This course reviews the techniques of real estate valuation: market analysis, legal and political analysis. It exposes the approaches to valuation, market comparison, income, and cost. It considers the role of valuation in real estate investment and government regulation of appraisers.

Instructor: Fernando Minaya Rodríguez

Real Estate

This course surveys the processes and people involved in developing real estate, including issues of site control, public & private approvals, feasibility analysis, project financing, design & construction, marketing, and asset management. It analyses private and public real-estate investment decisions.

Instructor: Fernando Minaya Rodríguez

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Professionally recognized and validated degrees.

Accredited (Non USA CHEA). International legalization available.

Non formal and independent education.