BSc Minor Spatial Planning (WUSPA) / BSc

Profile

The BSc minor Spatial Planning offers students in environmental sciences, life sciences and social sciences the opportunity to get acquainted with spatial planning theory, methodology and practice.
Spatial planning focuses on the governance of interventions in landscapes, such as land use changes, land development and reconstruction, to meet the diverse needs of society. You are taught to approach challenges in the landscape in an integrative, critical and strategic way.
This minor entails four compulsory courses of the land use planning group. First the minor introduces spatial planning theory and methodology in the course Theory and Methodology of Planning and Design (LUP-13306). More profound knowledge is offered in the course Mobility and Network Infrastructures (LUP-35806). This course provides an interdisciplinary perspective on the planning of network infrastructures and focuses on the interrelation between the flows of goods, people and energy in the metropolitan and urban landscapes. You apply the knowledge from these courses in Planning and Research Methods (LUP-20306) which focuses on collaborative problem solving in inter-disciplinary and multi-disciplinary settings. In the continuation course Studio Participative Planning (LUP-30806) you will design a spatial operational plan in a complex context with different stakeholders.
Although not compulsory for this minor, it is important to have understanding of human-environment interactions. Therefore, it is recommendable to include the course Environmental Psychology (GEO-36306) or Cultural and Historical Geography (GEO-23306) within this minor.
This BSc minor is a programme minor.

Learning Outcomes

After successful completion of this minor students are expected to be able to:
- describe and illustrate fundamental conceptual frameworks that are relevant to understand the social and environmental dimensions of landscape;
- identify key concepts and approaches of philosophy of science and ethics with respect to spatial planning;
- explain the need and value of multi-, inter- and trans-disciplinary approaches in spatial planning;
- explain the most important theories in the domain of network infrastructures' studies (with regard to e.g. energy, water, goods and people) and the implications of sustainability for the planning of these network infrastructures;
- distinguish, compare and select planning methods in the context of a planning task on the local scale;
- develop and present a plan at the local scale for a selected area with a high degree of complexity within a specific social and physical context and given a specific planning task.

Language of Instruction

Dutch

BSc Minor Coordinator

C. Cruijsen MSc
Phone: 0317-(4)89329
Email: blp.bsc@wur.nl

Target Group

- BTO Tourism
- BBC Management and Consumer Studies
- BGM Health and Society
- BBN Forest and nature conservation
- BIL International Land and Water Management
- BIN International Development Studies
- BMW Environmental Sciences
- BBW Soil, Water, Atmosphere
- BCL Communication and Life Sciences
- BEB Economics and Governance
Students from other programmes that are interested in doing this minor, please contact the study adviser and minor coordinator Charlotte Cruijsen (blp.bsc@wur.nl).