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Module

ARC8120 : Architecture and Landscape Studies Critical and Comparative

  • Offered for Year: 2024/25
  • Module Leader(s): Professor Jianfei Zhu
  • Owning School: Architecture, Planning & Landscape
  • Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters

Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.

Semester 1 Credit Value: 20
ECTS Credits: 10.0
European Credit Transfer System

Aims

In broad terms the module aims to help students:

- Develop knowledge of theories and methods for investigating architecture and landscape architecture as multidisciplinary and multicultural fields of practice
- Develop their own cases in which some of these theories and methods are used
- Develop these cases further in the following studios and modules

Outline Of Syllabus

In broad terms the syllabus for all routes is as follows:

- A range of lectures on theories and methods for studying architecture and landscape architecture as a political, aesthetic, cultural and international practice
- A few focused readings associated with these theories/methods
- An individual case study shaped and developed over weeks with guidance
- A structured presentation of the outcome of the case study in a conference and a paper form

Teaching Methods

Teaching Activities
Category Activity Number Length Student Hours Comment
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesLecture82:0016:00PiP
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesPractical13:003:00Symposium, PiP
Guided Independent StudyDirected research and reading1164:00164:00N/A
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesSmall group teaching81:008:00Seminars, PiP
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesDrop-in/surgery31:003:00PiP
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesDissertation/project related supervision31:003:00PiP
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesModule talk13:003:00PiP
Total200:00
Teaching Rationale And Relationship

Rationale of Teaching Methods:
To provide a range of teaching ranging from broad reading to focused case study, and from directed learning to self-guided selection of a case, for a best educating effect possible in the context.

Relationship to Learning Outcomes:
With a range of modes of teaching and a range of activities provided, it is hoped that students can develop these capacities as both self-driven and guided.

Assessment Methods

The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners

Other Assessment
Description Semester When Set Percentage Comment
Essay1M100A5: an edited short Essay of 2000 w describing current scholarship and student's own study on a chosen case/topic with references. Previous works of A4, A3, A2 and A1 are to be attached after the Essay to form a Portfolio. (this is Essay, not Essay4)
Formative Assessments

Formative Assessment is an assessment which develops your skills in being assessed, allows for you to receive feedback, and prepares you for being assessed. However, it does not count to your final mark.

Description Semester When Set Comment
Written exercise1MA1: a verbal and written review of an assigned article (in 300 w) following 1 of the 6 lectures, submitted at the start of the lecture at 9 am.
Reflective log1MA2: a written diary of 6 entries following the 6 lectures (200 or 250 w each x 6 = 1200 or 1500 w), to be submitted at the conclusion of the 6 lectures.
Research proposal1MA3: a statement of a research project with two annotated references (i.e. short review for each of the references - papers or book chapters), in 500 w; submission time to be advised.
Oral Presentation1MA4: a live PPT presentation at a symposium in the last week of the term (mid-December) of 6-8 slides reporting each student's work-in-progress, covering the current scholarship and student's own study and reflection.
Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The assessment is a progressional journey from A1 to A5. A1 and A2 centre on the lectures given where students are in a stage of learning and absorbing new ideas, whereas A3, A4 and A5 centre on a chosen topic developed from the previous stage of studies following the lectures where students become more self-driven developing and working on a topic of mutual agreement between students and the module leader. A1 to A4 are formative, whereas A5 is summative. A5 includes a main Essay of 2000 w as the main body of work, followed by previous works (A1-A4), compiled together as a research portfolio.

Reading Lists

Timetable