AESP 291 Applied Research Project focuses on the preparation of the program's capstone applied research project. The course compliments and is taught in conjunction with AESP 251, Integrated Environmental Planning Applications II. Over the course of the Winter semester, learners prepare a professional quality plan for an outside "pro-bono" client. The plan preparation process includes independent research and data collection, consultation with independent experts and stakeholders and public presentation of the draft plans.
Prerequisites: AESP 277, AESP 250
Corequisite: AESP 251
Accessibility Services Notice
Students who would like an academic accommodation and who have a documented disability should contact Accessibility Services, if they have not already done so.Course Details| Total number of weeks | 15 |
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| Total Credits | 1.00 |
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| Total Hours | 15 |
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Typical hours per week breakdown| Lecture | 1 |
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Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, the learner will be able to:
- design and implement effective and fiscally constrained citizen participation strategies, including – forums, working groups, advisory committees, focus groups, open houses and informational sessions, websites, newsletters, hot-lines, surveys, charettes, nominal groups;
- identify potentially affected interests and evaluate their values and concerns and develop citizen participation strategies intended to achieve the development of informed consent; and
- design and prepare presentation graphics, visuals, and understand methods of plan and report production and publication. Including: GIS Graphics, Handwriting, Large format publications, Cost effectiveness, Composition and medium selection, Multimedia, and Ease of update and revision.
- identify, quantify, and analyze potential environmental impacts associated with a specific development or conservation proposal;
- develop and apply realistic measures intended to mitigate significant or potentially significant environmental impacts;
Teaching and Learning Approach
This course is designed to mimic the environmental planning consultant experience. Working as pro bono
consultants the class as a team tackles a related set of topics of interest to the courses yearly client. This client is
usually a local municipal or regional government, agency, or non-profit/non-governmental organization. Topics
covered in the course are generally or specifically related to the skills necessary to complete the applied
research project, obtain meaningful citizen input and participation, and assess the potential impacts of the
proposed plan.Learning Resources
All readings are provided in pdf format and occasionally as hard copy handouts.Detailed Course Content, Topics, and Sequence Covered
1. 1. Planning Process
2. 2. Stakeholder Consultation / Project Scoping
3. 3. Planning process and thinking like a project
4. 4. Citizen Participation Intro, Null Alt. Mission Statements
5. 5. Citizen Participation II, Goals Review, Facilitation
6. 6. Draft Plan Worksession
7. 7. Reading Week, No Class
8.
8. Environmental Assessment
9. 9. Environmental Assessment
10. 10. Open House
11. 11. Implementation / Govt. Finance
12. 12. Ethics for Planners
13. 13. Final Plans Due , Coference Prep
14. 14. Conference Presentations
Assessment
| Title | Learning Outcomes | Value |
|---|
| Draft Plan | | 10% |
| Draft Plan Peer Review | | 20% |
| Task 3 Citizen Participation Exercise | | 10% |
| Task 4 Public Event Display/Presentation | | 15% |
| Task 5 Final Plan | | 40% |
| Conference Presentation | | 15% |
| Total | 100% |
Grading Table
| Percentage |
Letter Grade |
GPA |
| 90-100 |
A+ |
4.33 |
| 85-89 |
A |
4.00 |
| 80-84 |
A- |
3.67 |
| 76-79 |
B+ |
3.33 |
| 72-75 |
B |
3.00 |
| 68-71 |
B- |
2.67 |
| 64-67 |
C+ |
2.33 |
| 60-63 |
C |
2.00 |
| 55-59 |
C- |
1.67 |
| 50-54 |
P |
1.00 |
| 0-49 |
F |
0.00 |
| |
DNW |
0.00 |
See the Academic Calendar for General Information including how to withdraw from course(s) and other regulations.
Disclaimer
Information contained in this course outline is correct at the time of publication. Content of the course is revised on an ongoing basis to ensure relevance to changing educational, employment and market needs. The instructor will endeavor to provide notice of changes to students as soon as possible. The instructor reserves the right to add or delete material from courses.