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Graduate Studies Calendar 2017-2018 Courses of Instruction Course Descriptions E Environmental Design EVDS
Environmental Design EVDS

The following list of courses, offered by members of the Faculty of Environmental Design and members of other departments in the University, is specific to this academic year. Students are advised that some of the courses listed below may not be offered every year depending upon circumstances. Students should consult with the EVDS Graduate Program Administrator before registering in the following courses.

Graduate Courses
Environmental Design 601       Conceptual Bases of Environmental Design
Conceptual frameworks in Environmental Design and theories related to design and environment that influence environmental design thinking, research, and practice.

Course Hours:
3 units; H(3-0)
Notes:
Students are strongly encouraged to complete Environmental Design 601 prior to entering their second registration year.    
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Environmental Design 603       Introduction to Design Thinking
Foundation concepts in design and form making involving a sequence of progress skill building, visual and spatial thinking and problem solving exercises.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(0-8)
Antirequisite(s):
Credit for Environmental Design 603 and Environmental Design Architecture 580 will not be allowed.
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Environmental Design 616       Urban Infrastructure and Land Use
Acquaints students with the key infrastructure systems of a city. Examines current policies, standards and practices, challenges, and innovations in the following infrastructure sectors: water, sewage, waste management, open space, energy, transportation, and communication. Discusses the relationship between infrastructure systems and land use, and its impacts on quality of life, economic development, spatial structure, and the environment. Emphasis is given to green infrastructure development. The course also examines various financial and institutional frameworks for delivering infrastructure systems, and how they vary across different contexts.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3-0)
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Environmental Design 620       Urban Design Studio
This studio aims to further develop skills in conceptualization and visualization through consideration of contemporary urban design issues. It includes documentation and analysis of urban form and process, and explores site planning and design of the public realm. Issues of local and regional identity and sustainability inform the approach of the studio.
Course Hours:
6 units; F(0-8)
Prerequisite(s):
Environmental Design Planning 637 or Environmental Design Landscape 667.
Also known as:
(formerly Environmental Design 618)
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Environmental Design 621       Health in the Built Environment
Concepts of health in an environmental context; historic approaches to preventative medicine; medical basis of building-related illness; case studies in indoor air quality; strategies for prescription and design of healthy indoor environments.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3-0)
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Environmental Design 622       Real Estate Development and Finance
Focuses on the principles of real estate development and finance. Provides hands-on experience through real-world simulations and case studies. Goal is for students to gain a basic understanding of the planning process in real estate development, including private public partnerships, and development impacts. Introduces fundamental tools for conducting an economic and fiscal analysis of real estate proposals. Students will have an opportunity to develop a pro forma as part of a risk assessment. Other topics include the use of GIS for location studies and market assessment.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3-0)
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Environmental Design 624       Impact Assessment and Risk Management
EIA is the process of identifying, predicting, evaluating and mitigating the environmental effects of development proposals prior to major decision-making. Biophysical, economic and social impact assessment will be reviewed in an integrated, interdisciplinary approach which will include lectures, studies of methodologies, theory and practical problems, and discourse with practitioners.  Federal and various Provincial environmental impact assessment policies and procedures will be critically analyzed.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3-0)
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Environmental Design 628       Housing and Neighbourhood Change
Considers urban growth management, affordable housing, suburban growth and inner-city redevelopment, current suburban development patterns, as well current municipal goals regarding density and intensification and precedents/best practices. Theoretical understanding and practical insights into these issues through assessment of the social, economic, and spatial aspects related to housing and neighbourhood change.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3-0)
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Environmental Design 630       Geography of Crime
Introduces the fields of environmental criminology and the social and geographic aspects of crime. Explores the reasons why certain neighborhoods, and certain features of neighborhoods, tend to promote or discourage criminal activity. Special emphasis is placed upon the relationship between crime and the environment, crime prevention, spatial dynamics of crime, the criminality of place and the decision processes involved in criminal events. Ethical considerations and privacy aspects will be addressed throughout.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3-0)
Prerequisite(s):
Admission to the Certificate in Designing Smart and Secure Communities.
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Environmental Design 632       Designing Safe Communities
Based on the established training curriculum for certification of the SAFE Design Council, with supplementary material to increase the theoretical foundations of the topics. The SAFE Design Standard® begins with the assessment of the risk posed to a site by outside factors, and then includes an assessment of site access points, wayfinding and signage, pathways and roadways, barriers and fencing, visibility and illumination, mechanical and electronic security, and other design elements intended for controlling access and movement within a building or site.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3-0)
Prerequisite(s):
Environmental Design 630.
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Environmental Design 634       Designing Smart Communities
Provides an introduction to the emerging field of Smart Communities, showcasing groups and individuals that have made a conscious and deliberate effort to use information and communications technology (ICT) to transform the community’s life and work in significant and fundamental ways. Smart Communities may be physical or virtual, and the concept is more about the creative use of ICT infrastructure than merely building it. The social, economic, technical, design and ethical aspects of Smart Communities will all be considered.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3-0)
Prerequisite(s):
Environmental Design 630.
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Environmental Design 636       Integrative Project
A capstone project course involving an independent, guided research project, which builds on student interests and faculty expertise. The projects may be completed individually or in small groups. The course will involve an initial face-to-face project definition session, online mentoring throughout the project, and final presentations on lessons learned and future research directions.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3-0)
Prerequisite(s):
Environmental Design 630, 632 and 634.
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Environmental Design 640       Regional Planning Studio
An overview of the history and theory of regional planning and an overview of regional planning institutional frameworks and issues in a Canadian regional planning context. Understanding current regional planning issues and institutional, legislative and policy frameworks in a Canadian land use planning context related to growth management, resource extraction, infrastructure and services, transportation, strategic planning, water and airshed management. A review and examination of regional land use planning and policy tools and role of regional planners in inter-jurisdictional and transboundary government and public-private stakeholder engagement mechanisms. Preparation of a plan.
Course Hours:
6 units; F(0-8)
Prerequisite(s):
Environmental Design Planning 637 or Environmental Design Landscape 677.
Also known as:
(formerly Environmental Design 623)
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Environmental Design 643       Field Studies
Introduction to the architecture, urban landscape, planning issues, design culture and other relevant faculty topics in an international setting. Specific destination and itinerary in any given year are dependent on availability and interest. Through a week long field trip students will learn about the built and natural environment of the selected city and its context.

Course Hours:
3 units; H(3-0)
Prerequisite(s):
Admission to Environmental Design graduate degree program.
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Environmental Design 650       Theories of Sustainable Urban Design
Covers contemporary urban design history as well as seminal urban design theory. Also includes a review of the most up-to-date research in sustainable urban design, including its relationship to public health, global warming and adaptability to climate change trends.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3-0)
Prerequisite(s):
Admission to the Certificate in Sustainable Urban Design.
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Environmental Design 652       Site/Context Analysis and Sustainable Design Studio
Introduces the student to an analytical and comprehensive approach for understanding a project’s site and context. Provides the student with tools and methods for the implementation of a sustainable urban design proposal in different climatic, environmental and cultural settings.
Course Hours:
6 units; F(0-6)
Prerequisite(s):
Environmental Design 650.
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Environmental Design 654       Green Infrastructure and Land Use
Acquaints the student with the latest knowledge and technology in green urban infrastructure and sustainable practices of land use planning, including aspects of winter city design. Includes various site visits to state-of-the-art infrastructure facilities and lectures from invited experts.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3-0)
Prerequisite(s):
Environmental Design 652.
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Environmental Design 656       Advanced Urban Design Studio
Provides the opportunity for the integration of all the knowledge acquired in Environmental Design 650, 652 and 654. Includes the development of a comprehensive sustainable urban design proposal based on site and context analysis. The project site will be situated in Calgary and will involve local community advocates, developers, planners and engineers.
Course Hours:
6 units; F(0-6)
Prerequisite(s):
Environmental Design 654.
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Environmental Design 660       Principles of Historic Conservation
Provides a foundation to historic conservation. Focuses on principles and theories pertaining to preservation and restoration practices; recognition of architectural periods, styles, and construction methods in context of the evolution of cultural landscapes; the definition of significance and integrity in buildings and districts; strategies by which buildings and their settings have been preserved and used; and methods of reading and interpreting the cultural environment. Also includes a review of the most up-to-date research in heritage conservation.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3-0)
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Environmental Design 662       Heritage Conservation Policy and Planning
This practice-based course prepares students to act in some capacity as manager, architect, planner, and policy maker for historic sites and buildings. Provides an overview of the aspects of heritage conservation related to policy and planning. Reviews preservation policy and jurisdictional issues within a community development context, addresses complex social equity considerations associated with historic designation, examines economic incentives, and explores preservation philosophy and historic impact assessments. Includes visits to heritage sites and lectures from invited experts.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3-0)
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Environmental Design 664       Sustainability and Historic Preservation
Examines the role of historic preservation in the context of pragmatic, social, economic and environmental imperatives of sustainable community development. Topics to be addressed include a range of historic examples of sustainable cultural practices, building envelope assessments, pathology and retrofit of heritage buildings, current trends of adaptive reuse of historic sites and case studies of effective implementation of heritage legislation in historic buildings. Although grounded in international experience and precedents, the course emphasizes relevance to western Canadian history and regional building traditions. Includes visits to heritage sites and lectures from invited experts.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3-0)
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Environmental Design 668       Advanced Heritage Conservation Project
Provides an opportunity to work in an interdisciplinary manner to address real issues related to heritage conservation. Includes the development of a comprehensive heritage conservation proposal based on site and context analysis of a site in Alberta. The project will use the framework of the Historic Places Initiative (Identify, Protect and Preserve) to document buildings, districts and cultural landscapes and to interpret their historical and architectural significance. An Identification component will consider heritage resource documentation and evaluation; a Protection component will review heritage legislation, regulatory frameworks, and incentive programs; and a Preservation component will examine standards and guidelines, and preservation strategies and techniques.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3-0)
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Environmental Design 671       Urban Design Theory
Intended to provide students with an introduction to theories, concepts, methods and contemporary issues in urban design. The course consists of lectures, case studies, seminars and short projects.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3-0)
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Environmental Design 675       Urban Systems
Provides a general overview of urban history, development and planning traditions. Lectures and field studies give a chronological overview of urban, architectural and design history and the inter-relation to political programs, economic and strategic planning as well as cultural nationalism. The course will extract a number of more general issues about contemporary cities for debate.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3-0)
Prerequisite(s):
Admission to Environmental Design graduate degree program.
MAY BE REPEATED FOR CREDIT
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Environmental Design 683       Advanced Special Topics in Environmental Design
Thematic inquiry and design related to environmental design topics.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3-0)
MAY BE REPEATED FOR CREDIT
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Environmental Design 697       Advanced Special Topics in Environmental Design
Thematic inquiry and design related to environmental design topics.
Course Hours:
1.5 units; Q(3-0)
MAY BE REPEATED FOR CREDIT
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Environmental Design 703       Directed Study in Environmental Design
Thematic research, readings or design studio project related to environmental design topics.
Course Hours:
1.5 units; Q(0-3)
Prerequisite(s):
Consent of the Faculty.
MAY BE REPEATED FOR CREDIT
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Environmental Design 711       Theoretical Basis for Interdisciplinary Intervention and Design
Comparisons and contrasts among disciplinary, multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary intervention and research. Focus on interdisciplinary teamwork knowledge and skills, on the ability to integrate research into professional real world contexts and on the ability to communicate research results effectively. This course is open only to students registered in a PhD program.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(0-8)
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Environmental Design 723       Interdisciplinary Intervention in Environmental Design

Interdisciplinary teams will tackle client-based real world environmental design problems. Intervention strategies and design as a problem-solving approach to complex urban, ecological, social, and technological interactions will be addressed.

723.02. Sustainable Futures and Planning Scenarios

723.03. People and Technology


Course Hours:
3 units; H(0-6)
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Environmental Design 753       Research Skills and Critical Thinking
Exploration of the research process in an environmental design context and using design as a method of research. Design of innovative research methods appropriate for environmental design research. Development of skills in research design and critical thinking while writing a research proposal.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3-3)
MAY BE REPEATED FOR CREDIT
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Environmental Design 783       Directed Study in Environmental Design
Thematic research, readings or design studio project related to urban design, architecture, environmental design topics.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(0-3)
Prerequisite(s):
Consent of the Faculty.
MAY BE REPEATED FOR CREDIT
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Environmental Design 793       Workshop in Environmental Design
Instruction and supervised experience in the use of tools and equipment for the development of study models, prototypes and graphic material related to student projects.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(0-8)
Prerequisite(s):
Consent of the Faculty.
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Environmental Design 797       Preceptorship
A Preceptorship is a study and training arrangement made between a student and an employer or an equivalent supervisor which has specific educational objectives, a method of evaluation, and is an integral part of a student's Program of Studies. Preceptorships offer a number of benefits: acquiring skills and knowledge which may be better obtained outside the University; developing first-hand experience of professional design practice; preparing for more focused studies in the Faculty; and conducting research.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3-0)
Prerequisite(s):
Consent of the Faculty.
MAY BE REPEATED FOR CREDIT
NOT INCLUDED IN GPA
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