Form P10
Heriot-Watt University – Programme Description
1. Programme
2. Programme Title
Code
D412-UPP
BSc Urban Planning and Property Development – 1ED
D411-UPP
BSc Urban Planning and Property Development with a sandwich year– 1ED
6. Programme Accredited by:
7. UCAS Code
Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)
K490
Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI)
3. School
SBE
Version 3.0 (2012/2013)
4. Type
Specialist
8. QAA Subject
Benchmarking Group(s)
Building and Surveying
Town and Country
Planning
10. Educational Aims of the Programme
5. Awards
BSc (Hons) BSc, DipHE
BSc (Hons) BSc, DipHE
9. Date of Production/Revision
February 2012
The specific learning and teaching aims of the Planning and Development degree are as follow:
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To provide an academically sound and vocationally relevant undergraduate education for those seeking a professional career in planning and surveying within the
national or international context.
To enable students to attain the best intellectual development and gain the maximum degree award commensurate with their abilities.
To provide the educational base to meet the current and future needs of the development sector, and continue to receive full exemption from the written
examinations of the relevant professional institutions.
To provide the opportunity for intellectual, personal and inter-personal skills development.
In overall terms to enable students to maximise their academic and professional potential by developing transferable as well as subject skills.
Updated February 2012 – P78
Heriot-Watt University – Programme Description
Form P10
1. Programme
2. Programme Title
Code
D412-UPP
BSc Urban Planning and Property Development – 1ED
D411-UPP
BSc Urban Planning and Property Development with a sandwich year– 1ED
6. Programme Accredited by:
7. UCAS Code
Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)
K490
Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI)
3. School
SBE
Version 3.0 (2012/2013)
4. Type
Specialist
5. Awards
BSc (Hons) BSc, DipHE
BSc (Hons) BSc, DipHE
8. QAA Subject
9. Date of Production/Revision
Benchmarking Group(s)
Building and Surveying
February 2012
Town and Country
Planning
11. The Programme provides opportunities for learners to achieve the following outcomes:
Understanding, Knowledge and Cognitive Skills
Subject Mastery
1. Understanding and Knowledge
The specialisms listed below are achieved by all graduates:

Planning theory and practice.
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Valuation theory and practice.
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Financial appraisal of development proposals.
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The economics of the property market.

Regulatory requirements, the needs of society and ethical correctness within the context of the built environment, and professional practice.

Understanding of the nature of the various relationships within the property market, and the interaction between planners and surveyors.
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Understanding of Health and Safety regulations.
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Environmental awareness and evaluation
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Principles defining design quality
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Understanding the importance of policy, context and engaging the public
2. Cognitive Skills
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Transfer theoretical and practical problem-solving skills to a variety of contexts.
Develop critical, analytical and numerical skills
Demonstrate an ability to exercise initiative, original thought and independence.
Scholarship, Enquiry and Research
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Develop in-depth research skills.
Define a research problem.
Critically appraise a set body of literature on given themes and, through having to interrogate concepts and method, being able to develop and unfold an
argument.
Where appropriate apply statistical and hypothesis testing skills.
Updated February 2012 – P78
Form P10
Heriot-Watt University – Programme Description
1. Programme
2. Programme Title
Code
D412-UPP
BSc Urban Planning and Property Development – 1ED
D411-UPP
BSc Urban Planning and Property Development with a sandwich year– 1ED
6. Programme Accredited by:
7. UCAS Code
Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)
K490
Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI)
3. School
SBE
Version 3.0 (2012/2013)
4. Type
Specialist
8. QAA Subject
Benchmarking Group(s)
Building and Surveying
Town and Country
Planning
5. Awards
BSc (Hons) BSc, DipHE
BSc (Hons) BSc, DipHE
9. Date of Production/Revision
February 2012
Industrial, Commercial and Professional Practice
Personal Abilities
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
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Knowledge and understanding of the professions and industries allied to building and surveying, their operation and linkages between them
Understand the rules and responsibilities governing valuation practice, and appreciate the need for professional and ethical behaviour.
A professional approach to undertaking tasks, including a sense of responsibility and ethical conduct.
Take responsibility for personal, professional and social awareness development in the context of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and Royal
Town Planning Institute professional requirements.
Autonomy, Accountability and Working with Others
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The capacity for independent and self-managed learning such that can analyse personal strengths and weaknesses and formulate strategies for
improvement.
Time management as part of a team or working independently.
Ability to work on different tasks in parallel and to switch between them at need.
Negotiation skills.
Communication, Numeracy and ICT
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Effective communication by written, oral and graphic media or a combination of them.
Appreciation and use of numbers, including valuation techniques and statistical testing.
Use of IT to generate and present written work.
Use of the Internet to source, gather and retrieve information.
Use of common computing packages to extract, manipulate, analyse and present quantitative data.
Updated February 2012 – P78
Form P10
Heriot-Watt University – Programme Description
1. Programme
2. Programme Title
Code
D412-UPP
BSc Urban Planning and Property Development – 1ED
D411-UPP
BSc Urban Planning and Property Development with a sandwich year– 1ED
6. Programme Accredited by:
7. UCAS Code
Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)
K490
Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI)
3. School
SBE
Version 3.0 (2012/2013)
4. Type
Specialist
8. QAA Subject
Benchmarking Group(s)
Building and Surveying
Town and Country
Planning
12. Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
5. Awards
BSc (Hons) BSc, DipHE
BSc (Hons) BSc, DipHE
9. Date of Production/Revision
February 2012
The Urban Studies discipline provides a flexible, student-centred, and resource-based learning and teaching environment, which actively promotes a deep approach to
learning. At each stage, learning and teaching resources include lectures, tutorials, seminars, workshops and task-based activities. As the programme progresses, the
emphasis switches from large group lectures to student-led tutorials and small group self learning activities, and students are encouraged to take greater responsibility
for their own learning. The techniques adopted include library and computer-based facilities, specific project based courses designed to integrate the knowledge base
covered at each stage and develop transferable skills, directed reading, case studies, dissertations, coursework and problem-solving classes.
Approaches to learning and teaching are reviewed and assessed by the Course Leader and Discipline Director on an annual basis. The review and redesign of
techniques and methods adopted are obtained from student questionnaires, comments from the Student-Staff Committee, pass rates and external examiners’ reports.
Specific details about learning and teaching methods are provided in the appropriate course descriptors.
13.
Assessment Policies:
The assessment policy for programmes on the Urban Studies Discipline is to tailor the methods of assessment to the subject being taught and the nature of the classes
so that understanding, knowledge and subject-specific skills are assessed using a variety of approaches. These include essays, reports, written examinations, practical
exercises, presentations, group and individual projects and the dissertation. What is best for each course is moderated by seeking a balance of modes within terms and
stages.
Formal assessment in courses teaching subject specific understanding, knowledge and skills is by either coursework or unseen written examinations, but there are
some courses which are assessed by both. The examinations are summative, while coursework may be used to assess understanding and subject specific skills on a
formative or summative basis. Continuous assessment is more common in courses explicitly designed to develop cognitive and core skills, and professional awareness.
This approach to assessment enables staff and students to monitor the establishment and honing of transferable skills in practical exercises that are directly applicable
to the built environment.
The methods of assessment adopted are continually reviewed. Specific details about assessment methods are provided in the appropriate course descriptor.
The accompanying Programme Structure template provides details of courses, awards and credits for the programme.
The accompanying Programme Notes provide details of stage notes, progression requirements and award requirements for the programme.
Updated February 2012 – P78