URP 201 – Basic Elements of Planning
COURSE PARTICULARS
Course Code: URP201
Course Title: Basic Elements of Planning
No. of Units: 2
Course Duration: Two hours of Lectures for Fifteen weeks.
Status: Compulsory
Course Email Address: urp201@futa.edu.ng
Course Webpage:
http://www.urp.futa.edu.ng/courseschedule.php?coursecode=URP%20204
Prerequisite: NIL
COURSE INSTRUCTORS
Dr. J.O. Basorun
Room 017, (Ground Floor),
Department of Urban and Regional Planning,
School of Environmental Technology,
Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria
Phone: +2348034721450
Email: jobasorun@futa.edu.ng or nbason@yahoo.com
And
Mr. M. K. Alakinde
Room 017, (Ground Floor),
Department of Urban and Regional Planning,
School of Environmental Technology,
Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria
Phone: +2348069385621
Email: mkalakinde@futa.edu.ng; kayodealakinde1@yahoo.com
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course is a second year course on basic elements of planning designed primarily for
students in Urban and Regional Planning, Remote Sensing and Geo-informatics and Estate
Management. It is a course that provides basic knowledge on planning models – iconic,
analogue and symbolic models (descriptive, predictive and planning), the planning process
narrating stages and techniques in planning activities, and the process of generating and
transforming urban and regional structure in the global system with particular emphasis on
the trend in the formation of human communities – village, town and city. It also focuses on
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the city structure and urban system including the formal and informal economic, social and
physical structure.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
The objectives of this course are to:
 introduce students to the basic elements planning that seek to define the role of
planners in urban societies and,
 provide students with opportunities to develop planning approaches in dealing with
management and decision making in human communities.
COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES / COMPETENCIES
Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:
(Knowledge based)


explain models of planning;
understand the planning process and techniques involved;
classify the urban land use structure (concentric, sector, multiple nuclei, population
gradient and land value), and growth pattern;
identify the forms of human community;
recognize the city system; and
carry out efficient management and decision making in urban planning.
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(Skills)


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use the planning theories/models to establish urban growth pattern;
adopt appropriate planning process in addressing human and environmental problems;
plan for human environment based on the land use structure;
determine suitable facilities or infrastructure for human communities – village, town
and city;
analyze the city system in terms of the formal and informal structure; and
conduct literature search on all the above in the Internet.
GRADING SYSTEM FOR THE COURSE
This course will be graded as follows:
Class Attendance
5%
Assignment
15%
Test
20%
Final Examination
60%
TOTAL
100%
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GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
Attendance: It is expected that every student will be in class for lectures and also participate
in class discussions. Attendance records will be kept and used to determine each person’s
qualification to sit for the final examination. In case of illness or other unavoidable cause of
absence, the student must communicate as soon as possible with any of the lecturers,
indicating the reason for the absence.
Academic Integrity: Violations of academic integrity, including dishonesty in assignments,
examinations, or other academic performances are prohibited. No student will be allowed to
make copies of another person’s work and submit it as his or her own. Students will be free to
ask questions on any area of the topic treated for clarity. All cases of academic dishonesty
will be reported to the University Management for appropriate sanctions in accordance with
the guidelines for handling students’ misconduct as spelt out in the Students’ Handbook.
Assignments and Class Test: Students are expected to submit assignments as scheduled.
Failure to submit any assignment on time will attract zero for that particular assignment.
Minimum of two tests will be conducted in the semester with prior notice. Only under
extenuating circumstances, for which a student has notified any of the lecturers in advance,
will late submission of assignments or re-sit of test be permitted.
Code of Conduct in Lecture Rooms and Laboratories: Students should turn off their cell
phones during lectures. Students are prohibited from engaging in other activities (such as
texting, watching videos, etc.) during lectures. Food and drinks are not permitted in the
lecture room.
READING LIST
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Onokerhoraye, A.G. and Omuta, G.E.D. (1992). Urban System and Planning, The
Geography and Planning Series, University of Benin, Benin city, 226p.
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Greed Clara (1993). Introducing Town Planning, Addison Wesley, Longman Limited,
England, 297p.
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Westendorff, D. And Eade, D. (2002). Development and Cities, Oxfam GB, UK, 365p
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Basorun, J.O. (2012). Basic Elements of Urban and Regional Planning, Shalom Publishers,
Akure, Nigeria. 229p.
Legend
1- Available in the University Library
2- Available in Departmental/School Libraries
3- Available on the Internet.
4- Available as Personal Collection
5- Available in local bookshops.
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COURSE OUTLINE
Week
1
2
3&4
5&6
7&8
9 & 10
Topic
Remarks
Introduction and Course Overview
Definition of Model
Exploring the Planning models
 Iconic
 Analogue
 Symbolic models
Exploring the Planning Process.
 The Techniques of developing the
Planning Process.
 The Stages of the Process.
Theories/Models of Urban Land Use.
 Concentric zonation
 Sector Model
 Multi – Nuclei Model
 Population Density Gradient/Model
 Land Value Model
Generating the Urban and Regional Structure
 Village structure
 Town
 City
Transforming the Urban Structure
 Residential land use
 Industrial land use
 Commercial land use
 Recreational land use
 Public and Semi-Public land use
 Transportation land use
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During this first class, the students’
are taught the definitions of model
with examples.
The main types of Planning models
are discussed and extended to
descriptive, predictive and planning
models.
When learning about the planning
process, students will be taught the
techniques involved The lecture on
the stages will explore the various
complimentary steps advocated by
scholars.
Exercises will involve enumerating
the various theories/models, their
features and basic assumptions.
MID-SEMESTER TEST
Students will be made to understand
process of urban growth and the
peculiar characteristics of the
different human communities within
the region.
Land uses in various forms with
implications on urban transformation
are enumerated. Students will be
taught on how they unfold and the
efficient ways of managing them.
11 & 12
The Urban System
 The Urban centre as a System
 The Urban Economic Structure
 The Urban Social Structure
 The Spatial Structure
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REVISION
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SEMESTER EXAMINATION
Exploring the basic components of
the urban system and the
interaction between them as they
affect continuity of the system in a
wider economy.
SECOND TEST
This is the week preceding the
examination that is set aside for the
students to revise all they have been
taught in the semester.
Participating in Examination
Invigilation.
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