ARC8120 : Architecture and Landscape Studies Critical and Comparative
- Offered for Year: 2025/26
- 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 format and a paper form
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 8 | 2:00 | 16:00 | PiP |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Practical | 1 | 3:00 | 3:00 | Symposium, PiP |
| Guided Independent Study | Directed research and reading | 1 | 164:00 | 164:00 | N/A |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Small group teaching | 8 | 1:00 | 8:00 | Seminars, PiP |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Drop-in/surgery | 3 | 1:00 | 3:00 | PiP |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Dissertation/project related supervision | 3 | 1:00 | 3:00 | PiP |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Module talk | 1 | 3:00 | 3:00 | PiP |
| Total | 200:00 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | 1 | M | 100 | A5: 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 exercise | 1 | M | A1: 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 log | 1 | M | A2: 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 proposal | 1 | M | A3: 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 Presentation | 1 | M | A4: 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
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- ARC8120's Timetable