Case Studies

Healthy Planning course, University of New South Wales, Sydney

Overview

‘Healthy Planning’ is a practice-based course run at the University of New South Wales. The course’s underlying premise is that an inter-disciplinary approach is the only way to understand and address lifestyle related health problems that are increasingly found in contemporary urban populations. Learning outcomes are focused on interdisciplinary knowledge and potential application for professional practice. 

Key Features

• Develop understandings and knowledge about the key health problems facing urban populations today, including understandings about the relationship between urban planning, city form and current health problems in contemporary cities
• Develop understandings of the issues most likely to dissuade city dwellers from engaging in healthy life styles
• Develop an appreciation of the different ways of working and language that health and built environment practitioners use

Considerations

• The Healthy Planning course is a very successful educational initiative.  In formal evaluations, students from all disciplines have commented favourably about their learning experiences; course content and process; the multidisciplinary curriculum and the practical applications of theory (especially the field trip and the neighbourhood audit); the assessment methods and tasks; and the opportunities for interdisciplinary connections and collaboration. 
• Through interdisciplinary learning, built environment and medical/health students learn from each other and about the interconnections of their respective discplines. This provides scope for their knowledge to be applied practicably in future work environments.

Click here for more detailed information on the Health Planning course at University of New South Wales. 

Last updated on 5th June, 2009