Course Catalogue

Principles and Practices of Coastal Area Planning DUMF5172

  • Academic Session: 2026-27
  • School: School of Social and Environmental Sustainability
  • Credits: 20
  • Level: Level 5 (SCQF level 11)
  • Typically Offered: Semester 1
  • Available to Visiting Students: Yes
  • Collaborative Online International Learning: No
  • Curriculum For Life: No

Short Description

This course will introduce students to the principles and practices of coastal planning, such as sustainability, ecosystem-based management, and adaptive management. Through case study analyses of a range of planning practices and coupled human and natural systems (CHANS), students will learn about the interdisciplinary nature of coastal area planning and appreciate the limitations of disciplinary silos in addressing complex coastal challenges.

Timetable

1x 2 hours lecture and 1x1 hour seminar per week

Requirements of Entry

Admission to a Postgraduate taught degree

Excluded Courses

None

Co-requisites

None

Assessment

Report (3000 words: 65%). (ILO1, ILO2 and ILO3)

Group oral presentation (35%, with weighting for both individual and group performance) (ILO2, ILO4 and ILO5)

Course Aims

This course will introduce students to the principles and practices of coastal planning and provide them with interdisciplinary insights and systems thinking skills to assess the suitability of coastal planning strategies by applying ideas from diverse disciplines, such as policy studies, geography, urban planning, and environmental science required for managing coastal environments and resources. Through analyses of regional case studies, students will learn to apply appropriate coastal planning strategies to solve coastal problems across regions.

Intended Learning Outcomes of Course

By the end of this course students will be able to:

1. Explain the environmental, social, and economic factors that shape coastal planning approaches;

2. Critically analyse how coastal planning theories and CHANS framework are applied with reference to specific case studies;

3. Analyse the advantages, disadvantages, and compromises associated with various coastal planning approaches;

4. Identify and explain complex coastal planning challenges; 

5. Demonstrate an ability to collaborate effectively in group projects

Minimum Requirement for Award of Credits

No exceptions