Department of Urban and Regional Planning

The restructured courses at the Department focus on a theoretical understanding of urban, regional and rural planning, practical and technical links with both urban and metropolitan areas, the immediate countryside and small town environments as the laboratories for study and studio exercises. The Department also maintains links with active professional planners in both public and private sectors through the regional chapter of the South African Planning Institute (SAPI). The Department aligns teaching and learning based on the recommendations emanating from SAPI, SACPLAN and Department of Rural development in terms of the Planning Professional act 36 of 2002.

Vision

The Department of Urban and Regional Planning (DURP) focused on teaching and future to its initiatives towards addressing the issues of planning in a predominantly rural setting, the Limpopo and Mpumalanga Provinces.

The Department devises planning with a bias to rural/countryside planning as opposed to its generalist coverage of planning as a discipline. We believe that the department would best approach this paradigm shift through research centred on the catchment area. i.e. the Limpopo and Mpumalanga Provinces of South Africa.

We foresee the evolution of a Development Planning Consultancy Wing tied in with the overall interests of the School of Environmental Sciences (through the Environmental assessment and advisory Unit) and the university at large. 

Mission

The department offers problem-orientated. Project designed programme which are designed to provide students who wish to pursue career in the built environment with specific focus on urban and regional planning. Students are exposed to physical, economic, social and political forces that shape urban and rural communities.

The programme explores the role of communities, local and national governments as well as the activities of no-governmental and international agencies in the process of development and land use and the impact of these on sustainable use of resources and the environment. The ultimate goal of the programme is to forge functional and intellectual linkage between theory and practice (knowledge and skills) at all levels of planning education.

BURP (Bachelor of Urban and Regional planning). This is a four year full-time professional planning programme.

M.URP (master Urban and regional planning) a two year full time professional degree programme for graduates of environmental sciences, the built environment, economic and management sciences, social and behavioural sciences, and other relevant disciplines or equivalent training.

Ph D: a program of minimum duration of three years

Certificate and Diploma or Postgraduate diploma/certificates

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

BACHELOR OF URBAN AND REGIONAL PLANNING:

Matric passes at symbol E (HG) or D= 50% (SG) or 50% pass in NSC in Mathematics and Physical science, 60 in English and four of the following matric subjects at symbol D=50%(HG) or C=60% pass in NSC in: Accounting; Agricultural Sciences; Biology or Life Sciences; Economics; Geography; or Technical Drawing and a pass of 60%in Home Language and Life Orientation.

Expected Outcomes

The detailed modules and expected competencies are an outcome of inputs from guidelines for the Planning profession by the South African Council of Planners (SACPLAN)

The following critical skills are embedded and underpin all the critical outcomes:

• Problem definition, gathering information and proffering alternatives and collaborative problem solving.
• Written, oral and graphic communications.
• Understanding strategic and synoptic dimensions and the interconnections between different facets of planning.
• Aesthetic dimensions and design awareness.
• The use of information technology (CAD, GIS and the use of the Internet among others).

Furthermore, that the knowledge of a planner must encompass a sound theoretical and applied base of the following areas:

• The nature, purpose and method of planning.
• The environment and development.
• The political and institutional context of planning.

The Department of Urban and Regional Planning has taken into consideration and adopted the above SACPLAN discussion guidelines in the new course modules presented in the following pages.