Syllabus 2010/2011 AAMF01

Syllabus academic year 2010/2011
(Created 2010-07-25.)

MAN AND THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT

AAMF01

Credits: 3. Grading scale: UG. Cycle: G2 (First Cycle). Main field: Architecture. Language of instruction: The course will be given in English on demand. Optional for: A4. Course coordinator: Associate professor Maria Johansson, maria.johansson@mpe.lth.se, Architecture and Built Environment. The course might be cancelled if the number of applicants is less than 10. Assessment: 80% attendance at lectures and seminars. Paper writing, presentation and opposition on another paper. Home page: http://www.arkitektur.lth.se.

Aim
Man and the built environment describes how human interaction with and response to various features of the built environment. The course will further discuss human behaviour in relation to a sustainable development. The course concerns good environments in relation to human health and well-being. The starting point is in real life problems. The course aims at giving the student more extensive theoretical knowledge in one of the central research areas of man and the built environment within the field of environmental psychology. A second aim is to give practical experience about how to apply scientific methods in the field.

Knowledge and understanding
For a passing grade the student must

have extended theoretical and practical knowledge in one of the central research areas of man and the built environment within the field of environmental psychology.
have understanding about how environmental psychology methods could be used in order to examine man-environment problems in different areas.

Skills and abilities
For a passing grade the student must

independently seek and organize scientific literature in one central area focusing upon man and the built environment in the field of environmental psychology. The extent should be as it is described by the course literature.
identify, with supervision, one scientific problem and empirically examine the question in a scientific satisfying way.
correctly, with supervision, be able to use at least one environmental psychology method empirically.
in a scientific correct way present and discuss an empirical study in relation to earlier research and present it in a report.

Judgement and approach
For a passing grade the student must

present and critical discuss the own scientific report.
oppose on another scientific report based on given criteria.

Contents
Structure and content: The course consists mainly of literature studies and an empirically based project focusing upon a central area of man and built environment within the field of environmental psychology. The course includes lectures describing methods in environmental psychology and provides examples from current research projects. The projects are supervised and discussed at seminars. The work is presented as a written report and orally at a final seminar. The opposition is oral only. The literature includes compulsory chapters and reference literature chosen in consultation with the supervisor.

Literature
Compulsary:
Selected parts of:
Bell, P. A.; Greene, T. C., Fisher, J. D. & Baum, A. (2001). Environmental psychology. Fifth Edition. Forth Worth: Harcourt college publishers.
Gifford, R. (2007). Environmental psychology. Principles and practice. Fourth edition. Canada: Optimal books.
Kaplan, R., Kaplan, S. & Ryan, R. L. (1998). With people in mind. Design and management of everyday nature. Washington: Island press.
Tucker Cross L., & Küller, R. (2004). Environmental Atmosphere of outdoor residential areas in southern Sweden: A comparison of experts and residents. Journal of Architectural and Planning Research, 21, 74-90.