Introduction to Urban Sustainable Planning and Design
Design a greener future by exploring urban sustainability, planning, architecture and environmental studies.
Duration
6 weeksWeekly study
2 hours100% online
How it works
Introduction to Urban Sustainable Planning and Design
Shape greener communities through urban design
Dive into the principles of sustainable urban planning and discover how you can make a lasting impact on your community and career.
This six-week online course is your gateway to understanding and shaping the future of urban spaces. You’ll gain the expertise to create livable, equitable, and environmentally friendly cities.
Discover the foundations of urban sustainability
Begin your journey by exploring the core principles of urban sustainability. Learn why it matters, how urban systems function, and the challenges cities face today.
The foundational knowledge you gain from this course will help you understand the complexities of urban life and the critical role sustainability plays in shaping our future.
Address the challenges of urbanisation
Gain in-depth information about the pressing issues of urbanisation, from migration and congestion to pollution and social inequality. By examining these challenges, you’ll explore the widening gap between growth and sustainability.
This section equips you with the awareness and tools to tackle these problems head-on, ensuring your work creates a positive impact.
Lead the way in sustainable urban development
Explore innovative strategies and case studies that are transforming cities worldwide. From compact urban forms to smart city initiatives, you’ll learn how to apply sustainable principles to real-world challenges.
This online course will empower you to lead change, whether in policy-making, community development, or urban design.
Syllabus
Week 1
Fundamental Concepts of Sustainable Urban Planning and Design
Urban Sustainability: Systems and Key Drivers
Explore how cities drive sustainable development, how urban systems evolve, and why understanding population dynamics is key to shaping greener, smarter cities.
Urban Sustainable Development and the SDGs: Concepts and Challenges
Learn the foundations of sustainable development, the origins of the SDGs, and the major challenges cities face in turning goals into action.
Week 2
Reflection on Urbanization and Its Consequences
Urbanization and Its Challenges: Migration, Congestion, and Pollution
Explore how urban migration, congestion, and pollution shape cities—and why understanding urbanization is vital for a sustainable future.
Urban Inequality and the Growth–Sustainability Divide
Explore urban social inequality and the widening gap between growth and sustainability—and why bridging these divides is key to a just future.
Week 3
The Rising Impact of Climate Change
Foundations of Modern Urban Planning
Discover how early urban pioneers responded to industrialization challenges and shaped the foundations of modern city planning.
Cities and Climate Change: Risks, Impacts, and Responses
Explore how global warming worsens urban risks and why cities must address both their contributions to and vulnerabilities from climate change.
Dual Role of Cities in Facing Climate Change
Discover how cities both drive climate change and remain highly vulnerable to its impacts. Learn to understand their dual role and explore solutions for building resilient, sustainable urban futures.
Week 4
Urban Experimentation Shaping Modern Cities
Early Urban Planning: Contexts and Legacies
Discover how early urban pioneers responded to the challenges of the Industrial Revolution. Explore the first planning experiments aimed at improving city life and infrastructure, and learn how their legacy continues to influence
Urban Visions: City Beautiful and Garden City Movements
Explore how the City Beautiful Movement promoted grandeur and order, and how the Garden City Movement created green, self-contained communities that still inspire sustainable urban design today.
Utopian Visions and Lessons in Urban Planning
Explore Le Corbusier’s Radiant City and Wright’s Broadacre City. Through their visions, successes, and failures, discover lessons that continue to guide modern sustainable urban planning.
Week 5
Modern Reforms in Progress
Global Environmental Awakening and the Rise of Compact Cities
Explore how the global environmental awakening inspired the Compact City model, promoting dense, efficient, and green living as a solution to urban sprawl and a path to resilient, livable cities.
New Urbanism and Smart Cities: Shaping the Future
Explore how New Urbanism fosters walkable communities and how Smart Cities use technology to solve urban challenges, building sustainable, connected, and resilient cities for the future.
Participatory Planning and the Future of Urban Development
Discover how participatory planning empowers communities to shape cities, challenging top-down approaches. Reflect on lessons and explore future opportunities for inclusive, sustainable urban spaces.
Week 6
Leading the Way—Innovative Case Studies of Contemporary Practice
Global Models for Sustainable and Resilient Cities
Discover how Copenhagen, Curitiba, and Singapore lead in sustainable urban development through cycling infrastructure, transit planning, and green design, inspiring resilient, livable future cities.
Building Fair and Sustainable Cities: Mobility and Growth Strategies
Discover how Portland and Taipei balance growth, equity, and sustainability through growth boundaries, walkable communities, and integrated transport to build livable, inclusive cities.
Beyond the New Urban Agenda: Innovation and Co-Creation
Explore how co-creation, adaptive governance, and local innovation reshape cities, showing that sustainable urban spaces need flexible, inclusive approaches that empower communities.
Course Feedback and Futherlearning
As our course concludes, reflect on your learning, consider its application in your life, and share your feedback.
When would you like to start?
Start straight away and join a global classroom of learners. If the course hasn’t started yet you’ll see the future date listed below.
Available now
Learning on this course
On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.
What will you achieve?
By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...
- Describe key concepts in sustainable urban planning, including land use, transport, green infrastructure, and their social, economic, and environmental impacts.
- Collect data from global case studies to evaluate sustainable urban strategies and understand their impact on land use, transport, equity, and the environment.
- Explore sustainable urban planning strategies by examining global case studies and learning how land use, transport, and green infrastructure contribute to livable cities.
- Apply sustainable urban planning principles to design inclusive cities, analyze case studies, and evaluate the social, economic, and environmental impacts of planning decisions.
- Compare global sustainable urban planning strategies to evaluate their effectiveness in addressing social, economic, and environmental challenges.
- Summarise key principles of sustainable urban planning, including land use, transportation, green infrastructure, and their impacts on social, economic, and environmental outcomes.
Who is the course for?
This online course is for anyone passionate about shaping sustainable cities – students, professionals, or community leaders in urban planning, architecture, or environmental studies.
Who will you learn with?
National Taipei University of Technology (NTUT) is the first university of science and technology in Taiwan that aims at industrial education and is famous for its engineering department.
Who developed the course?
Taipei Medical University
Taipei Medical University (TMU) has been a leader in Taiwan’s healthcare system for over half a century due to its research, teaching excellence, internationalization and outstanding medical service.
Ways to learn | Buy this course | Subscribe & save | Start learning today |
|---|---|---|---|
| Choose the best way to learn for you! | $109/one-off payment | $244.99 for a whole year Automatically renews | Free |
| Fulfill your current learning need | Develop skills to further your career | Try this course - with limits | |
| Access to this course | tick | tick | Limited to 6 weeks |
| Access to 1,000+ courses | cross | tick | cross |
| Learn at your own pace | tick | tick | cross |
| Discuss your learning in comments | tick | tick | tick |
| Certificate when you're eligible | Printed and digital | Digital only | cross |
Cancel for free anytime |
Ways to learn
Choose the best way to learn for you!
Subscribe & save
$244.99 for a whole year
Automatically renews
Develop skills to further your career
- Access to this course
- Access to 1,000+ courses
- Learn at your own pace
- Discuss your learning in comments
- Digital certificate when you're eligible
Cancel for free anytime
Buy this course
$109/one-off payment
Fulfill your current learning need
- Access to this course
- Learn at your own pace
- Discuss your learning in comments
- Printed and digital certificate when you’re eligible
Start learning today
Free
Try this course - with limits
- Limited to 6 weeks
Find out more about certificates, Unlimited or buying a course (Upgrades) Sale price available until 2 June 2025 at 23:59 (UTC). T&Cs apply. | |||
Find out more about certificates, Unlimited or buying a course (Upgrades)
Sale price available until 2 June 2025 at 23:59 (UTC). T&Cs apply.
Learning on FutureLearn
Your learning, your rules
- Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
- Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
- Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores
Join a global classroom
- Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
- Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
- Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others
Map your progress
- As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
- Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
- Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate
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