Assessment Tasks

1.     Reflection on first 4 weeks (30%). This will focus on the lecture, tutorial and readings.

2.     Group assignment (30%).

3.     Briefing report + small group presentation (40%) – relate to one topic presented over the course of the unit.

Assessment guide

Assignments are the means used to assess if you have reached the learning outcomes for the unit. The criteria by which the assignment will be marked are made clear in each case. As a rough guide, 10 marks is equivalent to about 10 hours of quality work.

Evidence of wide and comprehensive reading is required, drawing on journals, international examples, thought pieces, and reports. All ideas must be cited inclusive of the source/author. See notes on academic honesty in the Unit Guide. Unless otherwise stated in the detailed assessment guide, any recognised referencing style may be used so long as it is consistent and accurate.

Detailed information on the assessment’s tasks, marking criteria, and supporting resources will be provided via the iLearn site.  Assessment marks and feedback will generally be provided within 3 weeks after submission. 

Submitting assignments

All assignments must be submitted electronically on the iLearn site.

Each assignment has a separate upload site. The assignment site will usually be a ‘Turnitin’, where your work is reviewed for similarity to websites, articles or other students’ work. If you have not given credit for ideas used to the author or source you will be penalised (failure of the assignment and reporting to a disciplinary committee to determine whether you have breached the University’s Academic Integrity Policy:  See information on academic honesty on the iLearn site and techniques on how to avoid common plagiarism errors at: https://students.mq.edu.au/study/assessment-exams/academic-integrity

Assessment Criteria

Assessment at Macquarie University is standards-based, as outlined in the Assessment Policy. This means that your work will be assessed against clear criteria, and these criteria (e.g. in a rubric) will be made available when the assessment tasks are released to you on iLearn. Refer to details about Assessments at Macquarie for further information.

Marking of Assessments

Assignments will usually be marked through Turnitin with grades provided through Gradebook on iLearn. Please do not submit your assessments via email or in hard copy unless requested (e.g. a sketch or drawing).

We aim to return your assessment grades and feedback within four weeks of the date that you submitted it. We appreciate your patience and will advise you through iLearn when your marked assessments and feedback are available for viewing.

Penalties for Late Assessments

A late Assessment Submission Penalty policy applies to all written assessments Please see https://students.mq.edu.au/study/assessment-exams/assessments  for more information.

Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, a 5% penalty (of the total possible mark) will be applied each day a written assessment is not submitted, up until the 7th day (including weekends). After the 7th day, a grade of '0' will be awarded even if the assessment is submitted.

Submission time for all written assessments is set at 11:55 pm. A 1-hour grace period is provided to students who experience a technical concern. For any late submission of time-sensitive tasks, such as scheduled tests/exams, performance assessments/presentations, and/or scheduled practical assessments/labs, students need to apply for Special Consideration.

Assessments where Late Submissions will be accepted

Extensions for Assessments

To obtain an extension for an assessment task, you will need to follow the formal process as outlined in the Special Consideration Policy, and you must provide appropriate supporting evidence (e.g. medical certificate - see advice for Special Consideration requests). The final decision regarding the granting of an extension lies with the unit convenor. Permission for extensions must be sought before the due date unless there are exceptional circumstances. Please let us know of problems in advance or as soon as possible, not after the event. We are likely to be much more sympathetic and able to accommodate your circumstances if you follow this advice.

Class: Monday 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM Room 01CC 107 Groupwork Lecture Space, Sir Christopher Ondaatje Ave, Wallumattagal Campus, North Ryde. 

The class is delivered as a face-to-face lecture and tutorial-style class – note this is not an online nor taught as a hybrid class.

The format will generally be of an interactive lecture / workshop in which there will be various individual and small group activities. In-class activities and discussions will be designed to support your assessment tasks.

There is a full-day field trip on Thursday 10^th September 2026. This forms a central part of the unit and links directly to one of your assessment tasks.

ENVS8418 is a core unit for the Master of Environmental Management and is approved for inclusion in several study programs including the Master of Environmental Law and Master of Planning.

Knowledge, skills and experiences gained in this unit are useful for students who wish to pursue any career in government or consultancy related to environmental management, urban and regional planning and policy.

This unit focuses on the issues influencing environmental planning and policy in NSW, Australia, and draws on other national and international examples of environmental planning and policy.

The unit examines contemporary environmental policies and practices affecting areas such as strategic land, biodiversity, water, mining and transport planning. There is a strong emphasis on the development and enhancement of critical analysis and the constructive review of plans and policies. The unit is also designed to develop practical skills used and required by professionals working in the field of environmental management and planning.

Weekly lectures and tutorial workshops

The unit is delivered in a face-to-face mode. The content is based on a 3-hour weekly lecture program, inclusive of class discussion and workshop activities. Supporting this content, students are required to complete core reading/s or other activities (e.g., listen to podcasts or watch videos) identified on the iLearn site.

Field trip

There is a field trip mid semester to offer interactive and authentic learning linked to the unit’s content and assessment tasks.

This is scheduled for 10^th September, 2024. This will be a full day and will be based within the Sydney area and accessible by public transport.

An exemption for attendance may be granted to students however this requires prior approval. Applications for exemptions are to be made prior to 30 August via the Special Considerations portal on the Student website.

Teaching

The teaching process includes:

·       Background reading/s or view of other materials (such as podcasts/TED talks)

·       Lectures and short presentations to introduce and expand on concepts, theories and practice. These will be delivered by academics and guest presentations by environmental planning professionals

·       Practical workshop sessions to provide opportunities for experiential learning on tasks and through discussion with other class members (preparation is essential)

·       Student presentations of tasks to be either prepared in advance or given as part of a summary of your tutorial discussions

·       A field trip to appreciate the practical, technical and socio-political aspects of environmental planning

·       Assignments that require students to apply their theoretical understanding to practice

·       Assignments provide opportunities for presenting in different formats, working with people of different skills and cultural perspectives.

Students are expected to:

·       Actively participate in workshop activities in small groups

·       Read set readings or review other materials as set in advance of classes

·       Follow current developments with regard to environmental planning locally and internationally.