Assesmentss are the means used to assess if you have reached the learning outcomes for the unit. The criteria by which the assessment 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. 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 assessment tasks, marking criteria, and supporting resources will be provided via the iLearn site by the end of Week 1. 

Requirements to Pass this Unit

To pass this unit you must achieve a total mark equal to or greater than 50%.

Late Assessment Submission and Penalties 

Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, a 5% penalty (of the total possible mark of the task) will be applied for each day a written report or presentation 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. The submission time for all uploaded assessments is 11:55 pm. A 1-hour grace period will be provided to students who experience technical concerns. For any late submission of time-sensitive tasks, such as scheduled presentations, please apply for Special Consideration. For example, if the assignment is worth 8 marks (of the entire unit) and your submission is late by 19 hours (or 23 hours 59 minutes 59 seconds), 0.4 marks (5% of 8 marks) will be deducted. If your submission is late by 24 hours (or 47 hours 59 minutes 59 seconds), 0.8 marks (10% of 8 marks) will be deducted, and so on.

Special Consideration

The Special Consideration Policy aims to support students who have been impacted by short-term circumstances or events that are serious, unavoidable and significantly disruptive, and which may affect their performance in assessment. If you experience circumstances or events that affect your ability to complete the assessments in this unit on time, please inform the convenor and submit a Special Consideration request through http://connect.mq.edu.au/.

The unit is delivered in person and workshop recordings will be available on Echo360. Classes start in Week 1, Wed 29th July 9am.

The content is based on a weekly workshop program supported by a core reading/s and a fieldtrip. The teaching process includes:

• Background reading by the students
• Interactive group sessions to provide opportunities for experiential learning on tasks and through discussion with other class members (preparation is essential)
• A field trip to appreciate the practical, technical and socio-ecological aspects of sustainable cities.
• Assessments that require students to practice key skills, including critical and integrative thinking and communicating through diverse forms including writing and presenting in a logical and clearly argued manner.
• Assessments provide opportunities for presenting in different formats, working with people of different skills and cultural perspectives.

Students are expected to:

• participate in group activities
• read set readings in advance for classes and
• follow current developments about sustainable cities in the media/ internationally.

There is a mandatory field trip scheduled for FRIDAY 11 September 2026. This will be a full day activity starting at Green Square and concluding at Barangaroo.

Methods of Communication

We will communicate with you via your university email and through announcements on iLearn. Queries to convenors can either be placed on the iLearn discussion board or sent to the unit convenor via the contact email on iLearn.

We value student feedback to be able to continually improve the way we offer our units. As such we encourage students to provide constructive feedback via student surveys, to the teaching staff directly, or via the FSE Student Experience & Feedback link in the iLearn page.

Student feedback from the previous offering of this unit was very positive overall, with students pleased with the clarity around assessment requirements and the level of support from teaching staff. As such, no change to the delivery of the unit is planned, however we will continue to strive to improve the level of support and the level of student engagement.