• Course title: Key concepts in human geography
• Number of ECTS: 4
• Course code: MAGEO-1
• Module(s): Theory, Trends & Concepts in Geography & Spatial Planning
• Language: EN
• Mandatory: Yes

• Course title: Geographies of European Integration
• Number of ECTS: 5
• Course code: MAGEO-3
• Module(s): Theory, Trends & Concepts in Geography & Spatial Planning
• Language: EN
• Mandatory: Yes

Designed for Master students in Geography and Border Studies, the objective of the class is – individually

and collectively – to advance the analytical understanding of the contemporary EUropean project. The

course firstly provides students with foundational knowledge to understand the nature, institutions and

functioning of the EU. It secondly introduces key concepts anchored in European integration theory and

Geography (e.g. integration, Europeanization, multi-level governance) allowing them to analytically

reflect on the EUropean project, and finally to critically engage with contemporary issues (e.g. the green

transition, so-called “left behind regions”, bordering).

Upon completion of the class, students should:- Know some of the key historical milestones having led to the construction of the contemporary

EU.

–  Have acquired basic understanding of legal nature of the EU, its institutions, functioning and its

core competences.

–  Be able to use some of the key concepts related to the EU (i.e. dis.integration, multi-level

governance, Europeanisation) and to discuss the spatial implications of the European Union.

–  Have acquired an understanding of how spatial disparities and interdependencies influence

Eurosceptic movements.

–  Be able to comment on published journal articles in European spatial development.

Whether it is for transitioning towards a greener economy, coordinating European’s answer to the war in Ukraine or reducing spatial disparities, the European Union (EU) is at the heart of contemporary debates on the European continent and globally. Built about 70 years ago to secure peace and prosperity on the Western peninsula of the Asian continent, this hybrid – intergovernmental and supranational – organisation is a formidable example of how contemporary nation states constantly adapt and reinvent themselves, and thereby, revisit key geographic notions, i.e. region, border, territory, regional development. The EUropean political construction has a significant spatial component. This course introduces you to the spatial dimension of the EUropean political project. It investigates the EU’s spatialities – places, regions and territories – to explore the EU’s importance as a power centre in today’s world. Throughout the class, we examine how social processes at local, regional, national, European, and global level are interconnected and interdependent. For example, we examine how local conditions shape the way citizens relate to the EU project, what values and norms the EU political project endorses and how it positions itself in Europe and in the world.

The breakdown of the grade reflects the multiple types of skills we will work on throughout the semester:

–  

For MABS students, the class counts 3 ECTS: 100% class participation

–  

For MAGEO, the class counts 5 ECTS: 50% research paper, 50% participation.

• Course title: Foundations & trends in Geography
• Number of ECTS: 2
• Course code: MAGEO-14
• Module(s): Theory, Trends & Concepts in Geography & Spatial Planning
• Language: EN
• Mandatory: Yes

• Course title: Introduction to Sustainability Transitions
• Number of ECTS: 3
• Course code: MAGEO-48
• Module(s): Introduction to Spatial Planning & Cities in Transition
• Language: EN
• Mandatory: Yes

On completion of the course students will develop  

Through active participation in the Climate Fresk Workshop, students will gain understanding of the fundamentals of the complex system of climate change, the causes and impacts that are driving the need for sustainability transitions.

Define and explain fundamental concepts related to sustainability transitions, with a particular focus on energy systems and urban development (ecotowns).

Understand and critically analyse the acceptance, barriers, and pathways for transitioning from traditional energy systems to sustainable energy sources (e.g. renewables).

Undertake field work to evaluate sustainable urban development from the perspective of ecotowns/cities by examining real-world examples of a border town/ neighbourhood adopting low-carbon and resilient strategies.

Identify and evaluate complex interrelationships between energy systems, urban planning, policy, and societal dynamics in the context of sustainability transitions

This course introduces the theories, practices, and challenges of sustainability transitions, with a particular focus on energy transitions and the development of sustainable towns/cities. We use Luxembourg and the cross-border region as our study environment. We will explore the systemic changes required to transition from fossil fuel-dependent systems to more sustainable, resilient, and low-carbon societies. Students will engage with key concepts such as renewable energy, sustainable urban design, and the role of all types of stakeholders in the transition.The course integrates immersive learning experiences to deepen understanding and to develop critical thinking. This includes interactive workshops, such as the Climate Fresk, where students collaboratively map out the systemic causes and consequences of climate change. Students will also undertake a field class to a cross-border town to explore the role of mobility and urban design. Technology and hand-on experimentation in the field will also be demonstrated to show user how the solar energy transition can be modelled in an augmented reality to evaluate societal perceptions.These hands-on and field sessions are complemented by group discussions, allowing students to actively apply critical thinking to real-world sustainability challenges.Learning activities include:Participating in field classes to observe sustainable practices in energy and urban development.Group discussions and playful exploration of topic to analyse complex sustainability issues.Engaging in the Climate Fresk workshop to collaboratively explore the drivers and impacts of climate change.Working in teams to propose innovative transition strategies for energy systems and / or urban environments.By the end of the course, students will be equipped with the introductory theoretical understanding and practical skills necessary to critically contribute to sustainability transitions in for both energy and urban planning scenarios.

Participation in class:  20%

Reflective diary:  40% deadline – 7th Nov

Critical analysis presentation: 40% – deadline – 7th Nov

• Course title: Integrative spatial planning and case studies
• Number of ECTS: 3
• Course code: MAGEO-2
• Module(s): Introduction to Spatial Planning & Cities in Transition
• Language: EN
• Mandatory: Yes

The course has three objectives.

  First, students will acquire a solid knowledge and understanding of:

the theoretical and conceptual underpinnings of spatial planning for sustainable development;

the main characteristics of integrated approaches;

some of the practical difficulties with respect to the limitations of integrated approaches; and

t

he sociopolitical and economic implication of local interactions between people and their environment

 

Second, students will acquire the following skill sets:

They will obtain a solid orientation into local urban development processes in Luxembourg;

They will be able to recognize and evaluate elements of integrative spatial development schemes across different scales ranging from the global to the local, and reflect on some associated dilemmas in terms of sustainable development and spatial governance.; and

The will further refine their skills in speaking, writing, and reading English.

 

Third, students will be trained in the scientific method

The scientific method will be reviewed in detail

Students will learn to distinguish scientific from non-scientific modes of analysis

They will be trained to apply the social scientific method of investigation to urban geographical questions.

In this course, first year Master students will learn about urban transformation processes, as they unfold in Luxembourg. Applying human geographical approaches in urban studies, the class will examine the “who”, “what”, “where”, “why”, “when”, and “how” of humans and their relationships to each other and to their environments. The central aim is to understand the processes that constitute urban spaces in the 21st century, by (1) analyzing the relationships between society and place, and (2) focusing on social, economic, political processes and how they change over space and time. As the course includes several excursions of Luxembourg, students will be introduced to transformation processes particular to Luxembourg. These include processes of urban growth and decline, municipal development, dilemmas of a small state, and the associated local policy responses of each. Against this background, students will be familiarized with the conceptual fundaments of sustainable development and achieve an understanding of contemporary integrative approaches in spatial planning and regional development.The course is structured into two parts:First, students will be taken on a series of fieldtrips that will introduce them to contemporary patterns of spatial development, the specificities that characterize the case of Luxembourg. Fieldtrips include excursions to the City of Luxembourg including Kirchberg, Esch-sur-Alzette and Belval, and the Nordstad. (Note: Students should check weather and be prepared with appropriate outdoor wear.)Second, a set of lectures (seminar format) will introduce the conceptual underpinnings of sustainable spatial development in the context of contemporary human geography. The fieldtrips will also be discussed, including reflections on the various policy responses that have been observed in Luxembourg and the Greater Region to address issues of spatial governance. For each class, one student will volunteer to take notes and prepare a report (‘The Minutes’) that can be circulated to the rest of the class and to the professor at the following meeting. By the end of the class, each student will be have provided one class summary. And, a group work will be required by the end of term. These submissions in combination with evaluation of participation form the basis of the grading. Students will be provided with a detailed schedule of classes and associated readings. This is available on the Moodle.  Students must check the Moodle on a regular basis to ensure that they are up-to-date. 

100 % in-course assessment

Core readings will be made available on the Moodle. For preparation students may begin searching for the following:

 

Bourne, L. S. (2007): Understanding Change in Cities. The Canadian Geographer 51 (2), pp. 121-138

Brownhill, S. and Carpenter, J. (2009) Governance and ‘Integrated’ Planning: The Case of Sustainable Communities in the Thames Gateway, England. Urban Studies 46 (2) 251-274

Hesse, M. (2015): Technical Note: Five Steps to practicing the scientific method.

• Course title: Introduction to GIS & Spatial Analysis
• Number of ECTS: 5
• Course code: MAGEO-8
• Module(s): Introduction to Urban and Regional Methods
• Language: EN
• Mandatory: Yes

• Course title: Introduction to Statistics & Econometrics for Geographical Data
• Number of ECTS: 5
• Course code: MAGEO-6
• Module(s): Introduction to Urban and Regional Methods
• Language: EN
• Mandatory: Yes

• Course title: Qualitative Research Methods
• Number of ECTS: 3
• Course code: MAGEO-5
• Module(s): Introduction to Urban and Regional Methods
• Language: EN
• Mandatory: Yes

• Course title: Progress in Planning
• Number of ECTS: 2
• Course code: MAGEO-24
• Module(s): Geography & Spatial Planning in Policy Practice
• Language: EN
• Mandatory: Yes

Once attending this course, the students will

– be made familiar with the basics of spatial planning related thought, particularly

what is understood as ‘planning theory’ that provides general orientation,

– be able to situate planning knowledge (theoretical, practice-related) in the context

of the historical trajectories of the field,

– be able to navigate through certain areas in order to focus their own research

interest more specifically, prepare for conducting small literature reviews and

write a related paper.

This seminar is a follow-up to the 12-81 course of Semester 2 that explored thefoundations of geography as a scientific discipline. In that course we discussed theevolution of disciplinary changes (theories, paradigms, styles of thought) in geographyover some 60 years or more, and we tried to keep pace with the relatedprogress, based on the reading of some key documents. This seminar now deals ina similar vein with spatial planning, which is the second major focus of MaGeo.Planning represents a hybrid ‘discipline’ that includes major parts of engineering(this is also the degree planners usually obtain from university), and also socialsciences that provide the proper understanding of the subject matter that is to beplanned. Again, making yourself familiar with these developments is key to preparingany piece of work in the particular context of planning.The seminar builds part of a triangle of possible engagements with spatialplanning, as the contents are first related to the parallel course 18-62 “Cities, Masterplanningand Urban Governance”, where 3rd-Semester students learn aboutsome basics of this subject (historical evolution, major trends in practice, planevaluation); as an assignment for 18-62, they will have to prepare a single casestudy on a selected plan/framework of their own choice. Participants in thatcourse will also include students from the UL’s Master in Architecture, so we mayhave a chance to get deeper into some details of planners’ practical experience.Moreover, in case students opt for the qualitative stream in MaGeo, they will dothe 23-13 “Project in Urban Studies”, which offers both a chance to explore therelated contents in depth, and also to learn and apply the case study method asone important approach to a possible master thesis.The general aims and objectives of the “20-82 – Progress in Planning”-course aresimilar to “Foundations and Trends in Geography”, which are i) making properuse of the existing knowledge basis and ii) keeping pace with its recent evolution,which seems to be a challenge in times where the sheer magnitude of availableresources is increasingly difficult to handle.”However, planning has changed since it became institutionalised in thefirst half of the 20th century, which is both a result of changing external frameworkconditions (socio-economic shifts, i.e. urbanisation, growth, and the like), and alsointernal shifts of planners’ discourses, perceptions and methods, in response tochanging societal and professional norms and ideals. Such changes are well documentedin handbooks, readers and journal papers, and they reveal a broad range of thoughts as to what this theory is actually about. Anyway: much more than it isthe case in geography, which also has its applied branch, the ‘proof of the pudding’– here planning theory – is effective practice. Hence our subject matter is onlypartly the ‘theoretical’ body of literatures and writings, but also the practice ofplanning that usually contributes to revising and re-writing this knowledge basis.Guiding questions of this course that should be answered by way of reflectionare as follows: “(1) How do we understand the history of planning? (2) Isplanning about means or ends, processes or outcomes, and should it emphasiseone or the other? (3) Why should we plan, and when? (4) What are the constraintson planning in capitalist political economies, and how do those vary in differentcontexts? (5) What are the values that inform, and should, inform planning? (6) Isthere a singular, identifiable ‘public interest’?” (Fainstein & DeFilippis 2016, 5)In order to provide robust answers to these questions and to assess thedevelopment of the conceptual knowledge basis in spatial planning in historicalcontexts, the course will make particular use of referencing bodies. For that purpose,the first step of students’ work will be to reflect upon disciplinary progressby reading and commenting on selected entries in the “Readings in Planning Theory”(now available in the 4th Edition as of 2016, Wiley-Blackwell). This volumeappeared first as a “reader” in 1973, then edited by Andreas Faludi, and is one ofthe key sources of disciplinary knowledge and related progress. Apart from someintroduction given by the editors, the book presents a range of already publishedworks from academics and planners. By reading and discussing parts of theseseminal works, students will learn to detect key issues and identify disciplinaryprogress, however this is to be defined.In the second instance, two distinct sources of periodicals will be used aswell: selected papers from the Journal “Planning Theory” (Sage Publishers) andalso contributions from the Journal “Progress in Planning” (Elsevier Publishers),both fully accessible from the UL’s library system. Key issues to be discussed arecentral concepts or axioms developed in planning, particularly those which aresubject to the rather long but substantial papers on planning issues published in“Progress in Planning”.Consequently, the method of the course will again consist of the triad ofreading, discussing and writing. Starting with a short overview given by courseinstructors on the historical trajectories of the discipline (When, how, by whomwere they framed? What were the central ideas, assumptions, ideologies? Whatwere the specific framework conditions that allowed the field to emerge?), studentswill have a chance to delve deeper into key matters of spatial planning as ahybrid of both science and practice. Afterwards, they will select key papers thatclaim to represent progress, read them and present a concise synthesis of thesepieces.

50 % guided reading and course presentation; 50 % assignment paper

 

Required readings:

Fainstein, S. and J. DeFilippis, (eds.) (2016), Readings in Planning Theory. London:

Wiley.

Selected papers from “Planning Theory” (Sage Publishers) “Progress in Planning”

(Elsevier Publishers), own choice.

Recommended Reading: Planners’ blog ‘Briefing Room’ of RTPI – The Royal Town

Planning Institute, UK (

https://www.rtpi.org.uk/briefing-room/

)

• Course title: Introduction to Planning in Practice
• Number of ECTS: 2
• Course code: MAGEO-49
• Module(s): Geography & Spatial Planning in Policy Practice
• Language: EN
• Mandatory: Yes

• Course title: Urban Planning Techniques and Projects Appraisal
• Number of ECTS: 4
• Course code: MAGEO-12
• Module(s): Geography & Spatial Planning in Policy Practice
• Language: EN
• Mandatory: Yes

On completion of the course, students should have a good understanding of selected planning techniques and how to deploy these in making actual forecasts.

The objective of the course is to introduce students to methodologies that are commonly employed in making forecasts for subsequent use in plan making and policy formulation.  By bringing together aspects of both theory and practice, the aim is to familiarise students with the selected techniques and, through worked examples, to demonstrate how these are deployed by policy makers, rather than simply portraying them as technical constructs.The course is structured along the following parts:- The planning process and rationale for the deployment of forecasting and appraisal methodologies.- A review of population forecasting methodologies (including cohort-survival) and an introduction to methods of estimating housing needs.- An introduction to land-use and transport planning (including the four stage traffic forecasting model).- Evaluation techniques (including cost-benefit analysis and multi-criteria analysis).The course includes a study visit to the European Investment Bank to review -operational- project appraisal methodologies.

Assessment will be based on classroom participation (20%) and completion of an essay approximately 2000 words in length (80%)

• Course title: Governance of EU, cross-border and national territorial policies.
• Number of ECTS: 5
• Course code: MAGEO-36
• Module(s): Geography & Spatial Planning in Policy Practice
• Language: EN
• Mandatory: Yes

On completion of the course a student should be able to understand and analyse: governance from the point of different disciplines, elements of governance and the majors lines of the scientific discussion, the particular challenge of governance in the territorial and urban context, conceptual and strategic approach and action within governance structures, and examples of typical governance structures and typical spatial problems to be solved from the EU to the local level, including urban and trans-border dimensions. Knowledge about enforced (through Structural Funds) multilevel governance, its different features and developments as well as relevant management features.Students should have acquired a number of skills: to be able to analyse particular governance situations with regard to territorial development and should be able to identify and define options for acting for different actors in different governance constellations, to analyse governance structures (description of the actor/institutions with regard to spatial development phenomena and policy options), – to define strategies for actors to achieve policy objectives and to unblock deadlocked situations,  to present the ideas and insights in the format of research papers and of policy-oriented briefings, to be able to act in the framework of EU funded programmes as a means of territorial change processes.

This course is focusing on making the link between theory and practice of the governance of policy making of EU, cross-border and national territorial policies governance influences on and risks involved in territorial policy-making. Regarding theory the meaning of governance, in general terms, and the constitutive elements involved in policy are discussed in detail. Following this overview, practical examples and typical governance constellations and situations are highlighted in the discussing practical examples of governance constellations. At the end of the course by the example of the Interreg programmes financed under the European Structural and Investment Funds practical instruction is offered about how to participate in EU-funded Programmes and how those activities across national borders contribute to the objectives of European Cohesion policy. It will be demonstrated that result orientation and accountability are important issues when dealing with multilevel governance.The complexity of reality calls for an increasing complexity in governing this reality. Democratic institutions are complemented by a network of consultative bodies, the interdependence of public and private bodies and actors of different sectors and, on different governmental levels, are the subject of growing awareness and are, thus, calling for policy responses. These trends lead to the insight that policy making is not a matter solely for governments. Thus, a broader approach is emerging considering all actors, their relations, their motivations and their strategies under the term ‘governance’. The course firstly offers an understanding of what governance means, in general terms, and which are constitutive element for the understanding of governance as a concept. The course acknowledges that territorial development involves policy processes of particularly high complexity. All development is territorially bound at some point – even the internet and hyperspace are physically bound to cables, transmitters and servers somewhere located. Territorial development is the result of resources being used and interactions taking place at a certain locations of the territory. Resources and infrastructures are determining factors for the developmental potential of a location or territory. In return, territorial policy-making requires the understanding of the particular challenges to governance with regard to the complexity of territorial development. The course addresses how governance is working in practice across governmental levels from the EU to the local level. Typical governance constellations are presented as such as EU regional policy, metropolitan area governance or trans-border development and presented and discussed using many practical examples and cases study material. Finally the course offers an insight into the joint European funding instrument of Interreg programmes supporting cross-border cooperation and territorial development by strengthening the economic, social and environmental development in the European Union with reference to the EU 2020 strategy. The course is divided up into the following parts:Introduction: Governance – theoretical Background: definitions, applications to the issue of spatial developmentGovernance in theory in selected contexts: Economic governance – Governance and New Public Management, Governance in networks, multi-level governanceGovernance in the practice of spatial development policies: European level – regional policy and territorial cohesion, National level and regional level horizontal and vertical coordination, Crossing jurisdictions: metropolitan areas, trans-national and cross-border spatial development, local level spatial and urban developmentThe case of Cross-Border Cooperation: Multilevel Governance in practice of European Structural and Investment Fund Programmes of Interreg. Relevance of result orientation and accountability.

30 % – one presentation with ppt; 50 % – one Full paper in-course assessment including the presentation of papers; 20 % – participation in case study and group work and in discussion

• Course title: European Field Class
• Number of ECTS: 5
• Course code: MAGEO-21
• Module(s): Observing the European city in transitions
• Language: EN
• Mandatory: Yes

On completion of the course a student should be able to:- Identify relevant literature to prepare a site visit, including contemporary conceptual approaches.- Develop relevant questions structuring an expert meeting.- Critically reflect upon the acquired information on site.- Draw comparisons with empirical evidence from other regions/cities.- Conduct a theory led analysis of field work’s findings.

Visiting different European regions, the major aim of this field work exercise is to acquire a differentiated understanding of spatial development processes and related governance patterns, e.g. with regards to:- Regional economic restructuring- Europeanisation of urban and regional planning- City development and land use managemenment- Cross-border development- Gateways and transport-mobilityThe fieldwork includes a tour of site visits in different cities in Europe, expert meetings, and group discussions.

33 % active participation during the field work, 67 % elaboration of a particular research question (poster presentation)

• Course title: METHOD Advanced Geographic Data Science
• Number of ECTS: 4
• Course code: MAGEO-17
• Module(s): Intermediate topics and methods for Geographical Analysis
• Language:
• Mandatory: No

On completion of the course students should be able to- relate exploratory and confirmatory statistical approaches for geographical data- handle and map geographic data in R- discuss and perform geostatistical analyses on point patterns- discuss and perform visual and statistical exploration of multivariate data sets

This course is a mixed theory and R practice course focused on exploratory spatial data analysis and geostatictics methods. The course develops a set of exploratory approaches, stressing visual methods and mapping, the multidimensional characteristics of geographic data, as well as the complementarity with more confirmatory analyses as undertaken within the course MAGEO-06-41 (Statistics and Econometrics for Geographical Data).The course is designed to further understand how one can explore point and area based multivariate geographical data sets.The first part is dedicated to a set of practicals to using R for input-output and handling of geographic data, for thematic mapping, and liaising back and forth the outputs of statistical analyses with maps. The second part focuses on geostatistical methods for point pattern analysis, spatial trends (lowess, loess, (co-)variograms) and interpolation (kriging), spatial kernels and correlations. The third part concentrates on visually exploring and mining multivariate data sets, including visualizing multivariate data through glyphs and plots, computing multidimensional distances and scaling, as well as performing principal component, factor and cluster analyses.

20 % weekly R practicals, 80 % report based on analysing a multivariate geographical data set to answer a set of particular thematic questions (relating socio-demographic census data to urban spatial structure)

• Course title: METHOD Advanced Spatial Analysis & Geoprocessing
• Number of ECTS: 4
• Course code: MAGEO-18
• Module(s): Intermediate topics and methods for Geographical Analysis
• Language: EN
• Mandatory: No

On completion of the course students should be able to :

 

Part 1: – Create, manage and display raster data

–  

Demonstrate the use a variety of raster analysis tools from the Spatial Analyst toolbox

–  

Be familiar with the use of  functions for Image Analysis

–  

Work with Raster calculator to undertake map algebra.

 

Part 2:

–    

Understand the fundamental principles of WebGIS

–    

Describe different web GIS formats and tools 

–    

Map data and research outcomes within ArcGIS and Google maps and vice-versa

–    

Understand the principles of web-mapping and its associated technologies

–    

Create an interactive map without coding (using FOSS)

–    

Understand and write code for visualizing a simple web map application

The course provides an introduction to the topic of web GIS and GIS processing. It is divided into two parts. In the first part of the module students will gain both an understanding of and hands-on practice with advanced geoprocessing and GIS modelling functions using both raster and vector data. We will use ESRI ArcGIS Spatial Analysis functions for analysis and modelling. In the second part of the course, we will introduce students to the fundamental principles of WebGIS. Students will gain practical experience using different web publishing technologies to visualise and display geographic data and modelling outcomes online.

50 % participation in weekly GIS practicals

50 % project report including mapping output to a blog

• Course title: TOPIC Urban Ecology
• Number of ECTS: 4
• Course code: F3_ARCHIT-39
• Module(s): Intermediate topics and methods for Geographical Analysis
• Language: EN
• Mandatory: No

Scientific ecology is the study of the relationships of living organisms (human and non-human) witheach other and their physical ‘milieu’ (environment). Urban ecology concerns the adaptivedevelopment and use of its methods and tools in the urban realm and the city landscape.The first part of the course will introduce the students to the relevant themes and issues of urbanecology.In a second part, acknowledging some of the hidden practices and the environmentally threateningimplications of current architectural and urban planning, we will analyse disciplinary approachespossibly more robust and in accordance with assumptions and findings of urban ecology (research oncase studies).This year’s seminar will focus on the subject of Energy.Energy seen both as the physical ‘life principle of our universe’ and the defining subject, directly orindirectly, of all political, economical issues and negotiations worldwide.Energy in an effort to establish modes of climate change mitigation in all human activities in order tostabilise/reduce CO2 emissions i.e. the co-related devastating effects of global warming on all lifesystems on earth.Energy in the tensionfield between the hypothesis of a historic co-evolution of all global energysystems versus one of energy transition.Energy beyond the slogan of ‘energetic efficiency of buildings’ in a hypothetic ‘decarbonisedsustainable future’.We will ask ourselves: how can we, as architects / urbanists, in a perspective of ecologicalconsciousness, conceive Energy as a constitutive element in our design approaches? The studentswill explore ways of planning and project methodologies highlighting the following themes: Energy and climate- Micro-climate balances in architecture: towards a narrative of thermal integration- Energy landscapes and urban planning- Urban climate governance

Home assignment/Exam/Final presentation: Individually or in groups students will work on themain themes presented during the seminar. Every seminar session will be a lecture, group workingand presentation session.Evaluation: 50 % participation during the course, 50 % final presentation/study

Literature references and resource material will be posted on Moodle.

• Course title: METHOD Introduction to Geographic Data Science and Web Mapping with Python
• Number of ECTS: 4
• Course code: MAGEO-50
• Module(s): Intermediate topics and methods for Geographical Analysis
• Language: EN
• Mandatory: No

• Course title: METHOD Advanced Qualitative Methods & Integrative and Collaborative Methods
• Number of ECTS: 4
• Course code: MAGEO-51
• Module(s): Intermediate topics and methods for Geographical Analysis
• Language: EN
• Mandatory: No

• Course title: TOPIC Urban Policies and Metropolitan Dynamics in Europe
• Number of ECTS: 4
• Course code: MAGEO-11
• Module(s): Intermediate topics and methods for Geographical Analysis
• Language: EN
• Mandatory: No

 

Upon completion of the course, students should be able to:

–        – Describe the current trends and challenges that affect European cities and metropolitan areas.

–        – Identify the main concepts and theories related to European urban policy and metropolisation and discuss their contribution and relevance.

–        – Critically assess the ways in which these socio-economic trends are captured and treated in empirical studies.

 

The main objective of this MA course is to give students an overview of the current urban and territorial developments in Europe as well as of the resulting urban policy responses with regard to the growing urbanisation and globalisation trends. A specific feature of this course is that it analyses these trends and their associated challenges and policy responses from three different perspectives, namely from an urban policy, a conceptual and an applied perspective. The aim of the first part of the course is to critically assess which concepts and theories are able to make sense of the trends and changes that can be witnessed in contemporary Europe. It starts at the European and regional level, with a focus on processes such as globalization, metropolisation and cross-border regionalisation. In response to the emergence of the city as unit of analysis, the attention turns to socio-economic developments at the urban scale, including suburbanization, gentrification and urban regeneration.The objective of the second part of this course is to complement these conceptual considerations with empirical evidence based on case studies and comparative analyses. To achieve this, a great variety of research and studies will be mobilized. The empirical examination of the trends and challenges of urbanization and metropolisation processes in Europe will notably rely on works conducted by ESPON, national planning agencies and European scholars.The third part of this course explores the rationalities behind European urban policies as well as their context, development paths, operating principles and effects from a critical perspective. Conceptualizing urban policy as being dynamic and malleable urges us to reconsider traditional understandings of and approaches to the role of European urban policies in economic and social development as well as the processes by which these policies develop and define themselves in practice.

20% continuous assessment on all parts of the course.

80% written exam on all parts of the course.

• Course title: Introduction to Migration Studies
• Number of ECTS: 4
• Course code: F3_BORSTUD-10
• Module(s): Intermediate topics and methods for Geographical Analysis
• Language: EN
• Mandatory: No

 

 

By carrying out the course work and actively participating in class, on completion of the course the students should gain:

–      

An understanding of the trends, characteristics, causes and

–      

effects migration

–      

An understanding of the different perspective involved in the governance of migration and migrant-related diversity

–      

An understanding of the different disciplinary lenses and focuses that can be used in the study migration

–       An ability to apply this knowledge to new problems in the field of migration

–      

An ability to contextualize, evaluate and present empirical research and conceptual elaboration relative to the study of migration

–      

An ability to critically reflect and discuss topics and issues related to  migration

 

After completion of this course, students should be able to discuss the following questions:

What types of migration can we identify? Why is it important to discuss these? 

What is the state-of-the-art in migration research (perspectives, disciplines, theories, methods)? 

What are the dimensions in migration research? Why is it important to connect them? 

What could be relevant research questions in migration studies? 

What are the ethics of migration research? 

What are the future challenges to theorizing migration?

 Migration is a heavily debated topic in the political field and in the media but in the last few decades the study of human migration has also become an interdisciplinary field of study in its own right. Drawing from a number of rich disciplinary traditions coming from geography, sociology, psychology political science, law, etc. migration studies address a variety of topic concerning the movement of people and the diversity resulting from this movement.The course will offer an introduction to this field of studies and the main concepts, theories and themes relevant for the understanding and study of migration. Additionally, the course will encourage students to critically reflect on and engage with the main notions, categories and terms commonly used in political and public discourses when discussing the movement of people, problematizing their meaning and uses. 

Active participation in class and critical engagement with the readings

40 percent in course work:

–                          

20 percent active participation

–                          

20 percent text work (readings)

60 percent presentation and paper:

(non-exhaustive list)

– Scholten, P. Ed. (2022).

Introduction to Migration Studies: An Interactive Guide to the Literatures on Migration and Diversity

. IMISCOE Research Series, Springer (Selected Chapters)

– Crawley, H., & Skleparis, D. (2018). Refugees, migrants, neither, both: categorical fetishism and the politics of bounding in Europe’s ‘migration crisis’. 

Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies

, 44(1), 48-64.

– King, R. (2012). Theories and typologies of migration: An overview and a primer. Willy Brandt Series of Working Papers in International Migration and Ethnic Relations 3/12, University.

– Fibbi, R., Midtbøen, A. H., & Simon, P. (2021).

Migration and discrimination: IMISCOE short reader.

Springer Nature.

(Selected Chapters)

• Course title: 18-12 Cities, Masterplanning and Urban Governance
• Number of ECTS: 5
• Course code: MAGEO-22
• Module(s): Module 12 – Urban and Spatial Planning – Intermediate
• Language:
• Mandatory: Yes

On completion of the course, a student should be able to-       orientate in the general discussion of the rationale, justification and trajectories of urban planning,-       make an informed judgement on the gap between contents and procedures of planning on the one hand and its effective outcomes on the other hand,-       identify the various elements of i) physical planning and ii) the political process, i.e. activities addressed as forms of governance.

The aim of this course is to make students familiar with central concepts and approaches of urban planning, policy and governance, with a particular emphasis placed on the origins, rationale and elements of physical planning. Physical planning is key to the urban process, by determining land use, providing infrastructure and circulation, and by situating facilities in a way that it might support an efficient overall development of places. For this purpose, particular planning instruments have been developed and applied in much of the industrialized world, such as general land-use plans, particular building plans or more comprehensive, strategic framework plans. Also, informal instruments and procedures such as participative planning became quite popular recently.However, the rationale of planning to steer development (and the related belief in planning to be able to do so) has been challenged by a variety of events, both originating from changes within the planning system and, even more so, of the outside world. A fragmented socio-economic development, processes of individualization, and most notably globalization have been putting a rising pressure on urban and regional places to adapt. Particularly market forces in planning and development and also the increased competitive dynamics among spatial units such as nations, regions and cities turned out to determine planning ambitions. As a consequence, these processes have been shaping the agenda of regulating processes, plans and institutions quite significantly.Against this background, the course explores urban planning theories, practices and discourses in certain detail. The first part of the course is devoted to giving an overview of the more recent historical development of planning. The respective time span starts by and large at the peak of industrialization (late 19th and early 20th century), leading to recovery planning after World War II and then emphasizing the competing ideal-types of planning since the 1950s/60s: modernist vs. traditional planning, compact vs. dispersed development. Today’s master planning of urban expansion, large-scale infrastructure projects or eco-city communities will give most recent insight into the world of planning, yet will also be critically interrogated.On this basis, in the second part of the course participants will have the opportunity to work on selected plans – being these designed for developing a building, a ‘project’, an urban district, selected parts of infrastructure or concerning the future of entire territories. The aim of this exercise is to reconstruct the plans’ contents, justification and implementation, leading to a critical assessment of the plans’ outcomes and thus of urban planning at all. The course finally discusses more recent approaches to re-assert steering processes in the context of ‘governance’, that is, the multi-level and cross-sectoral interaction of various public and private agents set in place to achieve political goals. – A short history of urban and regional planning- Comprehensive planning and the challenge to integration- From urban dynamics to evaluating plans, programmes and practices- Essentials of planning, policy and urban governance- Case study work on selected plans

25 % guided reading and course presentation; 75 % paper report

Selected referencesAllmendinger, P., Houghton, G. (2009): Commentary: Critical reflections on spatial planning. Environment and Planning A 41, 2544-2549Faludi, A. (1970): The planning environment and the meaning of “planning”. Regional Studies 4(1), 1-9Salet, W. (2014): The Authenticity of Spatial Planning Knowledge. European Planning Studies 22 (2), 293–305Scott, A. J. (2013): Emerging cities of the third wave. City 15 (3-4), 289-321 (with images and captions by Elvin Wyly)

• Course title: Master’s Thesis Research Design and Planning
• Number of ECTS: 4
• Course code: MAGEO-23
• Module(s): Researching the City
• Language:
• Mandatory: Yes

On completion of the course a student should be able to- demonstrate a profound knowledge of locational and spatial interactions concepts and theories,- describe and formalize the interactions between land use and transport and relate them to theory- relate various modelling approach with each other- sketch a strategy for applying spatial interaction, transport, land-use and transport interaction, discrete choice or location-allocation models in practice- assess the strengths, difficulties and weaknesses of these models in practice

The course aims at revealing the theoretical mechanisms and formalising the main principles underlying the location of human and economic activities in urban and regional settings and the subsequent spatial organisation of flows (mobility patterns). It emphasises how transport costs and mobility interact with the individual decisions of firms and households to settle somewhere and vice-versa, in other words stressing the interaction between land use (location) and transport decisions. The course takes a modelling perspective in order to formally address the theoretical mechanisms at stake and relate them to operational tools developed in geography and transport research, and used in land use and transport planning.The first part of the course reviews location theory and models where transport costs are treated explicitly. The second part is dedicated to gravity and spatial interactions concepts and models, emphasing how they can be used in practice for choosing the location of commercial or service activities, the prediction of mobility flows between places, or to question the effects of distance and borders. The third part elaborates on spatial interaction concepts and discrete choice theory to formalise the four steps model as used in transport planning and provide an overview of aggregate and disaggregate land use and transport interaction models (from Lowry to mircrosimulation models such as Urbansim). The fourth part is an introduction to optimisation techniques starting from the so-called transport problem, then demonstrating the principles of optimal location-allocation models applied to placing public services and infrastructures in space.

100 % written exam

• Course title: 20-82 Progress in Planning
• Number of ECTS: 2
• Course code: MAGEO-24
• Module(s): Module 82 – Research Methods and Seminars – Intermediate
• Language: EN
• Mandatory: Yes

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Once attending this course, the students will

– be made familiar with the basics of spatial planning related thought, particularly

what is understood as ‘planning theory’ that provides general orientation,

– be able to situate planning knowledge (theoretical, practice-related) in the context

of the historical trajectories of the field,

3

– be able to navigate through certain areas in order to focus their own research

interest more specifically, prepare for conducting small literature reviews and

write a related paper.

 

 

p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Helvetica} span.s1 {font: 8.0px Helvetica} This seminar is a follow-up to the 12-81 course of Semester 2 that explored thefoundations of geography as a scientific discipline. In that course we discussed theevolution of disciplinary changes (theories, paradigms, styles of thought) in geographyover some 60 years or more, and we tried to keep pace with the relatedprogress, based on the reading of some key documents. This seminar now deals ina similar vein with spatial planning, which is the second major focus of MaGeo.Planning represents a hybrid ‘discipline’ that includes major parts of engineering(this is also the degree planners usually obtain from university), and also socialsciences that provide the proper understanding of the subject matter that is to beplanned. Again, making yourself familiar with these developments is key to preparingany piece of work in the particular context of planning.The seminar builds part of a triangle of possible engagements with spatialplanning, as the contents are first related to the parallel course 18-62 “Cities, Masterplanningand Urban Governance”, where 3rd-Semester students learn aboutsome basics of this subject (historical evolution, major trends in practice, planevaluation); as an assignment for 18-62, they will have to prepare a single casestudy on a selected plan/framework of their own choice. Participants in thatcourse will also include students from the UL’s Master in Architecture, so we mayhave a chance to get deeper into some details of planners’ practical experience.Moreover, in case students opt for the qualitative stream in MaGeo, they will dothe 23-13 “Project in Urban Studies”, which offers both a chance to explore therelated contents in depth, and also to learn and apply the case study method asone important approach to a possible master thesis.The general aims and objectives of the “20-82 – Progress in Planning”-course aresimilar to “Foundations and Trends in Geography”, which are i) making properuse of the existing knowledge basis and ii) keeping pace with its recent evolution,which seems to be a challenge in times where the sheer magnitude of availableresources is increasingly difficult to handle.”However, planning has changed since it became institutionalised in thefirst half of the 20th century, which is both a result of changing external frameworkconditions (socio-economic shifts, i.e. urbanisation, growth, and the like), and alsointernal shifts of planners’ discourses, perceptions and methods, in response tochanging societal and professional norms and ideals. Such changes are well documentedin handbooks, readers and journal papers, and they reveal a broad range2of thoughts as to what this theory is actually about. Anyway: much more than it isthe case in geography, which also has its applied branch, the ‘proof of the pudding’– here planning theory – is effective practice. Hence our subject matter is onlypartly the ‘theoretical’ body of literatures and writings, but also the practice ofplanning that usually contributes to revising and re-writing this knowledge basis.Guiding questions of this course that should be answered by way of reflectionare as follows: “(1) How do we understand the history of planning? (2) Isplanning about means or ends, processes or outcomes, and should it emphasiseone or the other? (3) Why should we plan, and when? (4) What are the constraintson planning in capitalist political economies, and how do those vary in differentcontexts? (5) What are the values that inform, and should, inform planning? (6) Isthere a singular, identifiable ‘public interest’?” (Fainstein & DeFilippis 2016, 5)In order to provide robust answers to these questions and to assess thedevelopment of the conceptual knowledge basis in spatial planning in historicalcontexts, the course will make particular use of referencing bodies. For that purpose,the first step of students’ work will be to reflect upon disciplinary progressby reading and commenting on selected entries in the “Readings in Planning Theory”(now available in the 4th Edition as of 2016, Wiley-Blackwell). This volumeappeared first as a “reader” in 1973, then edited by Andreas Faludi, and is one ofthe key sources of disciplinary knowledge and related progress. Apart from someintroduction given by the editors, the book presents a range of already publishedworks from academics and planners. By reading and discussing parts of theseseminal works, students will learn to detect key issues and identify disciplinaryprogress, however this is to be defined.In the second instance, two distinct sources of periodicals will be used aswell: selected papers from the Journal “Planning Theory” (Sage Publishers) andalso contributions from the Journal “Progress in Planning” (Elsevier Publishers),both fully accessible from the UL’s library system. Key issues to be discussed arecentral concepts or axioms developed in planning, particularly those which aresubject to the rather long but substantial papers on planning issues published in“Progress in Planning”.Consequently, the method of the course will again consist of the triad ofreading, discussing and writing. Starting with a short overview given by courseinstructors on the historical trajectories of the discipline (When, how, by whomwere they framed? What were the central ideas, assumptions, ideologies? Whatwere the specific framework conditions that allowed the field to emerge?), studentswill have a chance to delve deeper into key matters of spatial planning as ahybrid of both science and practice. Afterwards, they will select key papers thatclaim to represent progress, read them and present a concise synthesis of thesepieces. 

50 % guided reading and course presentation; 50 % assignment paper

 

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Required readings:

Fainstein, S. and J. DeFilippis, (eds.) (2016), Readings in Planning Theory. London:

Wiley.

Selected papers from “Planning Theory” (Sage Publishers) “Progress in Planning”

(Elsevier Publishers), own choice.

Recommended Reading: Planners’ blog ‘Briefing Room’ of RTPI – The Royal Town

Planning Institute, UK (https://www.rtpi.org.uk/briefing-room/)

 

 

• Course title: 04-73 Global Environmental Change in the Anthropocene
• Number of ECTS: 4
• Course code: MAGEO-4
• Module(s): Module 73 – Environmental Change
• Language: EN
• Mandatory: Yes

 

On completion of the module a student should be expected to be able to:

Understand the relation between human activities and natural processes determining the quality of the environment (incl. the political and management dimension).

Apply concepts of risk, vulnerability, adaptation, mitigation and resilience in analysing policies relating to global environmental change.

Apply the concept of ecosystem services for taking environmental change into account in spatial planning policies.

Understand merits and limitations, and potential abuse of scientific observation and assessment and associated uncertainties.

Make judgments on the quality of science underlying evidence-based policies.

Evaluate EU and Luxembourg spatial planning and environmental policy recommendations.

Global change in the anthropocene” is an optional course in two programmes: the Master in Geography and Spatial Planning and in the Certificate in Sustainable Development and Social Innovation. It is part of the common Introductory module “European Territorial Trends and Policies” in the Master of Geography and Spatial Planning and it counts as auxiliary course towards the Certificate in Sustainable Development and Social Innovation.  This course provides an overview on global environmental change and current accounts of the role of human activities in this.  The nine sessions start with an introduction on sustainability science on current scientific descriptions of the functioning of the earth system and the role of the biosphere in stabilizing environmental conditions on earth. Subsequent sessions address sea level-rise, risks of flooding and land-use change with a focus on agriculture. Cross cutting themes that are also addressed in dedicated sessions include citizen science, challenges in the characterisation of complex dynamic social-ecological systems and interpretation and communication of scientific uncertainty. Recurring themes are the merits and pitfalls of current approaches to developing evidence-based policy and working with indicators for planning purposes, and the concluding session compares diverse approaches to anticipating future change, and provide a platform for critical discussion of the most relevant overarching EU and Luxembourg policies.

10% participation*

30% assignments

60% final report

• Course title: 21-13 Contemporary Approaches to Regional Development
• Number of ECTS: 5
• Course code: MAGEO-25
• Module(s): Module 13 – Urban and Spatial Planning – Advanced
• Language: EN
• Mandatory: Yes

On completion of the course a student should be able to:- Distinguish different models and explanatory approaches for regional development.- Identify the underlying driving forces and mechanisms.- Develop relevant research questions on related issues.

In many countries, we currently observe a convergence between spatial planning policies (in the mere  technical sense of land use organization and infrastructure coordination) and more comprehensive approaches to regional development,  increasingly taking into account sustainability imperatives. This module seeks to make the students familiar with the conceptual fundaments of regional development, both in its analytical and normative sense. Theoretical approaches from economic geography, regional studies and spatial planning will be introduced and provide the conceptual framework for the students project in Module 24-33. A particular focus will be laid on socio-economic aspects and the institutional co-evolution and the interplay of businesses, governmental and non-governmental actors, and their role in the so-called sustainability transitions.The course includes the following subparts: 1. Overview of analytical and normative approaches to regional development.2. Conceptual insights (via guided reading and in-class discussions) into:- Localised production systems, clusters, and embeddedness.- Evolutionary perspectives on regional development.- Multi-level perspectives on regional development.- Socio-technical transitions, transition regions and towns.- Regional development under post-growth constraints.3. Desktop research on illustrative case studies.

30% guided reading, 30% participation, 40% case study report (oral, written)

• Course title: 22-33 Introduction to Border Studies in Geography (A)
• Number of ECTS: 5
• Course code: MAGEO-27
• Module(s): Module 33 – Territorial Governance and Policy Analysis – Advanced (track A)
• Language: EN
• Mandatory: No

“On completion of the course a student should be able to:- Understand and explain different aspects of border regions- Critically reflect different  concepts of boundaries- Have a knowledge and understanding on different scales of borders- Develop relevant research questions on border issues”

“The major aim of this course is to provide and to critically discuss with the students concepts of spatial delineation and demarkation as a special aspect of Political Geography. The interest on bounding spaces increases with new nationalism on the one hand and European integration and globalization on the other. This course will especially focus on bordering, debordering and rebordering processes and bounding space in different scales as well as their spatial conflicts. National borders can be seen as barriers, filters or open contact spaces for people, trade goods and information. Barriers can be different political, fiscal etc systems or even physical barriers like the frontier between the two parts of Cyprus or the former Berlin wall. Filtering borders can e.g. define who can some inside and who will stay outside which is a form of demarcation (e.g. by visa). One example here is the fortress Europe with the FRONTEX program. Open contact spaces are e.g. illustrated within the Schengen area where cross-border cooperation is strengthened and cross-border contacts are possible on a daily basis (e.g. with shopping, working or meeting friends’ activities). Borders can also change their function and character becoming more open or close.From a national perspective border regions are often peripheries, but by overcoming the national peripheral deficits new cross-border regions (debordering/flexible geometries/soft spaces) can develop. The course will discuss if these border regions can become laboratories of the European integration process. Transnational migrants can also build up new integration areas beyond national borders and can be seen as one example for debordering processes.Bounding spaces are often expressed by inclusion (“we”) and exclusion (“them”). This can define other (spatial and social) boundaries then national borders, sometimes expressed through cultural or mental fear, conveyed by external stimulation (e.g. EU structural funds) or economically defined. They can be dynamic and flexible, or fixed.These topics will be illustrated mainly with case study examples on global, European and regional scale. The course will be structured with parts of guided reading, discussions and surveying case studies in group work.”

20% guided reading, 20% participation/ group work, 60% final report (oral, written)

• Course title: Urban Experimentation Project (B)
• Number of ECTS: 5
• Course code: MAGEO-31
• Module(s): Module 63 – Geographical Modelling – Advanced (track B)
• Language: EN
• Mandatory: No

On completion of the course, a student should be able to – Demonstrate a profound knowledge of urban and environmental economics concepts and theories- Describe and formalize the relationships between location choice and environmental issues- Explain the theoretical rationale for the implementation of environmental policy instruments- Discuss the ability of various policy instruments to reach a given environmental target

The course aims at providing the key concept theories and formalization in urban and environmental economics in order to provide a framework to understand the intricate relationships between urban development and environmental issues. The first part of the course reviews the standard concepts of microeconomics that explain the consumption choices of households. The second part of the course introduces space and residential choice in the analysis, providing the key concepts of urban economics. Emphasis is put on how the environment may enter this framework, either as a consequence of residential location choice or as a component of this choice. The third part of the course introduces the key concepts of environmental economics to provide an understanding of the design of environmental policy instruments, in particular in an urban development context. It defines the concepts of social cost and externalities, and provides an overview of the public policy instruments that may be implemented to manage an environmental issue, with illustrations from several case-studies.Part two and three are complemented by practical works in order to deepen the understanding and linkages of the key concepts and their underlying assumptions and components

40% Practical assignment during the course and 60% final written exam

• Course title: 24-33 Project in Regional Development (A)
• Number of ECTS: 5
• Course code: MAGEO-28
• Module(s): Module Project in Geography and Spatial Planning (track A and B)
• Language: EN
• Mandatory: No

On completion of the course a student should be able to develop a research design and autonomously conduct field and desktop work in view of a particular objective and case study.

The course is designed as a project related to contents and methods of the respective module category. The project is conceived as an applied case study where students will develop a problem oriented research design and will autonomously conduct field and desktop work under the supervision of the instructor. The project is seen as a first step to identify and prepare for the master’s dissertation to be written in the succeeding semester. Depending on subjects and students, it can consist of group or individual work.

100% participation and report

• Course title: 28-43 Project in Spatial Analysis and Modelling (B)
• Number of ECTS: 5
• Course code: MAGEO-32
• Module(s): Module Project in Geography and Spatial Planning (track A and B)
• Language:
• Mandatory: No

On completion of the course a student should be able to develop a research design and autonomously conduct field and desktop work in view of a particular objective and case study.

The course is designed as a project related to contents and methods of the respective module category. The project is conceived as an applied case study where students will develop a problem oriented research design and will autonomously conduct field and desktop work under the supervision of the instructor. The project is seen as a first step to identify and prepare for the master’s dissertation to be written in the succeeding semester. Depending on subjects and students, it can consist of group or individual work.

100% participation and report

• Course title: 29-83 Master Thesis Workshops
• Number of ECTS: 3
• Course code: MAGEO-33
• Module(s): Module 83 – Research Methods and Seminars – Advanced
• Language: EN
• Mandatory: Yes

See Master’s thesis guidelines and general learning outcomes of the Master

The research seminar is a platform where students have an opportunity to discuss progress in their master’s thesis with the other students, MAGEO professors and some research staff. The seminar is organised as a set of 3 or 4 workshops in the second half of the 4th semester. Every student presents the progress of his/her master thesis and can exchange on thematic, conceptual and methodological issues and share empirical findings.The workshop is a complement to the individual guidance that every student receives from his  or her supervisor(s).Students are expected to show progress in the conception and methodology of their research and show capacity to account for suggestions and remarks across the set of seminars. They are also expected to contribute actively to the discussion related to the thesis of the other students. Participation to the workshop is compulsory and presence should be arrange in all cases, including prolonged internship.

100% participation

• Course title: 30-90 – Master Thesis
• Number of ECTS: 27
• Course code: MAGEO-34
• Module(s): Module 90 – Master Thesis
• Language: EN
• Mandatory: Yes

Aims and objectives

With the Master’s dissertation to be prepared at the end of this study programme, students shall

prove their ability to independently and scientifically work on a research topic in the realm of

geography and spatial planning and related fields. This task allows the candidates to appropriately

apply conceptual approaches, theoretical models and methodological tools acquired over the

preceding semesters.

The Master thesis is the major part of the fourth semester and counts for 27 ECTS. It can either

– be linked with an internship within a research or non-research institution abroad or in Luxembourg,

thus helping the students to step in the professional market

– or constitute a stand-alone research linked to research interests and projects of the Institute of

Geography and Spatial Planning.

In the case students opt for an internship, an agreement need to be signed between the students,

the University and the host institution (see internship agreement form). Internships are usually

undertaken between the end of January and the end of April during the 4

th

semester. Internship

dates must be chosen so that participation to exams is not problematic.

Moreover participation to the Master Thesis Workshops in May and June (3 ECTS) is compulsory.

During these workshops students will have opportunity to present the progress of their research to

the other students and staff.

See Master’s thesis guidelines

Formal requirements The Master’s dissertation has to be written in one of the University’s official languages English, French or German. The final choice of the language depends on the language skills of the candidate and of the members of the “Jury de mémoire”. Its length should not exceed 90,000 characters (including spaces, figures, tables, references etc.). Additional documents like maps, large data files, photos or films can be submitted electronically on CD or DVD.

Evaluation

Each member of the “Jury de mémoire” evaluates the dissertation in a short written report and

proposes a mark (0-20). The average of the marks is then submitted to the Jury d’examen of the

study programme deliberating the final mark in its end of term session.