The course is organised in three sub-themes, to which there will be lectures, a set of articles/book chapters (announced later) and seminars with a group assignment. Students also have to complete one individual assignment, paper.
AG2134 Contemporary Urban Theory, Advanced Course 7.5 credits
Information per course offering
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Information for Autumn 2025 Start 25 Aug 2025 programme students
- Course location
KTH Campus
- Duration
- 25 Aug 2025 - 24 Oct 2025
- Periods
- P1 (7.5 hp)
- Pace of study
50%
- Application code
50193
- Form of study
Normal Daytime
- Language of instruction
English
- Course memo
- Course memo is not published
- Number of places
Places are not limited
- Target group
- No information inserted
- Planned modular schedule
- [object Object]
- Schedule
- Schedule is not published
Contact
Karin Bradley, bradley@kth.se
Course syllabus as PDF
Please note: all information from the Course syllabus is available on this page in an accessible format.
Course syllabus AG2134 (Autumn 2021–)Content and learning outcomes
Course disposition
Course contents
The course deals with urban theory in the sense of different ways of understanding cities – the forces shaping cities, the physical patterns in the urban landscape and the consequences on life and planning. There are different theories of contemporary urban development, e.g. cities being understood as generators of economic growth, as spaces of mobility, as places for cultural and public life, as spaces of environmental degradation and/or green living, as places for reproduction and everyday life, as spaces where ethnic, socio-economic and/or gender divisions manifest, as spaces driven by desire or fear, etc. These varying perspectives on urban development, and hence views on what the problems and possibilities are, give rise to different implications and tasks for planning and urban design.
Intended learning outcomes
After having completed the course, the student shall have:
- Analysed and reflected upon the interplay of economic, social, political and cultural forces shaping the city and its planning in different geographical contexts
- Compared and analysed different theories of contemporary urban development
- Applied a set of theories and concepts on a specific site and analysed their implications in terms of planning and urban design.
Literature and preparations
Specific prerequisites
In total 180 ECTS-credits, including 90 ECTS-credits within the subject architecture, urban and regional planning or environmental science or 60 ECTS-credits from the Master’s programme in Sustainable Urban Planning and Design
English 6
Equipment
Literature
To be determined later
Examination and completion
If the course is discontinued, students may request to be examined during the following two academic years.
Grading scale
Examination
- INL1 - Paper, 4.5 credits, grading scale: A, B, C, D, E, FX, F
- SEM2 - Seminars, 3.0 credits, grading scale: A, B, C, D, E, FX, F
Based on recommendation from KTH’s coordinator for disabilities, the examiner will decide how to adapt an examination for students with documented disability.
The examiner may apply another examination format when re-examining individual students.
Other requirements for final grade
Individual paper (INL1; 4,5hp)
Seminars (SEM2; 3,0hp)
Opportunity to complete the requirements via supplementary examination
Opportunity to raise an approved grade via renewed examination
Examiner
Ethical approach
- All members of a group are responsible for the group's work.
- In any assessment, every student shall honestly disclose any help received and sources used.
- In an oral assessment, every student shall be able to present and answer questions about the entire assignment and solution.