TRA715 Transport and Urban Development (Spring 2024)

About the course

The course will give an overview of how and why urban transport develops and performs as it does, with an emphasis on the different modes of transport and their markets. Within urban transport the course will examine various forms of public transport (rail, bus), individual motorized transport (private car, taxi), as well as walking and cycling, and also new modes of so-called “micro-mobility” such as electric scooters.

The share of transport activity undertaken by the various modes will be presented, moving on to an overview of the framework conditions that affect this distribution. This will be discussed in relation mainly to urban areas in developed countries, but also with some reference to and examples from emerging economies. This current situation will then be compared to the policy objectives that public authorities typically set with respect to urban transport. The course will then proceed to review in some detail the instruments that can be used to influence travel patterns to shift them towards the achievement of typical public sector transport policy objectives. 

The course will also introduce the connection between transport systems and land use at an overall level, and will show the interaction between transport and physical design at a somewhat more detailed level.

There will be a focus on all the foregoing issues not only in "developed" European and North American economies, but also as the apply and are managed in cities in emerging economies in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

The course is connected to the following study programs

• Sustainable urban development
• Master of Science in Logistics
• Master in Change and Management
• Master of Science in Economics and Business Administration
• Master of Science in Sustainable Transport and Urban Mobility

Required prerequisite knowledge

As for admission to masters in Sustainable Transport and Urban Mobility

Recommended requirements

No specific recommended previous knowledge

The student's learning outcomes after completing the course

After completing this course, students will:

Knowledge

• have an advanced knowledge of how urban transport is developed and how it operates, including specialised insight into the various transport modes, and advanced knowledge of these issues in cities in emerging economies.
• have a thorough knowledge of certain theories in the field, such as for example policy implementation theory

Skills

• be able to analyze and deal critically with various sources of information about transport and urban development - particularly about the the framework conditions and instruments that affect transport behaviour in urban areas - and use them to structure and formulate scholarly arguments about how transport behaviour might be changed.
• be capable of analyzing existing theories and interpretations in the field and work independently on applying these to practical problems faced by those working in transport planning such as, for example, the physical design of streets and buildings from a transport point of view and how this affects urban life.

General competences

• be able to communicate about academic issues, analyses and conclusions in the field of transport and urban development, both with specialists and the general public.
• be able to contribute to new thinking and innovation processes in the field, for example about the interaction between transport systems and urban design.

Forms of teaching and learning

The course runs over two sessions, 2 + 3 days and sessions will normally be held in Molde but may be held elsewhere, for example, in Oslo.

1-2 assignments will be set and must be completed and passed in order to pass the exam, with work on the assignment(s) done mainly between the sessions.

Mandatory attendance for at least 80% of taught session hours.  If attendance falls below this level without justification, an additional assignment will be set to compensate for and test what was missed.

Coursework requirements - conditions for taking the exam

• Mandatory coursework:

• Courseworks given:

• Courseworks required:

• Presence: Not required

• Comment:

Examination

• Form of assessment: School assessment

• Proportion: 50%

• Duration: 5 hours

• Grouping: Individual

• Grading scale: Letter (A - F)

• Support material: Only general dictionary in mother tongue/Norwegian/English in paper version

 

• Form of assessment: Home assessment

• Proportion: 50%

• Duration:

• Grouping: Individual

• Grading scale: Letter (A - F)

• Support material: All printed and written supporting material

Course evaluation

1-2 assignments (Pass/Fail)

Home exam (A-F)

Syllabus

The current reading list for 2024 Spring can be found in Leganto