Master modules

The Chair of Spatial and Infrastructure Planning offers courses for Master’s students in both the winter and summer semesters. Here you can find all of the institute’s master’s courses at a glance.

For technical questions about the individual courses, please contact the lecturers.

For administrative questions, you can also contact Ms. Batsche in the secretary's office. Please note the office hours for students: Tues. – Fri.: 10:00 am- 3:00 pm.

Lectures

Module composition 13-K4-0019-vl Umweltplanung + 13-K4-0020-ue Umweltplanung – Übung
Module description Environmental protection in Germany has undergone major changes in recent decades. Despite the successful reduction of air and water pollution, global climate change, the loss of biodiversity, soil degradation and the scarcity of finite resources show the limits of traditional environmental protection. As a result, since the 1990s, integrated approaches to environmental policy and planning have been gaining in importance over traditional “end-of-pipe approaches”. The aim of the event is to trace this process of change in environmental planning and policy and to critically examine the potentials and problems of current approaches. In addition to examining regulatory, economic and planning instruments in environmental protection and the history of German environmental protection and nature conservation, the course also introduces the institutions and instruments of specialised environmental planning.
Term Winter Semester
Lecture + Exercises
Language German
Contact Dr. Stefan Scheiner
Audrey Bourgoin
Benjamin D. Kraff
Module composition 13-K4-0017-vl Infrastructure Planning
(13-B2-J007-se System of Infrastructure + 13-B2-J006-se Economic Assessment Methods)
Module description The module consists of the lecture “Sytem of Infrastructure” and “Economic Assessment Methods”.

“System of Infrastructure” gives insights into technical and social infrastructures, such as water supply, sewage disposal, electricity supply, waste disposal, transport facilities or educational facilities. The social and economic importance of infrastructures as well as current challenges of urban and rural development will be presented (e.g. demographical change, climate change). Characteristics of large-technical systems, in the practice used planning models and national as well as EU-wide coordination of spatial planning interests on different levels are contents of the module. The interdependencies between infrastructure sectors, current changes of the infrastructure supply caused through technical innovations, liberalisation and privatisation processes as well as environmental modernisation are topics that will be examined by the students in the course. Next to that point, planning processes of infrastructure projects will be analysed, considering a requirement research, the implementation of political interests, the examination of the location, the feasibility study and the financing and refinancing of the project.

With a focus on valuation methods, the course “Economic Assessment Methods” provides students with the basics and the application of common economic evaluation methods that are needed for decision-makers of large infrastructure projects. Next to financial mathematical principles, the most used economical valuation methods as cost-benefit-analysis, value-benefit analysis and cost-effectiveness analysis will be presented in the lecture. The students also get to know property value and international methods of valuation like the asset value method, the discounted Cash flow and the residual value method. Next to these points, also economic valuation methods for environmental assets are content of the course. The course imparts basic knowledge of infrastructure project management and takes a look at application methods of agile management that are useful for construction projects.
Term Summer Semester
Format 2 Lectures
Language English
Contact Prof. Hans Joachim Linke
Audrey Bourgoin
Benjamin D. Kraff
Module composition 13-B2-J002-se Methodology of Empirical Analysis
Module description The scientific analysis and understanding of urban development requires the skill to carry out empirical study and analyse empirical data. In urban development, both qualitative and quantitative data are significant. The course equips students with some basic skills in research design and practical skills to assist them in their own research.

Further information can be found in TuCaN
or in the Master Module Handbook of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.
Term WiSe
Format Lecture, with student's presentations
Language English
Contact Prof. Dr.-Ing- H.-J. Linke
Module composition Urban Development and Architecture of Cities (13-B2-J005-se Urban Structures + 13-M4-J001-se Typology of Buildings)
Module description The module is divided into the courses “Urban Structures” and “Typology of Buildings”. The course will provide the students a knowledge on urban planning, urban design and architectural and typological aspects of cities. It will enable the students to understand and to analyse the importance and the demands of different usages in specific locations or urban neighbourhoods. Furthermore the Typology of buildings in the urban environment, Housing and building constructions are discussed.
Further information can be found in TuCaN
or in the Master Module Handbook of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.
Term WiSe
Format Lectures
Language English
Contact Prof. Dr.-Ing- H.-J. Linke

Seminars

Module composition 13-K4-0011-se International Spatial Development and Planning
Module description The theme changes every year! Example from a previous year: Competition over water

Students use case studies to focus on a key topic with current problems of spatial development in international and transnational cooperation context and deal with the specific systems of spatial policy and planning.

Students expand their understanding of the social, political, economic and ecological contextual conditions of spatial planning and development. They will get to know these by means of exemplary national and international spaces or a specific field of action of spatial planning in a national or international context. They familiarise themselves with the specific problems of spatial planning, planning methods and instruments, the actors of spatial development as well as approaches to solutions in the selected case and discuss these topics scientifically. Based on the knowledge gained in the course, they will be able to recognise the special features of the example under consideration and relate them to the conditions of spatial development and planning in other spatial contexts.
Term Summer Semester
Format Seminar
Language English
Contact Prof. Hans Joachim Linke
Module composition 13-K4-0023-se Räumliche Entwicklung und Planungspraxis
Module description Die Lehrveranstaltung gibt einen tiefgehenden Einblick in die Probleme der Stadt- und Regionalentwicklung sowie die planerischen Lösungsmöglichkeiten in der Region Darmstadt/Südhessen. Im Mittelpunkt steht in diesem Semester die Planungspraxis im Aufgabenfeld “Klimaschutz” und der Blick auf die Aktivitäten der “Regionalplanung”, der “Kommunen” und von “Energieversorgungsunternehmen” sowie auf Projekte von “Planungsbüros”.

Zunächst werden wissenschaftliche Literatur und weitergehende Quellen zu den theoretischen Grundlagen zum (planerischen) Aufgabenfeld “Klimaschutz” analysiert und erörtert. Aufbauend darauf erfolgt der Besuch der entsprechenden Institutionen in der Region sowie die Diskussion mit Vertreterinnen bzw. Vertretern der Planungspraxis über die Herausforderungen, die planerischen Instrumente und deren Handlungsmöglichkeiten im Aufgabenfeld “Klimaschutz”. Die Ergebnisse und Erkenntnisse werden von den Studierenden präsentiert sowie in Seminararbeiten zusammengefasst.
Term Winter Semester
Format Seminar
Language German
Contact Prof. Dr. habil. Jan Hilligardt

Projects

Module composition 13-B2-M036 Interdisziplinäres Entwicklungsprojekt für Infrastrukturlösungen
Module description In the seminar, annually changing questions from the subject area of development cooperation are dealt with on the basis of a real construction or planning project. The students are expected to develop innovative solutions in relation to technical spatial or infrastructure systems, taking into account the special conditions of infrastructure supply in areas of the global south. Within the seminar, the necessary technical knowledge is imparted, and the problem is worked on in interdisciplinary project teams.
Learning Outcomes
  • Students learn to operate in an increasingly global industry and in intercultural cooperation as well as to include economic, ecological and socially sustainable aspects in planning.
  • The students are able to develop possible solutions while taking cultural and social structures into account.
  • The students are able to work in interdisciplinary teams and to explain concepts in a factual and comprehensible way and to justify them professionally.
Test method
  • Module examination (subject examination, oral examination, duration 20 min.)
  • Module examination (study performance, term paper, pass / fail)
Term Winter Semester
Language German
Contact person Prof. Hans-Joachim Linke
Benjamin D. Kraff
Module composition 13-B2-0023-pj Projekt Infrastruktur
Module description In the seminar “Infrastructure Project” students get insights in the working processes of project managers who manage infrastructural large-scale construction projects. Supported by a practice partner, the students work in groups and analyse the organisational and planning aspects with regard to the schedule and the costs. Due to the practical perspective, the seminar imparts knowledge about planning processes, the development of time schedules and cost projections, the work phases of construction projects as well as the tendering procedure of planning and building works.
To the poster (opens in new tab)
Term Summer Semester
Format Seminar
Language German
Contact person Prof. Hans-Joachim Linke
M.Sc. Luisa Ritter
M.Sc. Nadine Schröder
M.Sc. Rebecca James