Rural Environments

Exam­ine the chal­lenges and oppor­tu­ni­ties of rur­al land use plan­ning in Cana­da with spe­cif­ic empha­sis on rur­al Alber­ta. Stu­dent will explore and gain an under­stand­ing of the impor­tance of healthy and vibrant rur­al com­mu­ni­ties in a local, region­al and glob­al con­text with respect to: the econ­o­my, envi­ron­ment, social and cul­tur­al cap­i­tal; how plan­ning pol­i­cy, pol­i­tics and par­tic­i­pa­tion approach­es may dif­fer in a rur­al con­text com­pared to an urban coun­ter­part; and how region­al and glob­al pol­i­cy frame­works will affect rur­al land use plan­ning in the future.

Course at a glance
  • Fully online asynchronous course.
  • May be recognized for Continuous Professional Learning (CPL) credits by the Alberta Professional Planners Institute (APPI) for holders of the Registered Professional Planner designation.
  • Aimed at professionals in the areas of municipal government planning, development, and bylaw enforcement. Students range from development officers, planning technicians, land use, environmental, and community planners, to resources managers, government officials, consultants, developers, lawyers, zoning administrators, administrators in smaller municipalities, and others involved in planning processes.
What you will learn

By the end of this course, you should be able to:

  • Discuss and analyze demographic patterns and economic conditions driving rural land use pressures.
  • Define the role of metropolitan influence zones in relation to rural environments.
  • Compare and discuss various environmental protection initiatives (e.g., voluntary stewardship approaches versus prescribed protection measures, etc.) in different planning contexts.
  • Analyze various patterns and themes reflected in the current planning challenges and land use pressures in rural Alberta.
  • Identify changing agricultural practices and approaches in relation to food security planning.
  • Discuss planning definitions, models, and examples (e.g., the social determinant framework) as they relate to health issues in a rural context.
  • Identify innovative planning tools in support of environmental protection and rural sustainability.
  • Identify and explain the legislative framework that structures and guides rural land use planning.
  • Discuss and analyze planning frameworks, including the Alberta Land-Use Framework, and intermunicipal plans, as they relate to regional planning in rural Alberta.
This course has no prerequisites

Students from all educational backgrounds welcome. You can register for this course without applying and enrolling in a program.

Take note:

  • A textbook is required for this course. Check under "View Full Details" for more information.
  • Additional learning materials are provided through eClass.
  • Assessment may include discussion postings and essay assignments.
  • Refer to the course syllabus for the schedule of activities and due dates of assignments.
  • Bursary opportunities may be available for members of the Alberta Development Officers Association (ADOA).
Currently counts towards:

Applicants intending to enrol in a program are encouraged to apply as soon as possible to lock in their course requirements since they are prone to change.

*If you are already enroled in this program, please refer to your specific program requirements as outlined at the time of your admission: Bear Tracks > Academic Advisement.

Email

alup@ualberta.ca

When will
this course be offered?

New course schedules are released each June and November.

Course not yet scheduled

This course is not currently scheduled, but may be offered in an upcoming term.

New course schedules are announced each June and November.

Sign up for updates

Interested in future offerings of this course? We can let you know when this course becomes available.