Continuing & Professional Education

Applied Land Use Planning

Earn a Certificate

Courses for everyone 9

  • Alberta Development Officers Association (ADOA) members
  • Alberta Professional Planners Institute (APPI) members
  • development officers
  • planning technicians
  • land use planners
  • environment
  • community planners
  • resource managers
  • developers
  • lawyers
  • zoning administrators

These part-time study courses are designed to enhance current practitioners’ skillsets
Program enrolment is optional – register in a course without applying for admission

Focuses on practical tools that support and guide the interactions between councils, administration, media, and public. Different approaches will be discussed for municipal and regional land use planning initiatives, which promote effective, democratic engagement and consultation with public spheres.

Not currently scheduled – new schedules announced each June and November.

Provides an introduction to municipal planning, with a particular emphasis on concepts and competencies used by planners involved in land use and development. The Alberta Land Use Framework (2008) will be examined, and relevant planning issues will be discussed. While examples are based on the Alberta context, the theory can be applied to a broad range of situations and environments. Ethics and values will be explored in relation to planning that will have a significant impact on society.

Not currently scheduled – new schedules announced each June and November.

Building on core material covered in Municipal Planning I, students will learn about contemporary topics in planning through a combination of online modules, readings, and activities. A range of issues key to the modern urban planning context will be explored, including topics of new urbanism, challenging urban sprawl with smart growth concepts, analytical methods, basic urban design principles, business revitalization zones, and transportation planning. Students will have an opportunity to put theory into practice through assignments and activities that make use of case studies and real-world development scenarios. Prerequisite: EXLUP 8215

Not currently scheduled – new schedules announced each June and November.
Examines planning law with specific consideration of Alberta legislation and case law; particularly, land use bylaws, planning documents, and the roles of planning and development authorities. Legal aspects of the preparation of land use planning documents, issues of inter-municipal planning, subdivision and condominium approvals, effective and enforceable development agreements, environmental considerations in land use and planning, enforcement of land use bylaws, and development permits will also be explored. Valuable insights will be learned about subdivision and development appeals, and in making presentations before Councils and other planning and development authorities.
Not currently scheduled – new schedules announced each June and November.

Addresses common issues affecting individuals who transition into, or considering, roles which involve administering and coordinating municipal land use planning activities. It is intended to provide students with a practical understanding of planning administration function and its municipal context, how planning administration differs from land use planning, and the knowledge and skills needed to be effective in the planning administration role.

Not currently scheduled – new schedules announced each June and November.

Develop an appreciation for regional plans built upon common interest and enduring political relationships. Examine the history, why regional planning has been introduced, the process for developing and implementing regional planning, theories and practices, and how it is defined in various contexts within North America. Other topics include varying structures and challenges that these approaches have between jurisdictional boundaries. Focus will be on Alberta and Canada through different legislation such as the Alberta Land Use Framework and Bill 36 The Alberta Land Stewardship.

Not currently scheduled – new schedules announced each June and November.

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.

April 15
already started
Online learning, asynchronous. With Sean Carter

Learn how to design effective subdivision layouts by examining the different processes involved: taking raw land through site analysis to land use and preliminary design, from density considerations and circulation patterns to special layouts, and from the preliminary investigation to the approval process. Apply these concepts to design and draft your own maps and subdivision plans.

June 17
starts in 1 month
Blended learning (in-person + online). With Craig Thomas

Enhance the performance of your measuring, mapping, modeling, and monitoring by tapping the power of Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Learn the concepts that drive GIS, the basics of cartography, and the differences between various GIS packages.

Not currently scheduled – new schedules announced each June and November.

  • An appli­ca­tion fee of $100 is required for admis­sion into the program.
  • Tuition is paid on a course-by-course basis as you reg­is­ter for your classes.
  • Cours­es are GST-exempt.
  • Some cours­es require a text­book at an addi­tion­al cost.
  • Eli­gi­ble for the Cana­da-Alber­ta Job Grant.
Bursaries and funding opportunities
Funding source
Eligibility
Amount
Apply by
Canada-Alberta Job Grant 

Available for businesses in all sectors across Alberta

Two-thirds of the training costs (up to 100% if hiring an unemployed Albertan)
any time
Canada Training Benefit 

Residents of Canada, 25-65 years old, who have $10,000-150,000 in earnings for work.

$250+
income tax return
Skilled Immigrant Micro-Loan 

Whether you intend to work in the same field you trained in outside of Canada, or you wish to apply your transferable skills to a new career, this low-interest loan helps you cover the cost of education and related living expenses.

Up to $15,000 loan
N/A
HRDF 

Employed by the University of Alberta as Non-Academic Staff (NASA)

$750 annually
Dec / Mar / Jun / Sep
                                                                                                                                       

It’s great that the instruc­tors acknowl­edge the con­straints in the life of a mature” stu­dent with fam­i­ly and job commitments.

Applied Land Use Plan­ning Certificate student

It was an amaz­ing expe­ri­ence and learn­ing jour­ney. I high­ly rec­om­mend the ALUP pro­gram to any­one inter­est­ed in the field.

Applied Land Use Planning Certificate student

The infor­ma­tion I gath­ered from the cours­es was very rel­e­vant to my job. I was also able to estab­lish con­tacts with oth­er stu­dents that are employed in the same sector.

Applied Land Use Plan­ning Certificate student