A. Core Courses

GEOG7001 Survey and Data Analysis in Transport Studies

The course will examine the various mathematical and statistical methods and basic procedures used in trasnportation surveys, data collection and analysis, information management and marketing. Geographic Information System (GIS) as a tool for transport planning is introduced with real applications.

GEOG7002 Transport and Development

The course will examine the interrelation of, and interaction between, transport and economic, social and technical development at global, national, regional and local levels. Topics include the political and social settings for transport development, the role of transportation in development, analysis of spatial structure of transport networks, national strategy for transport development, analysis of port-city relationships, and theories of territorial organisation and planning relation to transport hub and corridor development.

GEOG7003 Transport Economics

This course will cover in-depth discussion on a number of basic topics in transport economics-present discounted valuation of cash flows, basic financial analysis, investment criteria, pricing theories and pratice, travel time valuation, peak load and cost allocation problems, risks, uncertainty and sensitivity analysis, and considerations of equity.

GEOG7006 Engineering for Transport Systems

The course will introduce students to the basic performance characteristics of various transportation modes for passengers and freight. The focus will be on the interaction between performance and factors related to transportation technolgy, facility, system design and patterns of demand.

GEOG7007 Analysis, Modelling and Project Appraisal in Transportation

The course will examine models, analytical methods, and project appraisal in the fields of transportation. It is designed to discuss and compare the advantages and disadvantages of existing methods widely used in both passenger and freight transport analysis, forecasts and planning.

URBP6131 Transport Policy and Planning

This course focuses on key issues in transport policy and the implementation of transport plans and programmes. It examines the role of private and public modes within the overall urban transport system as well as pedestrian movement planning, airport development and seaport development. The course uses examples drawn from various countries to evaluate the appropriateness and effectivenss of alternative policies and implementation mechanisms.

URBP6123 Public Transport Systems

This course is designed to examine the nature and the role of public transport systems mainly in the urban context with special reference to high density development. Topics will include the nature and characteristics of passenger transport, the operation and management of public transit systems, deregulation and privatisation, the role of para-transit, and multi-modal co-operation and competition.

B. Elective Courses

Students will also need to take any one of the following four elective courses:

GEOG7008 Transport Policy and Planning in China

This course has two components. The first component deals with the national transport policies and planning in China, concerning all major transport modes including air, rail, waterway, and highway. The emphasis is on the policy responses of the central and local governments to the changes in the last two decades since the re-introduction of market mechanism. The second component focuses on China's urban trasportation. A comprehensive discussion covers aspects of which the transportation planners in large Chinese cities are most concerned with, such as the priority of public transport, the bicycle issue, the control of automobile usage versus the national policy in favor of car manufacturing, and the impact of new land/property reform on transportation development. URBP6434 Regional Development Planning Global restructuring has led to new theorisation and practice of regional development and planning in both developed and developing countries. This course reveals an evolution of regional development theories derived from the Western and Asian contexts. The course also examines in details the practice of regional development planning in selected Asian Pacific countries. URBP6429 Physical Planning and Urban Form This course focuses on the physical form of the city and straddles the junction between urban planning and urban design. It covers concepts and principles underlying urban form as well as techniques in physical planning. The course is divided into three modules: the first is on analysing and understanding the physical structure of the city and forces that shape it; the second focuses on elements of urban form; and the third introduces the fundamental principles of site analysis for both high and low density development. URBP6303 Environmental Impact Assessment Origins and development of EIA; impact assessment methodologies; ecological aspects of EIA; project and strategic assessments; EIA and the decision making processes; EIA in Hong Kong; case study application of EIA. C. Others Seminars, Field Trips, and Dissertation In addition to the courses, students will be required to attend a series of seminars to be offered by scholars and practitioners in the field. Field-trips are designed to provide oppportunities for students to examine first had transport-related developments and problems in and around Hong Kong. Second year candidates must also complete a topical study or research project in two parts as follows: a dissertation of 10,000 - 20,000 words, with a focus on one of the passenger or freight transport modes and on a global, regional, or local scale; and a presentation of research findings in the 'dissertation seminars' series. The dissertation carries weighting approximately equivalent to two papers. Successful dissertations to be lodged in the Library shall be subject to the correction of typographical, grammatical and/or other errors as determined by the examiners. The title of the dissertation shall be submitted for approval not later than December 1 of the second year of study and the dissertation shall be submiteed by June 15 of that year.