Theoretical concepts are introduced and reinforced through the instructor’s oral presentations, as well as through independent student work with specific materials and dynamic learning activities proposed by the course instructor.

Technical and instrumental skills are developed through a series of guided practical sessions conducted during class time or completed individually and/or in small groups in an independent manner.

All data and course materials will be made available on the Virtual Campus, which will be used as the main channel of communication.

Note: Fifteen minutes of one class, as scheduled by the department or degree program, will be reserved for students to complete evaluations of teaching performance and the course/module.

Use of Artificial Intelligence

The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies is permitted in this course as part of completing assignments, provided the final result reflects a significant personal contribution from the student in terms of analysis and critical reflection. Students must: (i) identify which parts have been generated using AI; (ii) specify the tools used; and (iii) include a critical reflection on how these tools have influenced the process and the final outcome of the assignment. Failure to be transparent about the use of AI in assessable activities will be considered academic misconduct and will result in a grade of zero for the affected work, with no opportunity for recovery, or even more severe penalties in cases of serious breaches.

IMPORTANT:

This course/module does not provide for a single assessment system.

CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT

Assessment Components

• Two partial theoretical-practical examinations (20% at mid-semester and 20% at the end of the semester).
• Practical exercises (20%).
• Weekly practical assignments (10%).
• Final project (30%): Preparation of an urban thematic map.

Requirements for Assessment

Student assessment is based on the results of the practical exercises completed independently. Students must submit at least 80% of these exercises within the deadlines established by the teaching staff. Students who have not submitted the required practical exercises by the corresponding deadline will not be allowed to sit the examination, and their final grade will be recorded as Not Assessable.

Attendance will be monitored in both theoretical lectures and practical sessions. To be eligible for assessment, students must attend at least 80% of the scheduled sessions. Otherwise, the final grade will be Not Assessable. In addition, students who pass the course will receive a 5% bonus on their final grade if they have met the minimum attendance requirement.

Optional Activities

Throughout the course, several optional dynamic learning activities will be offered to complement the student's learning. Submission of these activities is voluntary.

Requirements to Pass the Course

The theoretical-practical examinations will consist of a separate grade for the theoretical component and another for the practical component, which will be assessed independently. The average of the two theoretical examinations or the two practical examinations will only be calculated if both grades are at least 4. A component will only be considered passed if the average grade is at least 5.

Furthermore, both the theoretical and practical components of the course must be passed separately with a minimum average grade of 5 in order for them to be averaged with each other.

For example, if a student obtains grades of 6 and 4 in the theoretical examinations and 5 and 4 in the practical examinations, the student will not have achieved the minimum required learning outcomes, since the averages would be 5 and 4.5, respectively. Consequently, both components must be passed with a minimum average grade of 5. In this case, the student may take the resit examination for one or both components.

If the course is not passed, the final grade recorded on the student's academic transcript will be the grade obtained through the assessment process.

Other Considerations

No assessment activity will be conducted at a time other than the officially scheduled one unless there is a duly justified reason, the student has informed the teaching staff in advance, and prior approval has been granted. In any other circumstance, if a student fails to attend an assessment activity, it cannot be retaken.

Resit Assessment

Once the ordinary assessment period has ended, students who have failed the course will have the opportunity to take a resit examination on the dates established by the Faculty, provided that they meet the same requirements as for the ordinary examination, namely, having submitted at least 80% of the practical assignments.

To pass the course, students who have not passed the ordinary examination must pass the resit examination.

Both the theoretical and practical examinations may be retaken.

Failed practical assignments, as well as the final project, may also be resubmitted, provided that the activity was originally submitted. The maximum grade that may be awarded for the resubmission is 6.

Grade Review Procedure

For each assessment activity, the place, date and time of the grade review session will be announced. During this session, students may review their assessment with the lecturer. Students may submit appeals regarding their grades, which will be evaluated by the teaching staff responsible for the course. If a student does not attend the scheduled review session, no subsequent review of that assessment will be conducted.

Grading

Honours Distinction (Matrícula de Honor). The awarding of the Honours Distinction is at the discretion of the teaching staff responsible for the course. According to UAB regulations, this distinction may only be awarded to students who obtain a final grade of 9.0 or higher. A maximum of 5% of the students enrolled in the course may receive this distinction.

A student will be considered Not Assessable if they have not completed assessment activities accounting for at least 80% of the total course grade.

Student Misconduct, Cheating and Plagiarism

Assessment activities affected by academic misconduct and processed under these regulations will not be eligible for resit. If passing any of these assessment activities is required to pass the course, the student will automatically fail the course, with no opportunity to recover it during the same academic year.

Such misconduct includes, but is not limited to:

• Copying all or part of a practical exercise, report, or any other assessment activity, or allowing another student to copy.
• Submitting group work that has not been completed entirely by the members of the group.
• Presenting materials prepared by a third party as one's own, including translations or adaptations, or, more generally, submitting work containing elements that are not original and exclusively produced by the student.
• Having communication devices (such as mobile phones, smartwatches, etc.) accessible during individual theoretical-practical assessment tests (examinations).

Assessment of Repeat Students

For students repeating the course, grades obtained for practical assignments in previous academic years cannot be carried over.

Without prejudice to any other disciplinary measures that may be adopted, and in accordance with current academic regulations, any misconduct committed by a student that may result in an alteration of the assessment grade will be penalised with a grade of zero (0).