This version of the course guide is provisional until the period for editing the new course guides ends.

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Sustainable Mobility and Territory

Code: 104270 ECTS Credits: 6
2025/2026
Degree Type Year
Geography, Environmental Management and Spatial Planning OP 4

Contact

Name:
Maria Carme Miralles Guasch
Email:
carme.miralles@uab.cat

Teaching groups languages

You can view this information at the end of this document.


Prerequisites

None.


Objectives and Contextualisation

The main goal of the course is to familiarize students with sustainable, safe, healthy, equitable and inclusive mobility. The aim is to know the social, economic and environmental implications of the hegemonic mobility model in our cities and towns and to provide the necessary knowledge to help solve the impacts of this model, especially bearing in mind the impending energy crisis, climate emergency and the effects of pollution on health.

In this sense, a "box" of theoretical and methodological tools that can be useful in the professional practice of Geography in relation to the planning, management and resolution of issues related to mobility will be provided. However, and especially, practical exercises will be carried out that allow students to formulate propositive actions aimed at decarbonising mobility, recovering public space and promoting active mobility.


Learning Outcomes

  1. CM23 (Competence) Develop proposals for action and intervention in the territory that address socio-demographic and environmental problems.
  2. KM37 (Knowledge) Define the limits and impacts associated with the current mobility model, including sustainability aspects.
  3. SM28 (Skill) Analyse the complexity of the relationships between mobility and territory (energy crisis, climate emergency, and the effects of pollution).
  4. SM28 (Skill) Analyse the complexity of the relationships between mobility and territory (energy crisis, climate emergency, and the effects of pollution).

Content

CHAPTER 1. KNOW: Sustainable, safe, healthy, equitable and inclusive mobility (Theoretical and conceptual framework)
- Brief history of mobility
- Right to the city and to mobility
- Vulnerable groups in mobility
- Active mobility
- Climate change and mobility
- Mobility and energy
- Equity in mobility
- Inclusive mobility
- Mobility and health
- Means of transport for collective use
- The street as a multifunctional space
- Urban quality and outdoor spaces
- Mobility and economy
- Rural and / or suburban areas and mobility

CHAPTER 2. OBSERVE AND ANALYZE (Intervention and analysis methodologies)
- What to observe and how to observe: methods and techniques of observation and analysis
- Statistical analysis: variables, sources of information ...
- Qualitative methods
- Observation of public space

CHAPTER 3. DEBATE (Knowledge and positioning in today's controversies)
- The electric vehicle and tech solutions: a real solution?
- Road safety education: at school or at driving school?
- ‘If you don’t want cars go live in the countryside’
- Right to park (or not)
- ZBE, urban tolls or pay for parking: ‘communism or freedom’?
- Motorcycles on the sidewalks? An open debate
- The tram on the Diagonal?
- ‘Cycling is the slow death of our economy (and walking is even worse, pedestrians don’t even buy a bicycle)’

CHAPTER 4. ACT (Tools and methods of intervention)
- New priorities in road design
- Public space and urban quality: living spaces
- The moderation and pacification of traffic
- Pedestrian areas
- The cycling network
- Mobility planning
- Regulations: legislation
- Transformation projects and experiences
- Actors, participation and roles / Citizen participation and citizen movements
- Communicate and disseminate


Activities and Methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
Field trip (PCAM) 4 0.16
Practical sessions (PAUL) 16.5 0.66
Theoretical lessons (TE) 28 1.12
Type: Supervised      
Field work 20 0.8
Tutorials 5 0.2
Type: Autonomous      
Making exercices 30 1.2
Preparation of orals presentations 5 0.2
Reading and watching audiovisuals materials 20 0.8
Study 20 0.8

The contents of the subject will be developed from various teaching methodologies and training activities:
- Read written documents
- Viewing audiovisual materials
- Carrying out internships (include observing the public space and proposing measures to improve it)
- Open debates
- Guided tours with the support of the teacher and an assessment report *
- Oral presentations
- Use of ICT
- Tutorials
- Study and personal work

* There will be a morning outing at a place yet to be determined that will have no cost to the students.

Field trips will be conducted in accordance with the official Field Trip Protocol established by the Faculty. Students will be provided with specific safety documentation related to off-campus activities organized by the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB). It is the responsibility of each student to review and acknowledge this documentation prior to participating in any field activity.

Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.


Assessment

Continous Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
class attendance 20 0 0 CM23, KM37, SM28
Exam 50 1.5 0.06 CM23, KM37, SM28
Oral presentations and coursework 30 0 0 CM23, KM37, SM28

Assessment

A system of continuous assessment is established, consisting of various evaluative activities that allow the teaching staff to monitor students’ progress and enable students to track their own development throughout the course.

To be eligible for assessment, students must:

a) Complete all the stipulated evaluative activities (exam, practical work, and oral presentations)

b) Pass all of the above components

 

Grade Review

At the time of each evaluative activity, the instructor will inform students (via Moodle) of the procedure and date for grade review.

 

Resit

At the end of the teaching period, a resit will be offered for each of the stipulated evaluative activities. To participate in the resit, students must have been previously assessed in activities that account for at least two-thirds of the total grade. Additionally, students must have obtained a minimum final grade of 3.5 to be eligible for the resit.

Any evaluative activity involving irregularities is not eligible for resit.

 

Plagiarism or Fraudulent Conduct

If a student commits any irregularity that may significantly affect the grade of an evaluative activity, that activity will be graded with a 0, regardless of any disciplinary proceedings that may follow. If multiple irregularities occur in the same course, the final grade for that course will be 0.

Copying or plagiarism constitutes academic misconduct and will result in a grade of 0 for the activity. In case of repeated offenses, the entire course will be failed. “Copying” is defined as a work that reproduces all or most of another student’s work. “Plagiarism” is presenting all or part of a text by another author as one’s own, without citing the sources, whether in print or digital format. See UAB documentation on plagiarism: http://wuster.uab.es/web_argumenta_obert/unit_20/sot_2_01.html

 

Non-Assessable Students

Students will receive a “non-assessable” grade if they have submitted less than 30% of the evaluative activities. If an evaluative activity is not completed, the grade will be 0, it will not be eligible for resit, and it will be included in the weighted average.

 

Single Assessment

This course does not offer a single assessment option.

 

Use of Artificial Intelligence:

Restricted use: In this course, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies is permitted exclusively for support tasks, such as bibliographic or information searches, text correction, or translations. Students must clearly identify which parts have been generated using AI, specify the tools used, and include a critical reflection on how these tools have influenced the process and the final outcome of the activity. Lack of transparency in the use of AI in this evaluative activity will be considered academic dishonesty and may result in a partial or total penalty on the grade, or more severe sanctions in serious cases.


Bibliography

The bibliography and webgraphy that will be used for the development of the subject will be specified in the Moodle platform as the progress of the course requires it.


Software

Office or similar.


Groups and Languages

Please note that this information is provisional until 30 November 2025. You can check it through this link. To consult the language you will need to enter the CODE of the subject.

Name Group Language Semester Turn
(PAUL) Classroom practices 1 Catalan second semester morning-mixed
(PCAM) Field practices 1 Catalan second semester morning-mixed
(TE) Theory 1 Catalan second semester morning-mixed