ADPS3003 Field Experience - Current Programs

Explore global built environments through hands‑on field research.

ADPS3003 Field Experience is an immersive course that provides participants the opportunity to critically investigate architecture, design and planning challenges within international contexts. Through structured fieldwork and guided research activities, students build advanced analytical skills while engaging directly with real‑world environments, cultures, and professional practices.

Please note: this course can only be undertaken as part of an approved global mobility program (listed below) and is not offered as a standard on‑campus course.

What you’ll study

This course focuses on the complex global forces shaping contemporary built environments. Each program associated with ADPS3003 will be different, but students can expect to examine social, cultural, environmental and economic issues across diverse geographic settings, learning how international perspectives influence design and planning outcomes. Comparative analysis encourages students to understand how global challenges manifest differently across contexts and how these insights translate back into Australian practice.

Learning through experience

A strong emphasis is placed on field research and applied learning. Students develop and apply discipline‑specific research tools, working with both primary and secondary sources to investigate place‑based issues. The course integrates theory and practice, enabling students to critically interpret on‑site observations alongside academic and professional frameworks.

Skills you’ll develop

By the end of the course, students will have strengthened skills in:

• Critical and comparative analysis of global built environments
• Field research methods and research design
• Evaluating and synthesising primary and secondary sources
• Integrating theoretical knowledge with practical investigation
• Communicating research insights across cultural and disciplinary contexts

These capabilities support advanced study and prepare students for professional practice in increasingly globalised architecture, design and planning fields.

Who this course is for

ADPS3003 is ideal for students seeking international exposure, experiential learning and a deeper understanding of how global contexts shape professional practice. It supports students who want to broaden their disciplinary perspective while developing transferable research and analytical skills relevant to both local and international careers

This elective course is conducted in conjunction with in-person, overseas programs run with/by university partners.

Current Program Offerings

New Urban Identity with Digital Heritage and Social Networks

An immersive field experience exploring the transformation of historical and culturally significant cities in the modern digital era

Tianjin/Nanjing/Shenzhen, China
21 November - 20 December 2026 in-country
Teaching Period 8, 2026

Machiya Metabolism

An exploration of historical and current uses of architectural traditions in Kyoto and the Kansai region of Japan.

Kyoto, Japan
18 January - 12 February 2027 in-country
Teaching Period 2, 2027