• General objectives – General learning outcomes

The main purpose of the course is to help understand how economic, social and other forces contribute to the creation, shaping and development of cities and settlements in general. Unlike the usual “technical” approaches, which perceive cities as a set of buildings and infrastructures, this course approaches cities as a system of interdependent economic relationships and functions that largely determine critical parameters such as size, structure, and structure. living conditions. The course seeks to introduce students to the basic concepts of urban development, to provide an appropriate theoretical background for understanding and critically assimilating the general policies and regulations analyzed and studied in the courses of urban planning, urban development and local development.

Upon successful completion of the course, students have acquired the knowledge necessary to understand the basic concepts of urban development, the way and causes of urban creation, growth and development, spatial concentration or settlement dispersion, internal the structure of cities and the problems of the urban environment. They have also understood the differences in urban land uses, the values ​​of urban real estate, the problems of urban space, and the determinants of hierarchy and size of cities.

How they specialize in the following categories

Knowledges

 Students have assimilated the basic concepts and theories of urban economics, as evidenced by the successful final examination.

 Skills

 Students at the end of the course have acquired the ability to apply knowledge to real problems, as evidenced by their exam performance. They can apply modern methods for completing tasks and solving problems.

 Abilities

 Concerning the general abilities that students should have acquired in this course, these are as follows:

• • Ability to analyze key problems of urban and suburban environments search for appropriate data and variables using international and domestic bibliographic and statistical sources. In addition, ability to analyze and synthesize data and information collected in order to draw appropriate conclusions and decision making.
  • Ability to approach problems and meet future “challenges” in urban development by understanding the relevant concepts and obtain benefits that the participating in the homework ensures.
  • Ability to analyze the problems of the urban space by using the knowledge acquired in other subjects and to solve these problems through an interdisciplinary approach.
  • Ability of formulating constructive criticism while attending lessons and developing similar scientific arguments to solve or highlight urban problems.

The general abilities that students should have acquired in the course are related to the development of creative and inductive thinking through the analysis of urban space problems, their relevance or association with relevant theoretical approaches.

1. A brief analysis of historical development of cities.
2. Urbanization, consequences of urbanization, sociological approaches to urbanization, urbanization and economic development, congestion costs and optimal city size, stages of urbanization, urban development and urbanization in Greece.
3. Transportation costs and space, Locational decisions of firms in one-dimensional model.
4. The Location of firms in the von Thünen and Weber’s basic theories, Behavioral approaches, agglomeration economies and firms location, the Product Life Cycle theory and firms location, Marxist approaches.
5. Spatial distribution of settlements, Economies of settlements, The economies of firms clusters, The central places theory of Christaller, the Lösch approach .
6. The size and hierarchy of cities, The size of cities and their development, The distribution of settlements in Greece. Cities distribution patterns according to their population, The model of capital city.
7. Urban land use, Competition in urban land market by sector, The housing rental model, Environmental problems and rental offer model for housing, Urban development and real estate change.
8. Urban policy and urban policy makers, Urban redevelopment, The gentrification, The creation of green zones, Legalization and illegal housing.
9. Internal city structure, The Burgess Model, the H. Hoyt model, the Harris and Ullman Model, Urban development patterns in Greece, Factor building and city building density, Cohesive or non-cohesive cities?
10. Urban Environment, City and sustainability, Land use in the city and urban environment, urban green and its environmental value, transport networks and urban environment.

The evaluation criteria used are linked to the learning outcomes, since the students’ ability to show their knowledge and depth of understanding of the core content of the course is indirectly assessed.

The assessment system and criteria are familiar to the students, and they are considered sufficient to reflect the degree of understanding of the course and in-depth knowledge of its content.

The examination process is assessed indirectly, since students are asked to comment after the exams are over. In addition students can view their writing if they wish and find out what mistakes they have made and to comment on them.

• Πολύζος Σ. (2015), Αστική Ανάπτυξη, Εκδόσεις Κριτική, Αθήνα.
• McCann P. (2003), Αστική και Περιφερειακή Οικονομική, Αθήνα, Εκδόσεις Κριτική.
• Πολύζος Σ., Πετράκος Γ. (2001), Χωροθέτηση των Επιχειρήσεων στην Ελλάδα: Ανάλυση Προσδιοριστικών Παραγόντων και εμπειρική διερεύνηση, ΤΟΠΟΣ, 17, 93-123.
• 2. Polyzos S. (2019), Regional Development, Kritiki Publications, Athens.
• 3. Argyris Th. (1987), Urban Economics, vol. Ι, ΙΙ, Thessaloniki.
• 4. Petrakos G. Economou D. (2002), The Spatial Aspects of Development in Southeastern Europe, Spatium, 8, 1-13.
• 5. Polyzos S., Minetos D. Niavis S. (2013), “Driving factors and empirical analysis of urban sprawl in Greece”, Theoretical and Empirical Researches in Urban Management Journal, vol. 8(1), pp. 5-29.
• 6. Polyzos S., Minetos D. (2009), “Informal housing in Greece: A quantitative spatial analysis”, Theoretical and Empirical Researches in Urban Management Journal, 2(11), pp. 7-33.
• 7. Christopoulou O., Polyzos S., Minetos D. (2007), "Peri-urban and Urban Forests in Greece: Obstacle or Advantage to Urban Development", Management in Environmental Quality, An International Journal, vol. 18(4), pp. 382-395.
• 8. Tsiotas D. Polyzos S, Anastasiou A. (2014), Rank-Size distribution of Greek cities: a Regional Analysis MIBES Transactions International Journal, vol. 8, pp. 164-173.
• 9. Polyzos S, Anastasiou A. Geraki M. (2013). “The development path of small towns in Greece”, PRIME International Journal, vol. 6, pp. 138-156.
• Scientific journals: Management in Environmental Quality , Theoretical and Empirical Researches in Urban Management , International Journal of Urban and Regional Research , European Urban and Regional Studies , City Urban Studies , Journal of Real Estate Finance and Economics , Environment and Urbanization , Housing, Theory and Society , Housing Studies , Town Planning Review , Urban Forum , European Journal of Transport and Infrastructure Research , Urban Policy and Research , Theoretical and Empirical Researches in Urban Management , Journal of Public Transportation , Journal of Urban Regeneration and Renewal , European Journal of Spatial Development , Journal of Urban and Environmental Engineering , Architecture, City and Environment , Urban Habitats , Topos , Aeichoros