EnP Board Exam Review: History, Concepts, Theories and Principles of Environmental Planning

How can you review for the Environmental Planning Board Exam more effectively?

Read on for specific tips on how to review for SUBJECT AREA 1 of the Environmental Planning Board Exam!

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Overview of the Environmental Planning Board Exam

I passed the Environmental Planning Board Exam in 2018!

And oh, there were a mountain of reference materials on environmental planning to read, memorize, and understand.

You can never be truly prepared for the board exam!  

So, how can you make your self review a success?

With the following tips, your self review plan for the Environmental Planning Board Exam can be more effective.

Coverage of the Environmental Planning Board Exam

Section 17 of the Environmental Planning Law (Republic Act 10587) lists the subject areas of the  Environmental Planning Board Exam:

• #ENPEXAM SUBJECT AREA 1: History, concepts, theories and principles of environmental planning;
• #ENPEXAM SUBJECT AREA 2: Environmental planning process, methods/techniques and strategies; and;
• #ENPEXAM SUBJECT AREA 3: Environmental plan implementation, legal aspects and administration

Note: The subject areas and syllabi may be revised as the need arises to conform to changes and new developments brought about by trends in the practice of environmental planning. So always check with the Professional Regulatory Commission for updates!

In short, the Environmental Planning Board Exam covers three broad subject areas!

The article focuses on Subject Area 1: History, Concepts, Theories and Principles of Environmental Planning.

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Description of Subject Area 1: History, Concepts, Theories and Principles of Environmental Planning

Section 16 (a) of the IRR of RA 10587 enumerates the sub-areas that #ENPEXAM Subject Area 1 “shall include, but not be limited to”

• Environment, planning and environmental planning
  • definition, nature, elements of the environment;
  • history and foundation of planning and environmental planning;
  • concepts, goals, nature, classification, theories of planning and environmental planning;
  • training, roles and advocates of environmental planners
• Cities, City Planning and Development
  • origin, development, planning of cities;
  • city growth, urbanization, ecological processes, location;
  • urban/city planning concepts, theories, principles;
  • concepts and principles of new paradigms and visions in city planning
• Regions, Regional Planning and Development
  • concepts, nature and classification of regions, regional delineation/centers;
  • objectives/rationale of regional planning;
  • policies, principles and strategies in regional planning and development

My Environmental Planning Board Exam Rating

Here’s my overall rating for the 2018 Environmental Planning Board Exam.

To be honest, I did not spend much time reviewing Subject Area 1.

I scored highest in the Subject Area 1: History, Concepts, Theories and Principles of Environmental Planning  

I primarily attribute the relative high score in Subject Area 1 to my academic foundation.

Part of our BS Geography curriculum are courses on economic geography, land use, and transport.

In these courses, we took up urban planning concepts and models.

As a bonus, my professor in my land use course was Prof. Meliton Juanico.

Read: Be Inspired by these 13 Filipino Environmental Planners!

Also, I took 6 units of graduate courses at the School of Urban and Regional Planning, UP Diliman.

Moreover, I was always reading articles from Planetizen and Citylab.

In short, my reading habits helped me store knowledge on the conceptual framework of environmental planning. 

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3 Top Tips for Reviewing #ENPEXAM Subject Area 1: History, Concepts, Theories and Principles of Environmental Planning

Start with Wikipedia and lecture slides.

Wikipedia pages on urban planning are good starting points.

The links to names of concepts and related historical names will take you on a time travel of how environmental planning changed with development of human civilization.

Then, start studying using lecture slides on Slideshare!

Start with the lecture slides and notes of EnP Jean. With these, you have a roadmap of the development of planning through history.

Draw connections towards a working timeline

Read: Turning Points in the History of Filipino Urban Planning

The best way to review #ENPEXAM Subject Area 1 is to connect the concepts and principles with the historical context.

Developing a timeline is critical for deeper appreciation (and enjoyment!) of studying urban planning theories.

EnP Jean has done a noble job of linking urban planning concepts and principles with relevant names and dates.

Citylab University also featured a “Who’s Who in Urbanism,” a primer for pioneers and giants of global planning. 

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Group names and concepts together

Again, EnP Jean has done your review materials for you!

Besides a time travel through the development of urban planning, EnP Jean has also created slides that cluster environmental planning concepts and theories thematically.

I recommend thematic clustering if Subject Area 1(History and Concepts of Environmental Planning) is your weak point.

Granted, board exam takers after 2019 are required to obtain at least a Post-graduate Diploma in Urban Planning.

However, reading concepts and theories per se may not be suitable for long-term memory.

Read: Review for Exams with Less Stress by Following these 6 Easy Steps

Also, #ENPEXAM Subject Area 2 (Environmental planning process, methods/techniques and strategies) and Subject Area 3 (Environmental plan implementation, legal aspects and administration) are practical.

If your are in planning-related job, you certainly encounter these subject areas more often than Subject Area 1.

By studying concepts and models thematically, you can make connections among people with similar, opposing , and successive perspectives in planning.

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Conclusion

#ENPEXAM Subject Area 1 will test the environmental planner in their conceptual knowledge of environmental planning.

In short, the general development of environmental planning and the environmental planning profession.

Reviewing Subject Area 1 is not a simple history lesson!

The relationships among the concepts, theories, names, and dates reveal how systematic environmental planning is an art and science.

The development of environmental planning affected human behavior.

Human behavior and motives influenced the development of human settlements – of environmental planning.

By “time-traveling” through the development of environmental planning, you, the Filipino Environmental Planner can learn from past mistakes, continue with present successes, and enhance future endeavors.

Do you have additional tips reviewing for passing the Environmental Planning Board Exam?

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Read next!

• Lessons Learned from Taking the Environmental Planning Board Exam(Updated!)
• Taking the Environmental Planning Board Exam (Part 3): The Exam Days
• EnP Board Exam Review: History, Concepts, Theories and Principles of Environmental Planning

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