ARCH555 Healthcare Facilities
Syllabus | International University of Sarajevo - Last Update on Oct 10, 2025
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Architecture
Nerma Omićević
Course Lecturer
Course Objectives
This course will introduce the students to planning and design of healthcare facilties. The course provides an overview of evidence-based research in healthcare planning and healthcare facility categories. The students will gain knowledge and develop skills, required to design a sustainable healthcare environment with safe and efficient spaces for all users.
Learning Outcomes
After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:
Course Materials
Required Textbook
A. Gang; A. Dewan, Manual of Hospital Planning and Designing, 2022 R. Guenther; G. Vittori, Sustainable Healthcare Architecture, 2nd edition, 2013 C.A. Leibrock; D.D.Harris, Design Details for Health: Making the Most of Design's Healing Potential, 2011 C.C. Marcus; N.A. Sachs, Therapeutic Landscapes: An evidence-Based Approach to Designing Healing Gardens and Restorative Outdoor Spaces, 2013 R.L.Miller; E.S. Swensson; J.T. Robinson, Hospital and Healthcare Facility Design, 2012 Various articles to be provided by the lecturer
Additional Literature
Teaching Methods
Lecture and discussion method during the lesson development; Demostration and collaboration method during the design tutorials
To encourage student participation in the learning process.
Weekly Topics
| Week | Topic | Readings / References |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Course introduction, Assignments and Course administration | |
| 2 | Introduction to Healthcare Facility Planning and Design | Gang, A. & Dewan, A. |
| 3 | Healthcare Design Standards and Guidelines | Gang, A. & Dewan, A. |
| 4 | Healthcare Facility Categories | Gang, A. & Dewan, A. |
| 5 | Healthcare Urban Design - Research of Urban Spaces in the Healthcare Facilities- Concept of Healing Space | Presentation - Phase 1-Healthcare facility category analysis |
| 6 | Sustainable Strategies for Healthcare Facility Design | Gang, A. & Dewan, A. Guenther, R. |
| 7 | Mid-term exam | |
| 8 | Inpatient Unit Design | Gang, A. & Dewan, A. Leibrock, C.A. |
| 9 | Design of Operating Units | Gang, A. & Dewan, A. |
| 10 | Intensive Care Unit Design | Presentation - Phase 2- Development of design guidelines |
| 11 | Emergency Unit Design | Gang, A. & Dewan, A. Leibrock, C.A. |
| 12 | Design of Medical Imaging Units | Gang, A. & Dewan, A. Marcus, C.C. |
| 13 | Design Project Studio | |
| 14 | Design Project Studio | Presentation - Phase 3- Design Project pre-final review |
| 15 | Design Project Studio |
Course Schedule (All Sections)
Office Hours & Room
Assessment Methods and Criteria
Assessment Components
Final Exam
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 3 4
In-term Assignments
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 3
Mid-term exam
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2
IUS Grading System
| Grading Scale | IUS Grading System | IUS Coeff. | Letter (B&H) | Numerical (B&H) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 - 44 | F | 0 | F | 5 |
| 45 - 54 | E | 1 | ||
| 55 - 64 | C | 2 | E | 6 |
| 65 - 69 | C+ | 2.3 | D | 7 |
| 70 -74 | B- | 2.7 | ||
| 75 - 79 | B | 3 | C | 8 |
| 80 - 84 | B+ | 3.3 | ||
| 85 - 94 | A- | 3.7 | B | 9 |
| 95 - 100 | A | 4 | A | 10 |
Late Work Policy
Information about late submission policies will be shared during class and posted in this section. Please check back for official guidelines.
ECTS Credit Calculation
📚 Student Workload
This 6 ECTS credit course corresponds to 150 hours of total student workload, distributed as follows:
Lecture Hours
24 hours ⏳ (12 week × 2 h)
Class tutorials
6 hours ⏳ (3 week × 2 h)
Home study
70 hours ⏳ (14 week × 5 h)
In-term exam
20 hours ⏳ (5 week × 4 h)
In-term exam
2 hours ⏳ (1 week × 2 h)
Final exam - Design Project
24 hours ⏳ (8 week × 3 h)
In-term Assignmnets
12 hours ⏳ (3 week × 4 h)
150 Total Workload Hours
6 ECTS Credits
Course Policies
Academic Integrity
All work submitted must be your own. Plagiarism, cheating, or any form of academic dishonesty will result in disciplinary action according to university policies. When in doubt about citation practices, consult the instructor.
Attendance Policy
Students are expected to adhere to the attendance requirements as outlined in the International University of Sarajevo Study Rules and Regulations. Excessive absences, whether excused or unexcused, may impact academic performance and eligibility for assessment. Mandatory sessions (e.g., labs, workshops) require attendance unless formally exempted. For detailed policies on absences, documentation, and penalties, please refer to the official university regulations.
Technology & AI Policy
Laptops/tablets may be used for note-taking only during lectures. Phones should be silenced and put away during all class sessions. Audio/video recording requires prior permission from the instructor.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Usage: The use of AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini) varies by assessment component. Please refer to the AI usage indicator next to each assessment item in the Assessment Methods and Criteria section above. Submitting AI-generated content as your own work, where AI is not explicitly allowed, constitutes an academic integrity violation.
Communication Policy
All course-related communication should occur through official university channels (institutional email or SIS). Emails should include [ARCH555] in the subject line.
Academic Quality Assurance Policy
Course Academic Quality Assurance is achieved through Semester Student Survey. At the end of each academic year, the institution of higher education is obliged to evaluate work of the academic staff, or the success of realization of the curricula.
Learning Tips
Be prepared to contribute thoughtfully during class discussions, labs, or collaborative work. Active participation deepens understanding and encourages critical thinking.
Complete assigned readings or prep materials before class. Take notes, highlight key ideas, and jot down questions. Aim to grasp core concepts and their applications—not just facts.
Use course frameworks or methodologies to analyze problems, case studies, or projects. Begin early to allow time for reflection and refinement. Seek feedback to improve your work.
Don’t hesitate to reach out when something is unclear. Use office hours, discussion boards, or peer networks to clarify concepts and stay on track.
Syllabus Last Updated on Oct 10, 2025 | International University of Sarajevo
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Referencing Curricula Print this page
| Course Code | Course Title | Weekly Hours* | ECTS | Weekly Class Schedule | ||||||
| T | P | |||||||||
| ARCH555 | Healthcare Facilities | 2 | 1 | 6 | ||||||
| Prerequisite | None | It is a prerequisite to | - | |||||||
| Lecturer | Nerma Omićević | Office Hours / Room / Phone | Wednesday: 9:30-12:00 Thursday: 9:30-12:00 |
|||||||
| nomicevic@ius.edu.ba | ||||||||||
| Assistant | Assistant E-mail | |||||||||
| Course Objectives | This course will introduce the students to planning and design of healthcare facilties. The course provides an overview of evidence-based research in healthcare planning and healthcare facility categories. The students will gain knowledge and develop skills, required to design a sustainable healthcare environment with safe and efficient spaces for all users. | |||||||||
| Textbook | A. Gang; A. Dewan, Manual of Hospital Planning and Designing, 2022 R. Guenther; G. Vittori, Sustainable Healthcare Architecture, 2nd edition, 2013 C.A. Leibrock; D.D.Harris, Design Details for Health: Making the Most of Design's Healing Potential, 2011 C.C. Marcus; N.A. Sachs, Therapeutic Landscapes: An evidence-Based Approach to Designing Healing Gardens and Restorative Outdoor Spaces, 2013 R.L.Miller; E.S. Swensson; J.T. Robinson, Hospital and Healthcare Facility Design, 2012 Various articles to be provided by the lecturer | |||||||||
| Additional Literature | ||||||||||
| Learning Outcomes | After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to: | |||||||||
|
||||||||||
| Teaching Methods | Lecture and discussion method during the lesson development; Demostration and collaboration method during the design tutorials, to encourage student participation in the learning process. | |||||||||
| Teaching Method Delivery | Teaching Method Delivery Notes | |||||||||
| WEEK | TOPIC | REFERENCE | ||||||||
| Week 1 | Course introduction, Assignments and Course administration | |||||||||
| Week 2 | Introduction to Healthcare Facility Planning and Design | Gang, A. & Dewan, A. | ||||||||
| Week 3 | Healthcare Design Standards and Guidelines | Gang, A. & Dewan, A. | ||||||||
| Week 4 | Healthcare Facility Categories | Gang, A. & Dewan, A. | ||||||||
| Week 5 | Healthcare Urban Design - Research of Urban Spaces in the Healthcare Facilities- Concept of Healing Space | Presentation - Phase 1-Healthcare facility category analysis | ||||||||
| Week 6 | Sustainable Strategies for Healthcare Facility Design | Gang, A. & Dewan, A. Guenther, R. | ||||||||
| Week 7 | Mid-term exam | |||||||||
| Week 8 | Inpatient Unit Design | Gang, A. & Dewan, A. Leibrock, C.A. | ||||||||
| Week 9 | Design of Operating Units | Gang, A. & Dewan, A. | ||||||||
| Week 10 | Intensive Care Unit Design | Presentation - Phase 2- Development of design guidelines | ||||||||
| Week 11 | Emergency Unit Design | Gang, A. & Dewan, A. Leibrock, C.A. | ||||||||
| Week 12 | Design of Medical Imaging Units | Gang, A. & Dewan, A. Marcus, C.C. | ||||||||
| Week 13 | Design Project Studio | |||||||||
| Week 14 | Design Project Studio | Presentation - Phase 3- Design Project pre-final review | ||||||||
| Week 15 | Design Project Studio | |||||||||
| Assessment Methods and Criteria | Evaluation Tool | Quantity | Weight | Alignment with LOs | AI Usage |
| Final Exam | 1 | 40 | 1,2,3,4 | Not Allowed | |
| Semester Evaluation Components | |||||
| In-term Assignments | 3 | 30 | 1, 2, 3 | Not Allowed | |
| Mid-term exam | 1 | 30 | 1,2 | Not Allowed | |
| *** ECTS Credit Calculation *** | |||||
| Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | |||
| Lecture Hours | 2 | 12 | 24 | Class tutorials | 2 | 3 | 6 | |||
| Home study | 5 | 14 | 70 | In-term exam | 4 | 5 | 20 | |||
| In-term exam | 2 | 1 | 2 | Final exam - Design Project | 3 | 8 | 24 | |||
| In-term Assignmnets | 4 | 3 | 12 | |||||||
| Total Workload Hours = | 158 | |||||||||
| *T= Teaching, P= Practice | ECTS Credit = | 6 | ||||||||
| Course Academic Quality Assurance: Semester Student Survey | Last Update Date: 20/10/2025 | |||||||||