The Settlement Studies course at SEA involves visiting diverse human habitations in the first three years. The course is driven by three primary objectives. Firstly, it aims to train students in organized fieldwork, guiding them in data collection and analysis to draw inferences and conclusions. Secondly, the program seeks to cultivate in students an interest in viewing the field as a source of both knowledge and life. Lastly, it focuses on enhancing students' abilities to perceive the field using their senses and analytical capacities.

The "Economy and Built-form" course, conducted in the first year, investigates the interplay between socio-economic conditions and built-form in settlements with primary economies, encompassing mapping of daily life, production processes, and cultural practices. 

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The "Culture, Type, and Behaviour" course, conducted in the second year, focuses on translating spatial experiences into drawings, understanding spatiality's relationship with behavior, and creating an archive on South Asian architecture. 

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Lastly, the "Environment and Built Form" course, conducted in the third year, studies environmentally sensitive areas, mapping topography, climatic conditions, routines, and built form, emphasizing the relationship between natural factors and practices.