Governance, Policy and Communication

Governance, Policy and Communication is offered as a major field of study in the Master of Environment degree.

Who drives the laws that determine our environmental future? And how can positive change be effectively communicated, or policy influenced through regulation, better governance and the media?

The development and marketing of environmental policy is vitally important in effecting changes in government, corporate bodies, and across the environmental sector. The Governance, Policy and Communication major looks at existing national and international legal and political frameworks relevant to the environment, enhances your skills in policy-making, business management and marketing, and gives you the tools to incorporate these skills and work systems in the workplace.

This major is most appropriate for professionals engaged in helping organisations develop economically viable environmental agendas and communicating these effectively to the public, or for those wishing to enter this sector.

Students can expect to find employment in a wide range of organisations such as government authorities, environmental consulting companies and industry and assist them in development, ongoing management and marketing of change in environmental agendas as well as the identification of opportunities that result from environmental initiatives.

Students who complete the Master of Environment will have:

• Knowledge to undertake professional practice in environment or sustainability, including:
  • Specialised knowledge in an environmental discipline or field of practice, including knowledge of recent developments in this field
  • Knowledge of the cross-disciplinary nature of environmental issues and professional practice to promote sustainable futures
  • Knowledge of research principles and methods applicable to specialist field of environmental inquiry
• Skills for collaborative and creative problem solving in environmental practice, including:
  • Ability to critically analyse and synthesise environmental knowledge
  • Ability to envision environmental change and propose pathways to realise this change
  • Ability to communicate complex environmental knowledge and research effectively to a range of audiences
  • Ability to work effectively in cross-disciplinary teams
  • Technical skills for professional practice and research in field of specialisation
• Demonstrated capacity to:
  • Exercise well developed judgement, adaptability and responsibility as a practitioner in an environmental discipline or professional field
  • Plan and execute a substantial project in an area of environmental research or practice

Upon successful completion of the Governance, Policy and Communication specialisation, students will be able to:

• Analyse national and international legal and political frameworks relevant to the environment
• Apply skills in policy-making, business management and marketing to promoting positive change in government, corporate bodies, and across the environmental sector

Integrate knowledge from across diverse environmental disciplines to propose effective strategies for positive environmental policy

Students will be required to complete three core subjects, plus choose three subjects from the compulsory specialisation subject list. Students must also take at least 25 points of subjects from the compulsory capstone subjects – these subjects enable students to complete an independent project related to professional practices in environmental governance, policy or communication. Students must also undertake electives to make up the balance of the award. The selection of electives is made in consultation with the Governance, Policy and Communication major coordinator. A list of subjects with special requirements within this specialisation can be found at http://environment.unimelb.edu.au/courses/streams/governance_policy_and_communication

Core Subjects

Students must complete the following core subjects

Compulsory Specialisation Subjects

Students must complete three of the following subjects:

Compulsory Capstone Experience

Students must complete at least 25 points from the following compulsory capstone subjects - please note that if you select either a 25 or 50 point subject that spreads across two semesters you must enrol into the subject in both semesters (your student centre will be able to assist with this).

Elective Subjects

Students should make up the balance of the award from the list of elective subjects below: