Postgraduate Certificate in Environment

Course 441AA (2015)

Note: This is an archived Handbook entry from 2015.

Year and Campus: 2015
CRICOS Code: 040953G
Fees Information: Subject EFTSL, Level, Discipline & Census Date
Level: Graduate/Postgraduate
Duration & Credit Points: 50 credit points taken over 6 months

Coordinator

Associate Professor Kathryn Williams

Email: kjhw@unimelb.edu.au

Contact

Office for Environmental Programs
Ground Floor, Walter Boas Building (building 163)

Enquiries
Phone: 13 MELB (13 6352)
Email: 13MELB@unimelb.edu.au

Course Overview:

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS COURSE IS NO LONGER ACCEPTING NEW STUDENTS. FROM 2015 THIS COURSE HAS BEEN RENAMED TO 'GC-ENV Graduate Certificate in Environment'

The Graduate Certificate in Environment is a flexible, multidisciplinary course that enables students to develop knowledge for professional practice in environment or sustainability. Depending on their academic background, interests and career aspirations students can choose from over 200 subjects taught by ten different faculties. The course is 50 points (equivalent to four subjects or six months full-time study).

Learning Outcomes:

Students who complete the 441AA Graduate Certificate in Environment will have:

  • Knowledge to undertake professional practice in environment or sustainability, including:
    • Specialised knowledge in an environmental discipline or field of practice
    • Knowledge of the cross-disciplinary nature of environmental issues and professional practice to promote sustainable futures
  • 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 effectively to a range of audiences
    • Ability to work effectively in cross-disciplinary teams
    • Technical skills for professional practice in field of specialisation
  • Demonstrated capacity to exercise well developed judgement, adaptability and responsibility as a practitioner in an environmental discipline or professional field.
Course Structure & Available Subjects:

Students who undertake the Graduate Certificate in Environment must take one core subject and then choose subjects 37.5 points of subjects selected from an approved subject list in consultation with an academic advisor.The relevant elective subjects are all approved for the tailored specialisation in the Master of Environment, please see the link below.

Majors/
Minors/
Specialisations

Tailored Elective Subjects

Elective Subjects

This list of elective subjects available for the Graduate Certificate in Environment are sourced from the Master of Environment's Tailored Specialisation, please see below.

Majors/Minors/Specialisations:
Subject Options:

Core Subject

Students must complete the following core subject:

Subject
Study Period Commencement:
Credit Points:
Entry Requirements:

1. In order to be considered for entry, applicants must have completed:

  • an undergraduate degree in a cognate discipline with at least an H3 (65%) weighted average, or equivalent;

OR

  • an undergraduate degree in any discipline with at least an H3 (65%) weighted average, or equivalent; and
  • two years of documented professional work experience since graduation related to the degree.

Meeting these requirements does not guarantee selection.

2. In ranking applications, the Selection Committee will consider:

  • prior academic performance; and, if relevant
  • professional experience.

3. The Selection Committee may seek further information to clarify any aspect of an application in accordance with the Admission and Selection into Course Policy.

4. The minimum English language requirements for this course are Band 6.5.

Note:

Students Completing the Graduate Certificate in Environment will be eligible for 50 points of credit into the Graduate Diploma of Environment or the Master of Environment.

Students completing the Graduate Diploma in Environment will be eligible for 100 points of credit into the Master of Environment.

Core Participation Requirements:

The Graduate School of Science (GSS) welcomes applications from students with disabilities. It is University and School policy to take reasonable steps to make reasonable adjustments so as to enable the student’s participation in the School’s programs. GSS contributes to the New Generation degrees and offers a broad range of programs across undergraduate and post-graduate levels many of which adopt a multi-disciplinary approach.

Students of the School’s courses must possess intellectual, ethical, and emotional capabilities required to participate in the full curriculum and to achieve the levels of competence required by the School. Candidates must have abilities and skills in observation; motor in relevant areas; communication; in conceptual, integrative, and quantitative dimensions; and in behavioural and social dimensions.

Adjustments can be provided to minimise the impact of a disability, however students need to be able to participate in the program in an independent manner and with regard to their safety and the safety of others.

I. Observation: In some contexts, the student must be able to observe demonstrations and experiments in the basic and applied sciences. More broadly, observation requires reading text, diagrams, maps, drawings and numerical data. The candidate should be able to observe details at a number of scales and record useful observations in discipline dependant contexts.

II. Communication: A candidate should be able to communicate with fellow students, professional and academic staff, members of relevant professions and the public. A candidate must be able to communicate effectively and sensitively. Communication includes not only speech but also reading and writing.

III. Motor: Candidates should have sufficient motor function necessary for participation in the inherent discipline-related activities. The practical work, design work, field work, diagnostic procedures, laboratory tests, require varying motor movement abilities. Off campus investigations may include visits to construction sites, urban, rural and/or remote environments.

IV. Intellectual-Conceptual, Integrative and Quantitative Abilities: These abilities include measurement, calculation, reasoning, analysis, and synthesis. Problem solving, the critical skill demanded of professionals in land and environment industries, requires all of these intellectual abilities. In addition, the candidate should be able to comprehend three-dimensional relationships and to understand the spatial relationships of structures.

V. Behavioural and Social Attributes: A candidate must possess behavioural and social attributes that enable them to participate in a complex learning environment. Students are required to take responsibility for their own participation and learning. They also contribute to the learning of other students in collaborative learning environments, demonstrating interpersonal skills and an understanding of the needs of other students. Assessment may include the outcomes of tasks completed in collaboration with other students.

Students who feel their disability will prevent them from meeting the above academic requirements are encouraged to contact the Disability Liaison Unit.

Further Study:

Graduate Diploma in Environment; Master of Environment.

Graduate Attributes:

The Graduate Certificate in Environment enables students to become:

  • Academically excellent, with in-depth knowledge of a specialist environmental discipline, the capacity to solve environmental problems, and remain self-directed in their learning in this field.
  • Knowledgeable across disciplines, with a critical appreciation of the variety of disciplines that contribute to environmental practices, and the ability to evaluate this knowledge in collaborative contexts.
  • Leaders for sustainable futures, with excellent interpersonal and decision-making skills, who are respectful of diversity in cultural experiences of environmental change and have a capacity to initiate positive change and advocate for sustainable societies.
Generic Skills:

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 effectively to a range of audiences
  • Ability to work effectively in cross-disciplinary teams
  • Technical skills for professional practice in field of specialisation
Links to further information: http://www.environment.unimelb.edu.au

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