Sustainable Cities, Sustainable Regions

Sustainable Cities, Sustainable Regions is offered as a major field of study in the Master of Environment degree.

Complex relationships exist between cities and the agricultural and natural environments on which they rely. The Sustainable Cities, Sustainable Regions major examines such relationships and how they impact on urban, suburban, rural and regional dwellers in the 21st century at different scales.

This major applies sustainability concepts across various settings including the urban, rural and regional landscapes.

Appropriate for professionals working in land management, extension, and planning agencies working and/or researching domestically or internationally, we are looking for students whose background equips them to move into advanced study of these issues.

Study in this major leads to employment in regulatory agencies, local, state and national government, international and national consulting companies and industries. Students can expect to work in urban, rural or regional areas.

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 Sustainable Cities, Sustainable Regions specialisation, students will be able to:

• analyse complex relationships between cities and agricultural and natural environments on which they rely;
• propose strategies for sustainable planning, policy and management of human settlements and natural resources; and,

collaborate across disciplines and sectors in the context of urban and regional planning and policy.

Students will be required to complete the two core subjects and the two subjects that are compulsory to this major. Students in the 200 point patyhway will be required to take at least 12.5 points of research or internship or project based subjects. Students in the 100 point pathway will not normally be required to complete this component. Students will undertake electives to make up the balance of the award. The selection of electives is made in consultation with the Sustainable Cities, Sustainable Regions major coordinators. It is the intention of this stream that students select from both regional and urban based subjects in order to intellectually connect with the social and ecological flows that connect regional and urban environments and landscapes.

For a current list of subjects offered in the Sustainable Cities, Sustainable Regions major, please refer to the course information page here:

http://environment.unimelb.edu.au/courses/streams/sustainable_cities_sustainable_regions

Core Subjects

Students must complete the following core subjects:

Compulsory Specialisation Subjects

Students must complete the following compulsory specialisation subjects:

Compulsory Capstone Experience

Students must complete at least 12.5 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). Students completing the 100 point pathway will normally be exempt from this requirement.

Elective Subjects

Students should make up the balance of the award with electives. Subjects in the list below are recommended. Other subjects may be taken with the approval of stream coordinator.

Other subjects may be approved at the discretion of the coordinator.