Master of Regional and Urban Planning | UniSC | University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia

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Master of Regional and Urban Planning

  • Gain entry to the planning profession
  • Study at your own pace with distance education
  • Focus on a specialist planning area

Program summary

Program title: Master of Regional and Urban Planning
Award abbreviation: MRegUrbPlan
Degree type: coursework
Study mode: on campus (intensive); online
Duration: 2 years full-time, 4 years part-time
Commence: Semester 1 or Semester 2
Fee type 2012: postgraduate coursework places
Total courses:
16
USC program code: AR705
CRICOS code: Not available to international students on a Student Visa.

Help your community plan for a sustainable future.

The Master of Regional and Urban Planning # provides a postgraduate pathway to enter the planning profession and work as a planner. It focuses on the planning challenges of regional Australia, especially regions subject to high growth with associated environmental and community issues.

The program delivers both planning knowledge and skills and you focus on a specialist planning area. With a strong emphasis on reflective learning, you draw on your formal and informal experiences in planning-related organisations and activities. You develop a specialist area of knowledge and are encouraged to think about major planning issues from a multi-disciplinary perspective.

Courses are delivered in one of two modes. In some courses you need to attend short intensive blocks, which are supported by books of readings and on-line resources. In others you study online and receive study materials, use online resources and complete all assessment using the discussion board or written assessment in the form of reports, essays and urban place exercises.

You complete courses in contemporary planning theory, environmental and planning law, planning practice, and engaging effectively with Aboriginal people. You select a further five courses from research design: methodology of literature review, urban design, water allocation and planning, participation and conflict resolution, applied futures studies and Indigenous peoples and sustainability.

You then complete three courses from a specialist area, such as integrated coastal zone management; or climate change adaptation plus a planning thesis, or a planning research project. The thesis component is only available if you meet the academic standard (GPA 5.5) and wish to complete a thesis. Otherwise you must complete the research project and two electives.

To enter the Master of Regional and Urban Planning you will normally be required to hold a Bachelor degree from a recognised University. You will need to be able to access a computer which enables you to use blackboard and participate in on-line learning sessions.

Graduates can expect to find career opportunities as a planner in a regional council or planning consultancy, or as a policy analyst in the Department of Environment and Resource Management or other government departments.

# Provisionally accredited by the Planning Institute of Australia.

Enquiries

Faculty of Arts and Business
Tel: +61 7 5430 1259

Program Leader
Associate Professor Johanna Rosier
Tel: +61 7 5459 4877
Email: jrosier@usc.edu.au

Admission requirements

To enter the Master of Regional and Urban Planning you will normally be required to hold a Bachelor degree from a recognised University.

You will need to be able to access a computer which enables you to use blackboard and participate in on-line learning sessions.

Program structure

Program requirements
  1. Students are required to successfully complete:
    • four required courses and a further five courses from the list of courses offered
    • select either:
      • Option 1: ^
        Complete a thesis (48 units) plus three electives (36 units); or
      • Option 2:
        Complete a research project (24 units) plus three electives (36 units) from a specialist area of study plus an additional two electives (24 units).
  2. Refer to related policies, rules, plans and procedures. 
  3. Not available to international students on a Student Visa. 
  4. Refer to the University's English language proficiency requirements.

^ Students must have achieved a minimum GPA of 5.5 across the required courses ENP701 , ENP702 , ENP703 and SCS701 to undertake Option 1.

Required courses: (4)
CourseSemester of offerUnitsRequisites
ENP701 Internship
ENP702 Contemporary Planning Theory
ENP703 Environmental and Planning Law
SCS701 Planning Practice

PLUS select 5 courses from:

CourseSemester of offerUnitsRequisites
CMN574 Engaging Effectively with Aboriginal People
ENP704 Research Design: Methodology and Literature Review
ENP704 Urban Design Studio
ENP705 Urban Design Studio
ENP707 Water Allocation and Planning
ENP708 Regional Infrastructure Planning
FUT700 Participation and Conflict Resolution
GEO700 Applied Futures Studies: Methods, Values and Strategy

PLUS select one of the two following options:

Option 1
CourseSemester of offerUnitsRequisites
ENP710 Indigenous Peoples and Sustainability

PLUS 3 courses from one of the following specialist areas:

Climate Change Adaption (Integrated Coastal Zone Management)
CourseSemester of offerUnitsRequisites
ENS701 Planning Thesis
ENS708 Estuary and Wetland Systems Dynamics
ENS724 Environmental and Sustainability Evaluation
Climate Change Adaption (Climate Change Adaption)
CourseSemester of offerUnitsRequisites
ENS708 Coastal Systems Dynamics
ENS712 Environmental and Sustainability Evaluation
ENS713 Integrated Management A: Theory and Practice

OR:

Option 2
CourseSemester of offerUnitsRequisites
ENP709 Integrated Management B: Practical Application

PLUS 3 courses from one of the following specialist areas:

Climate Change Adaption (Integrated Coastal Zone Management)
CourseSemester of offerUnitsRequisites
ENS701 Planning Research Project
ENS708 Estuary and Wetland Systems Dynamics
ENS724 Environmental and Sustainability Evaluation
Climate Change Adaption (Climate Change Adaption)
CourseSemester of offerUnitsRequisites
ENS708 Coastal Systems Dynamics
ENS712 Environmental and Sustainability Evaluation
ENS713 Integrated Management A: Theory and Practice

PLUS select two 700 level elective courses