Postgraduate studies in Planning

Course overview

Deakin's suite of planning courses is designed to promote a rich cross-discipline learning environment and has been developed for all graduates who have successfully completed an undergraduate degree, irrespective of their discipline base, and who wish to acquire or enhance a career path which involves designing, planning and managing sustainable environments.

The courses address development pressures as well as key issues at local government level such as the design of high quality, healthy, urban environments, environmental sustainability, cultural heritage and the forming of ethical public policy.

Your career

Existing planning professionals will benefit from the opportunity to gain specialist knowledge in a choice of one or more streams:

• Urban Design
• Cultural Heritage
• Politics and Policy
• Environmental Management
• Research

These courses are suitable for those in related fields who are seeking a career change. The Graduate Certificate of Planning offers an entry point for graduates who have successfully completed an undergraduate degree, irrespective of their discipline base, wishing to commence a career in this diverse area. Deakin is the only university in Australia to offer this postgraduate entry to graduates of an unrelated discipline. This course is also ideal for those already in planning or related areas that are looking to up skill, update or broaden their qualifications.

Employment opportunities

There is a critical shortage of skilled and experienced experts, especially in rural and regional areas, who are able to plan, design, and manage sustainable social and urban change. Due to immense change in the planning and design industry, government and professional bodies are calling for graduate programs which address this complex array of changes in an intergrated way. Deakin’s Planning courses can provide you with skills that will enable you to work across diverse sectors of the planning industry. Graduates may find work as:

• strategic planners in local, regional or state governments
• strategic planners in private practice or consultancies
• strategic planners for companies involved in suburban or regional housing developments.

Course duration and delivery

These courses are offered off campus with an optional on-campus experience. You can study part-time or full-time.

The optional on-campus experiences comprise of one, two, or three-day sessions each trimester, involving intensive tuition, field-based learning and group projects, depending on the unit of study.

The graduate certificate can normally be completed in two trimesters of part-time study, while the graduate diploma takes two trimesters of full-time study or part-time equivalent. The Master of Planning is normally completed in three trimesters of full-time study or the part-time equivalent.

The courses have intakes in Trimester 1 and 2. Trimester 1 begins in early March and Trimester 2 begins in July. Applications for Trimester 1 should arrive at the University no later than February while applications for Trimester 2 should arrive by early June. Early applications are advisable.

Planning staff include:

Dr Iain Butterworth

Dr Louise Johnson

Professor William Logan

Dr Colin Long

Dr Kevin O'Toole

Dr John Rollo

Mr Trevor Thornton

Why Choose Deakin University?

Interdisciplinary approach
The Master of Planning course has been formulated across three Faculties: Arts and Education; Health, Medicine, Nursing and Behavioural Sciences; and Science and Technology. This means you will be able to comprehend and engage with the planning design and governance of the urban environment from a multi-dimensional perspective. You can choose from units in planning, urban design, environmental management to public policy, cultural heritage, public policy, human geography and health.

Studio based research forums
As part of your studies, you can participate in a sequence of collaborative, studio-based research forums developed specifically for this program. You will have the option to attend forums as on-campus intensive workshops or in a virtual online collaborative space. This sequence of workshops, not offered by any other postgraduate program in Australia, allows you to act as a practitioner-researcher – bringing together communities, local authorities and different professional interests within a single, unique and highly relevant collaborative learning environment. Each forum will allow you to engage in professional networking and critical discourse by working on crossdiscipline strategic initiatives in regional, metropolitan, new suburban, and international urban environments. Working through case-based workshops and contemporary issues, you will develop problem identification and solving skills through critical analysis and the generation of innovative design/policy strategies and solutions.

Diversity of entry
Deakin’s planning program encourages diversity in the knowledge base of its student cohort. Students without prior undergraduate qualifications in planning, architecture, or landscape architecture, but with an undergraduate qualification from an unrelated discipline background can obtain professional qualifications in planning, governance and urban design. Deakin is the only university in Australia to offer this postgraduate entry to graduates of an unrelated discipline.

Specialise or range widely
All students must take the 4 core units, but beyond this you can either specialise or choose from a range of elective subjects.

Flexibility
We know that postgraduate study is a big commitment. Deakin’s courses are genuinely flexible, to help you fit your studies in with workplace and personal commitments. You can study from home, in your own time, using flexible online classrooms and mailed library resources. Regardless of where you live, resources can be posted to off-campus students or accessed from our comprehensive electronic collection.

Relevant Knowledge
Postgraduate courses in planning cover key issues, concepts and knowledge required by professionals working in the areas of urban design, cultural heritage, healthy cities, environmental management and policy. You will have the option to attend forums as on-campus intensive workshops or in a virtual online collaborative space. Units of study are under constant review and are directly relevant to the professional lives of students and graduates.

Quality
At Deakin we pride ourselves on providing quality postgraduate courses for people working or aspiring to work in the area of planning. Quality is evident in all aspects of our courses from the standard of study materials to teaching staff who are leaders in their field. Ranked among the best in the world, our library service has set a benchmark for Australian universities.

Technology
As a Deakin student you will have access to the best new technologies. Email, chat groups, podcasts and the internet are widely used and Deakin’s lecture streaming service gives you online access to recorded lectures for many units. The University has produced its own Software Essentials DVD to support online communication. All units offer a dedicated teaching and learning site Deakin Studies Online.

Networks
As a Deakin postgraduate student, you will become part of a network of researchers, academics, practitioners and alumni. You will have access to specialist knowledge and the opportunity to establish new contacts with people who are shaping and influencing all levels of the planning industry.