Note: This course is not available in 2025.

Course overview

Description

Environmental planning is essential to ensuring the sustainability of places, communities, habitats and regions. Environmental planners ensure that development proposals and resource users conform with legislation and underlying principles of sustainable management. This course provides students with knowledge of these key concepts and their application to a wide range of contexts, both in the natural and human environment. The course develops students' ability to apply their skills in both theoretical and practical settings, with an emphasis on the development of professional experience through teaching activities and work placements.

Course title
Master of Environmental Planning (coursework or coursework and dissertation)
Award abbreviation
MEnvPln
Course code
13550
Course type
Master's degree by coursework or by coursework and dissertation
Status
Not available in 2025
Administered by
Social Sciences
CRICOS code
103501M

Course details

Intake periods
Beginning of year and mid-year
Attendance type
Full- or part-time (Student visa holders should read Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000 for more information.)
Articulation
The Master of Environmental Planning has the following exit awards: 12250 Graduate Certificate in Environmental Planning (24 points) (24 points), 12350 Graduate Diploma in Environmental Planning (48 points) (48 points)
Credit points required
96
A standard full-time load is 24 points per semester.
Standard course duration
1.5 years full-time (or equivalent part-time) comprising 72 points of taught units and 24 points of admission credit, as recognised and granted by the School
Maximum course duration
2 years full-time (or equivalent part-time) comprising up to 96 points of taught study (see Rule 5 for further information)
Time limit
4 years
Delivery mode
Internal
Locations offered
UWA (Perth)
Domestic fee type
Postgraduate fee-paying/FEE-HELP
Available to international students
Yes. For information on international student fees see 'Student Procedures: Fees'. (Enquiries: https://www.uwa.edu.au/askuwa)
Course Coordinator(s)
Dr Linda Robson
Fees
Visit the fees calculator.

Prospective students should see the Future Students website for details on admission requirements, intake periods, fees, availability to international students, careers information etc.

No study plans found for this course. See study plans for more information.

Course structure

Key to availability of units:
S1
Semester 1
S2
Semester 2
SS
summer teaching period
N/A
not available in 2025 – may be available in 2026 or 2027
*
to be advised

Students without advanced standing, take up to 24 points as directed by your course advising office

Take all units (48 points):

AvailabilityUnit codeUnitnameUnit requirementsContact hours
S2ARCT5577Conservation in Cultural Landscapes, Historic Towns and Urban Precincts
Incompatibility
ARCT5505 Conservation in Cultural Landscapes, Historic Towns and Urban Precincts
Introductory lecture: 1 x 2 hours; lectures/field work exercises/seminars: 3 hours per week
S1, S2ENVT4411Geographic Information Systems Applications
Incompatibility
Unit(s) GEOG2201 Geographic Information Systems (ID 1384)
The total workload for the unit is 150 hours. This includes podcasts for viewing and reading to be undertaken prior to attending one compulsory 3-hour workshop per week where students will be contributing to interactive discussions together with practical lab work using GIS software. Completion of the practical workshop labs is necessary to enable skills for completing written unit assessment. Independent learning is required throughout the unit.
S1ENVT4421Fundamentals of Environmental Management
Prerequisites
Enrolment in
72530 Master of Environmental Science
or 25530 Master of Urban Design
or 13550 Master of Environmental Planning
or 12250 Graduate Certificate in Environmental Planning
or HON-ENVSC Environmental Science
or HON-NRMGT Natural Resource Management
or HON-GGRPY Geographical Sciences
Incompatibility
ENVT4404 Environmental Planning and Management
N/AGEOG4003Fundamentals of PlanningNoneVideo presentations - up to 20 x 20 minutes Virtual fieldwork - 3 days
S2GEOG5411Regional Development in the Global Context
Incompatibility
All of the following Unit(s) PLNG5411 Urban and Regional Analysis
40 (teaching blocks: 12 x 2 hours 45 minutes; field trip: 1 x 7 hours)
S2LACH4421Australian LandscapesNoneseminars: 3–4 hours per week
NS, S1, S2SVLG5001McCusker Centre for Citizenship Internship
Prerequisites
The vast Majority of students - No prerequistes
or Enrolment in
20820 Juris Doctor and the following units ( LAWS4101 Foundations of Law and Lawyering
and LAWS4102 Criminal Law .
and LAWS4103 Contract
and LAWS4104 Property
and LAWS4106 Torts
and LAWS4109 Legal Theory and Ethics
)
Incompatibility
for Juris Doctor students: LAWS5174 Legal Internship
Internship experience: approximately 100 hours; McCusker Centre attendance: approximately 8 hours
S1URBD5803Sustainability and CitiesNone1 hour lecture; 2 hours tutorial per week

Take all units (24 points):

Note: Students taking a dissertation should take all units from this group.

AvailabilityUnit codeUnitnameUnit requirementsContact hours
S1, S2GEOG5011Dissertation (Geography, Planning, Environment and Development) Part 1
Prerequisites
a final grade of 70% or higher in SOCS4100 Social Sciences Research Skills
or permission from the unit coordinator
Supervision sessions with one or two supervisors over two semesters; independent research and study. Students are guided in this process through an induction program starting the week before semester.
S1, S2GEOG5012Dissertation (Geography, Planning, Environment and Development) Part 2
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
SOCS4100 Social Sciences Research Skills
Co-requisites
GEOG5011 Master's Research Project in Geography, Environment and Planning Part 1
Supervision sessions with one or two supervisors over two semesters; independent research and study. Students are guided in this process through an induction program starting the week before semester.
S1, S2GEOG5013Dissertation (Geography, Planning, Environment and Development) Part 3
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
SOCS4100 Social Sciences Research Skills
supervision sessions with one or two supervisors over two semesters; independent research and study. Students are guided in this process through an induction program starting the week before semester.
NSSOCS4100Social Sciences Research Skills
Prerequisites
Enrolment in
any Honours Programme
or a Masters dissertation project.
Incompatibility
COMM4101 Concepts in Communication, COMM7481 Honours Seminar 1 (Communication Studies)
seminars: 4 hours per week

Take all units (18 points):

Note: Students not taking a dissertation should take all units from this group.

AvailabilityUnit codeUnitnameUnit requirementsContact hours
S2GEOG5411Regional Development in the Global Context
Incompatibility
All of the following Unit(s) PLNG5411 Urban and Regional Analysis
40 (teaching blocks: 12 x 2 hours 45 minutes; field trip: 1 x 7 hours)
S1LACH4423Landscape and Urban EcologyNoneseminar (lectures: 1 hour per week and seminars: 3 hours per week)
S1URBD5807The Forces that Shape Cities
Incompatibility
URBD8807 Evolution of the City
1 hour lecture and 2 hour tutorial per week

Take unit(s) to the value of 6 points:

Note: Students not taking a dissertation should take 6 points from this group.

AvailabilityUnit codeUnitnameUnit requirementsContact hours
N/ALAWS5540Environmental Protection LawNoneThis unit will run online with pre-reading from 29 July. Interactive classes will be held 27-29 August 2024. Attendance at these sessions is mandatory. Refer to the LMS page for further information,
N/ALAWS5590Water Resources Law
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
LAWS4227 Foundations of Law and Legal Institutions

See also the rules for the course and the Student Rules.

Rules

Note: This course is not available in 2025.

Applicability of the Student Rules, policies and procedures

1.(1) The Student Rules apply to students in this course.

(2) The policy, policy statements and guidance documents and student procedures apply, except as otherwise indicated in the rules for this course.

Academic Conduct Essentials and Communication and Research Skills modules

2.(1) A student who enrols in this course for the first time irrespective of whether they have previously been enrolled in another course of the University, must undertake the Academic Conduct Essentials module (the ACE module) and the Communication and Research Skills module (the CARS module).

(2) A student must successfully complete the ACE module within the first teaching period of their enrolment. Failure to complete the module within this timeframe will result in the student's unit results from this teaching period being withheld. These results will continue to be withheld until students avail themselves of a subsequent opportunity to achieve a passing grade in the ACE module. In the event that students complete units in subsequent teaching periods without completing the ACE module, these results will similarly be withheld. Students will not be permitted to submit late review or appeal applications regarding results which have been withheld for this reason and which they were unable to access in the normally permitted review period.

English Language competency requirements

3. To be considered eligible for consideration for admission to this course an applicant must satisfy the University's English language competence requirement as set out in the University Policy on Admission: Coursework.

Admission requirements

4. To be considered for admission to this course an applicant must have—

(a) a bachelor's degree, or an equivalent qualification, as recognised by UWA;

and

(b) the equivalent of a UWA weighted average mark of at least 50 per cent; or

(c) Significant work experience including at least 5 years with a material level of responsibility.

Admission ranking and selection

5. Where relevant, admission will be awarded to the highest ranked applicants or applicants selected based on the relevant requirements.

Articulations and exit awards

6.(1) This course has the following exit awards:

  • 12250 Graduate Certificate in Environmental Planning (24 points)
  • 12350 Graduate Diploma in Environmental Planning (48 points)

(2) A student who withdraws from the Master of Environmental Planning course before completing it, but after completing 24 points of core units, may apply to the School to be awarded the Graduate Certificate in Environmental Planning.

(3) A student who withdraws from the Master of Environmental Planning course before completing it, but after completing 48 points of core units, may apply to the School to be awarded the Graduate Diploma in Environmental Planning.

Course structure

7.(1) The course consists of units to a total value of 96 points (maximum value) which include conversion units to a value of 24 points.

(2) Units must be selected in accordance with the course structure, as set out in these rules.

(3) Students who have completed prior tertiary studies in urban, regional or development planning, or human or physical geography, or equivalent, are granted credit for conversion units up to a value of 24 points.

Satisfactory progress

8. To make satisfactory progress a student must pass units to a point value greater than half the total value of units in which they remain enrolled after the final date for withdrawal without academic penalty.

9. A student who has not achieved a result of Ungraded Pass (UP) for the Communication and Research Skills module (the CARS module) when their progress status is assessed will not have made satisfactory progress even if they have met the other requirements for satisfactory progress in Rule 8.

Progress status

10. A student who fails to make satisfactory progress under Rule 8 is assigned a progress status of 'Excluded' unless the Faculty decides otherwise in light of exceptional circumstances.

11. A student who does not make satisfactory progress in terms of Rule 9 is assigned the progress status of 'On Probation', unless they have been assigned a progress status of 'Suspended' or 'Excluded' for failure to meet other satisfactory progress requirements in Rule 8.

Award with distinction

12. To be awarded the degree with distinction a student must achieve a course weighted average mark (WAM) of at least 80 per cent which is calculated based on—

(a) all units above Level 3 attempted as part of the course that are awarded a final percentage mark;

(b) all relevant units above Level 3 undertaken in articulating courses of this University that are awarded a final percentage mark;

and

(c) all units above Level 3 completed at this University that are credited to the master's degree course.

Deferrals

13. Applicants awarded admission to the course are entitled to a deferral of up to 12 months, as per the University Policy on: Admissions (Coursework).

Additional rules
Research project

14. Students who request approval to undertake a research project in this course must—

first complete SOCS5003 (or equivalent research design unit) and obtain a mark of at least 70%, prior to progressing to the 18 point dissertation units.