Background

The Swinburne Housing courses have been running since 1995 and have had well over a 1,000 participants, representing at least 15% of the Australian social housing workforce [AHI 2006]. The courses, which build on each other, consist of Graduate Certificate [4 subjects], a Graduate Diploma [6 subjects] and a Master's in Social Science [subjects plus minor thesis] in Housing Management and Policy. They are fee-paying courses delivered by distance education. Each year between 130 and150 students participate.

The courses were developed with the social housing industry during a 2 year consultation period in 1993/94 involving 700 industry representatives across Australia. This approach was supported at the Housing Ministers Conference [Hobart June 1993] and resulted from research into the professional development needs of the industry [1990: Housing Studies, AGPS report, Burke, T., et al]

Since the beginning the courses have been updated annually and have been reconfigured with industry support, especially the Victorian Office of Housing, to take account of changes to the knowledge and skills increasingly required of the social housing work force. Housing New Zealand entered the program in mid-2001 with the course taking account of their experience.

A further landmark occurred when Swinburne gained international professional recognition by the UK Chartered Institute of Housing at the end of 2001 for the Graduate Diploma..This was done to benchmark the courses against international standards.

In mid-2006 the Housing courses were awarded a citation by the Commonwealth’s Carrick Institute for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning based on teaching that motivates-influences students to learn and curricula that reflect knowledge of the industry.

Experienced Staff

Swinburne staff are strongly connected with or worked in the industry over extended periods; have expertise in relevant areas of policy, management and practice, and provide recognised ‘intellectual capital’ and are highly respected in the industry.

Enquiries:

Ms R Timms: Phone (+61) 3 9214 5566,
email: rtimms swin.edu.au
or contact our Postgraduate Office