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Diploma of Sustainability

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Hot Topic! New Diploma of Sustainability

The National Centre for Sustainability at Swinburne was pleased to introduce a new sustainability course in 2006. The Diploma of Sustainability introduces students to sustainability concepts and explores how they can be applied effectively across a broad range of industry practices.

Sustainability is increasingly being recognised as a critical topic for society. Both business and government are exploring and implementing new ways in which they can grow and prosper into the future in a manner which protects the interests of society and the natural environment. Sustainability is an important concept that can be applied to a broad range of areas - from managing a business, to helping protect the global environment through more efficient energy and resource use.

The Diploma of Sustainability is designed to be studied concurrently with student's existing degree or diploma studies. It is also designed to be studied in isolation providing participants have an existing diploma or higher qualification and relevant related work experience. The course helps students gain a better understanding of how to apply sustainability concepts to their current stream of studies, and their work environment.

Course Outline

The 4 specialist units will help students to understand:

  • What sustainability means as a concept
  • Why sustainability is important for business, society and the environment
  • How it relates to a broad range of industry practices and study areas

Students will be required to support and work on a project that encourages sustainable behaviour change, and develop a plan which a business can implement to become more sustainable, primarily around the issues of waste, water and energy reduction.

The 4 specialist units are: Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is the acknowledgement of skills and knowledge obtained through learning achieved outside the formal education and training system and includes work and life experience including paid and volunteer work and skills attained through leisure pursuits such as musical, mechanical or linguistic abilities.

RPL recognises any prior knowledge and experience and measures it against the qualification in which students are enrolled. An individual may be granted RPL for part or all of a course if they already have some or all of the competencies taught in the course.

RPL is available for students enrolled in the Diploma of Sustainability. For further information about RPL please view: www.tafe.swinburne.edu.au/cdvetp/rpl.html and contact the National Centre for Sustainability.

Benefits and Opportunities for Students

Sustainability is increasingly becoming an important business objective in both government and industry. In recent times, there has been a strong growth in compliance and in job descriptions that specifically address sustainability issues. Most growth opportunities exist through applying sustainability concepts to traditional disciplines. From business management, engineering, product design and manufacturing, event management, hospitality and tourism, right through to building and construction, finance and information technology, employers are recognising the business benefits of operating in ways that deliver sustainable outcomes for people and the environment.

Click here for student profiles

Click here for more information about jobs addressing sustainability issues

Study the Diploma of Sustainability @ Swinburne

Course Structure and Delivery Mode

The Diploma of Sustainability is offered by the National Centre for Sustainability at Swinburne University of Technology to current Swinburne students and business and community members as a DUAL qualification or one that can follow on from any other completed courses.

It is studied concurrently in a Swinburne student's second year of their existing diploma, advanced diploma, degree or higher qualification.

Other citizens or permanent residents can study the course providing they have an existing diploma or higher qualification and relevant related work experience. These participants will be required to provide evidence of their existing diploma or higher qualification and relevant related work experience in their registration application before being accepted in the program.

The course is delivered within one year during Swinburne's TAFE and Higher Education term dates and includes:

Course Details

  • 15 x 3.5 hour sessions timetabled across one calendar year
  • Online Learning (Use of Web CT)
  • Research and project work
  • No text books required
  • Field Trip (included in course)

2009 Times and Locations:

Diploma of Sustainability Timetable (pdf 28kb)

Course Fees

Course fee information currently being updated.

For more information please contact the National Centre for Sustainability.

Enrolment Procedure

Register for programs in 2009 here

Enquiries

Contact the National Centre for Sustainability at Swinburne:

Telephone: +61 3 9210 1903
Facsimile: +61 3 9210 1913
Email: ncs@swin.edu.au

Please click here for information on the Diploma facilitators

Tools & Resources