Sustainable development - development that meets human needs while conserving Earth's life support systems - has emerged as one of the grand challenges facing society in the 21st century. With global population expected to reach nine billion by 2050 our capacity to develop sustainably is even more urgent, though progress to date has been patchy. The minor in Sustainable Development is concerned with understanding what it means to develop sustainably, and what factors shape our prospects and policies for a transition towards sustainability. Students gain an appreciation for how international trends, whether they are economic, social or political, create both opportunities and limitations for sustainable development. Similarly, at the local or national level the focus is on how initiatives in the public and private sectors encourage or inhibit a shift to sustainable development.
Learning Outcomes
- Understand the background to sustainable development and global environmental issues, and appreciate the links and interdependencies between sustainability and human activity, poverty reduction, economics, consumption, production and governance.
- Evaluate alternative approaches to sustainable development, from initiatives at the international level to local, grass-roots level activities.
- Understand and critically assess the driving forces for sustainable development in Australia and internationally.
- Gather and analyse relevant information and data related to sustainable development, and, particularly, to integrate knowledge from policy-related social science disciplines with relevant natural science knowledge.
- Apply a range of written, oral and visual communication skills to effectively convey and discuss information about sustainable development.
Other Information
What 1st year courses should you enrol in? ENVS1008
Students should seek further course advice from the academic convener of this Sustainable Development minor.
As an exception, courses listed in this minor but not listed in the Science course list will contribute towards the 96 unit Science requirement for students completing the minor.
Relevant Degrees
Requirements
This minor requires the completion of 24 units, which must include:
6 units from completion of the following courses:
ENVS1008 - Sustainable Development (6 units)
12 units from the completion of courses from the following list:
ENVS2005 - Island Sustainable Development: Fiji Field School (6-12 units)
ENVS2011 - Human Ecology (6 units)
ENVS2013 - Society and Environmental Change (6 units)
ENVS2017 - Vietnam Field School (6-12 units)
MGMT2001 - Corporate Sustainability (6 units)
POLS2011 - Development and Change (6 units)
6 units from the completion of a course from the following list:
ENVS3020 - Climate Change Science & Policy (6 units)
ENVS3028 - Environmental Policy (6 units)
ENVS3033 - International Environmental Policy (6 units)
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