Master of Sustainability (Professional)
2025 Deakin University Handbook
| Year | 2025 course information |
|---|---|
| Award granted | Master of Sustainability (Professional) |
| Deakin course code | S728 |
| Faculty | Faculty of Science, Engineering and Built Environment |
| Campus | Offered at Burwood (Melbourne) |
| Online | Yes |
| Duration | 2 years full-time or part-time equivalent |
| Course Map - enrolment planning tool | The course map for new students commencing from Trimester 1 2025
Course maps for commencement in previous years are available on the Course Maps webpage or please contact a Student Adviser in Student Central. |
| CRICOS course code | 108874H Burwood (Melbourne) |
| Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) recognition | The award conferred upon completion is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework at Level 9 |
Course sub-headings
- Course overview
- Indicative student workload
- Career opportunities
- Participation requirements
- Mandatory student checks
- Pathways
- Alternative exits
- Course Learning Outcomes
- Course rules
- Specialisations
- Course structure
- Work experience
- Details of specialisations
- Fees and charges
Course overview
Explore how humanity can meet its growing needs while ensuring future generations can meet theirs in the Master of Sustainability (Professional). Focusing on multidisciplinary approaches to policy and management, you will acquire the advanced knowledge and skills needed to develop successful sustainability strategies that balance environmental, social, and economic considerations
This flexible course allows you to tailor your degree to suit your career aspirations by providing a choice of options towards the latter part of your studies – advanced research, elective study, or a combination of elective study and industry practice. You will build a solid foundation in sustainability, environmental science, and global change, before specialising in an area of your choosing. Whatever you choose, you will be equipped for a rewarding career effecting positive change.
Ready to take action for a brighter future?
Issues of sustainability are complex and skilled professionals capable of developing appropriate cost-effective and targeted solutions to these challenges are crucial for our future. That’s why a key focus of the Master of Sustainability (Professional) is developing an in-depth understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals, which every member country of the United Nations is committed to achieving by 2030.
The flexible structure of the course provides you with the opportunity to build the degree for the career you want. You will first acquire a solid foundation in sustainability before broadening your studies through the pursuit of a specialisation that interests you most. Towards the latter part of your studies, you can choose to either undertake a focused research project, industry practice, or broaden your skills with elective units in areas such as climate change adaptation and mitigation, regional development, environmental management, risk assessment and control, health promotion, community consultation and more.
Connections to industry are an integral part of this course. These connections ensure you have the opportunity to gain an industry perspective and establish professional networks prior to graduation. Guest lectures from key industry partners are embedded into the course to provide you with an understanding of sustainability issues in a real-world context.
Indicative student workload
You can expect to participate in a range of teaching activities each week. This could include lectures, seminars, workshops, site visits and online interaction. You can refer to the individual unit details in the course structure for more information. You will also need to study and complete assessment tasks in your own time.
Career opportunities
As a graduate of this course, you will be equipped with the skills to build a rewarding career effecting positive change. You will be well positioned to engage in the development and implementation of practical solutions to complex sustainability challenges. Employment opportunities exist in government, non-government organisations or in the private sector.
Depending on your area of expertise, management or consultant opportunities exist in areas including environmental protection, cultural and natural heritage management, environmental conservation, land and water management, natural resource management, agriculture, communications, and planning.
Those choosing to undertake the advanced research study option in the final year of this degree will also be well positioned to pursue further research studies, including a master by research or PhD.
Participation requirements
Elective units may be selected that include compulsory placements, work-based training, community-based learning or collaborative research training arrangements.
Reasonable adjustments to participation and other course requirements will be made for students with a disability. More information available at Disability support services.
Mandatory student checks
Any unit which contains work integrated learning, a community placement or interaction with the community may require a police check, Working with Children Check or other check.
Pathways
Graduates will be uniquely positioned to commence a PhD. You will have access to a range of elective units from a variety of relevant discipline areas across the University. This will allow you to tailor a program relevant to your specific interests. As a pathway to PhD, the course has a key component in the form of a research project. The thesis should offer a significant contribution to knowledge in the discipline concerned and demonstrate your capacity to carry out independent research.
Students not wishing to pursue further studies in research will have the opportunity to undertake an industry practice placement or undertake course electives that will allow them to complement their studies with a range of relevant options.
Alternative exits
| Graduate Certificate of Sustainability (S527) | |
| Graduate Diploma of Sustainability (S627) | |
| Master of Sustainability (S727) |
Course Learning Outcomes
| Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes | Course Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|
| Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities | Demonstrate mastery and specialist knowledge of natural and social sciences related to sustainability, environmental management, health and environment and sustainable regional development. Plan and execute a substantial research or industry based project to demonstrate a deep understanding and mastery within the sustainability, environmental management and sustainable regional development disciplines. Demonstrate well-developed judgement and responsibility to review, analyse and develop sustainability strategies based on holistic principles. |
| Communication | Present a reasoned argument that highlights essential details of sustainability, environmental management and sustainable regional development, theory and application, key observations, results and conclusions of scientific research in a professional manner using appropriate style, language and references including local, national, and international contributions or contexts. Apply listening skills and effective communication skills to accommodate, encourage and answer questions from a range of audience and to defend research/project findings and sustainability implementation propositions. Interpret the boundaries or limits of social and scientific information, data, discuss error, probability, uncertainty, conclusions and arguments to justify theoretical propositions, methodologies, methods, techniques, conclusions and professional decisions. |
| Digital literacy | Use well-developed technical skills, judgement and responsibility to independently locate, analyse, evaluate the merits of, synthesise and disseminate sustainability data, information and literature in the planning and implementation of projects to a range of stakeholders in sustainability, environmental management and sustainable regional development. Reflect on information, data and results and develop strategies for disseminating research outcomes in a digital world. |
| Critical thinking | Appraise complex social, economic and scientific methodologies and information from a broad range of interdisciplinary sources using critical, analytical and logical reasoning from multiple perspectives for evaluating and providing solutions to sustainability issues that incorporate the holistic principles. Formulate research questions to test and/ or contest ideas, concepts and theoretical propositions through an evidence-based well-structured project. |
| Problem solving | Plan and implement sustainability research investigation by using traditional and emerging techniques and technologies to identify problems and by applying analysis and synthesis skills, and triple-bottom line principles to solve research and/or practical problems. Demonstrate complex problem-solving skills by identifying and creating solutions to real world sustainability through social, economic and/or scientific inquiry. Contribute to advancements in scientific knowledge through mastery in the use of traditional and emerging instruments and techniques to device an investigation, and in the collection, interpretation, analysis, synthesis and dissemination of issues pertaining to the identification of issues and solutions to improve sustainability in general and/or environmental management and/or sustainable regional development. |
| Self-management | Take personal, professional and social responsibility within changing national and international professional contexts to develop autonomy as researchers and evaluate own performances. Work autonomously, responsibly and safely to solve unstructured problems and actively apply knowledge of social frameworks and scientific methodologies to make informed choices based on the triple-bottom line principles. |
| Teamwork | Work independently and collaboratively with advice from the supervisor towards achieving the outcomes of a project and thereby demonstrate interpersonal skills including the ability to brainstorm, negotiate, resolve conflicts, managing difficult and awkward conversations, provide constructive feedback and work in diverse professional, social and cultural contexts. |
| Global citizenship | Apply principles of sustainability and environmental management knowledge and skills with a high level of autonomy, judgement, responsibility and accountability in collaboration with the supervisor to articulate the place and importance of social and scientific inquiry in the local and global context. |
Course rules
To complete the Master of Sustainability (Professional) students must pass 16 credit points and meet the following course rules to be eligible to graduate:
- DAI001 Academic Integrity and Respect at Deakin (0-credit-point compulsory unit) in their first study period
- STP710 Career Tools for Employability (0-credit-point compulsory unit)
- 3 credit points of core units
- 4 credit point specialisation
- 9 credit point pathway which may comprise of:
- Research pathway (subject to meeting unit requirements)
- Industry Practice pathway (subject to meeting unit requirements)
- Advanced Discipline coursework pathway
Students are required to meet the University's academic progress and conduct requirements. See the enrolment codes and terminology to help make sense of the University’s vocabulary.
Specialisations
Refer to the details of each specialisation for availability.
Course structure
Core
| DAI001 | Academic Integrity and Respect at Deakin (0 credit points) |
| STP710 | Career Tools for Employability (0 credit points) |
| SLE761 | Professional Research Practice |
| SLE756 | Sustainability in the Anthropocene |
| SLE757 | Environmental Science and Global Change |
Pathway options
Research pathway
| SLE763 | Research Project Planning |
| SLE764 | Research Project (4 credit points) |
| SLE765 | Research Project (Advanced) (4 credit points) |
OR
Industry practice pathway
| SLE767 | Industry Practice Planning |
| SLE768 | Industry Practice A (2 credit points) |
| SLE769 | Industry Practice B (2 credit points) |
plus 4 course elective units (4 credit points) from the course elective list
OR
Advanced discipline coursework pathway
9 course elective units (9 credit points) from the course elective list.
Course elective units
Students studying S728 Master of Sustainability (Professional) or S727 Master of Sustainability can choose any units from the list below to fill the course elective unit options (subject to meeting unit requirements).
Course elective units may also be chosen from the remaining specialisations (ie students enrolled in the environmental management specialisation may choose electives from within the health and environment specialisation).
Students choosing Deakin's microcredentials^ (0.5cp) through our Stackable short courses as electives must take at least 2 microcredentials to equate to 1 credit point of study.
Environmental management
| SLE715 | Circular Economy |
| SLE716 | Environmental Protection |
| SLE720 | Risk Assessment and Control |
| SLE725 | Environmental Management Systems |
Health and environment
| HSH701 | Principles and Practice of Public Health |
| HSH703 | Health Promotion |
| HSH728 | Health Equity and Human Rights |
| HSH736 | Community Consultation and Participation |
HMC703-OD Promoting Human and Planetary Health (0.5 credit points)^
Sustainable regional development
| SLE740 | Climate Change, Adaptation and Mitigation |
| SLE741 | Regional Development Economics for Sustainability |
| SLE742 | Systems Thinking for Sustainability and Resilience |
| SLE743 | Spatial Analysis and Geographic Information Systems |
Cities
| SET721 | Engineering Sustainability |
| SRD743 | Components of the Circular City |
| SRD744 | Interactions and Enablers of the Circular City |
| SRD760 | Geo-Planning and Design |
| SRT722 | Sustainable Construction Studies |
| SRT757 | Building Systems and Environment |
Communities and wellbeing
| ADS701 | Introduction to International and Community Development |
| ADS704 | Community From Participation to Activism |
| ADS705 | Participatory and Community Development Practice |
| HDS733 | Community Capacity Building - Theory and Practice for Inclusion |
| HSH736 | Community Consultation and Participation |
Communications and attitude formation
| ADS715 | Cross Cultural Communication and Practice |
| ALJ714 | Journalism for Social Change |
| ALJ722 | Investigative and Narrative Journalism |
| ALR718 | Public Relations, Activism and Social Change |
| ALR782 | Public Affairs and Opinion Formation |
Cultural heritage
| AIM703 | Heritage Practice: Conservation and Managing Change |
| AIM708 | World Heritage |
| AIM709 | Intangible Cultural Heritage |
| AIM720 | Sustainability and Human Rights in Heritage and Museums |
Data science for sustainability
| MIS715 | Responsible Artificial Intelligence |
| MIS770 | Foundation Skills in Data Analysis |
| SIT718 | Real World Analytics |
| SIT741 | Statistical Data Analysis |
Digital tools for online influencing
| ACG703 | Design and Digital Skills |
| ACG706 | Web and Interactive Design |
| ALC708 | Social Media Content Creation |
| ALJ715 | Multimedia Storytelling |
Energy
| SEE705 | Energy Efficiency, Management and Market Analysis * |
DMC716-OD Renewable energy microgrid: Integrating green hydrogen (0.5 credit points) ^
*Must have an engineering background; unit chair approval is required for admission for any students outside of the School of Engineering.
Food, land and health
| ADH712 | Food and Water Security |
| HMF701 | Agricultural Health and Medicine |
| HMF702 | Healthy and Sustainable Agricultural Communities |
| HSN706 | Policy and Practice for Healthy and Sustainable Food Systems |
Global geopolitics and sustainable development
| ADS734 | Geopolitics and Political Economy of Development |
| AIR701 | China and the World |
| AIR707 | The United Nations and International Organisation |
| AIR717 | International Conflict Analysis |
| AIR720 | Transnational Activism and Policy |
| AIR726 | Human Rights in World Politics |
| AIR728 | Global Political Economy |
| MPE711 | Global Trade and Supply Chains |
Greening business and industry
| MIS741 | Ethics of Digital Transformation |
| MMH733 | Ethical Decision Making in Organisations |
| MMM710 | Emerging Issues in International Operations |
| MPP710 | Environmental Sustainability for Business |
| SLE718 | Green Chemistry and Industrial Bioprocessing |
DMC713-OD Life Cycle Assessment: A Practical Introduction (0.5 credit points)^
DMC714-OD Environmental Cost-Benefit Analysis in Business (0.5 credit points)^
MMC706-OD Change Tools (0.5 credit points)^
MMC705-OD Innovation and Leadership (0.5 credit points)^
Inclusive and sustainable development
| ADH713 | Community, Development and Humanitarianism in An Era of Climate Crisis |
| ADH714 | Gender, Race and Culture |
| AHL701 | The Humanitarian World |
International development
| ADH717 | Climate Change and Sustainability |
| ADS701 | Introduction to International and Community Development |
| ADS705 | Participatory and Community Development Practice |
| AHA724 | Disaster Risk Reduction and Community Led Recovery |
Policy and governance
| ACR706 | Environmental Crime and Regulation |
| ADS711 | Non-Government Organisations and other Development Actors |
| AIP704 | Making Policy |
| AIP740 | Policy Lessons From Overseas |
| AIP748 | Intergovernmental Relations: Federalism, Power and Multi-Level Governance |
| AIP773 | Governance and Accountability in Turbulent Times |
| AIP780 | The Politics of Australia's Economy |
| ADS722 | Private Sector Development: Corporations, Social-Enterprise and Microfinance |
Professional studies
| SLE763 | Research Project Planning |
| SLE767 | Industry Practice Planning |
Work experience
Students will have an opportunity to complete work experience as part of the industry practice pathway.
Details of specialisations
Environmental management
Campuses
Burwood (Melbourne), Online
Unit set code
SP-S000084
Overview
Environmental management involves a multidisciplinary approach to examining why environmental impacts occur and developing appropriate solutions to managing these impacts. Contemporary approaches require a multifaceted combination of techniques that address environmental, social and economic issues. Balancing resources and employment against environmental impacts requires specialised knowledge and skills, such that environmental managers must be able to understand government policy direction, legislative compliance issues, and analyse risk to the environment - often on a global scale. This specialisation prepares students to address the unique issues and challenges in this field.
Units
| SLE720 | Risk Assessment and Control |
| SLE715 | Circular Economy |
| SLE716 | Environmental Protection |
| SLE725 | Environmental Management Systems |
Health and environment
Campuses
Burwood (Melbourne), Online
Unit set code
SP-S000097
Overview
Human health and wellbeing is intricately linked to the health of the natural environment. Climate change, environmental degradation and unsustainable living are causing a range of physical and mental health impacts that require evidence-based, co-designed interventions developed through systems thinking. This specialisation enhances your understanding of the complex relationship between human health and the environment through exploration of topics in public health, health promotion, health equity and human rights, social impact assessments, and community consultation and participation.
Units
| HSH701 | Principles and Practice of Public Health |
| HSH703 | Health Promotion |
HMC703-OD Promoting Human and Planetary Health (0.5 credit points) ^
Plus one from:
| HSH736 | Community Consultation and Participation |
| HSH728 | Health Equity and Human Rights |
Plus one from:
MMC706-OD Change tools (0.5 credit points) ^
MMC705-OD Innovation and leadership (0.5 credit points) ^
^ Students complete these Deakin approved microcredentials (Stackable Short Courses) to count towards the Health and Environment specialisation. These fully online microcredentials suit professionals with busy lives and work commitments, allowing you to complete microcredentials anytime and anywhere. Please refer to Microcredential learner support for more information.
Sustainable regional development
Campuses
Burwood (Melbourne), Online
Unit set code
SP-S000082
Overview
Sustainable regional development is critical to the economic performance of both developed and developing countries, especially in the face of globalisation, population growth, economic structural adjustments and climate change. Two thirds of Australia’s export earnings come from regional industries such as agriculture, tourism, retail, services and manufacturing. As such, demand has risen sharply for professionals skilled in regional socioeconomic and environmental planning, who can focus on long-term competitive advantages and propose appropriate policy responses.
This specialisation is appropriate for developed and developing country contexts, and the second-year research project can be focused on international (overseas) regional development situations. You will develop an in-depth understanding of the key biophysical, socioeconomic, geographic and infrastructural factors that influence the development of regions, as well as the strategic and technological tools to analyse and act on information to sustainably guide regional economic development.
Units
| SLE740 | Climate Change, Adaptation and Mitigation |
| SLE741 | Regional Development Economics for Sustainability |
| SLE742 | Systems Thinking for Sustainability and Resilience |
| SLE743 | Spatial Analysis and Geographic Information Systems |
Course duration
Course duration may be affected by delays in completing course requirements, such as failing of units or accessing or completing placements.
Further information
Student Central can help you with course planning, choosing the right units and explaining course rules and requirements.
- Contact Student Central
Fees and charges
Fees and charges vary depending on the type of fee place you hold, your course, your commencement year, the units you choose to study, and their study discipline or your study load.
Tuition fees increase at the beginning of each calendar year and all fees quoted are in Australian dollars ($AUD). Tuition fees do not include textbooks, computer equipment or software, other equipment or costs such as mandatory checks, travel and stationery.
For further information regarding tuition fees, other fees and charges, invoice due dates, withdrawal dates, payment methods visit our Current students website.