SLE715 - Circular Economy
Unit details
| Year | 2025 unit information |
|---|---|
| Enrolment modes: | Trimester 1: Burwood (Melbourne), Online |
| Credit point(s): | 1 |
| EFTSL value: | 0.125 |
| Unit Chair: | Trimester 1: Trevor Thornton |
| Prerequisite: | Nil |
| Corequisite: | Nil |
| Incompatible with: | Nil |
| Educator-facilitated (scheduled) learning activities - on-campus unit enrolment: | 1 x 1 hour lecture per week, 1 x 1 hour seminar per week |
| Educator-facilitated (scheduled) learning activities - online unit enrolment: | Online independent and collaborative learning including 1 x 1 hour scheduled online lecture per week, 1 x 1 hour scheduled online seminar per week. |
| Typical study commitment: | Students will on average spend 150 hours over the teaching period undertaking the teaching, learning and assessment activities for this unit. This will include educator guided online learning activities within the unit site. |
Content
The unit will examine current systems of production and consumption and waste and recycling of a broad range of resources and industry sectors based on a linear model, and then determine what actions are needed to change to a circular model for those resources and sectors. This will involve the identification of the types of resources that we are consuming along with the extent that they are being consumed. This will then drive discussions on alternate, more sustainable actions and what is needed to achieve the necessary change. The applicability of tools such as the Butterfly Diagram and United Nations Environment Programme's (UNEP) Circularity Diagram will be discussed to understand how these can be used as a vehicle for change. The role of Policy and how jurisdiction and industry have achieved change in a local and global context will also be examined to enable students to evaluate the transformational levers for achieving circularity. Other issues to be addressed are the concepts of technology innovation, greenwashing, lifestyle and consumption, and how environmental accounting tools such as life cycle assessment can be used to evaluate options.
Learning Outcomes
| ULO | These are the Unit Learning Outcomes (ULOs) for this unit. At the completion of this unit, successful students can: | Alignment to Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes (GLOs) |
|---|---|---|
| ULO1 | Identify the core principles of circular economy and how they apply to governments, products and services. | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities |
| ULO2 | Develop a capacity to identify and integrate circular economy principles including social, economic and environmental considerations into the decision-making process for managing environmental issues. | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities |
| ULO3 | Understand how the circular economy can be utilised/managed to minimise impacts on human society and the environment, and assist in achieving progress towards the United Nations Sustainability Goals. | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities |
| ULO4 | Locate sources of data and resources for implementing circular economy principles. | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities |
| ULO5 | Communicate strategies to implement opportunities for circular economy principles. | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities |
Assessment
| Assessment Description | Student output | Grading and weighting (% total mark for unit) | Indicative due week |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment 1 Practical exercises | Two 1,000 word written assignments | 40% (2 x 20%) | Weeks 3 and 6 |
| Assessment 2 Written analysis | 2,000 word written analysis | 20% | Week 8 |
| Assessment 3 Case study | 3,000 word written report | 40% | Week 11 |
The assessment due weeks provided may change. The Unit Chair will clarify the exact assessment requirements, including the due date, at the start of the teaching period.
Learning resource
The texts and reading list for SLE715 can be found via the University Library.
Note: Select the relevant trimester reading list. Please note that a future teaching period's reading list may not be available until a month prior to the start of that teaching period so you may wish to use the relevant trimester's prior year reading list as a guide only.
Unit Fee Information
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, and 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.