Graduate Certificate of Sustainability
2025 Deakin University Handbook
| Year | 2026 course information |
|---|---|
| Award granted | Graduate Certificate of Sustainability |
| Course Credit Points | |
| Deakin course code | S527 |
| Course version | 1 |
| Faculty | Faculty of Science, Engineering and Built Environment |
| Course Information | For students who commenced from 2023 onwards |
| Campus | Offered at Burwood (Melbourne), Online |
| Duration | 0.5 year full-time or part-time equivalent |
| Course Map - enrolment planning tool | This course map is for new students commencing from Trimester 1 2026 Course maps for commencement in previous years are available on the Course Maps webpage or please contact a Student Adviser in Student Central. |
| Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) recognition | The award conferred upon completion is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework at Level 8 |
| Supplementary Information | INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS – Please note that due to Australian Government regulations, student visas to enter Australia cannot be issued to students who enrol in Deakin online. |
Course sub-headings
- Course overview
- Career opportunities
- Participation requirements
- Pathways
- Course Learning Outcomes
- Course rules
- Course structure
- Fees and charges
Course overview
Humanity is placing increasing pressure on the environment through growing consumption, resource use, and the increased degradation of natural capital. Issues of sustainability are complex, and there is a growing need for skilled professionals capable of developing cost-effective and targeted solutions to secure a better future.
In the Graduate Certificate of Sustainability, you will build a solid understanding of issues in sustainability, environmental science and global change. You will develop tools to measure and report on complex sustainability challenges and identify solutions that balance environmental, social and economic considerations. Gain a world-class degree from a university ranked in the top 100 globally for sustainability*, and kick-start your career making a positive impact on the world.
* QS World University rankings: Sustainability 2025.
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 develop and implement practical solutions to the complex problems facing our increasingly resource-constrained society. You may choose to seek employment as an environmental or sustainability officer, manager or consultant in government, non-government organisations or the private sector.
Participation requirements
It is important to note that some elective units may include compulsory placement, study tours, work-based training or collaborative research training arrangements.
Pathways
Upon completion of the Graduate Certificate of Sustainability you could use the credit points you’ve earned to enter into further study, including:
Graduate Diploma of Sustainability (S627)
Master of Sustainability (S727)
Master of Sustainability (Professional) (S728)
Course Learning Outcomes
| Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes | Course Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|
| Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities | Demonstrate specialist knowledge of natural and social sciences related to sustainability, environmental management, health and environment and sustainable regional development. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| Problem solving | Demonstrate complex problem-solving skills by identifying and creating solutions to real world sustainability through social, economic and/or scientific inquiry. |
| 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 Graduate Certificate of Sustainability you must pass 4 credit points. This includes:
- DAI001 Academic Integrity and Respect at Deakin (0-credit-point compulsory unit) in your first study period
- STP710 Career Tools for Employability (0-credit-point compulsory unit)
- 2 credit points of core units
- 2 credit points of course elective units.
Most units are equal to one credit point.
Students are required to meet the University's academic progress and conduct requirements.
Course structure
Core units
Year 1
| DAI001 | Academic Integrity and Respect at Deakin (0 credit points) |
| STP710 | Career Tools for Employability (0 credit points) |
| SLE761 | Professional Research Practice ^ |
Plus one unit from:
| SLE756 | Sustainability in the Anthropocene |
| SLE757 | Environmental Science and Global Change |
^ Students undertaking this unit must have successfully completed STP710 Career Tools for Employability (0 credit point)
Course electives
Plus any two (2) course elective units from the list below.
Students intending to articulate into the Graduate Diploma or Master of Sustainability are recommended to choose their course elective units from within the same 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.
| SLE720 | Risk Assessment and Control |
| SLE715 | Circular Economy |
| SLE716 | Environmental Protection |
| SLE725 | Environmental Management Systems |
Health and Environment
| HSH701 | Principles and Practice of Public Health |
| HSH703 | Health Promotion |
HMC703-OD Promoting Human and Planetary Health (0.5 credit points) ^
| HSH736 | Community Consultation and Participation |
| HSH728 | Health Equity and Human Rights |
MMC706-OD Change tools (0.5 credit points) ^
MMC705-OD Innovation and leadership (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 |
^ 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.
Course duration
Course duration may be affected by delays in completing course requirements, such as failing of units or accessing or completing placements.
Fees and charges
Tuition fees will vary depending on the type of fee place you hold, your course, your commencement year, the units you choose to study, your study load and/or unit discipline.
Your tuition fees will increase annually at the start of each calendar year. All fees quoted are in Australian dollars ($AUD) and do not include additional costs such as textbooks, computer equipment or software, other equipment, mandatory checks, travel, consumables and other costs.
For further information regarding tuition fees, other fees and charges, invoice due dates, withdrawal dates, payment methods visit our Current students website.
Further information
Contact Student Central for assistance in course planning, choosing the right units and explaining course rules and requirements. Student Central can also provide information for a wide range of services at Deakin. To help you understand the University vocabulary, please refer to our Enrolment codes and terminology page.