DC-SUSDEV v.1 Doctor of Sustainable Development
DSusDev(Curtin)
Course CRICOS Code: 085112M
Registered full-time Duration:
3 Years
Course Overview
Doctoral Degrees prepares students to acquire a systematic and critical understanding of a complex field of learning and specialised research skills to advance learning and/or professional practice corresponding to AQF level 10 qualifications.
The Professional Doctorate of Sustainable Development - DSD will include 100 credit points of units (equivalent to 0.5 EFTL) taken at Bentley campus, or online; and a doctoral thesis worth 500 points (2.5 EFTL), for a total of 600 points (3 EFTL). The course will require three years full-time study. The research and writing for the thesis will be undertaken predominantly in situ in developing countries. An option to undertake the thesis by publication would also be available. The course would conform to the requirements of Australian Qualifications Framework Level 10.
Career Opportunities
Students will benefit from the fact that the coursework and research they will undertake will be aligned to their profession and give them a change to globalise their work. It will provide appropriately designed, locally embedded research leading to ‘richly interactive and personalised learning experiences for students, equipping them with leadership skills for the future and valuing them as partners in education and research, and as long-term influencers of change within society’ within their profession. International stakeholders have noted an urgent requirement for education training and research in sustainable development. Governments, businesses, communities and non-government organisations will be required to engage with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals from 2015 onwards, and will need to build capacity internally, or hire suitably qualified staff in order to do so. The DSD will mainly be tailored to the needs of employers, since many of the students will undertake research in this way, including within government organisations, who wish to build capacity in their organisations. It also will be suitable to prepare professionals and students for careers with government bodies, NGOs and international organisations.
Additional Course Expenses
Students may be expected to purchase a number of textbooks and other essential study materials.
Course Overview Note
The Faculty of Humanities provides facilities and benefits for those studying this research course, including access to suitable computer facilities, office space for on-campus students and financial assistance to attend appropriate intrastate, interstate or overseas conferences and towards associated research costs.
Course Entry and Completion Details
Applicants for a Doctoral Degree are required to meet University academic and English language entry standards. Applicants require a Master Degree (Research) or Bachelor Honours Degree (first or second class) or a high standard in either a Master Degree (Coursework) or Bachelor Degree with a Graduate Diploma (or equivalent). Alternative entry requirements may be considered, details are provided at http://research.curtin.edu.au/guides. Any specific course entry and completion requirements must also be met.
Applicants require a master degree, together with relevant work experience in a sustainable development-related area, or a relevant honours degree, normally first class, together with relevant work experience in a sustainable development-related area, or superior performance in one of the Faculty’s graduate diplomas or the equivalent from another education al institution, and relevant work experience in a related area, or other qualification and background warranting special consideration by the Associate Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research Training. The process for assessing applications is highly competitive and each applicant will be assessed on individual merit.
Credit for Recognised Learning
Applications for credit towards a course are assessed on an individual basis. Credit reduces the amount of learning required to complete the course and may be granted for formal education qualifications, non-formal learning from non-award programs of study and informal learning through work experiences. Further information can be found at http://futurestudents.curtin.edu.au.
Credit for Recognised Learning may be awarded to suitably qualified applicants who already have the high-level skills necessary for completion of doctoral-level research as a result of completion of relevant postgraduate units or who have significant research/work experience in their chosen field.
Course Entry / Completion Note
The units required for the DSD can be utilised towards the Graduate Certificate in Sustainability and Climate Policy if the student does not want to continue the doctoral program. The exit strategy would be to enrol in the Graduate Diploma in Sustainability and Climate Policy or Master of Sustainability and Climate Policy.
Course Organisation
Doctoral Degrees require students to undertake a program of independent supervised study and produce significant and original research outcomes culminating in a thesis, dissertation, exegesis or equivalent for independent examination.
At least two-thirds of this course is undertaken by research and the remainder by coursework. Students complete four doctoral level coursework units including two core units and two optional units. Units are selected in consultation with the course coordinator. The thesis consists of a practically oriented research project in a specific are of sustainable development. The thesis follows Rule 10: Degree of Doctor by Research.
Course Learning Outcomes
A graduate of this course can:
1. have a systematic and critical understanding of a substantial and complex body of knowledge at the frontier of sustainable development; critique, adapt and apply these disciplines appropriately; have a systematic and critical understanding of inter-disciplinary and trans-disciplinary roles and representations of sustainable development, that is relevant to professional practice and research.
2. have a systematic and critical understanding of how to frame a sustainable development issue and the role of framing in relation to sustainable development; Develop a range of analytical, creative, critical specialised research skills. Integrate these cognitive and research skills and apply them to finding practical pathways to sustainable development, particularly in research in professional practice.
3. demonstrate specialised cognitive, technical and research skills relevant to sustainable development; evaluate the relevance of information; generate original knowledge pertaining to sustainable development that is relevant to research in professional practice, and policy development and implementation.
4. disseminate and promote new insights into sustainable development to professional and academic peers, and to the community, government and industry through appropriate communication of ideas and information.
5. develop, adapt and/or implement communication and research technologies appropriate to the complexities of sustainable development.
6. develop a reflexive and adaptive approach to learning that is relevant for professional practice and research; adapt and/or implement successful learning strategies to continue to redefine existing knowledge and professional practice.
7. generate original knowledge and understanding pertaining to the global nature of sustainability and the relationship between global and local sustainability issues; develop, adapt and/or implement international good practice for sustainable development particularly in relation to professional practice.
8. be aware of, and generate original understanding of the diverse meanings and applications of the notion of culture to sustainable development; respect indigenous cultures and their immediate relevance to sustainable development; understand the complexities and benefits multiculturalism brings to sustainable development; and critique culture as an integrated system of norms that affect sustainable development.
9. demonstrate autonomy, authoritative judgement and responsibly as an expert and leading practitioner or scholar; work in a team environment, understanding and valuing the diverse skills and qualities needed to make a successful team in sustainable development practice; apply ethical and professional standards to all work.
Duration and Availability
A doctoral candidate may enrol either full-time or part-time. The doctorate is normally three years equivalent full-time study. The course is by coursework and research and normally requires a minimum enrolment period of two years and maximum of four years equivalent full-time study. Part-time students intending to undertake research studies should contact the Director, Research and Graduate Studies, Faculty of Humanities. Not all units are offered every semester and the availability of offshore study cannot be assured for all units.
Location and delivery Mode
| Year | Location | Period | All* | Internal | Partially Online Internal^ | External | Fully Online# |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Bentley Campus | Semester 1 | Y | ||||
| 2015 | Bentley Campus | Semester 2 | Y |
The information displayed above refers to study periods and locations where the course is available for first time entry. Students are normally only offered or admitted to a course once.
* The course itself may not be available either solely internally or externally but individual units may be offered in either or both of those modes. Prospective students should contact the Course Coordinator for further information.
^ Course and associated units are offered in this mode permitting International Onshore student enrolment.
# Course and associated units are offered in this online only mode and DO NOT permit International Onshore student enrolment.
| Course Structure | Hrs/Wk | Credit | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | |||||
| SUST7000 | v.1 | Topics in Sustainability | 4.0 | 25.0 | |
| SUST5004 | v.1 | Leadership in Sustainability | 2.0 | 25.0 | |
| OR | |||||
| SUST5002 | v.1 | Participatory Sustainability | 2.0 | 25.0 | |
| HUMN7000 | v.1 | Doctoral Thesis - Humanities | |||
| EDUC6009 | v.1 | Naturalistic Research Methods | 2.0 | 25.0 | |
| OR | |||||
| MGMT6042 | v.1 | Advanced Quantitative Research Methods | 3.0 | 25.0 | |
| OR | |||||
| MGMT6044 | v.1 | Introduction to Business Research Methods | 3.0 | 25.0 | |
| OR | |||||
| MGMT6043 | v.1 | Advanced Qualitative Research Methods | 3.0 | 25.0 | |
| OR | |||||
| EDUC7001 | v.1 | Education Research Proposal Preparation | 2.0 | 25.0 | |
| OR | |||||
| EDUC6003 | v.1 | Foundations of Educational Masters Research | 3.0 | 25.0 | |
| SELECT OPTIONAL UNITS TO THE TOTAL VALUE OF: | 25.0 | ||||
| 100.0 | |||||
| Optional Units to Select from in Year 1 | Hrs/Wk | Credit | |||
| SUST5001 | v.1 | Urban Design for Sustainability | 4.0 | 25.0 | |
| SUST5005 | v.1 | Sustainable Cities | 2.0 | 25.0 | |
| MGMT6043 | v.1 | Advanced Qualitative Research Methods | 3.0 | 25.0 | |
| MGMT6042 | v.1 | Advanced Quantitative Research Methods | 3.0 | 25.0 | |
| MGMT6044 | v.1 | Introduction to Business Research Methods | 3.0 | 25.0 | |
| EDUC6003 | v.1 | Foundations of Educational Masters Research | 3.0 | 25.0 | |
| EDUC6009 | v.1 | Naturalistic Research Methods | 2.0 | 25.0 | |
| SUST5003 | v.1 | Pathways to Sustainability | 2.0 | 25.0 | |
| SUST5008 | v.1 | Climate Policy | 25.0 | ||
| SUST5006 | v.1 | Communities Contact and Aboriginal Heritage | 3.0 | 25.0 | |
| SUST5007 | v.1 | Decarbonising Cities and Regions | 25.0 | ||
| EDUC7001 | v.1 | Education Research Proposal Preparation | 2.0 | 25.0 | |
Further Information
If you need more course information, you may contact the relevant areas:
For Current Students: Student Services Office, please click here for further details:
Course Structure Disclaimer
Curtin University reserves the right to alter the internal composition of any course to ensure learning outcomes retain maximum relevance. Any changes to the internal composition of a course will protect the right of students to complete the course within the normal timeframe and will not result in additional cost to students through a requirement to undertake additional units.
Handbook
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