Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Environment and Planning

Students will gain a rounded understanding of the factors and forces that are shaping the environment and the role that planning can play in reconciling competing and conflicting interests. Attention is focused on approaches to the protection and enhancement of natural and built environments in a rapidly changing world. An interdisciplinary approach to study provides learning opportunities that draw upon the expertise of academics in Planning as well as academics in the departments of Geography, Sociology and Architecture.

The first year of study introduces students to the nature and extent of planning issues and the circumstances in which they arise, and provides a broad understanding of how planning powers, agencies and policies are contributing to efforts to overcome contemporary planning problems. Students are supported to acquire and enhance their oral, written and visual communication skills and engage in group-based problem solving and practical work, gaining skills that are readily transferable to the workplace. A residential field class early in the first semester enables students to begin applying their learning to a real life setting straight away.

In Year Two, students begin to develop their specialism in spatial planning for environmental change through the core module Environmental sustainability. This module introduces students to the interactions of environmental policy and practice, and the management of environmental issues. The forces and factors that are influencing the way in which towns and cities are evolving are also examined in further core modules. Students also continue to develop critical thinking and communication skills to enable them to analyse material and communicate ideas effectively. Project work also enables students to develop an awareness of the methodological and spatial design issues that arise in the development of planning schemes. The residential field class undertaken in Year Two is part of the module Rural planning field class and takes students into the field to examine environmental, social and economic issues in a rural setting.

Year Three provides students with more focused study of their specialism in order to gain greater knowledge and expertise of environmental planning.

• Minimum Level of Education Required: 1-Year Post-Secondary Certificate
• Min GPA: 70.0%
• English Proficiency Requirements:
  For direct admission, applicant must be from an English speaking country or meet either of the following English test scores:
  • Min TOEFL iBT: 78 (Min Listening: 19.0, Min Reading: 19.0, Min Speaking: 21.0, Min Writing: 19.0)
  • Min IELTS overall: 6 (Min Listening: 5.5, Min Reading: 5.5, Min Speaking: 5.5, Min Writing: 5.5)
  • Min PTE overall: 55 (Min Listening: 51, Min Reading: 51, Min Speaking: 51, Min Writing: 51)
  Applicants interested in applying for direct admission, but are yet to complete an acceptable language test, can do so, but must provide valid results before receiving a final offer letter.
  For conditional admission, you are required to provide English proficiency scores:
  • Min TOEFL iBT: 46 (Min Listening: 4, Min Reading: 4, Min Speaking: 14, Min Writing: 14)
  • Min IELTS overall: 5 (Min Listening: 4.5, Min Reading: 4.5, Min Speaking: 4.5, Min Writing: 4.5)
  • Min PTE overall: 46 (Min Listening: 36, Min Reading: 36, Min Speaking: 36, Min Writing: 36)