A new degree for a new world. Become a leader in global change.

What do climate change, food security, financial and energy crises, water shortage, globalisation, poverty, economic growth, and traffic have in common?

Complexity.

The complex problems facing organisations and the global society today cannot be solved in isolation with the linear, mechanistic approaches of the past. Complex problems need to be considered within their broader context and as part of the system of interacting and interdependent elements. Significant advancement in the theory and applications of systems thinking and complexity management has made this possible.

The School of Integrative Systems, in collaboration with all other faculties at UQ, offers a cutting edge qualification (graduate certificate, graduate diploma or masters) that will equip you with the ability to help solving the complex problems of a changing world such as:

• creating sustainable businesses
• environmental markets
• emissions trading
• food security and agribusiness systems
• building resilient communities
• alternative energy sources
• global livestock production
• sustainable engineering
• technologies for sustainability
• cultural heritage development
• environmental management

Postgraduate Studies in Sustainable Systems

Location St Lucia and Gatton (depending on field of study)

The following fields are available through Intensive/external/web-based study which enables students to complete the degree in the field without on-campus attendance at lectures. Intensive study will involve attendance at a workshop of one week's duration Resilient Communities Food Security and Agrifood Systems Environmental Markets;

Entry requirements An approved Bachelor degree or equivalent

Duration

• Graduate Certificate – 1 semester, 8 units
• Graduate Diploma – 2 semesters, 16 units
• Master – 3 semesters, 24 units

The generic or Systems Core of the program comprises the following courses:

• Systems Thinking for Sustainability introduces systems thinking as a new paradigm, a “language” and scientific methodology for sustainability. The course will equip you with an integrated multi-disciplinary view of sustainability and provide you with tools and skills for managing complexity and leadership in a new world.
• Systems, Sustainability and Society provides inter-disciplinary conceptual and practical foundations for developing systems understanding of the key problems of our era, through the key inter-disciplinary bodies of theory that explain the nature of people-environment systems, sustainability and resilience, and case studies on complex problems matched to the program fields of study.
• Designing Sustainable Systems is a capstone course in which inter-disciplinary student teams take a problem-based learning approach to explore/solve a real-world problem. Using the tools covered in the first Part A systems core course and others applicable to the particular field of study, teams from across the entire program will work together on a public issue of concern or for an external client.

Choose your area of specialisation from the fields of study. There is an opportunity to complete a research project, which may allow you to continue into a research higher degree.

Domestic enquiries
Phone: 1800 642 093
Email: nravs.enquiries@uq.edu.au

International enquiries
Phone: +61 3 8676 7004
Email: study@uq.edu.au

 

Fields of Study (areas of specialisation)

Resilient Communities

This field offers a suite of theories and skills for facilitating interventions with individuals, groups and communities, to help them understand and enhance the resilience of the complex systems they inhabit.

Electives

• Available intensive and/or external modes from Gatton
• Adult learning for regional development
• Building effective stakeholder engagement
• Contemporary extension models and communication practice
• Corporate governance
• Evaluation of programs and projects
• Leading and facilitating groups
• Managing self, developing and retaining others
• Models and strategies for change in rural communities
• Negotiation and conflict management
• Project management for regional development
• Rural community development

Available internally at St Lucia and/or Gatton

• Community economic development, local and international
• Community planning, engagement and governance
• Contemporary protected area management *
• Culture, conflict and reconciliation
• Economics of innovation and entrepreneurship
• Entrepreneurship and new ventures
• Environment and community *
• Environmental problem solving *
• Social impact assessment
  OR Development practice and social impact
• Understanding social policy
• 4 or 8 unit graduate research project

* also available in external mode

 

Sustainable Heritage Development

This field examines complex issues such as the obligations concerning heritage establishment by major international legal bodies, how contemporary collection policies relate to institutional goals and how to locate heritage in sustainable development in a rapidly globalising world.

Modes of delivery Internal/Intensive (St Lucia) or External (Web-based)

Electives

• Collections
• Exhibiting culture: theory and practice
• Intangible heritage
• International heritage Protection
• Museums and community engagement
• Vietnam field school
• 4 or 8 unit graduate research project

 

Food Security & Agrifood Systems

This field looks at the availability of food and one’s access to it. It examines sustainable agrifood systems in detail, why they are important, and how to do something about them. The underlying theme is a whole of industry approach.

Modes of delivery Internal/Intensive (St Lucia) or External (Web-based)

Electives

• Agribusiness supply chain management
• E-technologies in the food and fibre sector
• Food safety and quality management
• Food security and agrifood systems concepts
  and contextual frameworks
• International food sustainability case studies
• Sustainable consumerism
• Sustainable production and consumption
• Whole of agrifood chain analysis tools
• 4 or 8 unit graduate research project

 

Sustainable Global Livestock Production

This field looks at the biology and efficiency of livestock production within the context of the global challenge of rapid growth in demand for animal protein and implications for trade, communities, natural resources and the environment.

Modes of delivery Internal/Intensive (St Lucia) or External (Web-based)

Electives

• Animal science and production
• Advanced animal breeding and genetics
• Animal production systems and welfare
• Livestock health and biosecurity
• Livestock products
• Livestock systems case studies
• Nutritional science and technology
• Reproduction and breeding technology
• 4 or 8 unit graduate research project

 

Sustainable Systems Engineering

This field addresses the new technologies and engineering approaches required for global sustainable development. It is designed for professionals and graduates from diverse backgrounds and disciplines, concerned with technological matters. It will train future “sustainability professionals with a technological edge”.

Modes of delivery Internal/Intensive (St Lucia)

Electives

• Introduction to communications
• Computer networks I (technology for sustainability)
• The software process
  
• Embedded system design
• Digital system design I (technology for sustainability)
• Distributed computing
• Systems engineering
• System safety engineering
• Sustainable production and consumption
• Climate change and environmental management
• Environmental markets and emissions trading
• Business management in a carbon constrained world
• Introduction to control systems (technology for sustainability)
• 4 or 8 unit engineering project

 

Environmental Markets

This field deals with how firms can best balance the financial, social and natural environment aspects of their business to achieve sustainable outcomes.

Modes of delivery Internal/Intensive (St Lucia) or External (Web-based)

Electives

• Business management in a carbon constrained world
• Communicating for sustainability
• Corporate sustainability
• Environment and development
• Environmental and ecological economics
• Environmental markets and emissions trading
• Environmental problem solving
• Technology and innovation strategy
• 4 or 8 unit graduate research project