Courses > Undergraduate

Bachelor of Planning

Course Code K11

The Bachelor of Planning has been designed to enable students to succeed in their chosen area of planning. It draws on the University’s broadly based expertise and provides a comprehensive and innovative planning program with distinctive strengths in community planning and project development. The course focuses on the application of the quadruple bottom line with its emphasis on environmental, social, economic and governance accountability within a framework of sustainability. Structured work experience is also available in the third and fourth years of the award.

Location: Joondalup*
Availability: Full-time / Part-time
Duration: 4 years full-time or part-time equivalent

* Studies will be based at the Joondalup Campus. However, depending on choice of subjects,
students may be required to travel to either of the Metro campuses (Joondalup, Mount Lawley).
Please note that some of the units are available in online supplementary mode

Students choose the Major or Majors they wish to follow. Currently, the following Majors are available:

A supplementary program offers students a choice of units to complete their degree. Options available include a second Major program, a Minor program, or a selection of Elective units from those offered within the Bachelor of Planning award or (with approval) from other awards within the University or (with approval) from other awards from another University.

Minor programs consist of 60 credit points of study. Students choose the Minor program they wish to follow. Currently, the following Minors are available:

Admission Requirements

An interview will be required in order to meet Planning Institute of Australia (PIA) accreditation conditions. This interview will be carried out by faculty staff within the Centre for Planning.

Course structure

The Bachelor of Planning degree requires a minimum of 480 credit points and normally requires four years of full-time study or the part-time equivalent.

The degree has the following main components:

  1. A core program of 270 credit points
  2. A Major program in a specialised area of 120 credit points (including two core units of 15 credit points each).
  3. A supplementary program of 120 credit points consisting of:
    • a second Major (including two core units of 15 credit points each) plus Electives; or
    • a Minor plus Electives; or
    • two Minors

NOTE: All Bachelor of Planning students must complete a minimum of 120 credit points at third year level, no more than 180 credit points at first year level and no more than 120 credit points in Electives.

Year One Semester 1

Students are required to complete the following units

Plus 1 Elective or a Major or Minor Unit from the listed Unit Sets.

Year One Semester 2

Students are required to complete the following units

Plus 1 Elective or a Major or Minor Unit from the listed Unit Sets

Year Two Semester 1

Students are required to complete the following units

**With approval, students who have work experience in local or state government or in a relevant private sector organisation may choose to take LAW2601 Planning and Development Law 1

Plus 1 Elective or a Major or Minor Unit from the listed Unit Sets

Year Two Semester 2

Students are required to complete the following units

Plus 1 Major or Minor Unit from the listed Unit Sets
Plus 1 Elective or a Major or Minor Unit from the listed Unit Sets

Year Three Semester 1

Students are required to complete the following units

Plus 1 Major or Minor Unit from the listed Unit Sets
Plus 1 Elective or a Major or Minor Unit from the listed Unit Sets

Year Three Semester 2

Students are required to complete the following units

Plus 1 Elective or a Major or Minor Unit from the listed Unit Sets

Year Four Semester 1

Students are required to complete the following units

Plus 1 Major or Minor Unit from the listed Unit Sets
Plus 1 Elective or a Major or Minor Unit from the listed Unit Sets

OR (Part 2)

In Year Four Semester 1, with approval, students may choose to undertake a Planning Project in place of the units listed above.

Year Four Semester 2

Students are required to complete 3 Major or Minor Units from the listed Unit Sets
Plus 1 Elective or a Major or Minor Unit from the listed Unit

OR (Part 2)

In Year Four Semester 2, with approval, students may undertake a Planning Project in place of the units listed above.

Environmental and Physical Planning Major

Unit Set Code MAAABQ

This major will provide students with an understanding of responsible and sustainable development that meets the needs and interests of society while maintaining the integrity of the natural environment.

Location: Mt Lawley / Joondalup (To undertake this unit set students will have to travel between the Joondalup and Mt Lawley Campuses.)

Core units in the major:

Note: SCI1185 Ecology is the only prerequisite required for SCM3202 Environmental Planning.

Plus 3 units selected from:

Note: SCI1185 Ecology is the only prerequisite required for SCM3203 Environmental Impact Assessment.

Policy and Governance Major

Unit Set Code MAAABI

This major will provide students with an understanding of the issues of governance and of the economic, legal and administrative issues involved in the development of public policy. Students will develop a critical and enquiring approach to governance and policy development.

Location: Mt Lawley / Joondalup (To undertake this unit set students will have to travel between the Joondalup and Mt Lawley Campuses)

Core units in the major:

Note: Students may substitute LAW1100 Legal Framework 1 for LAW2601 Planning and Development Law 1 if LAW1100 was taken as part of the core program.

Plus 3 units selected from:

Note: Students may choose LAW2601 Planning and Development Law 1 as one of the 3 units if LAW1100 Legal Framework 1 was taken as part of the core program.

Project Development Major

Unit Set Code MAAABK

This major will provide students with an understanding of the economics of planning together with the skills to manage and finance projects.

Location: Mt Lawley / Joondalup / Off Campus*

* WRT3122 Writing Technical, Scientific and Business Reports and WRT3124 Writing Applications, Tenders and Proposals are available online only.

Core units in the major:

Note: SCI1185 Ecology is the only required prerequisite for SCM3203 Environmental Impact Assessment.

Plus 3 units selected from:

Note: BES1100 Foundations of Business Knowledge is an acceptable prerequisite for MAT2251 Optimisation and Networks and MAT3352 Decision Making and Risk.

Community Planning and Development Major

Unit Set Code MAAACP

This major will provide students with an understanding of social planning and its role in the creation of socially cohesive and liveable communities. It provides an appreciation of the principles of social justice and includes concepts of community engagement and the enhancement of community well being.

Location: Mt Lawley / Joondalup (To undertake this unit set students will have to travel between the Joondalup and Mt Lawley Campuses)

Core units in the major:

Plus 3 units selected from:

Landscape Planning Minor

Unit Set Code MIAAAO

Location: Mt Lawley / Joondalup

Note: SCI1185 is the only pre-requisite required for SCM3204

Water Planning Minor

Unit Set Code MIAAAQ

Location:Joondalup Campus

Note: SCI1185 Ecology is the only pre-requisite required for SCI2257 Water and Wetlands Management, SCI3122 Sustainable Water Resource Management and SCI3256 Coastal and Marine Mangement

Environmental Tourism Planning Minor

Unit Set Code MIAAAS

Location:Mount Lawley / Joondalup

Design Minor

Unit Set Code MIAAAT

Location:Mt Lawley Campus

Core units in the minor

Plus 3 units selected from:

Planning for Healthy Cities Minor

Unit Set Code MIAABC

Location:Mt Lawley, and Joondalup Campuses

Indigenous Planning Minor

Unit Set Code MIAAAW

Location: Mt Lawley Campus

Heritage Planning Minor

Unit Set Code MIAAAY

This minor introduces students to heritage planning issues in Australia and the Asia-Pacific region. It provides an overview of Indigenous and European heritage issues in Australia and the legislative and policy frameworks to deal with them. Students are required to complete 60 credit points (4 units) for this minor.

Location: Mt Lawley Campus

Core units in the minor:

Plus 1 unit selected from:

Leisure Planning Minor

Unit Set Code MIAABA

Location: Mount Lawley / Joondalup

Contact for more information:

Tel: +61 (0)8 6304 5666
E-mail: businessandlaw@ecu.edu.au

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