Sustainable Urban Communities
UndergraduateMUR-SUS3102025
Course information for 2025 intake View information for 2024 course intake
Forecast the spread of urban communities and the sustainability of this growth. Ask how society maintains dignity and equality in the face of urbanisation. Identify challenges facing modern cities. Consider issues like public transport and water usage.
- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- Subject may require attendance
- Enrol by
- 16 Feb 2025
- Entry requirements
- Prior study needed
- Duration
- 13 weeks
- Price from
- $2,125
- Upfront cost
- $0
- Loan available
- HECS-HELP and FEE-HELP available
Sustainable Urban Communities
About this subject
At the completion of this subject students will be able to:
- Identify and evaluate the multitude of sustainability challenges and issues confronting urban communities today.
- Formulate measures to address these challenges through more sustainable urban transport, urban form and neighbourhood design, water management and urban greening.
- Design and implement holistic urban sustainability visions and plans which integrate these measures.
- Communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
- Introduction to the concept of sustainable development and highlights its growing importance within urban areas.
- History of cities, focusing on how their urban form has evolved as transport technologies have changed.
- Major global sustainability challenges facing urban areas today, including those relating to automobile dependence.
- How climate change brings serious challenges for urban areas and is becoming a key driver of urban change.
- How we can respond to these most pressing urban sustainability issues of our age - and envision more sustainable urban places.
- Key aspects of urban sustainability that can be addressed through enlightened physical planning.
- Transport planning approaches including strategies for curbing automobile dependence and creating better public transport
- Urban environments that support walking, cycling and other forms of ‘active transport’.
- Creating more sustainable urban form, both at high and low densities.
- More sustainable way of using and reusing water and waste, and integrating nature and agriculture within our urban places.
This subject was previously known as SUS220 Sustainable Urban Communities.
Over half the world’s population now live in urban areas and 75 percent could be urban by 2050. This subject examines the sustainability challenges and possibilities that lie ahead as we become an increasingly urban species. The subject explores how we can create urban communities and lifestyles that enhance human dignity and equality, while also being more environmentally sustainable. The subject takes an international perspective, exploring majory urban sustainability issues and inspirational practices from Australia, Asia and around the world.
Please Note: All students studying at Murdoch University will need to complete the compulsory unit, Murdoch Academic Passport (MAP100), which only takes 2-3 hours to complete online. Find out more: http://goto.murdoch.edu.au/MurdochAcademicPassport.
- Project (45%)
- Journal (25%)
- Invigilated Exam (30%)
For textbook details check your university's handbook, website or learning management system (LMS).
This research-based university in Perth has a strong interdisciplinary focus and a reputation for outstanding teaching and ground-breaking research. With more than 25,000 students and 2,400 staff from over 90 countries, and campuses in Dubai and Singapore, Murdoch embraces free thinking, shared ideas and knowledge to make a difference, and Open Universities Australia is certainly part of that.
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- QS Ranking 2024:
- 27
- Times Higher Education Ranking 2024:
- 26
Entry requirements
Equivalent subjects
You should not enrol in this subject if you have successfully completed any of the following subject(s) because they are considered academically equivalent:
MUR-SUS220 (Not currently available)
Others
Students must have completed 18 credit points (6 OUA subjects) at Level 1 before enrolling in this subject.
Additional requirements
No additional requirements
Study load
- 0.125 EFTSL
- This is in the range of 10 to 12 hours of study each week.
Equivalent full time study load (EFTSL) is one way to calculate your study load. One (1.0) EFTSL is equivalent to a full-time study load for one year.
Find out more information on Commonwealth Loans to understand what this means to your eligibility for financial support.
What to study next?
Once you’ve completed this subject it can be credited towards one of the following courses
Bachelor of Arts (International Aid and Development)
UndergraduateMUR-AID-DEG
Bachelor of Arts (Sustainable Development)
UndergraduateMUR-ASD-DEG
Bachelor of Arts (Community Development)
UndergraduateMUR-CDV-DEG
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