Environmental Planning and Governance

Postgraduate | 2026

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Mode icon
Mode
Mode
Your studies will be on-campus, and may include some online delivery
On campus
area/catalogue icon
Area/Catalogue
BIOL 5018
Course ID icon
Course ID
201930
Campus icon
Campus
Adelaide City Campus East
Level of study
Level of study
Postgraduate
Unit value icon
Unit value
6
Course owner
Course owner
School of Phys, Chem and E Sci
Course coordinator
Course coordinator
Craig Styan
Course level icon
Course level
5
Work Integrated Learning course
Work Integrated Learning course
No
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Inbound study abroad and exchange
Inbound study abroad and exchange
The fee you pay will depend on the number and type of courses you study.
Yes
University-wide elective icon
University-wide elective course
Yes
Single course enrollment
Single course enrolment
Yes

Course overview

This course will critically examine approaches to environmental planning and governance in Australia and internationally. The course will introduce students to the rational planning model which has long-dominated planning strategies in Australia. It will then shift focus and explore how sustainable development is influencing planning via theories of ecology, the interrelationship between values and knowledge, a restructured public sphere and the emergence of new actors. Students will be asked to critique relevant recent Australian environmental planning decisions in relation to criteria of sustainable development. The course will move on to critically examine contemporary thinking about environmental governance including state and market-based approaches, decentralised environmental management, the role of NGOs, community based approaches and regional planning. International cases of environmental management which highlight the linkages between national or regional environmental governance structures and natural resource management outcomes will be analysed.

Course learning outcomes

  • Explain the major tenets of environmental planning in South Australia
  • Understand the roles of the different jurisdictional organisations within environmental governance structures
  • Critically analyse environmental planning structures
  • Discuss the implications of current governance practices in relation to sustainable development goals both in Australia and internationally
  • Develop comparative analyses using quantitative & qualitative data to critique current governance systems
  • Communicate in written and oral forms key aspects of environmental planning and governance

Availability

Census date Icon
Census date
Fri 27/03/2026
Enrol by date
Enrol by date
Fri 13/03/2026
Last day to W
Last day to W
Fri 10/04/2026
Last day to WF
Last day to WF
Fri 08/05/2026

Class details

Adelaide City Campus East

Class number
Class number 20639
Section
Section TU01
Size
Size 20
Available
Available 20
Dates Days Time Campus Location Instructor
23 Feb - 13 Apr Monday 2:10pm - 4pm Adelaide City Campus East Napier, LG18
4 May - 1 Jun Monday 2:10pm - 4pm Adelaide City Campus East Napier, LG18
Class number
Class number 20640
Section
Section TU02
Size
Size 20
Available
Available 20
Dates Days Time Campus Location Instructor
23 Feb - 13 Apr Monday 11:10am - 1pm Adelaide City Campus East Napier, LG11
4 May - 1 Jun Monday 11:10am - 1pm Adelaide City Campus East Napier, LG11

Prerequisite(s)

N/A

Corequisite(s)

N/A

Antirequisite(s)

N/A

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Degree list
The following degrees include this course