Water Security and Governance

Postgraduate | 2026

Course page banner
Mode icon
Mode
Mode
Your studies will be on-campus, and may include some online delivery
On campus
area/catalogue icon
Area/Catalogue
ECON 6011
Course ID icon
Course ID
201886
Campus icon
Campus
Adelaide City Campus West
Level of study
Level of study
Postgraduate
Unit value icon
Unit value
6
Course owner
Course owner
School of Economics
Course level icon
Course level
2
Work Integrated Learning course
Work Integrated Learning course
No
Study abroad and student exchange icon
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 examines the historical, cultural and socio-political contexts of water governance and the policies and regulations for developing, allocating, managing and protecting water resources locally and globally. In that respect it will cover off on water governance issues (rules of the game), institutions involved in its management (players of the game) and the increasingly complex range of issues involved in allocating and using water resources (game-changing issues such as climate change).

Course learning outcomes

  • Describe the historical context of water governance in Australia and other contexts and identify the critical points of institutional change
  • Assess important policy or program options for managing water scarcity and compare their effectiveness in different situations
  • Explain the multi-jurisdictional governance of water and analyse reasons as to why this approach is adopted
  • Critically analyse the drivers of water scarcity and demonstrate the usefulness of economic instruments such as trade, pricing and allocation
  • Apply assessment tools such as cost-benefit analysis, frameworks for interrelated stakeholder consultation and water resource planning to case studies
  • Analyse the possible future outcomes of water governance decisions taken today,; and evaluate the merits/costs of these decisions

Prerequisite(s)

  • must have completed all of ECON5001 Economic Principles/ECON5015 Global Food and Agricultural Markets

Corequisite(s)

N/A

Antirequisite(s)

N/A

Fee calculator

To display course fees, please select your status and program below:

We’re updating this Fee Calculator. It currently shows fees for programs only. Please check the relevant program for full fee details.

Study Abroad student tuition fees are available here.

Only some Postgraduate Coursework programs are available as Commonwealth Supported. Please check your program for specific fee information.

The Student Contribution amount displayed below is for students commencing a new program from 2021 onwards. If you are continuing in a program you commenced prior to 1 January 2021, or are commencing an Honours degree relating to an undergraduate degree you commenced prior to 1 January 2021, you may be charged a different Student Contribution amount from the amount displayed below. Please check the Student Contribution bands for continuing students here. If you are an international student, or a domestic student studying in a full fee paying place, and are continuing study that you commenced in 2025 or earlier, your fees will be available here before enrolments open for 2026.