Sustainability and Society

Undergraduate | 2026

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Mode
Mode
Your studies will be on-campus, and may include some online delivery
On campus
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Area/Catalogue
SOCI 1302
Course ID icon
Course ID
200948
Campus icon
Campus
Adelaide City Campus East, Adelaide City Campus West, Magill
Level of study
Level of study
Undergraduate
Unit value icon
Unit value
6
Course owner
Course owner
School of Society and Culture
Course coordinator
Course coordinator
George Tan
Course level icon
Course level
1
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

The world faces significant environmental, social, and economic challenges, including food security, biodiversity loss, population pressure, and climate change. Through the lens of sustainability and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), students will explore key geographical concepts like place, space, and scale, and what the implications are when it comes to policy and solutions for building sustainable societies. Using case studies from around the world and Australia, students will study topics that include climate change, coastal management, urban planning, biogeography, food security, Indigenous sovereignty, and develop critical thinking and solution-building skills across social, environmental, cultural, and economic domains.

  • Introduction to Space, Place, Scale and Wicked Problems
  • People, Places and Spaces in Human Geography
  • Physical Geography and Sustainable Development 

Course learning outcomes

  • Describe the scale, issues and nature of the relationship between population and environment in the context of sustainability and society.
  • Apply key geographical concepts (place, space and scale) and their relevance to the relationships between society and the environment.
  • Demonstrate how the spatial distribution of Australia’s population (urban, regional, rural) impacts on the environment, and the environment on population
  • Present arguments using high-quality written and verbal skills relevant to the workplace.
  • Locate, read and summarise peer-reviewed literature and apply to key geographical concepts.
  • Employ interdisciplinary problem-solving skills in the context of geography, environment and population.

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 25812
Section
Section LE01
Size
Size 50
Available
Available 50
Dates Days Time Campus Location Instructor
24 Feb - 14 Apr Tuesday 11:10am - 1pm Adelaide City Campus East Engineering South, S111
5 May - 26 May Tuesday 11:10am - 1pm Adelaide City Campus East Engineering South, S111
Class number
Class number 25811
Section
Section TU01
Size
Size 25
Available
Available 25
Dates Days Time Campus Location Instructor
25 Feb - 15 Apr Wednesday 2:10pm - 3pm Adelaide City Campus East Napier, LG23
6 May - 27 May Wednesday 2:10pm - 3pm Adelaide City Campus East Napier, LG23
Class number
Class number 25810
Section
Section TU02
Size
Size 25
Available
Available 25
Dates Days Time Campus Location Instructor
26 Feb - 16 Apr Thursday 2:10pm - 3pm Adelaide City Campus East Napier, LG23
7 May - 28 May Thursday 2:10pm - 3pm Adelaide City Campus East Napier, LG23

Prerequisite(s)

N/A

Corequisite(s)

N/A

Antirequisite(s)

N/A

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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.