Course Information Template
SUS 512
Sustainability, Ecology and Communities
Unit Information and Learning Guide
Semester 1, 2020
This information should be read in conjunction with the online learning
materials which can be found on your MyUnits page.
Unit coordinator
Dr Peter Devereux
College of Arts, Business, Law and Social
Sciences
XXXXXXXXXX
mailto: XXXXXXXXXX
2 SUS 512 Unit Information
© Published by Murdoch University, Perth, Western Australia, Fe
uary
2020
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Sustainability, Ecology and
Communities
SUS 512
Unit Information and Learning Guide
This information should be read in conjunction with
the online learning materials which can be found on
your MyUnits page.
SUS 512 Unit Information 1
Overview
Welcome
Welcome to SUS 512 Sustainability, Ecology and Communities.
Unit description
This unit develops knowledge of the conceptual, practical and policy aspects of
sustainable development. The unit focuses on the implementation of
sustainability at a local and sub-national level. Systems thinking and resilience
are presented as key tools to both understand sustainability problems and
develop sustainability solutions within socio-ecological systems. These concepts
are then explored through three key sectors of government, business and
communities.
Prerequisites
There are no prerequisites for this unit, but students who have not previously
completed a sustainability unit should make sure to work through the optional
topic which provides some recent background information on sustainability
challenges and the concept of sustainability in general.
Aims of the unit
The unit builds on the introduction to sustainability issues, challenges and
approaches in introductory units. Instead of exploring more critiques of cu
ent
unsustainable practices, this unit will provide you with:
• An introduction to systems thinking – a new way to think about
sustainability; and
• A set of sustainability tools and processes that will assist you to implement
sustainability in practice, through the sectors of government, business and
communities.
2 SUS 512 Unit Information
Learning Outcomes developed in the unit
1. Demonstrate a critical understanding of the principal concepts and theories of
Systems thinking and their application to sustainability;
2. Discuss the multiple inter-disciplinary perspectives which can be
ought to
ear in responding imaginatively to sustainability problems and in
developing sustainability solutions;
3. Analyse the range of tools and processes to implement sustainability through
Government, Business and Community sectors.
4. Develop coherent sustainability solutions, based on a range of policy tools
and a range of models of change;
5. Work both independently, and collaboratively and respectfully with a range
of people;
6. Communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
Graduate Attributes developed in this unit
• Communication specifically speaking, listening, reading and writing skills;
• Critical and creative thinking specifically critical thinking, creative thinking,
esearch skills;
• Social interaction specifically collaboration;
• Independent and lifelong learning, specifically independent study;
• Ethics specifically personal and social ethics;
• Social justice specifically social and civic responsibility;
• Global perspective;
• Interdisciplinarity;
• In-depth knowledge of a field of study.
SUS 512 Unit Information 3
What you need to know
Generic information which students need to know is available at What you need
to know web page:
http:
our.murdoch.edu.au/Educational-technologies/What-you-need-to-
know/
The information includes:
• links to the Assessment Policy;
• a description of Academic Integrity;
• links to information about:
Examinations; Non-discriminatory language; Student appeals; Student
complaints; Conscientious objection and assessment policy;
• determination of grades from components/marks; and
• information for equity students.
This unit was originally written by Nicole Hodgson, Fe
uary 2008
Revised by Peter Devereux, Fe
uary 2020
http:
our.murdoch.edu.au/Educational-technologies/What-you-need-to-know
http:
our.murdoch.edu.au/Educational-technologies/What-you-need-to-know
http:
our.murdoch.edu.au/Educational-technologies/What-you-need-to-know
http:
our.murdoch.edu.au/Educational-technologies/What-you-need-to-know
4 SUS 512 Unit Information
Contact details
Unit Coordinator details
Your Unit Coordinator for this unit is Dr Peter Devereux.
Email: XXXXXXXXXX
Availability: Peter works part time so contact via email or through the online
unit is best.
Tutor contact details
Your tutors for this unit are:
Dr Marg Gollagher
Email: XXXXXXXXXX
Tim Perkins
Email: XXXXXXXXXX
Dr Annette Watkins
Email: XXXXXXXXXX
Annette will also tutor the external students
You will need to sign up online to a tutorial group that has space, prior to the
first session.
mailto: XXXXXXXXXX
mailto: XXXXXXXXXX
mailto: XXXXXXXXXX
mailto: XXXXXXXXXX
SUS 512 Unit Information 5
How to study this unit
The unit is delivered throughout semester. Each module, includes 3 topics.
Module 1 introduces sustainability and systems thinking. Modules 2, 3 and 4
cover the development of sustainability solutions, via a range of tools and
processes, in the sectors of government, business and community.
To get the most out of this unit, students should make sure to read the essential
eadings (generally 1 to 2 readings per topic) prior to the lecture and tutorials,
and the recommended and further readings where possible. The websites and
audiovisual materials provided will also provide some additional perspectives
on the topic.
The unit aims to apply theory and concepts to real world situations, therefore it
is important that you are familiar with the theories and concepts introduced
efore the lectures and tutorials. Another important reason to do the essential
eadings!
Internal students contact time
For internal students, contact time consists of one lecture and one tutorial each
teaching week of semester.
Learning activities – internal
For internal students, the lecture will be complemented by a weekly tutorial to
discuss unit concepts, readings and assignments. Internal students are also
encouraged to post queries and comments on LMS.
Learning activities – external
For external students, the unit will run as normal, with twelve topics available
weekly. Lectures for each topic will be released after the lecture each week and it
is important for external students to listen to them to help keep them on track
given they are not on campus.
External students should regularly engage with the discussion forum to
highlight concerns and discuss issues that emerge from the readings and lectures
.
6 SUS 512 Unit Information
Time commitment
This is a postgraduate unit, worth three (3) credit points. It can be taken in
internal or external mode. There is an expectation that students will devote about
150 hours to the unit, which is an average of about 10 hours a week from Week 1
through the Week 15 study
eak. This study time involves unit contact time
(e.g. listening to lectures or participating in tutorials and online discussion
oards), plus time devoted to reading unit materials and doing assessment tasks.
Attendance requirements
For internal students, all sessions should be attended as the best way to
understand the unit material and be able to work on the skills required to
complete the assignments . Tutorials will vary in approach in order to help the
group understand the unit content shared through the lectures, readings and
other sources shared. The tutorials are an important way to combine prior
experience and understanding with new evidence and concepts through critical
thinking. They are also an important opportunity to clarify assignment
approaches and tasks.
Unit changes in response to student feedback
The content of this unit has changed to include more of a focus on different ways
of thinking about sustainability, such as systems thinking. The unit now also
aims to provide specific tools and processes that may be useful in the
implementation of sustainability.
The unit also has a much clearer focus on sustainability tools and processes. Any
epetition of content from Part I units will hopefully be avoided by focusing
more overtly on ways of thinking about sustainability as well as tools and
processes to help with the implementation of sustainability.
SUS 512 Unit Information 7
Lecture schedule
Week Topic Date
Module One: Introduction to Systems Thinking
Week 1 Introduction to Sustainability 24 Feb
Week 2 Introduction to Systems Thinking 2 Mar
Week 3 Applying Systems Thinking to Sustainability 9 Mar
Module Two: Sustainability in Government
Week 4
A systems approach to implementing sustainability
through Government
16 Mar
Week XXXXXXXXXXNon teaching week LEARNING JOURNAL DUE Fri 27 March
Week 6 Tool: Planning & Policy-Making for Sustainability 30 March
Week 7
Taking it further: Participation and Partnerships for
Sustainability
6 April
Week 8