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The Masters of Sustainable Practice: A Review of a Program for Working Professionals

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 March 2015

Ruwini Edirisinghe  and
Kym Fraser
Ruwini Edirisinghe*
Affiliation:
School of Property Construction and Project Management, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Kym Fraser
Affiliation:
Adjunct Associate Professor, Swinburne University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
*
Address for correspondence: Ruwini Edirisinghe, School of Property Construction and Project Management, RMIT University, GPO Box 2476, Melbourne VIC 3001, Australia. Email: ruwini.edirisinghe@rmit.edu.au
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Abstract

This study sought to distil recommendations and curriculum design principles that could underpin the re-imagination of the RMIT University coursework Masters of Sustainable Practice (MSP). The aim of the study was to redesign the program to better meet the expectations of contemporary working professionals. Four data sources were used to develop 12 program recommendations: postgraduate sustainability education literature, postgraduate coursework literature, publicly available information for contemporary coursework Masters sustainability programs both in Australia and overseas, and interview data from current and graduate students from the RMIT University Masters of Sustainable Practice. The study proposes a novel curriculum (re)design model comprised of six curriculum design principles that the authors argue are essential for the development of curricula for contemporary working professionals. Sustainable practice coursework Masters programs need to: offer choice, flexibility and authentic work-based assessment opportunities; provide significant guidance to achieve individual aspirations and to customise the program for each student; recognise learning through current workplace roles and through continuing professional development opportunities; use integrative assessments to achieve the Australian Qualification Framework knowledge and skills application requirements; incorporate short credit-bearing courses, in particular for the development of employability skills; and support students to transition to professional practice.

Keywords

sustainable practiceenvironmental educationpart-time studentsmasterscourseworkprogram renewal/redesign
Type
Feature Articles
Information
Australian Journal of Environmental Education , Volume 30 , Issue 2 , December 2014 , pp. 239 - 253
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 2015 

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