Doctor of Sustainable Development

Based on the UN Sustainable Development Goals, this innovative course is among the first of its kind.

In this course, you will develop a critical understanding of the complex issues that lay at the frontier of sustainable development. You will understand sustainable development as a profoundly inter-disciplinary and trans-disciplinary endeavour, involving professionals, policy developers and researchers on global and local scales.

The Doctor of Sustainable Development will comprise at least two-thirds research and four units of coursework. You will learn cognitive and technical skills relevant to sustainable development and use these skills to undertake a significant research project. Your research will be well designed and locally embedded to help you become a long-term influencer of change within society and your profession.

Curtin is widely recognised for applied research firmly focused on solving real-world problems. Underpinning our research endeavours are strong partnerships with industry, business and government, which result in outcomes that greatly benefit the broader community locally, nationally and globally. Our international reputation for being a strong partner in industry-driven research ensures our graduates enjoy outstanding opportunities to become innovators in their fields.

• have a systematic and critical understanding of a substantial and complex body of knowledge at the frontier of sustainable development and of inter-disciplinary and trans-disciplinary roles and representations of sustainable development, and apply this knowledge to professional practice and research.
• develop a range of analytical, creative, critical specialised research skills, integrate these cognitive and research skills and apply them to research in professional practice.
• demonstrate specialised cognitive, technical and research skills relevant to sustainable development,; evaluate the relevance of information making valid judgements,; and synthesise information from a range of sources.
• communicate in ways appropriate to audience and purpose and disseminate and promote new insights into sustainable development through appropriate channels.
• use appropriate technologies appropriate to research and communicate the complexities of sustainable development.
• develop a reflexive and adaptive approach to learning that is relevant for professional practice and research; adapt and/or implement successful learning strategies to continue to redefine existing knowledge and professional practice.
• generate original knowledge and understanding pertaining to the global nature of sustainability and the relationship between global and local sustainability issues; develop, adapt and/or implement international good practice for sustainable development in professional practice.
• respect indigenous and other cultures and their immediate relevance to sustainable development; understand the complexities and benefits multiculturalism and diversity brings to sustainable development; and critique culture as an integrated system of norms that affect sustainable development.
• demonstrate autonomy, authoritative judgement, and responsibility as an expert and leading practitioner or scholar in sustainable development; work independently and in teams; demonstrate leadership, professional behaviour and ethical practices.