University of Tasmania, Australia

Outdoor and Sustainability Education is taught by the School of Education at the University of Tasmania. Located on the Newnham Campus in Launceston it provides easy access to iconic Tasmanian wilderness, such as Cradle Mountain, Lake St Clair, Walls of Jerusalem, Freycinet, and other spectacular environments.

The Outdoor and Sustainability Education teaching major offers an innovative and up to date theory-practice approach to outdoor and sustainability education teacher training. With a strong focus on the individual, and the development of a community of learners, place, space and the environment as an integrating context for learning, graduates are well regarded for their commitment and approaches to teaching in this learning area. Career paths possible for students graduating from the course include outdoor education teaching, sustainability education teaching, outdoor guiding, and tourism.

We have recently broadened our focus from outdoor education to embrace a philosophical shift towards wider visions of outdoor learning and sustainability education along with outdoor adventure. These directions are emerging internationally and in Australia, and aligning ourselves in this way ensures that we remain innovative and at the cutting edge of outdoor education theory and practice (which we believe is something a university program should be).  Importantly, the new Australian National Curriculum has a cross-curricular focus on sustainability. We believe there is significant alignment between outdoor learning and sustainability education and this alignment strengthens the place of outdoor learning / Outdoor and Sustainability Education from a curriculum based perspective.

Three academic staff work permanently within the Outdoor and Sustainability Education teaching major, and from time to time other outdoor educators from around the state are called in to assist.  With strong links within the community, its schools and other providers of outdoor education training (Polytechnic), Outdoor and Sustainability Education at UTAS is well supported by the Faculty of Education, the School of Education and the wider community.