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Learning to live sustainably can enrich both your life and your career

The Diploma of Sustainable Living can see you study a diverse range of subject matter from bushfire science and gardening through to probability theory and journalism.

Anthea Cuddihy, 42, originally planned to enrol in an online genealogy course through the University of Tasmania but ended up studying a Diploma of Sustainable Living instead. And she regrets nothing.

The public relations/communications professional from Rockhampton, Queensland, found that her one-year diploma course enriched her life both personally and professionally. Her new knowledge helped her live her own life more sustainably, as well as improving the way she does her job.

“The flexibility to choose from a really diverse selection of subjects in the Diploma means I’ve studied probability theory, gardening, bushfire science and journalism, all within the one study program,” Anthea said.

Seeing how all of these topics fit together within the Sustainability theme has been one of the most enjoyable and interesting aspects of my studies.

Anthea Cuddihy
Diploma of Sustainable Living student Anthea Cuddihy from Rockhampton, Queensland.

Anthea discovered the Diploma of Sustainable Living while browsing the University’s website looking for something else altogether.

“A friend of mine studied a unit on genealogy online through the University of Tasmania and mentioned it to me, so I was originally browsing the university’s website looking for that course,” she said.

“But I kept seeing the Diploma of Sustainable Living all over the website and thought it looked really interesting, so I looked into it. And what really blew my mind about it was the flexible nature of the diploma and the areas you could grab study from to combine into it.”

Anthea, who grew up on a Queensland pineapple farm, combined units on backyard biodiversity and science of gardening with some that encompassed other areas of personal interest, such as decision-making and solutions-based journalism.

“My husband and I are currently renovating an old Queenslander house that is over 100 years old. So, I’ve been able to consider sustainability concepts during that process, looking at what I might be able to apply to where we live.

“One subject covered Bayesian theory of problem-solving, about making rational informed decisions, and I found it completely fascinating. And I enjoyed the exposure to more scientific writing because being able to understand and interpret that for a general audience is vital in my professional life doing communications for a university.

“And even though the coursework talked a lot about Tasmanian conditions and Tasmanian geography and so forth, it also equipped me to be able to apply what I’d learned to somewhere else, like Queensland, with different conditions and a different geography.”

Anthea thrived on the 100% online delivery of the course, saying it suited her self-directed nature and there was abundant support available whenever she needed it.

Studying online meant I could learn at my own pace, and I found the University had an amazing commitment to customer service with its students, managing class numbers and ensuring thoughtful engagement with the students.

Anthea Cuddihy

“And even as Tasmania’s COVID restrictions eased, the University of Tasmania maintained that high level of commitment to its online teaching. As a student who didn’t need a heap of help but also had high expectations in terms of teacher availability, it suited me well.”

The Diploma of Sustainable Living is delivered online and can be studied in one year full-time or up to three years part-time. This course also offers a 100% HECS fee waiver to eligible students in 2022, meaning you could study with no tuition fees to pay.

Find out how a course in Sustainable Living could change your life and career.