Diploma of Sustainable Living (Z1K)

Overview  2024

Entry Requirements

See entry requirements

Duration

Minimum 1 Year, up to a maximum of 3 Years

Duration

Duration refers to the minimum and maximum amounts of time in which this course can be completed. It will be affected by whether you choose to study full or part time, noting that some programs are only available part time.

Location

Online
Semester 1, Semester 2, Winter school (late)

This course may not be available to international students. Please see the list of distance courses (i.e. online and taken outside Australia) that are offered to international students

Beth Rad
Diploma of Sustainable Living graduate

After a transformative 12-month adventure exploring Australia, Beth was moved by the dire conditions communities were enduring as a result of unpredictable weather patterns. Determined to take action, Beth found her inspiration and enrolled in the Diploma of Sustainable Living.

The climate is changing, and we all have a role to play in creating a more sustainable future.

For individuals who are passionate about creating a more sustainable future, the Diploma of Sustainable Living provides a comprehensive and practical education in sustainable practices. This course will equip you with the knowledge and skills to understand the complex challenges facing our planet, and to develop innovative solutions that you can apply in your home, community, business or social enterprise.

The Diploma of Sustainable Living will help you learn about sustainability on a local, national and international level, and align your studies with what sustainable living means for you.

Upon graduation, you’ll have a better understanding of your connection to sustainability as an individual, consumer and citizen. Learn to make a positive impact in a wide range of fields, from business and government to community development and environmental advocacy. Join us and become a leader in the movement towards a more sustainable world.

Study without tuition fees in 2024

Domestic students commencing the Diploma in 2024 may be eligible to receive a 100% HECS fee scholarship. This means you can study the certificate without any tuition fees. HECS fee scholarship will be automatically applied on enrolment.

  • 1 Identify opportunities to contribute to sustainable living by reflecting on the choices you make in your life.
  • 2 Design practical pathways of transformative change for sustainable living
  • 3 Explain the impact your day-to-day activities and decisions have on contributing to the global agenda of the UN Sustainable Development Goals
  • 4 Explain the contribution of disciplinary knowledge of environments, people or societies to sustainable living
  • The practical experiences of this Diploma are what you make it through your choice of units, and as you take your sustainable living knowledge out into the world and make a difference.

    While the Diploma of Sustainable Living is offered 100% online, depending on what you choose to study you could be:

    • growing a bigger, healthier and more productive garden thanks to your understanding of the Science of Gardening,
    • using the principles of Sustainable Design for Houses to inform your house renovations with a focus on improving impact on the environment and your health,
    • Helping maintain a healthy local ecosystem through your own Backyard Biodiversity,
    • Engaging in your community, exploring your local environment, and much more!

    Career outcomes

    As a graduate of the Diploma of Sustainable Living you will possess new skills, outlooks on living, and a deeper understanding of sustainability in an ever changing world which will complement your existing career direction.

    Where to from here? Further study options for those interested in sustainability.

    Completing a Diploma in Sustainable Living and looking for your next step? Develop the skills to build a better future and continue your passion for sustainability with further study in one of these suggested courses:

    Bachelor of Arts

    • Major or elective units in Geography and Environment

    Bachelor of Business

    • Major in Tourism Management, and include a second major or elective units in Geography and Environment

    Bachelor of Natural Environments and Conservation

    • Major in Natural Environment Management

    Bachelor of Science

    • Major in Sustainability

    Course structure

    The Diploma of Sustainable Living comprises 8 units, made up of 2 core and six elective units.  

    HEJ111 Communicating Sustainability must be among the FIRST 4 units studied and KGA107 Local Lives for a Sustainable Planet must be among the LAST 4 units studied

     

     

    The two core units are shown below. HEJ111 Communicating Sustainability must be among the first four units studied and KGA107 Local Lives for a Sustainable Planet must be among the last four units studied

    Sustainability is a central concept for communities pursuing social and economic goals within ecological limits. Yet the different ways sustainability is defined, communicated and enacted reflects the wide range of underlying values, perspectives and priorities at stake. In this unit,…

    Credit Points: 12.5

    LocationStudy periodAttendance optionsAvailable to
    OnlineSemester 1
    OnlineSemester 2

    Key: On-campus    Off-Campus    International students    Domestic students

    This capstone unit will give you the opportunity to bring together your learnings and apply sustainability knowledge and literacy to aspects of your own life, and to identify how it can contribute to sustainable outcomes within your wider community and…

    Credit Points: 12.5

    LocationStudy periodAttendance optionsAvailable to
    Online11 Week Session Apr
    Online11 Week Session Oct

    Key: On-campus    Off-Campus    International students    Domestic students

    Choose six units from the following

    Pulling together the disciplines of sociology, law and complementary medicine this unit is designed for students who want to develop their knowledge in order to understand, debate and critically analyse the use and place of complementary medicines in the modern…

    Credit Points: 12.5

    LocationStudy periodAttendance optionsAvailable to
    OnlineSemester 1
    OnlineSemester 2

    Key: On-campus    Off-Campus    International students    Domestic students

    What is cultural responsiveness and why is it increasingly valued in workplaces? What does it mean to commit to cultural safety as a health practitioner? In this online unit, you will develop your understanding of culture and the need for…

    Credit Points: 12.5

    LocationStudy periodAttendance optionsAvailable to
    OnlineSemester 2
    OnlineHealth Study Period 1

    Key: On-campus    Off-Campus    International students    Domestic students

    In this unit, you are invited to engage with Indigenous realities through an Indigenous lens. Using the key concept of Lifeworld, you will journey into Indigenous ways of knowing, being and doing, with a particular focus on the perspectives and…

    Credit Points: 12.5

    LocationStudy periodAttendance optionsAvailable to
    OnlineSemester 2

    Key: On-campus    Off-Campus    International students    Domestic students

    Contemporary media is saturated with images of extreme weather events, hunger, poverty, conflict, pollution, austerity, and financial crisis. Mounting evidence suggests the 21st century will be defined by unprecedented challenges related to environmental instability, economic inequality and risks to social…

    Credit Points: 12.5

    LocationStudy periodAttendance optionsAvailable to
    OnlineSemester 1

    Key: On-campus    Off-Campus    International students    Domestic students

    This unit aims to develop an awareness of environmental and human health impacts of housing in order to inform critical and creative decision-making in the design and renovation of houses. You will explore how housing affects our own health and…

    Credit Points: 12.5

    LocationStudy periodAttendance optionsAvailable to
    OnlineSemester 1
    OnlineSemester 2

    Key: On-campus    Off-Campus    International students    Domestic students

    This unit will build on your practical knowledge of sustainable design for houses, expanding your thinking to houses within landscapes - both natural and constructed - and interacting with climate, biodiversity, human health and urban and regional food systems. You…

    Credit Points: 12.5

    LocationStudy periodAttendance optionsAvailable to
    OnlineSemester 1
    OnlineSemester 2

    Key: On-campus    Off-Campus    International students    Domestic students

    This unit is an elective of the Diploma of Sustainable Living course and explores the interlinked scientific, technical, environmental, economic, social and political factors that have shaped society's energy usage and which will impact on future energy policy and decision…

    Credit Points: 12.5

    LocationStudy periodAttendance optionsAvailable to
    OnlineSemester 1

    Key: On-campus    Off-Campus    International students    Domestic students

    Earth is a lively and dynamic planet that is undergoing rapid changes wrought by the activities of humans. In what ways are these changes impacting on us and other species? Are we precipitating another mass extinction; the 6th major mass…

    Credit Points: 12.5

    LocationStudy periodAttendance optionsAvailable to
    OnlineSemester 2

    Key: On-campus    Off-Campus    International students    Domestic students

    Do you want to make a difference to something in the world you care about? Would you like some time and space to consider, develop and test your approaches in a safe environment, supported by experts in the field? Following…

    Credit Points: 12.5

    LocationStudy periodAttendance optionsAvailable to
    OnlineSemester 1

    Key: On-campus    Off-Campus    International students    Domestic students

    Human-induced climate change is the most serious problem currently facing our planet - a global problem with increasingly obvious local impacts. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has said that the next 10 years will be critical to averting…

    Credit Points: 12.5

    LocationStudy periodAttendance optionsAvailable to
    OnlineSemester 1
    OnlineSemester 2

    Key: On-campus    Off-Campus    International students    Domestic students

    The course of climate change can be altered, and science tells us the next decade will be crucial. Averting a climate catastrophe depends on rapid action to reduce greenhouse gases, as well as widespread adaptation to minimise the impact of…

    Credit Points: 12.5

    LocationStudy periodAttendance optionsAvailable to
    OnlineSemester 1
    OnlineSemester 2

    Key: On-campus    Off-Campus    International students    Domestic students

    The challenge of ensuring adequate and sustainable food production and equitable access to food for a diverse human population in the 21st century is crucial and profoundly complex. This unit helps you contribute to meeting this challenge. The interdisciplinary skills…

    Credit Points: 12.5

    LocationStudy periodAttendance optionsAvailable to
    OnlineSemester 1
    OnlineSemester 2

    Key: On-campus    Off-Campus    International students    Domestic students

    In this unit, we are going to explore the science underlying what you do in your garden, why your plants respond to your gardening, and how plants grow and reproduce. What we hope that you will gain, is a much…

    Credit Points: 12.5

    LocationStudy periodAttendance optionsAvailable to
    OnlineWinter school (late)
    OnlineSpring school (extended)

    Key: On-campus    Off-Campus    International students    Domestic students

    This unit aims to develop your awareness of the ecological processes operating in your garden, to assist informed decision making about garden design and management. You will explore the environmental parameters of your garden (e.g. macro and microclimate, geology, and…

    Credit Points: 12.5

    LocationStudy periodAttendance optionsAvailable to
    Online11 Week Session Apr
    Online11 Week Session Oct

    Key: On-campus    Off-Campus    International students    Domestic students

    Biodiversity is a critical component of sustainable living and is central to several of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. At a local scale, biodiversity is important for healthy and sustainable living, and due to the complexity of biodiversity issues…

    Credit Points: 12.5

    LocationStudy periodAttendance optionsAvailable to
    OnlineWinter school (late)
    OnlineSpring school (extended)
    Online11 Week Session Feb

    Key: On-campus    Off-Campus    International students    Domestic students

    Living with Fire is a level-100 unit offered as part of the Diploma of Sustainable Living. Fire has shaped the evolution of the world we see around us and is fundamental to life. Yet wildfire can also be devastating to…

    Credit Points: 12.5

    LocationStudy periodAttendance optionsAvailable to
    OnlineSemester 1
    OnlineSemester 2
    OnlineSpring school (extended)

    Key: On-campus    Off-Campus    International students    Domestic students

    In this unit you will not only learn about the science behind fishing techniques and how these interact with the biology and behaviour of a species, but also how recreational fisheries are sustainably managed and how you can be a…

    Credit Points: 12.5

    LocationStudy periodAttendance optionsAvailable to
    OnlineSemester 1

    Key: On-campus    Off-Campus    International students    Domestic students

    In this unit you will learn about the importance of making informed decisions to fish responsibly and sustainably. This will include improving your knowledge on both releasing and harvesting fish. You will learn how to apply best practice fish handling…

    Credit Points: 12.5

    LocationStudy periodAttendance optionsAvailable to
    OnlineSemester 2

    Key: On-campus    Off-Campus    International students    Domestic students

    This unit provides a multidisciplinary introduction to the nature of science and scientific knowledge, the methods of science, and the communication of science. You will encounter perspectives on the nature and role of science in society and examine what science…

    Credit Points: 12.5

    LocationStudy periodAttendance optionsAvailable to
    OnlineSemester 1

    Key: On-campus    Off-Campus    International students    Domestic students

    In this unit, you will be introduced to the concept of sustainability starting with the transformations necessary for achieving the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a way that organises them into 6 logical groups. You will examine…

    Credit Points: 12.5

    LocationStudy periodAttendance optionsAvailable to
    OnlineSemester 1
    OnlineSemester 2
    Online5 Week Session Jan B

    Key: On-campus    Off-Campus    International students    Domestic students

    Entry requirements

    We encourage you to apply for the courses you most want to study. If you’re not eligible to enter your chosen course right now, the UTAS admissions team will work with you to find the best pathway option.

    Domestic Applicants who have recently completed secondary education
    Completed the TCE (or equivalent)

    Domestic Applicants with higher education study
    Completed at least one undergraduate unit (equivalent to 12.5 UTAS credit points).

    Domestic Applicants with VET / TAFE study
    A completed VET Certificate III or higher,

    Domestic Applicants with work and life experience
    If you have not successfully completed senior secondary, tertiary or TAFE/VET study, but have relevant work and life experience you can complete a personal competency statement. You may be eligible for an offer if you have work and life experiences that demonstrate a capacity to succeed in this course.

    Prerequisites
    Nil

    SPECIAL CONSIDERATION
    If your ability to access or participate in education has been affected by circumstances beyond your control, you can apply for special consideration as part of your application. We will consider a range of factors for special consideration, including economic hardship, a serious medical condition or disability.


    We can only approve applications for special consideration where we are confident that you have the necessary skills and knowledge to succeed in your studies. If your application is not approved, the UTAS admissions team will work with you to find the best alternative pathway to your chosen course. Special consideration is not available for international applicants.

    Articulation from:  If you have completed the Undergraduate Certificate in Sustainable Living, you can receive advanced standing for four 12.5 credit point units of the Diploma of Sustainable Living.

    Articulation to:  Graduates of the Diploma of Sustainable Living who are interested in ongoing study can pursue a major in Sustainability under P3O Bachelor of Science.

    Detailed admissions information and advice for all undergraduate courses, including comprehensive, course-level student profiles, is available from UTAS Admissions.

    Fees & scholarships

    Domestic students

    Options for this course

    Cost shouldn’t get in the way of you studying.

    If you’re a domestic student, you may be eligible for a Commonwealth Supported Place in this course. This means your fees will be subsidised by the Australian Government. You’ll only need to pay the student contribution amount for each unit you study within the course.

    You may also be able to defer payment of the student contribution amount by accessing a HECS-HELP loan from the Government. If eligible, you’ll only have to pay your tuition fees once you start earning above a specific amount.

    Further information is available at Scholarships, fees and costs.

    Student contribution

    Student contribution amounts are charged for each unit of study. This means that how much you’ll pay will depend on which units you choose. Find out more about student contribution amounts.

    Further information

    Detailed fee information for domestic students is available at Scholarships, fees and costs, including additional information in relation to the compulsory Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF).

    Scholarships

    Domestic students

    The Diploma of Sustainable Living is available with 100% HECS fee scholarship for eligible domestic students commencing study in 2024. This means you can have NO tuition fees to pay.

    Fee scholarship details

    For domestic students commencing study in 2024, we are pleased to offer this degree with a 100% HECS and SSAF fee scholarship.

    This scholarship is valid for students admitted and commencing this course in 2024 provided the eligibility criteria are met. This scholarship is valid for units offered in 2024 only.

    If you are eligible, the HECS scholarship will be automatically applied upon enrolment.

    1. You are an Australian citizen or permanent resident (i.e. eligible for a Commonwealth Supported Place [CSP]).
    2. You are enrolled in the Diploma of Sustainable Living and commence study 2024.
    3. You must be enrolled in a minimum of one unit and must remain enrolled until after the University Census Date relevant to the semester of study. If you are on an approved Leave of Absence (LOA), you are exempt from this requirement for the duration of your approved LOA.
    4. To retain this fee scholarship, you must engage with your enrolled units. If you have not engaged and receive a result of AN (Absent deemed failed) for all enrolled units in a given study period, will not retain the scholarship/discount from the following study period onward. You cannot then apply to have the scholarship/discount reinstated.
    5. Not be excluded from the course based on academic progress or misconduct.

    For information on general scholarships available at the University of Tasmania, please visit the scholarships website.

    How can we help?

    Do you have any questions about choosing a course or applying? Get in touch.

    Domestic
    13 8827 (13 UTAS)
    International
    +61 3 6226 6200
    Email
    Course.Info@utas.edu.au
    Online
    Online enquiries

    Next steps