Courses with a Sustainability focus
Find courses with a strong focus on sustainability across all Schools and many subject areas at Te Herenga Waka.
Focus on sustainability in your subject area
At Te Herenga Waka, you’ll find a focus on sustainability woven through many of our courses and programmes.
At a simple level, sustainability is about people and the planet — how we make sure everyone lives well, how we make sure the resources we need
There are so many ways to view these goals, meaning you’ll find courses with a focus on environmental sustainability, sustainability in the built environment, sustainability in society.
List of courses
Faculty of Humanities and Social Studies
School of Social and Cultural Studies
200-level courses
| Course Code | Course Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| ANTH 210 | Environmental Anthropology | This course explores human relationships with ecological and material environments. It will examine diverse cultural perceptions of and approaches to the environment, the relationship between nature and culture, and anthropology’s contribution to contemporary ecological and climate debates. |
300-level courses
| Course Code | Course Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| ANTH 318 | Design Anthropology | Design anthropology is a form of applied anthropology that uses ethnographic, anthropological and design methodologies to foster positive social change. It is critical, collaborative, and interdisciplinary. This course uses the core principles and methods of design anthropology to address real-world problems. |
| SOSC 307 | Special Topic: Belief: Truth, Values, and Power in the Sociology of Knowledge | This course introduces students to key ideas, debates, and contemporary issues in the sociology of knowledge. It examines the role of ideas, values, and beliefs in social life, and considers the sociological conditions that underpin the production of different forms of knowledge. |
School of Māori studies
| Course Code | Course Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| MAOR 301 | Tā Te Māori Whakahaere Rauemi/ Māori Resource Management | This course starts by looking at Māori ownership and mana over environmental resources and some of the challenges presented by the Crown to that mana. |
| MAOR 302 | Te Pūmoto o te Tangata Whenua, o te Taiao/ Indigenous Knowledge and Science | In this course, students explore how Indigenous knowledge and ‘Western’ science work against, with or independent of each other and look at examples of how science contributes to Indigenous development. |
School of History, Philosophy, Political Science & International Relations
100-level courses
| Course Code | Course Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| PHIL 106 | Contemporary Ethical Issues | An introduction to issues in applied ethics. Topics may include: the morality of the death penalty, war, cloning, abortion and euthanasia, and the moral status of non-human animals. |
300-level courses
| Course Code | Course Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| INTP 302 | Global Politics of the Environment | This course introduces the study of global environmental politics. It focuses on the international relations of climate change, environmental protection, pollution, resource management, energy security, food and other issues of environmental concern. |
| INTP 365 | Special Topic: Politics of Forced Migration | Analyse the political causes and consequences of contemporary forced migration, as well as national, regional and international efforts to manage it. |
School of English, Film, Theatre, Media and Communication, and Art History
100-level courses
| Course Code | Course Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| ARTH 102 | Art, Revolution and Crisis | How has art changed the world? This course introduces students to the ways art has responded to political, cultural, social, environmental and technological revolutions over the past 250 years. We examine how art anticipates and interrogates the definition of revolution itself. Students will develop critical and descriptive skills to analyse the role of art in revolution, activism, social movements and political transformation. |
200-level courses
| Course Code | Course Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| MDIA 220 | Special Topic: Media, Environment, and Sustainability | In this course, you will examine the ways media and environment are intertwined. You will learn how we can all contribute to building sustainable media practices in an age of ecological crises and why that is important. |
300-level courses
| Course Code | Course Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| LCCM 310 | Special Topic: Writing Ecologies | In this course we will explore the dynamic relationship between contemporary creative nonfiction, storytelling, and shifting ecological imaginings. You will encounter a diverse range of engagements with homes and hauntings, ecosystems and environments, and humans and other animals. |
400-level courses
| Course Code | Course Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| FHSS 406 | Special Topic: Topics in the Environmental Humanities | The Environmental Humanities is an emerging interdisciplinary field exploring how human activity and values are entangled with and have impacts on nonhuman worlds, ecological histories, and the planet. This course will explore key questions from the field by placing a range of essays in dialogue with visual and textual cultures from Aotearoa and beyond. |
School of Languages and Culture Studies
100-level courses
| Course Code | Course Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| GLBL 101 | Introduction to Global Studies: Collaboration in Global Contexts | Big, complex global challenges need creative and ethical interdisciplinary solutions. In this course you’ll develop your critical and interdisciplinary thinking through an overview of key concepts in Global Studies. You’ll explore different ways of dealing with pressing global issues from the local to the planetary. |
200-level courses
| Course Code | Course Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| GLBL 201 | Leading Global Change | Our location in Aotearoa New Zealand and the Indo-Pacific region is the starting point for this course, which compares and contrasts different solutions to global problems across a range of cultures and in different geographical, historical and linguistic environments. |
300-level courses
| Course Code | Course Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| GLBL 301 | Capstone Global Studies Project | Students will work in a team from across the different Global Studies subject areas to complete a capstone project based on a real global issue. Students will bring together knowledge and approaches from different disciplines and perspectives to define and scope the problem and propose approaches to solving it. |
Wellington School of Business and Government
School of Accounting and Commercial Law
200-level courses
| Course Code | Course Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| ACCY 223 | Accounting for Sustainable Decision Making and Control | Learn how to use an organisation's internal information for making decisions about costing and planning for a sustainable future. |
| ACCY 231 | International External Reporting and Business Sustainability | Learn to analyse financial statements of leading international firms and government agencies. Understand what firms should report in their annual reports to inform investors, banks, and creditors. Analyse big financial data and explore environmental, social, and governance (ESG) reporting. |
300-level courses
| Course Code | Course Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| ACCY 302 | Accounting for Strategy, Performance, and Value | Learn how to use an organisation's strategic environmental and internal information to add customer, supplier and organisational value for a sustainable future. |
| ACCY 314 | Sustainability and Accountability | The study of accounting in a social and political context. Topics include accounting and the environment, ethics, industrial relations, social responsibility and philosophy. |
School of Government
200-level courses
| Course Code | Course Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| PUBL 209 | Introduction to Public Economics | This course explores the roles of government, community and the private sector in achieving economic, social and environmental well-being. |
300-level courses
| Course Code | Course Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| PUBL 307 | Environmental Policy and Governance | This course examines a wide range of environmental, biodiversity, and sustainability challenges from policy and governance perspectives, with illustrations from New Zealand and overseas. |
500-level courses
| Course Code | Course Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| MMPA 517 | Special Topic: Sustainability and Accountability | This course covers the study of sustainability and accountability in a social and political context. Emphasis will be placed on understanding and analysing recent and ongoing developments in this area. |
| GOVT 542 | Governance for Sustainability and Resilience | Conceptual approaches to sustainability and resilience, and how they can be operationalised across scales of societal and corporate governance. Operationalisation of innovative concepts such as circular bio-economy and anticipatory governance for vulnerability mitigation. |
School of Information Management
200-level courses
| Course Code | Course Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| INFO 202 | Digital Systems Delivery | Foundations of digital systems delivery in contemporary organisations across three dimensions: managing the development and operation of digital systems; managing the delivery of digital systems in traditional and agile ways; and common themes such as sustainability and social responsibility. |
300-level courses
| Course Code | Course Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| INFO 312 | Social Responsibility in a Digital World | A critical examination of the relationship between digital technologies and systems and concerns centred on sustainability and social justice. Topics will focus on current issues regarding both sustainability (e.g., clean energy, climate change, innovation) and social justice (e.g., digital divide, privacy). |
School of Marketing and International Business
| Course Code | Course Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| MARK 319 | Special Topic: Marketing for Sustainable Development Goals | The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) play a vital role in providing a a framework for meeting the needs of people and the planet. This course explores how marketing and marketplace exchanges can align with the UNSDGs to contribute to meeting the societal needs in a changing environment. |
School of Management
200-level courses
| Course Code | Course Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| MGMT 211 | Sustainability and the SDGs in Business | The concept of sustainability will be critically examined with reference to different business sectors to establish its role as a foundation for sustainable business development. The 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will be unpacked and explored. |
| TOUR 203 | Sustainable Destination Management | Sustainability and climate change pose significant challenges for tourism destinations in developed and developing countries. This course critically examines the positive and negative impacts of tourism on destinations as well as tourism’s relationship with climate change as both a consequence and contributor. |
300-level courses
| Course Code | Course Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| MGMT 303 | Event Management | Events offer economic, social, and environmental opportunities and challenges for the organisations and communities that host and manage them. You will explore sustainability and green events, how to influence the behaviour of event attendees, and what makes an event sustainable. |
| MGMT 307 | Entrepreneurship in Practice | The course will focus on how to help people and communities generate value by seizing opportunities to solve commercial, social, environmental, or civic problems. |
| MGMT 312 | Sustainable Operations | The course addresses sustainable operations management as the pursuit of social, economic, and environmental objectives, the triple bottom line, within operations of a specific firm and operational linkages that extend beyond the firm to include the supply chain and other stakeholders. |
| MGMT 317 | Leading Innovation | This course adopts a project-based approach to understanding processes for innovation and change, emphasising organisational dimensions and exploring features of new venture and new product development, intrapreneurship and entrepreneurship, and organisational development and change. |
500-level courses
| Course Code | Course Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| MGMT 522 | Innovation and Value Creation | This course examines how domestic and global organisations manage complexity in the pursuit of innovation, sustainability and value creation. |
Faculty of Architecture and Design Innovation
School of Architecture
100-level courses
| Course Code | Course Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| SARC 122 | Introduction to Environmental Design Sciences/ He Timatanga Kōrero mō te Taiao Hoahoa | An introduction to the fundamental principles of environmentally-sensitive design, with respect to both interior and exterior designed environments (and their interactions). |
| SARC 131 | Introduction to Sustainability in the Designed Environment / He Tīmatanga Kōrero mō Te Whakaora i Te Taiao Hangahanga | The definitions and macro contexts of sustainability, emphasising the roles, responsibilities and opportunities for professionals in the designed and built environment. The course covers climate and microclimate, resources, materials production, environmental impact, and sustainable design principles. |
200-level courses
| Course Code | Course Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| ARCI 212 | Architecture Design Integration I / Te Whakakotahitanga o ngā Tikanga Whakarākei Whare I | Studio-based projects explore people-environment relationships, integrating knowledge gained in the Human Environmental Science course. Architecture is examined as a means for modifying human environments in ways that affect comfort, efficiency, mood... |
| ARCI 222 | Structural Systems for Architecture / Te Whakamahinga o nga Rauemi mo Hoahoanga | Introduction to the basic structural principles and material properties that underpin the fabric of constructed environments. The course presents the basic requirements for structural systems; structural form and proportion; properties of construction materials; and the behaviour of structural elements. |
| BILD 231 | Environmental Design / Hoahoa Taiao | This course examines types of environmental engineering systems used in buildings and urban settings, outlining the principles underlying their design and selection, together with their planning implications. Systems to be covered include: energy sup... |
| LAND 221 | Landscape Architecture Sites and Systems / Ngā Tikanga me ngā Tukanga Pokepoke, Whakarākei hoki i a Papa-tūā-nuku | This course introduces ways of analysing, mapping, and reporting on ecosystems and landform in landscape architecture. Students will develop a practical understanding of ecology, geomorphology, hydrology, soils, and Indigenous vegetation systems through writing reports, making maps, and undertaking fieldwork related to landscape systems. |
| SARC 223 | Human Environmental Science / Te Āhurutanga o te Taiao | The course covers methods of achieving building environmental conditions that relate to the requirements of building users. The course covers climatic analysis and specifications of the environmental performance of buildings, together with the thermal, visual, acoustic, and aerodynamic principles of building elements; plus the services systems required to control and maintain these conditions. |
| SARC 232 | Sustainability in the Built Environment / Te toitūtanga i te hanganga | The philosophical, conceptual and contextual basis of sustainable and regenerative design. Content includes material on the ecological and environmental challenges to society in the present and future; resource stewardship and the effective utilisation of materials in the built environment. |
300-level courses
| Course Code | Course Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| BILD 321 | Sustainable Engineering Systems Design / Ngā Punaha Whakarauora i te Taiao | This course addresses the interaction between buildings and the environment in the achievement of comfort, performance and sustainability and the design of appropriate sustainable engineering systems at the building scale. |
| LAND 312 | Landscape Architecture Design Studio IV / Te Taupuni Mahi Pokepoke, Whakarākei hoki i a Papa-tūā-nuku IV | This studio-based course encourages students to take a proactive approach to design research situating a specific design investigation within the discourse and practice of landscape architecture. |
| SARC 331 | Sustainable and Regenerative Design / Te Whakarauoratanga o ngā Mahi Whakarākei | This course explores sustainable and regenerative design principles and applications across a range of designed and built environments. |
400-level courses
| Course Code | Course Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| BILD 411 | Integration Project / Te Kaupapa Whakakotahitanga | Studio course in which students demonstrate application of a range of sustainable engineering systems and project management skills to project development. Assignments will be advanced to allow assessment of programmatic, spatial, scale and material ... |
| BILD 422 | Sustainable Engineering Systems Project / Kia Toitū te Taiao | Studio-based course considering the interaction between buildings and the environment at the urban scale and the design of appropriate sustainable engineering systems to achieve sustainable urban development. |
| BILD 423 | Buildings and Energy / Ngā Whare me te Pūngao | The interaction of energy with buildings. The focus is on energy performance and energy management in practice. |
| BILD 431 | Green Building Assessment / Te Arotake i ngā Whare Toitū | The history, practice and future development of worldwide green building assessment systems, with special emphasis on an in-depth exploration of the NZ Green Star building assessment system. |
| LAND 421 | Landscape Technology: Landscape Infrastructures and Construction Systems / Ngā Hangarau Pokepoke, Whakarākei hoki i a Papa-tūā-nuku: Ngā Tukanga Hangahanga | This course critically examines infrastructure systems and assemblages. This course addresses core aspects of landscape infrastructures - characteristics and applications, construction detailing, management and maintenance. |
| SARC 481 | Special Topic: Sustainable Materials | This course examines what makes materials sustainable, how to effectively interrogate their impacts, which existing tools can assist evaluations, and how the evaluations relate to the current sustainability schemes. Attention is also paid to conceptual frameworks and practical applications. |
500-level courses
| Course Code | Course Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| ARCI 594 | Architecture Research Portfolio / Ngā Kohinga Rangahau Hoahoa Whare (Ecology and Sustainability) | Course Learning Objectives are individual to each candidate and will be agreed on with the candidate’s supervisor. |
600-level courses
| Course Code | Course Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| SSEG 690 | Sustainable Engineering Systems for PhD / Tohu Kairangi o Ngā Pūnaha Whakarauora | N/A |
School of Design Innovation
200-level courses
| Course Code | Course Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| DSDN 221 | Design for Sustainability / Hoahoa mō te tōitutanga | An introduction to the key concepts, theories and methodologies relevant to sustainable design and their application to a cross-disciplinary design practice. Students will develop awareness of sustainability from an ecological perspective and, within the context of design, explore sustainable solutions. |
| FADN 201 | Design Studio / Taupuni Waihanga | In this intermediate course students will trial various digital and physical pattern design and manufacturing techniques to explore the expressive power of appearance in both fictional and real-world contexts. Historical and cultural theories related to fashion will be discussed, including the significance of Māori clothing and adornment in Aotearoa, providing students a context for developing a unique and ethically focused design position. |
| INDN 241 | Sustainable Mediums / Ngā Huarahi Toitūtanga | This course stimulates students to explore and experiment with a range of design-focused mediums, materials, and techniques. In addition to material and technical proficiency, students will gain competence in creating contextual design interventions and sustainable solutions. |
300-level courses
| Course Code | Course Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| INDN 332 | Future Under Negotiation / Te Matapaki i te Anamata | This course explores industrial design from a historic, contemporary and future (speculative) perspective with a specific focus on the implications of technological evolution. Emerging issues such as artificial intelligence, biological printing and climate change will be explored through design experiments and scenario building. |
| SIDN 321 | Design Justice / Hoahoa o Te Nāianei | This course introduces students to the complex relations between design, people and the environment, and explores the notion of design justice, as a provocation for creating positive impact through design practice and of design practice. The course explores design ethics and responsibilities in relation to climate and environmental justice; indigenous justice; disability justice; social justice, through creative projects. |
| SIDN 372 | Service Design / Hoahoa ā-Ratonga | In this course students consider the transitional changes required to achieve shifts in social infrastructure, existing paradigms and organisational networks and pipelines. Students create and articulate sustainable pipelines and systems that acknowledge the health and well-being of both humans and nature. |
| SIDN 390 | Design for Social Innovation Capstone / Whakatinana ā-Wheako | Within Agents of Change students create solutions that can impact positive social, cultural, political, economic and/or environmental change. Students use design tools, research methodologies and emergent co- design practices to design prototypes, and communicate and analyse design interventions that offer transitional pathways towards positive change. |
400-level courses
| Course Code | Course Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| UXDN 406 | He Māramatanga / UX Design Context in Aotearoa | In this course, students will develop an understanding of cultural and ethical considerations for the professional practice of UX design in Aotearoa, New Zealand. Content will explore Mātauranga Māori (Māori knowledge) in the context of UX and community engagement. |
Faculty of Science
School of Biological Sciences
100-level courses
| Course Code | Course Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 113 | Biology of Plants | An exploration into the structure, function and biodiversity of plants and fungi, emphasising their adaptations to different environments, their interactions with other organisms and their fundamental importance to humanity. |
| BIOL 132 | Biodiversity and Conservation | An introduction to the diversity, management and conservation of microbial, plant and animal communities. Using key taxa or ecosystems as examples, students will gain an appreciation of the current issues facing the world's biodiversity, and explore possible methods for conservation, including habitat restoration, translocation, and predator control. |
200-level courses
| Course Code | Course Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 271 | Introductory Marine Ecology | This course introduces students to: the diversity and physiology of marine organisms; biological oceanography; the structure and function of marine ecosystems such as the deep sea, polar seas, rocky shores, mangrove forests and coral reefs and marine conservation issues. |
| BIOL 222 | Ecology and Environment | An introduction to the principles of Ecology and Environmental Science, including a required week long field trip in the mid-trimester break. The course will focus on physical and biological processes in terrestrial environments and ecosystem functioning. The field trip will introduce techniques relevant to field-based enquiry in ecological and environmental science. |
300-level courses
| Course Code | Course Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 325 | Global Change Biology: The Ecology of Our Planet Under Stress | An introduction to the ecophysiological responses of plants and animals to environmental and anthropogenic stress, with an emphasis on the effects of changes in global climate and land use. The course focuses on biological functions as they are affected by interactions with their physical, chemical and biotic environments. |
| BIOL 327 | Population and Community Ecology | This course will cover practical and conceptual approaches to the study of plant and animal ecology covering population dynamics, community structure and ecosystem ecology. |
| BIOL 328 | Behaviour and Conservation Ecology | This course will cover the behaviour and conservation ecology of animals and plants. Topics will incorporate pest control, environmental impact assessment, and conservation priority ranking. |
| BIOL 370 | Field Marine Ecology | A research-based course of sampling, analysis and independent projects, which includes several days of intensive field work and laboratories. PLEASE NOTE: There are two different streams of this course, one focussed on intertidal ecology, and one on subtidal ecology. Both streams will run at some point from late January to late February with exact dates varying from year-to-year to accommodate tide times. |
| BIOL 371 | Marine Ecology | Focusing on marine system quantitative ecology; teaching encourages students to think critically while investigating ecological processes and impacts upon population dynamics and community structure across various marine settings (e.g. soft shores, rocky and coral reefs). The course emphasises quantitative methods including design, statistical analysis and interpretation of field experiments and observational studies. |
| BIOL 372 | Applied Marine Biology | Focusing on applied marine biology, you will be introduced to a wide range of human impacts on the marine environment. We will explore the diverse management strategies, approaches, and tools available globally to manage these impacts. Zealand. |
400-level courses
| Course Code | Course Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 405 | Pest Management, Invasive Species, and Biosecurity | The course examines national and international practice in the management of pests and invasive species. We will discuss biosecurity practices and key agreements or legislation. Case studies will include controversies regarding species introductions and the best practice for exotic species management. |
| BIOL 420 | Conservation Ecology | BIOL 420 is a course that focuses on the unprecedented loss of biodiversity caused by human activities and provides an overview of the wider context of 'Conservation Biology'. It first defines the academic discipline of 'Conservation Biology' followed by an examination of the most common causes of the observed declines and extinctions of species (i.e., the ecology of extinction). |
| BIOL 423 | Marine Biodiversity and Ecology | Selected current research topics in Marine Biology, including marine ecology, diversity and conservation. |
| BIOL 424 | New Zealand Conservation Practice | A practical, field-based course in New Zealand's fauna and flora and their conservation. Students visit a range of important field sites to learn about major conservation problems affecting the New Zealand biota. A case study approach is used to examine the conservation practices of New Zealand conservation scientists and managers. |
500-level courses
| Course Code | Course Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 519 | Principles of Marine Conservation | This course focusses on the underlying principles and practice of marine conservation and management. Topics may include: population and extinction risks; coastal dynamics; marine chemistry and pollution; exploitation of marine resources, including fisheries ecology; bioinvasions and disease; global climate change; marine reserve ecology; and scenario planning. |
| BIOL 529 | Tropical Marine Conservation Practice | An examination of conservation issues and practices in tropical coastal environments, with particular emphasis on coral reefs, mangroves and seagrasses. This two-week field course provides practical experience of identifying, monitoring and managing impacts on tropical marine ecosystems. |
| ERES 525 | Ecological Restoration | Theory and practice behind the restoration of flora and fauna and functions to degraded sites, with presentations by leading NZ scientists and restoration practitioners. Students will visit current restoration projects, e.g. Zealandia. |
| ERES 526 | Ecological Restoration in Practice | A project-based exploration of practical issues underpinning ecological restoration. Students will develop practical skills and obtain knowledge enabling them to contribute to a local restoration project. Focus will be placed on the skills required to develop a restoration plan, implement restoration management and to evaluate the success of restoration efforts. |
| ERES 591 | Thesis in Ecological Restoration | MSc thesis in Ecological Restoration. |
School of Chemical and Physical Sciences
100-level courses
| Course Code | Course Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| CHEM 122 | Chemistry of Matter, Energy and the Environment | CHEM 122 considers the chemical structure and properties of matter and uses this knowledge to explore the energetics of chemical processes and how this relates to the modern energy landscape. You will then apply this knowledge to investigate the chemistry of environmental systems. A central theme that is embedded within all topics is how chemical technologies can be used for our sustainable future. |
200-level courses
| Course Code | Course Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| SPCE 201 | Our Dynamic Space Neighbourhood | The course starts with introductory orbital mechanics, rocketry, the physics of space-related heat and electromagnetic energy through to the Sun and its violent solar weather. Then, through energy transfer in the Earth’s atmosphere the course explores climate change, remote sensing concepts, monitoring habitat from space and applications to preserving taonga. |
School of Science in Society
100-level courses
| Course Code | Course Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| SCIS 101 | Your Body, Your Data, Your World: Science in Everyday Life | How does science materialise in our day to day lives? How does it interact with culture, political context, and economies? In this fully online course, you will learn from a range of experts about the science and technology that shape our everyday lives. We cover topics such as pain, big data and weather. |
200-level courses
| Course Code | Course Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| SCIS 211 | Contemporary Issues in Science, Environment and Technology | Explore some of the most topical scientific, environmental and technological issues in society. You will learn about the science underpinning each issue, and consider the societal context, implications, and controversies. This online course encourages the development of scientific literacy, understanding of the complexities of science engagement and communication, and consideration of science within a wider societal context. |
300-level courses
| Course Code | Course Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| SCIS 301 | Special Topic: Mātauranga in Society: Engaging with Te Ao Māori for Science, Conservation and Environmental Management | This fully online course will consider the role of Māori concepts of mātauranga (knowledge) and pūtaiao (science) in Aotearoa New Zealand in promoting effective practice of science, conservation and environmental management programmes and partnerships. You will be able to apply what you learn about mātauranga and pūtaiao to a broader scientific context. |
| SCIS 311 | Science Communication | Build your science communication knowledge and skills through exploration of science communication theory and practice. You will hear from science communication practitioners and learn to communicate science to non-science audiences through hands-on experience creating science communication outputs for different audiences, including opportunity to explore creative mediums from science writing and visual design to videos and podcasts. |
| SCIS 315 | Histories of people, environment and science in the Asia Pacific | Ever wondered why Aotearoa New Zealand has so many farms, or why we are constantly dealing with problems related to introduced pests? Do you want to know the origins of our reliance on fossil fuels and the environmental crisis? This course places environmental, scientific and technological changes within wider historical contexts, mainly from the Asia-Pacific. |
400-level courses
| Course Code | Course Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| SCIS 410 | Science Communication | An introduction to the theory and practice of science communication. Students will learn about the purpose of, audiences for and effectiveness of various forms of science communication. In addition, they will develop science communication skills and outputs related to specific areas of scientific research or societal concern and engage with science communication research and literature. |
| SCIS 412 | Science in Society Research and Methods | An applied overview of current research practice, findings and methods relevant to interdisciplinary science studies. The course introduces students to a range of qualitative, quantitative, interpretive, creative and Kaupapa Māori research methods used in science studies. in Aotearoa. |
| SCIS 414 | Science and the Arts | This course explores important connections between science, Mātauranga Māori, the arts and humanities in the contemporary world. Material is drawn from a wide range of sources, including the environmental humanities, new media studies, Māori and other Indigenous scholarship, creative arts and writing. Students will have opportunities to explore academic and creative responses to contemporary issues relating to science and technology. |
School of Geography, Environment and Earth Sciences
100-level courses
| Course Code | Course Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| GEOG 112 | (Re)Making Places: Geographies of Development, Equity and Social Change | Engage with key concepts and approaches in human geography and development studies relevant to rethinking and creating more just and equitable worlds. Grapple with key contemporary issues such as sustainable transport, climate change migration, social inclusion, and how to address inequalities. |
| GEOG 114 | Sustainability: People and Environment | This course focuses on the relationships between people and the (natural and built) environment. We examine a range of contemporary ways of thinking about these relationships, using local and international examples. This course brings together the social and environmental dimensions of sustainability. |
| GEOS 101 | Our Dynamic Earth and Environment | In this course you will be introduced to the Earth system, covering the physical processes that shape the Earth and environment. This course emphasises how humans interact with the environment, recognising differing societal perspectives, especially around key issues such as climate change and sea level rise, natural hazards, and resource use. |
| GEOS 102 | Earth Science for a Changing Planet | In GEOS 102 you will explore the foundations of Earth Science, necessary for understanding and mitigating climate change and natural hazards, including sea-level rise, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions. In addition, you will be introduced to environmentally responsible management of natural resources such as groundwater and minerals. |
| GEOS 103 | Antarctica: Unfreezing the Continent | A broad introduction to Antarctica, including its history, exploration, weather, geology, fauna and management. Its role in the global climate system is emphasised. This course is primarily designed for non-science majors. |
200-level courses
| Course Code | Course Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| ESCI 201 | Climate Change and New Zealand's Future | Designed for science and non-science students, this course provides a summary of current knowledge on climate change, the evidence and its uncertainties, and possible climate scenarios for the next 50 to 100 years. The course also discusses the influence of climate change on NZ’s society, economy and environment, and governmental strategies for adaptation and mitigation. |
| GEOG 212 | Worlds of Development | This course deepens students’ understanding of different theories and approaches to development from around the world by exploring their similarities, differences and intersections. We focus particularly on contemporary approaches to multilateral governance, grassroots action, and transnational organising. |
| GEOG 214 | Environmental Futures for Aotearoa New Zealand | This course broadly maps human-nature relationships throughout human history in Aotearoa New Zealand. You will focus on how our relationships as part of the natural world, and our perspectives of them, manifest environmental values and ethics that become embedded in environmental management systems, policy and legislation. |
| GEOG 217 | Human Geography: Approaching Our World | In this course, students delve deeply into the diverse viewpoints adopted by human geographers when studying local and global issues, both past and present. Examples of such issues include housing pressures, spatial justice (or injustice), place identity, and the complex relationship between people and nature. |
| GEOS 201 | Hydrological Science and Freshwater Management | This course equips students with the fundamental principles of hydrology and water management. Through practical exercises and theory, you will learn about hydrological processes, river dynamics, floods, and droughts. We then apply this theoretical knowledge to questions of water quality, resources, and management, as well as climate change impacts on hydrology. |
| GEOS 208 | Sustainable Resources and Infrastructure | You will acquire practical understanding of theories and methods used for subsurface analysis, imaging, and sampling. The techniques underpin groundwater, geothermal energy, and mineral exploration and utilization. Rock mass stability and site characterization underpin sustainable infrastructure development. |
300-level courses
| Course Code | Course Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| ENSC 301 | Topics in Environmental Science | Topics in environmental science that may include: environmental toxicology, Antarctica and environmental change, greenhouse effect environmental risk assessment, mathematical modelling of environmental problems; human health and ecology, atmosphere and ocean dynamics and natural resource management. |
| GEOS 301 | Hydrological Science and Freshwater Management | This course equips students with the fundamental principles of hydrology and water management. Through practical exercises and theory, you will learn about hydrological processes, river dynamics, floods, and droughts. We then apply this theoretical knowledge to questions of water quality, resources, and management, as well as climate change impacts on hydrology. |
| GEOS 308 | Sustainable Resources and Infrastructure | You will acquire practical understanding of theories and methods used for subsurface analysis, imaging, and sampling. The techniques underpin groundwater, geothermal energy, and mineral exploration and utilization. Rock mass stability and site characterization underpin sustainable infrastructure development. |
| GEOG 312 | Race, Gender and Development | This course explores people’s experiences of development in relation to race, gender and sexuality in Aotearoa New Zealand and other places in the world. We engage feminist, queer, postcolonial, Kaupapa Māori and Mana Wahine theories to help us question the workings of power within development and to consider how place makes a difference to development outcomes. |
| GEOG 314 | Global Environmental Justice | All environmental problems have human dimensions. Throughout this course, we will build an understanding of environmental issues as social issues by focussing on environmental justice. |
| GEOG 316 | Geographies of Globalisation | In this course, we analyse the impacts of globalisation from a geographical perspective. Students gain a deep understanding of the challenges, benefits and complexities of different processes of globalisation through a focus on their socio-economic, cultural and environmental implications around the world. |
400-level courses
| Course Code | Course Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| CCSP 401 | Physical Basis of Climate Change | Students will learn elementary radiative transfer physics, energy balance, concepts of climate forcing, feedback and response. Some elements of planetary circulation will be covered, along with modes of variability. Carbon, methane and nitrogen cycles will be covered in support of understanding the relationship between emissions and concentrations. |
| CCSP 402 | Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation | This course will provide participants with high-level understanding of climate change impacts and adaptation at global, national and local scales. Climate prediction models will be used to examine social and biophysical vulnerabilities to environmental change, and explore policies and measures to minimise impacts, and the potential for adaptation at different scales. |
| CCSP 403 | International Climate Change Policy | This course provides an overview of international climate policy, drawing on policy-relevant physical climate change science, economics, game theory, ethics, and international relations theory relevant for climate policy. |
| CCSP 404 | Climate Change Mitigation | An examination of the domestic and international policy issues surrounding climate change mitigation, including why mitigation represents a challenging social and economic as well as environmental problem; differing perspectives on policy solutions to the mitigation challenge; linkages with international policy; policies and behaviour change; the roles of relevant institutions; sectoral considerations and policy measures; policy communication, and the politics of mitigation strategies. |
| CCSP 408 | Special Topic: Emerging Topics in Climate Change in Aotearoa New Zealand and the Pacific | An applied overview of the practical aspects of addressing climate change in relevant government agencies and organisations in Aotearoa New Zealand and the wider Pacific. This course is delivered through public research seminars from guest speakers in government, industry, and academia. |
| ENSC 401 | Advanced Topic in Environmental Science | You will develop skills required for professional practice in the environmental sciences: data visualisation, regression, ordination, and machine learning. |
| ENSC 402 | Perspectives in Environmental Science in Aotearoa New Zealand | In this interdisciplinary science course, students will explore contemporary and controversial environmental issues threatening the life supporting capacity of the planet. |
| ENSC 410 | Environmental Science Internship | This course enables students to gain professional work experience in environmental science. Each student is supervised by a host organisation involved in environmental science research or applications in the public or private sectors. |
| ENSC 485 | Environmental Science Research Essay | This course develops skills in research and writing in Environmental Science. A review essay will be written on a relevant topic in environmental science, with the supervision of a Victoria academic or an expert from a collaborative institute. |
| ESCI 412 | Paleoclimatology | The course is a study of contemporary research papers in Paleoclimate science. Concentrates on environmental proxy indicators, dating methods and climate dynamics. Prominent NZ Quaternary records as well as high profile records from elsewhere are examined. |
| ESCI 453 | Earth Materials and Resources | Earth materials are essential for renewable energy transition and sustainable development but their extraction impacts our environment. This course will explore the origin, extraction, uses and potential problems associated with a range of Earth resources. |
| PHYG 413 | Climate Dynamics | Provides an overview of the circulation of the global atmosphere, the basic drivers of the climate system, including the global radiation balance, and how climate varies seasonally and from year to year. |
500-level courses
| Course Code | Course Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| CCSP 510 | Research Essay | This major research project gives the student scope to investigate a climate related topic of particular interest, and centres on writing and presenting an extended research essay of up to 15,000 words. The investigation will relate to a research question concerning an aspect of climate change science or policy, broadly interpreted. |
| CCSP 511 | Practicum Placement and Project | This course has three components: a placement, a research project, and presentation of a seminar. The placement is a period of work with an employer in the field of climate change science, policy or management (e.g. climate-related transport research or policy formulation). |
| DEVE 515 | Development Theory: Socio-spatial Thinking in Development Studies | This course introduces students to socio-spatial thinking that informs development theories seeking to explain and address inequalities. We critically examine mainstream theories informing international aid and geopolitical architecture, including the Sustainable Development Goals. |
| DEVE 516 | Development Research Approaches for Just and Regenerative Futures | This course introduces students to the politics and practices of conducting research which aims to inform just and regenerative futures. |
| DEVE 517 | Community Engagement and Social Action | This course builds students’ capacities in the analysis and application of professional and creative tools to engage with diverse communities and organisations working towards social action in particular contexts. |
| ENSC 510 | Environmental Science Research Project | This major research project gives the student scope to investigate an environment-related topic of particular interest, and centres on writing and presenting an extended research essay of up to 15,000 words. The investigation will relate to an independent research question concerning an aspect of environmental science. |
| ENSC 511 | Environmental Science Placement and Project | This course provides both professional development and research training. It has three components: a placement, an applied research project, and presentation of a seminar. The placement is a period of work with an employer in the field of environmental science. |
| ENSC 591 | Thesis in Environmental Science | In person requirements depend on the project and supervisor. Please discuss with potential supervisors or programme directors. |
| ENVI 520 | Environmental Management | This course critically reviews the theory and practice of contemporary environmental management and governance. Engaging with local and international case studies, including examples of Indigenous-led environmental governance, it considers the different ways in which environmental problems, and their potential solutions, might be understood. |
| ENVI 521 | Research Methods for Environmental Studies | This course provides an understanding of and practice in methods for undertaking research in environmental studies as applied in a range of academic and 'real world' contexts. It covers development of conceptual frameworks, literature reviews, methodological issues, ethics issues and research writing skills. |
| ENVI 522 | Environmental and Planning Law | A practical survey of the law and theories of law as they affect environmental management. Students will be introduced to the basics of environmental legal philosophy and principles applying to the making of law about environmental matters, as well as the basics of the NZ legal system and where environmental laws, the courts and government regulation fit into that system. |
| ENVI 525 | Maori Environmental and Resource Management | This course aims to build an understanding of Maori perspectives of the environment through an in-depth look at the complex interplay between social, political, environmental and cultural factors that impact on Aotearoa New Zealand’s built and natural environments. The course considers the role Maori environmental perspectives could, and do, play in the creation of uniquely Aotearoa New Zealand places by drawing on case studies across Aotearoa New Zealand. |
| ENVI 526 | Political Ecology of Conservation | This course will explore the socio-political dimensions of conservation by critically considering philosophies, knowledges and broader political economies that shape conservation policies and practices. Particular focus will be placed on unpacking assumptions about conservation and examining how uneven relationships of power play out through different approaches to conservation. |
| ENVI 528 | Climate Justice Now | Collectives across the globe are calling for climate justice now. But what is climate justice, and how is it different from other types of climate action? In this course, we will trace the emergence of the international climate justice movement, its influence on climate politics, and examine theories for where and how justice might be built, and for whom. |
| ENVI 530 | Special Topic: Drivers of Human Behaviour | The course examines human behaviour in relation to environmental challenges. It focuses on individual drivers of behaviour, as well as understanding the ways in which (un)sustainable practices are situated within existing social, natural, technological and policy contexts. |
| ENVI 591 | Thesis | Master’s thesis in Environmental Studies. |
| ENVI 593 | Thesis | MEnvStud thesis. |
Faculty of Education
School of Education
100-level courses
| Course Code | Course Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| TCHG 103 | Ako 1: Ngā Anga—Care and education frameworks and pedagogies | This course introduces you to practice frameworks taught across the programme, including professionalism, ethical practice and reflective practice. Notions of wellbeing, belonging, diversity, cultural responsiveness and sustainability, inclusivity and reflective practice are foci. |
| TCHG 105 | Tātaimarau me Te Reo Māori 2: Kia Rere—The ‘100’ Languages of Children | Students will explore introductory notions of creativity including Māori, Pacific Peoples and Western conceptualisations. They enhance their own creative skills and attitudes by exploring languages, literacy, visual art, music, dance, drama, science, and technology. They develop enriched understandings of design for programme planning and learning environments, which integrate digital learning, a sustainability focus, and transformative approaches. |
200-level courses
| Course Code | Course Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| TCHG 222 | Tātaimarau 3: Ngā Torohanga—Modalities for understanding lifeworlds | In this course, student teachers critically examine effective practices for teaching mathematics, science, technology and languages to infants, toddlers and young children. They consider the social, cultural, and sustainability values that underpin their teaching and professional behaviours in these domains and their understanding of assessment practices. |
| TCHG 225 | Tātaimarau 4: Ngā Toi—Exploring modes of creativity and expression | In this course, student teachers critically examine effective practices for teaching oral and written literacy, dance and movement, music, drama and visual arts relevant to the diverse life-worlds of infants, toddlers and young children. They consider the social, cultural, and sustainability values that underpin their teaching, professional behaviours and assessment practices in these domains. |
300-level courses
| Course Code | Course Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| TCHG 382 | Tātaimarau 5: Tuituiā – Integrating the Arts and Sciences | This course focuses on the design of programme and learning environments to promote social, cultural and linguistic inclusivity and environmental sustainability. Student teachers consider (a) relationships to Papatūānuku and the physical environment and (b) belonging and contribution to communities and societies (including global citizenship) as core curriculum considerations. |
Faculty of Engineering
School of Engineering and Computer Science
100-level courses
| Course Code | Course Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| ENGR 110 | Engineering Design | This course addresses the engineering design process through a collection of engineering projects that require a range of technologies and design techniques. Sustainability will be an important component of the course, with some of the projects addressing sustainable design challenges. |
300-level courses
| Course Code | Course Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| RESE 321 | Renewable Energy Generation Engineering | This course introduces a range of different energy generation systems, and especially those that utilise renewable resources: wind energy (pumping and power), geothermal, hydro (at different scales), solar photovoltaic, solar thermal, and bioenergy. |
400-level courses
| Course Code | Course Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| RESE 412 | Advanced Development of RE Systems | This course presents techniques used to design advanced, integrated renewable energy solutions for given situations. The hardware and control enabling renewable energy systems to interact with a wider grid are presented along with topologies such as nano- and micro-grids. |
| RESE 422 | Sustainability Modelling Techniques | This course introduces various approaches to analyse the sustainability of systems, such as cost-benefit analysis, and simulation modelling techniques. It then focuses more deeply on system dynamics modelling and life cycle analysis. Practical work explores simulation techniques. |
| RESE 431 | RE Systems Generation | This course introduces a range of different energy generation systems, and especially those that utilise renewable resources: wind energy (pumping and power), geothermal, hydro (different scales), solar photovoltaic, solar thermal, and bioenergy. |
| RESE 451 | Research methods for RE systems (theory) | This course covers the theory and practice of undertaking research. The nature and process of quantitative and qualitative research approaches are explored to enable students to formulate and conduct a research effort to find answers to specific problems related to renewable energy. |
| RESE 487 | Research Project | This course gives students the opportunity to pursue an individual research project relating to an aspect of renewable energy – for the Bachelor of Science with Honours in Renewable Energy. Students will be given guidance and support from a supervisor. |
500-level courses
| Course Code | Course Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| ENGR 502 | Engineering Professional Practice | The course addresses a range of issues in the professional practice of engineering, including critical thinking and problem solving, working in teams, innovation and entrepreneurship, social, cultural, legal, health & safety, environmental, and sustainability considerations. |
| RESE 589 | Research Project | This course gives students the opportunity to pursue an individual research project relating to an aspect of renewable energy – for the Master of Renewable Energy. Students will be given guidance and support from a supervisor. |
| RESE 591 | Thesis in Renewable Energy | MSc thesis in Renewable Energy. |
Faculty of Health
School of Health
200-level courses
| Course Code | Course Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| HLWB 220 | Nutrition Literacy for the 21st Century | This course introduces students to the fundamentals in human nutrition and nutrition literacy in the 21st century. Students will critically evaluate determinants of sustainable diets thereby generating students’ consciousness as global citizens in a challenging ‘food’ future. |
| HLWB 204 | Systems Thinking in Health Policy and Innovation | This course introduces students to systems thinking and how it can be used to understand health systems and approaches to change and improvement. Students will learn about the Aotearoa New Zealand health system and how it has changed over time. |
500-level courses
| Course Code | Course Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| HPSY 501 | Health Psychology: Health and Wellbeing in Context | This course will provide an in-depth examination of the social, cultural and environmental contexts in which people maintain good health and wellbeing. |
Faculty of Law
School of Law
300-level courses
| Course Code | Course Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| LAWS 318 | Resource Management Law | An examination of the Resource Management Act 1991 and the legal framework for the sustainable management of natural and physical resources in New Zealand. |
| LAWS 390 | Special Topic: Business Law for Māori Organisations | This course examines some of the key rules and current issues affecting Māori organisations. Students are expected to engage with these rules and issues and propose their own solutions. |
500-level courses
| Course Code | Course Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| LAWS 520 | Special Topic: Law and Disobedience | From climate change protests to the recent demonstrations against Covid-19 restrictions, individuals have engaged in different types of illegal acts. Are those acts not only illegal, but also ‘wrong’? In other words, when are we morally justified to disobey the law? |
| LAWS 528 | Special Topic: Contemporary Issues in Public International Law: Human Rights, Climate Change | This course explores international law issues, focusing on international human rights, climate change and other topical questions. The course, taught by Faculty experts, aims to give students a good understanding of different facets of international law – from orthodox theory to business and human rights to climate change litigation. |
Get help choosing courses
If you need help choosing courses, or you’re not sure how to fit these courses into your chosen programme of study, contact us.
If you're a new student
You can get help from a Kaitawaka Māori and the Future Students team.
If you're a Māori student
You can get advice from your Āwhina—Māori Student Support team.