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Development
Specialisation (formal)Year: 2026
Development
Overview
Development is offered as a major field of study in the Master of Environment degree.
There is a complex relationship between development processes and the natural environment, in developing economies and in both urban and rural areas.
The Development stream analyses and provides skills necessary for the sustainable development of economies and environments. Understanding 'environment and development' draws upon the inter-faculty expertise at the University of Melbourne.
Students will study rural and urban landscapes and look at issues including international development policy, carbon sequestration in the tropics, the political ecology of development, food security, biodiversity conservation, urban growth and planning, and sustainable livelihoods.
This stream is a platform for business and government professionals and those working or wishing to work in the non-governmental sector. Students will acquire skills for implementing sustainable development strategies in developing countries and in the western world.
Intended learning outcomes
Upon successful completion of the Development specialisation, students will be able to:
- Analyse the interactions between development and natural environments
- Propose strategies for sustainable development of society, environments and economies; and
- Be better equipped to take on professional roles meeting the challenges of complex cross-cultural, cross-disciplinary and cross-sectoral environment and development issues
Last updated: 15 March 2026
Structure
200 credit points
Students will be required to complete the two core subjects, plus choose three subjects from the compulsory specialisation subject list.
Students in the 200 point pathway must also take at least 12.5 points of subjects from the compulsory capstone subjects – these subjects enable students to complete an independent project in an area related to environment and development. Students in the 100 point pathway will not normally be required to complete this component.
Students must also undertake electives to make up the balance of the award. The selection of electives is made in consultation with the Development specialisation coordinator.
Core Subjects
Students must complete the following core subjects:
| Code | Name | Study period | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| MULT90004 | Environmental Sustainability |
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
July (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
| MULT90005 | Partnerships for Sustainable Futures | Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
Specialisation Subjects
Students must take three subjects from the specialisation subjects below:
| Code | Name | Study period | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| DEVT90003 | The Political Ecology of Development | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| DEVT90009 | Development Theories | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| DEVT90041 | Development Research Design & Assessment | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| ENST90002 | Social Impact Assessment and Evaluation | Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| EVSC90015 | Environmental Impact Assessment | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
Compulsory Capstone Experience
Students must complete at least 12.5 points from the following compulsory capstone subjects - please note that if you select either a 25 or 50 point research project that spreads across two semesters you must enrol into the Part 1 and Part 2 subjects over consecutive semesters. Students completing the 100 point pathway will normally be exempt from this requirement.
| Code | Name | Study period | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| ENST90006 | Environmental Research Review (12.5) |
Summer Term (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
| ENST90007 | Environmental Research Project (25) |
Summer Term (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
25 |
| ENST90016 | Environmental Research Project (50) |
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
50 |
| ENST90025 | Environmental Industry Research (25) |
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
25 |
| ENST90020 | Environmental Industry Research (50) |
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
50 |
| DEVT90002 | Internship in Development |
Semester 1 (Off Campus)
Semester 2 (Off Campus)
|
12.5 |
| GEOG90022 | International Internship in Environment |
Summer Term (Off Campus)
Semester 1 (Off Campus)
Semester 2 (Off Campus)
|
25 |
| ENST90035 | Environmental Research Project - 25 Pt1 |
Semester 1 (Extended) (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (Extended) (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
| ENST90036 | Environmental Research Project - 25 Pt2 |
Semester 1 (Early-Start) (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (Early-Start) (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
| ENST90037 | Environmental Research Project - 50 Pt1 |
Semester 1 (Extended) (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (Extended) (On Campus - Parkville)
|
25 |
| ENST90038 | Environmental Research Project - 50 Pt2 |
Semester 1 (Early-Start) (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (Early-Start) (On Campus - Parkville)
|
25 |
| ENST90039 | Environmental Industry Research - 25 Pt1 |
Semester 1 (Extended) (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (Extended) (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
| ENST90040 | Environmental Industry Research - 25 Pt2 |
Semester 1 (Early-Start) (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (Early-Start) (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
| ENST90041 | Environmental Industry Research - 50 Pt1 |
Semester 1 (Extended) (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (Extended) (On Campus - Parkville)
|
25 |
| ENST90042 | Environmental Industry Research - 50 Pt2 |
Semester 1 (Early-Start) (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (Early-Start) (On Campus - Parkville)
|
25 |
| DEVT90060 | Internship in Development |
Semester 1 (Off Campus)
Semester 2 (Off Campus)
|
25 |
| SCIE90017 | Science and Technology Internship |
Summer Term (Off Campus)
Semester 1 (Off Campus)
Semester 2 (Off Campus)
|
12.5 |
Elective Subjects
Students should make up the balance of the award with electives. Subjects in the list below are recommended. Other subjects may be taken with the approval of specialisation coordinator.
| Code | Name | Study period | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| ABPL90064 | Climate Change & Sustainability Planning | Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| ABPL90065 | Managing Global City Regions | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| ABPL90279 | Cities Without Slums | Not available in 2026 | 12.5 |
| GEOG90021 | Conservation and Cultural Environments | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| DEVT90001 | Development Project Management & Design | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| DEVT90039 | Civil Society, NGOs and the State | Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| DEVT90040 | Gender Issues in Development | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| Code | Name | Study period | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| ENEN90011 | Energy Efficiency Technology | Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| ENST90005 | Environmental Politics and Policy | Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| EVSC90014 | Environmental Risk Assessment | Winter Term (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| EVSC90020 | Environmental Modelling | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| GEOM90006 | Spatial Data Analytics | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| LAWS70068 | Environmental Law | June (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| NRMT90007 | Communities and Ecosystem Management | Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| POLS90016 | International Organisations | Not available in 2026 | 12.5 |
| ASIA90001 | Human Rights in Southeast Asia | Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| ACCT90031 | Sustainability Reporting & Management | Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| POPH90066 | Women and Global Health |
September (On Campus - Parkville)
September (Online)
|
12.5 |
| ENEN90027 | Energy for Sustainable Development | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| POLS90013 | Politics and Business in post-Mao China | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| Code | Name | Study period | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| DEVT90085 | Gender, Globalisation and Development | April (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| Code | Name | Study period | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| LAWS70093 | International Law and Development | April (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| DEVT90045 | Political Economy of Development | Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| FOOD90041 | The Politics of Food | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| ENST90032 | Sustainability and Behaviour Change |
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
| GEOG90020 | Participatory Risk Management | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| DEVT90007 | Development Policy: Independent Project | Not available in 2026 | 12.5 |
| Code | Name | Study period | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| POPH90137 | Primary Health Care, Jamkhed, India | November (Off Campus) |
12.5 |
| ENST90034 | Adapting to Climate Change | February (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| ENST90002 | Social Impact Assessment and Evaluation | Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| DEVT90003 | The Political Ecology of Development | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| DEVT90009 | Development Theories | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| EVSC90015 | Environmental Impact Assessment | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| DEVT90002 | Internship in Development |
Semester 1 (Off Campus)
Semester 2 (Off Campus)
|
12.5 |
| DEVT90041 | Development Research Design & Assessment | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| ENST90006 | Environmental Research Review (12.5) |
Summer Term (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
| ENST90007 | Environmental Research Project (25) |
Summer Term (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
25 |
| ENST90016 | Environmental Research Project (50) |
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
50 |
| ENST90020 | Environmental Industry Research (50) |
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
50 |
| ENST90025 | Environmental Industry Research (25) |
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
25 |
| Code | Name | Study period | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| LING90002 | Academic English for Graduate Studies |
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
| POPH90020 | Health Promotion |
September (Online)
September (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
| POPH90131 | Primary Health Care: applied principles |
February (Online)
February (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
| MECM90016 | Digital Politics | Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| POPH90088 | Disability in Policy and Practice |
June (Online)
June (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
| Code | Name | Study period | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| GEOG90025 | East Timor Field Class | Not available in 2026 | 12.5 |
| Code | Name | Study period | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| ABPL90371 | Design Activism | Not available in 2026 | 12.5 |
| ASIA90016 | China and the Environment | Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| DEVT90058 | Disaster and Humanitarian Aid | March (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| EDUC90848 | Applied Research Methodology |
Term 1 (Online)
Term 3 (Online)
|
12.5 |
| POPH90112 | Infectious Disease Epidemiology |
March (On Campus - Parkville)
March (Online)
|
12.5 |
| GEOG90003 | Integrated River & Catchment Management | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| MKTG90049 | Marketing, Society and Sustainability | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| ENST90044 | Analysing Ecosystems and Their Values | Semester 1 (Early-Start) (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| ENST90004 | Climate Change Politics and Policy | February (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| DEVT90043 | Advocacy in Development | Not available in 2026 | 12.5 |
| POLS90042 | Latin America in the World | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| DEVT90072 | Development in Latin America | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| LAWS90088 | Disaster Law and Climate Adaptation | Not available in 2026 | 12.5 |
| DEVT90084 | Rethinking Rights and Global Development | Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
Last updated: 15 March 2026