Postgraduate: Course rule and topic information

Graduate Certificate in Biodiversity

(GradCertBiod)

INTRODUCTION

The Graduate Certificate in Biodiversity is an 18-unit program offered by the Faculty of Science and Engineering on a Commonwealth Supported basis.

The course articulates with the Graduate Diploma in Biodiversity and the Master of Biodiversity, and the sequentially developed topics allow progression through the three awards.

Students who have completed the graduate certificate are awarded credit towards the graduate diploma.

COURSE AIMS

The primary aims of the graduate certificate are to provide:

• advanced studies to students with an undergraduate degree that is not related to studies of biodiversity, who would like to broaden their expertise or specialise in the field of biodiversity, and,
• vocational knowledge and skills in the field of biological diversity for environmental professionals.

The expected learning outcomes for the graduate certificate include:

• knowledge of the extent of the world's biodiversity and a critical awareness of the threat to biodiversity posed by human activities and current levels of extinction;
• an advanced level of knowledge of the biological principles underlying biodiversity assessment, conservation and management; and
• knowledge in a breadth of subject areas relating to biological diversity.

COURSE RULE

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Applicants must normally hold an approved degree or equivalent qualification from an approved tertiary institution.

The Faculty Board may, under certain circumstances and subject to specific conditions, admit others who can show evidence of fitness for candidature.

The Graduate Certificate in Biodiversity is not available to graduates of the Bachelor of Science in Biodiversity and Conservation or of equivalent undergraduate courses from other tertiary institutions.

PROGRAM OF STUDY [November, 2007]

To qualify for the Graduate Certificate in Biodiversity, a student must complete 18 units with a grade of P or NGP or better in each topic, according to the following program of study.

Not all topics are necessarily available in a given year.

Students must complete 6 units from the following core topics:

BIOD8002	Ecotourism: Principles and Practice*	6
BIOD8003	Advanced Skills in Field Ecology*#	6
BIOD8014	Marine Biodiversity*	6
BIOD8101	Conservation Biology and Restoration Ecology GE*	6

plus 12 units from the following optional topics:

BIOD8005	Advanced Vertebrate Palaeontology	6
BIOD8006	Advanced Community Ecology	6
BIOD8007	Australian Floral Diversity	6
BIOD8008	Australian Reptiles	6
BIOD8010	Australian Birds #	6
BIOD8011	Australian Mammals	6
BIOD8012	Fungal Biodiversity #	6
BIOD8015	Australian Frogs #	6

* Any topic with an asterisk may also be taken as an elective topic if not taken as a core topic.

# Topic not offered in 2008.

Except with permission of the Faculty Board:

• No topic may be attempted more than twice;
• A student may not include a topic which repeats work previously undertaken at the undergraduate level.

There will be some variation in the configuration and timing of the coursework topics, including some topics offered in intensive workshop mode.