Graduate Certificate of Urban Design

The Graduate Certificate of Urban Design builds on your existing skills and knowledge to prepare you for designing healthy, modern cities.

You’ll hone your understanding of the contemporary approaches needed to tackle population growth, climate change, housing affordability, urban mobility and public health in our cities.

You’ll graduate with the confidence and specialised knowledge in urban design required to build a career in urban design and planning practices, or in local city councils.

To qualify for the award of Graduate Certificate of Urban Design, students must complete 50 credit points:

• 3 core units of study (50 credit points)

Units of study

Student must complete the following 3 units of study: ARC70001 Design Research Studio A ARC80001 Dynamic Modelling of Cities ARC70004 Theories of Buildings and Cities

* Outcome units - matched exemptions are generally not granted for higher education outcome units.

Admission to the Graduate Certificate of Urban Design will require one of the following:

• successful completion of the Swinburne Bachelor of Design (Architecture) or
• successful completion of the Swinburne Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) with a major in Architectural or
• successful completion of the Swinburne Bachelor of Design (Interior Architecture) (Honours) with an Advanced Minor in Architecture or
• successful completion of another three year undergraduate architectural course*.

*In the case of completing another three year undergraduate architectural course, a review of prior learning in relation to the Swinburne Bachelor of Design (Architecture) will be necessary. Supplemental transitionary classes may be required.

Selection will be made using a Range of Criteria which can include (but not be limited to):

• a pre-selection kit requiring submission of an on-line portfolio (between 10 and 20 pages) **
• a personal motivation statement
• university transcripts.

**Pre-selection kit: Applicants are required to submit a portfolio of between 10 and 20 pages, which must address architecture- and/or urban design-related questions and include visual examples; and provide a 200-400 word written statement, the prompts for which can be found on the application portal.

• conceptual thinking and level of ambition in your projects;
• spatial thinking, planning and a sense of scale;
• digital and analogue communication skills, including the use of architectural drawing conventions; and
• construction and environmental technology.

Think carefully about how you present your portfolio as we will also consider how you structure your content into a clear, compelling story about yourself and your passion for, and commitment to, architecture and urban design.

• critically reflect on and apply knowledge of contemporary urban design theory and practice demonstrating comprehension of international and local planning theory and history, planning law and statutory planning, urban economics, sustainability, land use and urban design, and strategic planning
• apply analytical design research methods with an understanding of sourcing credible, relevant data to investigate, analyse and synthesise complex information, problems, concepts and theories and apply these to the broader social, economic and environmental urban processes
• apply creative spatial thinking and innovation approaches in a range of settings and scales while critically presenting design ideas and research results to explain, interpret and evaluate the impact of a specific complex Urban Design solution
• communicate clearly and concisely using a range of media to present, explain, and interpret design propositions, methodologies, conclusions, professional decisions and urban analysis to diverse audiences.

• capable in their chosen professional, vocational or study areas
• entrepreneurial in contributing to innovation and development within their business, workplace or community
• effective and ethical in work and community situations
• adaptable and able to manage change
• aware of local and international environments in which they will be contributing.