City & Town Planning Courses That Lead to a Bachelor Degree

Your town planning degree will qualify you to work all over Australia and across the world. One of the most exciting parts of being a qualified town planner is the freedom to use your creativity in a diverse array of environments. Where others only see problems you’ll be equipped to see opportunities. You'll know how to draw together goals that, to other people, seem mutually exclusive.

You could work in developing individual cities, rural communities, or whole regions. You may work as part of a team making short-term plans about how to use land while keeping in mind the long-term future for population growth, economic improvement, and environmental protection. You'll help to build sustainable infrastructure that promotes social equity. You may work for government organizations determining public policy and zoning restrictions that protect private property, economic growth, and the environment.

You may work in big cities, rural communities, or as part of a team of professionals in a private corporation. You will use your communication skills to inform and educate the public, advise government officials, and discuss key issues with stakeholders. Your Bachelor of Planning (similar to a Bachelor of City Planning) will qualify you for high-demand positions throughout the world.

Your city planning degree at JCU puts you in the heart of Australia's tropical environment where you'll see firsthand how the natural world interacts with the human population. Your degree is accredited by the Planning Institute of Australia. At graduation, you'll be immediately eligible for graduate membership in the Urban and Regional Chapter of the Planning Institute of Australia, ready to put to work what you've learned in your courses.

Learn About the Environment

Being a skilled town planner in the 21st century requires a deep understanding of environmental processes, sustainability, and how humans can affect the world around them. Your foundational town planning courses at JCU will include a strong emphasis on environmental science, physical geography, earth science, and the complexities of our world's natural processes.

Learn about the global climate system and climate change, how to preserve the earth's resources, and the importance of biodiversity. At JCU, you'll have the opportunity to visit the unique ecosystems of Australia and work at World Heritage Sites to understand the problems facing our future and how we can overcome them.

Protect People

One of the most fulfilling things about being a city planner is the key role you play in protecting people and enhancing their quality of life. Your town planning course will help you understand the natural hazards of our world and the social consequences that can follow natural events such as earthquakes, landslips, and tsunamis. You'll learn how to build cities that protect people as well as the environment and how to set up systems that make it easy for communities to deal with the consequences of a natural disaster.

You'll also spend time understanding the unique history and ongoing contributions of Indigenous Australians. Through your studies and real-world experience, you'll learn about issues of common law and the statutory theory of native title and how these affect developmental opportunities. Your world-class education will equip you to protect the rights and future of everyone in Australia.

Technology is essential to the modern city planner, at JCU you'll be ready today for tomorrow as you master the key technologies you need to build sustainable communities. Gain real-world experience in using remote sensors, mapping systems, GIS software, and co-ordinate systems. Gain experience creating effective maps and plans that can be used in the real world as you learn how to find the data you need.

You'll also face first-hand the limitations of our current mapping and remote sensing technology. As you see what's possible, as well as what's missing, you may be inspired to pioneer the development of better technologies for the next generation of city planners.

Develop as a Professional

As a professional, you'll have the responsibility and opportunity to work with others in your field and across disciplines. It's important that you have a strong understanding of all the relevant legislation and how it applies. You must also be a master of the professional ethics that govern your field. Your courses in planning legislation and professional practice will give you the foundation you need to maintain the highest level of professionalism wherever you go.

Communication is key to a town planner's career, and your town planning courses will give you the opportunity to grow your oral and written communication skills as you network with other professionals and students. As an independent thinker and a competent communicator, you'll be able to explain your design concepts to a range of audiences including other professionals, government officials, and members of the community.

Economic Development

Cities are more than just places to live. They are where communities grow and thrive, and the protection of the environment can't come at the expense of human development. Through your courses in planning for sustainable communities and urban ecosystems, you'll learn how to balance the needs of the environment while still promoting healthy economic development.

Your planning courses will give you the skills to face the challenges of managing marine and land resources for the most remote communities. You'll be part of the solution in bringing economic development from the business community to under-resourced areas while promoting regional sustainability and strong, resilient communities.

Be ready for the jobs of the future. Contact JCU today to build a successful career for yourself as you lead the way in building a healthy and sustainable future for us all.