Master of Community Planning and Development
The Master of Community Planning and Development will see you working with communities in urban, regional and rural areas, with community development planning agencies and in an international setting. You will also work with non-government organisations and have exposure to a range of rural and regional development issues including: community development, healthy urban design, food security, child friendly and active environments, land-use planning and environmental and social policy at local, regional, national and international levels.
The qualification awarded on graduation is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) as Level 9 - Masters Degree.
Sample course structure
Please note, the following course structure is indicative and subject to change depending on your course location, offer year or how you tailor your course with specialisations, majors, minors and electives. Structures for the following year are not normally finalised until October, so the sample provided is based on the most recently approved structure. For more information, please refer to the La Trobe University Handbook.
To qualify for the award of Master of Community Planning and Development, students must complete a total of 240 credit points across 2 years.
Career outcomes
Graduates are likely to find diverse opportunities within government departments, including local governments, NGOs, research organisations, advocacy bodies and in the private sector in roles such as community development and management, advocacy, research, public policy development, social and community planning and urban, rural and environmental planning as part of multi-disciplinary teams in social and economic development projects in developed and developing countries.
There is currently a shortage of skilled workers in land use planning, environmental management, community development and public policy development.
Professional recognition
The Spatial Planning stream within the Master of Community and Planning Development is accredited by the Planning Institute of Australia (PIA); please refer to the Handbook for further details. Professional registration may require an application to the professional body and may have additional or ongoing requirements beyond the completion of the degree. Please contact the relevant professional body for details.
