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SCIE29002 - First Nations Perspectives in Sustainability

General Information

Unit Synopsis

In this unit, you will critique approaches to community engagement with First Nations community members, communities and agencies. Emphasising respect and collaboration, you will study culturally appropriate principles and strategies for community engagement, participatory planning and stakeholder relationships. This unit emphasises ethical engagement and the importance of working collaboratively with Indigenous communities. Global case studies will offer you comparative insights into diverse Indigenous sustainability practices, highlighting cultural landscapes and ecological stewardship principles. Drawing on transdisciplinary perspectives from First Nations studies, community development, history, planning, natural resource planning, public health and sociology, you will learn to evaluate the requirements of First Nations community engagement. You will develop a professional approach to working with First Nations and community engagement in your disciplinary context. By the unit's conclusion, you will have a holistic understanding of Indigenous contributions to global sustainability efforts, empowering you to advocate for environmental stewardship grounded in diverse cultural perspectives.

Details

Level Postgraduate
Unit Level 9
Credit Points 6
Student Contribution Band SCA Band 2
Fraction of Full-Time Student Load 0.125
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites There are no pre-requisites for the unit.

Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).

Class Timetable View Unit Timetable
Residential School No Residential School

Unit Availabilities from Term 1 - 2025

Term 2 - 2025 Profile
Melbourne
Online

Attendance Requirements

All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).

Assessment Overview

Recommended Student Time Commitment

Each 6-credit Postgraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.

Assessment Tasks

Assessment Task Weighting
1. Written Assessment 20%
2. Case Study 40%
3. Group Work 40%

This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of ‘pass’ in order to pass the unit. If any ‘pass/fail’ tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully (‘pass’ grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the ‘assessment task’ section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%).

Consult the University's Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades

Past Exams

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Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.

Unit learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  1. Critically examine the sustainability practices of Australian First Nations peoples
  2. Assess the factors shaping the practices and perspectives of First Nations and Indigenous peoples globally
  3. Evaluate the role of traditional ecological knowledge in contemporary sustainability initiatives
  4. Develop culturally appropriate strategies for integrating First Nations perspectives into modern sustainability projects
  5. Critically reflect on the ethical considerations and challenges in collaborating with Indigenous communities on sustainability issues.

Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
Assessment Tasks Learning Outcomes
1 2 3 4 5
1 - Written Assessment • •
2 - Case Study • • •
3 - Group Work • • • •
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
• Professional Level
• Advanced Level
Graduate Attributes Learning Outcomes
1 2 3 4 5
1 - Knowledge • • • • •
2 - Communication • • •
3 - Cognitive, technical and creative skills • • • • •
4 - Research • • • •
5 - Self-management • •
6 - Ethical and Professional Responsibility • • • • •
7 - Leadership • • •
8 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures • • • • •
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
• Professional Level
• Advanced Level
Assessment Tasks Graduate Attributes
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8