Disciplines offered include:
Community Planning & Development
Environment & Physical Planning
You get to put your planning theory into practice with live projects.
The Bachelor of Planning at ECU covers pretty much every aspect of planning that I'm interested in, so it was an easy choice for me.
It means that when I graduate, I'll be useful in a whole range of planning careers.
The other big draw for me was the hands-on approach. You get to put your planning theory into practice with live projects. With the knowledge and skills I'll be equipped with, I'm confident I'll be very employable when I graduate.
As far as the staff go, I found the lecturers to be totally dedicated. They are always going out of their way to help.
Luke Aitken
ECU Planning student
School Leavers
Urban & Regional Planning
Where we live has a real impact on our health and lifestyle - Do you want to help create communities that people love to live in?
Studying one of our Urban & Regional Planning disciplines enables you gain core skills to become a qualified planner and also have the ability to specialise in a variety of areas: environmental, project development, policy and governance or community planning and development.
A selection of minors can also be included, for example, if you have a particular interest in heritage or Indigenous planning, water planning, environmental tourism, or planning for healthy cities.
Critical skills shortage
Despite huge demand and large salaries, employers are still having difficulty recruiting planners. This means students are able to line up jobs well before they have finished their final exams.
One reason for the shortage, described as ‘critical’ by the Planning Institute of Australia (PIA) is the property and development boom.
PIA chief executive Di Jay said the average job vacancy rate was likely to grow by 30% by the end of the decade. Depending on location, starting salaries average between $35,000 and $65,000.
Ensuring needs are met
All Urban & Regional Planning courses have been designed in consultation with representatives from the planning profession, government, industry and the community.
ECU has taken a good solid approach to planning. The holistic integrated approach of the course structure means students are well prepared for a dynamic and proactive planning career
- Director General of the Department of Planning and Infrastructure, Eric Lumsden
Travel behaviour research
Urban & Regional Planning academic, Tim Perkins, is researching travel patterns within the Perth to Mandurah travel corridor.
The results of Tim's research aim to shift the focus in transport planning from physical design and socio-demographic factors to also include psychological attitudes, beliefs and value systems.
New urbanism under the spotlight
Field trips, practical projects and case studies are an integral part of our Urban & Regional Planning disciplines.
Western Australia is used as a living laboratory together with an overview of international planning practice. Students assess examples of new urbanism in communities such as Joondalup and Subiaco.