Key facts
Domestic students course information.
Entry is based on a bachelor qualification.
Entry is based on a bachelor qualification. English language requirements must also be met.
- 1 or 1.5 or 2 years full-time
- Up to 6 years part-time
- 000437D
Start Dates and Campus | Trimester 1 – February 2025 | Trimester 2 – June 2025 | Trimester 3 – October 2025 |
---|---|---|---|
Online | Offered | Offered | Offered |
Armidale Campus | Offered | Offered | Not Offered |
Sydney Campus | Not Offered | Not Offered | Not Offered |
Online | Offered | Offered | Offered |
Armidale Campus | Offered | Not Offered | Not Offered |
Sydney Campus | Not Offered | Not Offered | Not Offered |
Course information
Download course brochurePlanning integrates environmental, economic and social aspects of development with the competing needs of communities, companies and governments. This complex and dynamic field requires planning professionals to maintain up-to-date knowledge and skills to keep up with a rapidly-changing environment. Whether you are looking to upskill or enter the planning profession, UNE's postgraduate Graduate Diploma in Urban and Regional Planning offers a strong foundation of core units for understanding the complexities of urban and regional planning, and your choice of three from a long list of special areas. This course is fully accredited with the Planning Institute of Australia.
By developing specialist knowledge, plus wider skills including critical thinking and problem solving, you will be well positioned to adapt to a professional environment that is constantly evolving.
Why study the Graduate Diploma in Urban and Regional Planning with UNE?
If you are a graduate wishing to enter the planning profession, or you are a practising professional aiming to upgrade your skills and knowledge, our Graduate Diploma in Urban and Regional Planning offers a balance of theory and real-world practice. The depth and breadth of our flexibly delivered Graduate Diploma will enhance your professional skillset with integrated knowledge about environmental, economic and social aspects of a development, and the competing needs of communities, companies and governments. This course covers fundamental knowledge in nine core units, plus you get to choose three special interests from a large list of options to tailor your course to work for your career.
What makes our course different?
Our Graduate Diploma in Urban and Regional Planning is a fully accredited course that offers a thorough grounding into planning and development with the options to study flexibly.
- Choose three specialist study areas from a huge list of unit options that cover the environment, natural hazards, place-making, public history, heritage, and many more.
- Study full time or part time, either on-campus in Armidale, or fully online to suit your lifestyle and work commitments.
- Complete your course in 2 years (full-time) or up to 6 years (part-time).
- Graduates who have successfully completed this course at an appropriate standard are eligible for advanced standing entry to UNE's Master of Urban and Regional Planning if you choose to progress your studies to a higher level.
UNE has been a leading innovator of flexible study for over 70 years — we are committed to helping busy adults study from anywhere. Plus, students consistently award us the maximum 5-star ratings for Overall Experience and Student Support in The Good Universities Guide.
Study online
Most of our students choose to study online across three study periods with 24/7 tutor support* and fit study around work and family commitments. Uniquely, our online students are mostly over 30 and bring valuable experience with them. They form a community of adults juggling the same challenges and priorities and who bring their life and work experience together at UNE in order to become future-fit and better respond to a rapidly changing world.
Study on campus
Many of our students choose to take advantage of the on-campus lifestyle in Armidale, in the beautiful New England region, with access to unparalleled support, accommodation and sporting facilities. These students are often starting their first degree and have left school recently. Through access to academic and career support they get a fantastic start to their careers.
* 24/7 tutor support includes: essay feedback (within 24 hours); live chat 24/7 for generic feedback on academic writing; and subject-specific help at a foundation or first-year level for subjects including mathematics, chemistry, biology, physics, business, accounting, microeconomics, macroeconomics and statistics. There are also a wide range of workshops, resources and courses available in academic skills support to assist you and help you to succeed.
Entry requirements
Select the option that best describes you.
If you are an international applicant who wants to study on campus in Australia:
You will need to meet both the Academic and English Language Requirements to gain admission into this course. Meeting academic requirements means we review what you have already studied to see if you have the results needed for admission to your preferred course.
You can apply for this course if you have completed a Bachelor qualification (AQF Level 7 or overseas equivalent) in any discipline.
If you are admitted on this basis, you will be eligible for admission under standard entry. Please see the Course Structure (Program of Study).
Please note: If you are a graduate of the UNE Bachelor of Urban and Regional Planning you cannot apply for this course.
Please note: all admissions are subject to UNE’s Admission, Credit and Enrolment Policy. Please read and familiarise yourself with the details of the policy. See our Glossary for help with university terms.
When applying you may be required to show how you satisfy the English Language Requirements for this course.
International applicants, please note: You may also need to show evidence of your English language proficiency to the Department of Home Affairs if you are applying for a Student Visa.
These requirements are in addition to the entry requirements above.
Mandatory intensive schools on campus may be a requirement of some of the units in this course. Please see the UNE Course Handbook for the specific requirements of each unit.
On-Campus study
If you would like to study full-time in Australia at one of UNE's campuses, you will need to have a visa that allows you to study. For most international students this visa will need to be a Student Visa. The Australian Department of Home Affairs has further information about visa eligibility and conditions.
If you are an international applicant who wants to study online (overseas or in Australia):
You will need to meet both the Academic and English Language Requirements to gain admission into this course. Meeting academic requirements means we review what you have already studied to see if you have the results needed for admission to your preferred course.
You can apply for this course if you have completed a Bachelor qualification (AQF Level 7 or overseas equivalent) in any discipline.
If you are admitted on this basis, you will be eligible for admission under standard entry. Please see the Course Structure (Program of Study).
Please note: If you are a graduate of the UNE Bachelor of Urban and Regional Planning you cannot apply for this course.
Please note: all admissions are subject to UNE’s Admission, Credit and Enrolment Policy. Please read and familiarise yourself with the details of the policy. See our Glossary for help with university terms.
When applying you may be required to show how you satisfy the English Language Requirements for this course.
International applicants, please note: You may also need to show evidence of your English language proficiency to the Department of Home Affairs if you are applying for a Student Visa.
These requirements are in addition to the entry requirements above.
Mandatory intensive schools on campus may be a requirement of some of the units in this course. Please see the UNE Course Handbook for the specific requirements of each unit.
Online study in your own country
If you would like to study online with UNE while you reside outside of Australia you do not need a Student Visa. If your course requires you to visit Australia to attend any mandatory study requirements, you would need to explore Visitor Visa options for a short-term stay.
Online study in Australia
If you would like to study online with UNE while you are residing in Australia, you will need to hold a visa (other than a Student Visa) that allows you to study. If you are unsure if your visa allows you to study, you can check with UNE's International Admissions team. If you hold a Student Visa you cannot study completely online; you must be enrolled as an on-campus student (although you can study a limited number of online units).
Some courses require you to provide documentary evidence, or interviews to support your application. The following documents are required to support your application:
- A certified academic transcript of your completed qualification.
- Proof of identity and citizenship. This can be a certified/notarised copy of the photo page of your passport, or another form of official photo identification that lists your full personal details including name and date of birth; for example, a foreign government identity card.
- Evidence of English Language Requirements satisfied. If you have completed a UNE-approved formal English test within the last two years, you must provide a copy of the test results with your application. Please see UNE’s English Language Requirements above for further information.
Advanced Standing is credit or recognition of your previous study, work and/or life experience. This can reduce the cost and length of your studies.
Individual Unit Advanced Standing
If you are admitted into this course and believe you have already completed the equivalent of one or more of the units in your Course Structure (Program of Study) within the last ten years, you can apply for Individual Unit Advanced Standing.
> Learn how to apply for Individual Unit Advanced Standing
You can apply for this course if you have completed a Bachelor qualification (AQF Level 7 or overseas equivalent) in any discipline.
If you are admitted on this basis, you will be eligible for admission under standard entry. Please see the Course Structure (Program of Study).
Please note: If you are a graduate of the UNE Bachelor of Urban and Regional Planning you cannot apply for this course.
Please note: all admissions are subject to UNE’s Admission, Credit and Enrolment Policy. Please read and familiarise yourself with the details of the policy. See our Glossary for help with university terms.
These requirements are in addition to the entry requirements above.
When applying you may be required to show how you satisfy the English Language Requirements for this course.
Mandatory intensive schools on campus may be a requirement of some of the units in this course. Please see the UNE Course Handbook for the specific requirements of each unit.
Some courses require you to provide documentary evidence, or interviews to support your application. The following documents are required to support your application:
A certified academic transcript of your completed qualification.
Advanced Standing is credit or recognition of your previous study, work and/or life experience. This can reduce the cost and length of your studies.
Individual Unit Advanced Standing
If you are admitted into this course and believe you have already completed the equivalent of one or more of the units in your Course Structure (Program of Study) within the last ten years, you can apply for Individual Unit Advanced Standing.
> Learn how to apply for Individual Unit Advanced Standing
Course structure
To qualify for the award a candidate must pass units to the value of 72 credit points including 30 credit points at 400 level and not more than 18 credit points at 500 level.
54 credit points
Complete the following units:- Local Environmental Infrastructure (ENGT237) – 6 credit points
- Urban Living (GEPL316) – 6 credit points
- Cradle to Grave: Population Geography (GEPL322) – 6 credit points
- Economic Change and Urban Development (GEPL401) – 6 credit points
- Architecture and Urban Design (GEPL402) – 6 credit points
- Regional Development: Processes and Policies (GEPL445) – 6 credit points
- Transport and Land Use Planning (GEPL450) – 6 credit points
- Principles of Development Control (GEPL520) – 6 credit points
- Planning Theory and Practice (GEPL528) – 6 credit points
18 credit points
Complete 18 credit points from the following units or from the following papers at Massey University: 132.732, 132.735, 132.738. For the purposes of this rule, each of the Massey University papers shall be deemed to be worth 12 credit points.- Professional Archaeology and Heritage Management (ARPA320) – 6 credit points
- Benefit-Cost Analysis (ECON326) – 6 credit points
- Environmental and Natural Resource Economics (ECON329) – 6 credit points
- Land Assessment for Sustainable Use (EM311) – 6 credit points
- Environmental Impact Assessment (EM312) – 6 credit points
- Introduction to GIS and Spatial Thinking (GISC334) – 6 credit points
- Water in the Environment (GEPL306) – 6 credit points
- Global Climate Change and the Future (GEPL307) – 6 credit points
- Environmental Change in Australia (GEPL308) – 6 credit points
- Natural Hazards (GEPL309) – 6 credit points
- Catchment to Coast (GEPL311) – 6 credit points
- Population, Health and Environment (GEPL321) – 6 credit points
- Rural Planning and Resource Management (GEPL324) – 6 credit points
- Understanding Research (GEPL338) – 6 credit points
- Environmental Biogeography (GEPL341) – 6 credit points
- Introduction to Architectural Design (GEPL359) – 6 credit points
- Community Planning and Participation (GEPL361) – 6 credit points
- Place-making for People and the Environment (GEPL370) – 6 credit points
- Planning Policy for Hazards (GEPL390) – 6 credit points
- Special Reading Unit in Planning (GEPL454) – 6 credit points
- Integrated Planning Practice 1 (GEPL491) – 12 credit points
- Integrated Planning Practice 2 (GEPL492) – 12 credit points
- Environmental Planning and Administration (GEPL535) – 6 credit points
- Heritage Conservation (HIST335) – 6 credit points
- Public History (HIST556) – 6 credit points
- The Ethics of Environmentalism (PHIL366) – 6 credit points
- Pollution Management (RSNR301) – 6 credit points
- The City and Social Change (SOCY300) – 6 credit points
- Australian Social and Public Policy (SOCY313) – 6 credit points
See UNE Handbook for more details. The Handbook contains detailed course information designed for enrolled students, including course plans, exit awards, intensive schools, and work placement requirements.
Fees and scholarships
How much will it cost?
Estimated fees for your first year of study in this course are:
Fee type | Cost |
---|---|
Full Fee | $29,336* |
International | $30,912* |
Commonwealth Supported Place (quotas apply) | $11,525* |
Estimated amenities fee per year if studying full-time | $365 |
*Annual course fees only cover the cost of tuition. They do not include other expenses associated with university study such as text books, accommodation and living expenses. If you are successful in gaining admission to study at UNE, the Offer of Admission will list the exact tuition fees you need to pay for your course. Fees quoted cover full-time tuition for two full-time trimesters only. For more information, please see fees and costs.
What are the course fee payment options?
Full Fee places are mostly in postgraduate coursework degrees. In a full fee place you pay the tuition fee set for your course, however you may be eligible for a FEE-HELP Loan to defer payment of your fees until you are earning above the threshold.
If you are enrolled in a Full Fee place and there is a direct connection between your work and your study, you may be able to claim your tuition fees as a tax deduction.
A Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) is a government subsidised place in a university course. The government pays part of your tuition fees, and you pay the remainder.
If you have a CSP in either an undergraduate or postgraduate (coursework) degree, you may be eligible for a HECS-HELP Loan, which allows you to defer payment of your fees until you are earning above the threshold.
UNE scholarships are open for all to apply and offer financial help while you are studying. There are scholarships for students with high academic achievement, from rural areas, studying specific degrees, in disadvantaged groups, experiencing financial hardship, who excel at sport or want to live in a UNE residential college.
UNE scholarship applications are free and confidential. You may apply for more than one scholarship.
Scholarships
UNE offers bursaries and scholarships that can help you with the costs of studying and living in Australia.
The UNE International Bursary reduces the published annual tuition fees for international students by up to 20%. These bursaries are available for international students commencing coursework studies at UNE in 2024. View detailed Bursary information.
UNE also offers a number of substantial research scholarships to postgraduate students studying research-based degrees.
Your career
By completing our Graduate Diploma in Urban and Regional Planning, you will have a good foundation to work competently in planning offices in the private and public sectors.
Your focus areas could include:
- urban design and place-making
- regional and rural planning
- development assessment and land use
- environmental planning and natural resource management
- social and community-based planning
- heritage and conservation.
The Graduate Diploma in Urban and Regional Development is fully accredited with the Planning Institute of Australia. Graduates are eligible for membership of the Institute's Urban and Regional Planning Chapter. If you successfully complete the award at an appropriate standard, you’ll be eligible for advanced standing entry to the Master of Urban and Regional Planning.
Course outcomes
- demonstrate an advanced, systematic and coherent body of knowledge in urban and regional planning, including deep understanding of the discipline's underlying principles and concepts;
- demonstrate highly developed cognitive, critical and technical skills to analyse and evaluate complex land-use and built-environment problems in a range of social, economic and environmental contexts;
- demonstrate knowledge and skills to exercise the high level judgement and responsibility required of a highly skilled professional planner in the governance of diverse urban and regional contexts; and
- demonstrate initiative in planning and evaluating approaches to complex planning problems, capacity to work in leadership roles, and ability to communicate complex and theoretical information to a variety of audiences.
- Knowledge of a Discipline
Graduates will possess advanced theoretical and practical knowledge about land use planning and its place in contemporary society locally and internationally. Graduates will understand how planning influences society and space in a variety of urban and regional contexts. This knowledge will be delivered through various teaching platforms, in the classroom and online, via a variety of materials ranging from critical readings to maps, plans and statistics. The development of knowledge in the discipline will be monitored through assignments within each unit of the course.
- Communication Skills
Graduates will possess advanced skills to communicate in forms essential to the discipline. This will include the ability to communicate through oral communication, report writing, statistics, maps, plans and other graphical forms. It will also include skills to constructively engage with various participants in urban and regional planning. These skills will be taught and practised in lectures, tutorials and online activities and assessment tasks throughout the course.
- Problem Solving
Graduates will possess advanced skills to identify problems and develop solutions in urban and regional planning. This will include capacity to interpret urban and regional environments, their composition and social impacts, and to contribute to the improvement of those environments through professional decision-making techniques. The course will hone these skills in general methods of urban and regional planning, and in specialist areas like transport planning, and urban design.
- Information Literacy
Graduates will have the ability to identify information requirements in a variety of planning situations, and advanced skills in sourcing, using and representing that information for planning practice. This will include assembling information from primary and secondary sources, and evaluating the significance of that information for a given context. These skills will be taught throughout the course, and exercised through a variety of guided assignment tasks.
- Ethical Conduct and Social Responsibility
Graduates will have expert awareness of the professional and ethical responsibilities of the planning profession. Graduates will have advanced skills to engage appropriately with various participants in the planning discipline, and to be appropriately responsive to various social and cultural influences in planning interactions.
- Lifelong Learning
Skills and knowledge developed during the course will foster intellectual curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking in the graduate. Advanced cognition of planning concepts and practices developed through the course will provide a foundation for lifelong intellectual engagement with the discipline.
- Independence and Collaboration
The various learning activities undertaken during the course will provide the graduate skills to work independently and collaboratively in planning situations. Graduates will have a confidence in their grasp of planning knowledge, and skills to inclusively negotiate planning outcomes with a variety of stakeholders. These skills will be developed through on-campus and online interactive activities, ranging from self-directed learning to collaborative projects.
A five-star experience
Five Stars,
18 Years in a Row
UNE is the only public uni in Australia awarded 18 straight years of five stars for Overall Experience
Good Universities Guide 2007-2024No.1 in NSW for
Student Experience
QILT (government-endorsed) ranks UNE as the top public NSW uni for Student Experience
QILT Student Experience SurveyFive Stars for
Teaching Quality
UNE rates among the top 20 per cent of universities in Australia for Teaching Quality
Good Universities Guide 2024Studying online
At UNE we know it takes more than just being online to be a great online university. It takes time and experience. We pioneered distance education for working adults back in the 1950s, so we’ve been doing this longer than any other Australian university.
We understand the challenges faced by busy adults studying at home. We know that a vital part of online study is your engagement with the learning community. Communication with your classmates, teaching staff and university support staff will enhance your study experience and ensure that your skills extend beyond the subject matter. UNE’s teaching staff are experts in their field which is why UNE consistently receives five stars from students for teaching quality, support and overall experience.*
*The Good Universities Guide
A five-star experience
Five Stars,
18 Years in a Row
UNE is the only public uni in Australia awarded 18 straight years of five stars for Overall Experience
Good Universities Guide 2007-2024No.1 in NSW for
Student Experience
QILT (government-endorsed) ranks UNE as the top public NSW uni for Student Experience
QILT Student Experience SurveyFive Stars for
Teaching Quality
UNE rates among the top 20 per cent of universities in Australia for Teaching Quality
Good Universities Guide 2024Studying online
At UNE we know it takes more than just being online to be a great online university. It takes time and experience. We pioneered distance education for working adults back in the 1950s, so we’ve been doing this longer than any other Australian University.
As an international student you can take advantage of flexible online study from overseas or while you are studying in Australia on a visa other than a student visa. You can’t study fully online on a Student Visa.
To study online from overseas you need to consider that you may need to travel to Australia to attend a UNE campus for some mandatory intensive schools.
Studying on Campus
Whether you are an undergraduate student coming to study in Australia for the first time, a PhD student coming to live here with your family, or you only need short-stay accommodation whilst in Armidale for Intensive Schools, we have the perfect accommodation option for you.
Stay connected
Register your interest and we'll keep you updated
Why study with us?
Planning provides a real opportunity to push change in a certain direction. I hope to continue to see the country that I live in grow and evolve, and to provide the best life for my growing family.
Why study with us?
Studying at UNE was an amazing experience for me not only because of education but also because of the multicultural environment, the academic staff and resources and the international services.
How to apply
Preparing to apply
You should always provide the details of past or current studies in your application. You may also need to include documents to support your application.
The kind of documents you need will depend on:
- Your preferred course/s
- Your personal circumstances
Preparing to apply
You should always provide the details of past or current studies in your application. You may also need to include documents to support your application.
The kind of documents you need will depend on:
- Your preferred course/s
- Your personal circumstances
Important Dates
Different application methods and courses can have different closing dates. To find your correct application method click the Apply Now button below. Please check the appropriate application website for opening and closing dates.
If you are applying online direct to UNE please see below for application dates.
Intake | Application Closing Date | Trimester Start Date |
---|---|---|
Trimester 1 | 14 February 2025 | 24 February 2025 |
Trimester 2 | 13 June 2025 | 23 June 2025 |
Trimester 3 | 10 October 2025 | 20 October 2025 |