Course

Master of Bushfire Protection

Approved Abbreviation: MBushfireProt

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Western Sydney University Course Code: 3708.2

AQF Level: 9

Students should follow the course structure for the course version relevant to the year they commenced. This version applies to students whose commencement year in this course was 2016 or later.

Units may be revised or replaced to ensure students are provided with up to date curriculum throughout their studies, and this may result in a new course version. Refer to the Check My Course Progress page in MySR for the most up to date information for your course.

For Commencement Year 2015, please refer to: 3708.1 Master of Bushfire Protection

This three-year part-time Master’s program provides students with an understanding of the behaviour and danger of bushfires. Students will gain the knowledge of the relevant planning provisions, building regulations, standards and emergency management arrangements for bushfire protection. Graduates will be able to conduct risk assessments, provide advice on developments in bushfire prone areas and develop alternative engineering design solutions. Graduates will also acquire the skill to independently conduct research to address contemporary issues faced by the building industry in bush fire prone areas.

This postgraduate course has been designed primarily as a Distance Learning course. However, select units (three in total) have intensive block style compulsory workshops that require students to attend. These workshops may include fieldwork, site visits or industry tours. Many of the other units have non-compulsory workshops and students are encouraged to attend the workshops to gain the benefit of the face to face interaction within the course.

Study Mode
Three years part-time. Students can fast-track by completing additional units per semester to complete the course earlier.

Accreditation
The course is recognised by Fire Protection Association Australia as a qualification for accreditation under the Bushfire Planning and Design Scheme.

Admission

Applicants must have an undergraduate degree or higher, in bushfire protection, engineering, land surveying, building, building surveying, construction, planning, urban studies, architecture, landscape architecture, physical sciences, environmental studies, natural resource management, emergency management, land-use planning, local government or public sector management.

Applications from Australian and New Zealand citizens and holders of permanent resident visas must be made via the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC). Use the links below to apply via UAC or Western Sydney University.  Applications made directly to Western Sydney do not have an application fee.

Applicants who have undertaken studies overseas may have to provide proof of proficiency in English. Local and International applicants who are applying through the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC) will find details of minimum English proficiency requirements and acceptable proof on the UAC website. Local applicants applying directly to the University should also use the information provided on the UAC website.

http://www.uac.edu.au/

https://westernsydney.uac.edu.au/ws/

Overseas qualifications must be deemed by the Australian Education International - National Office of Overseas Skills Recognition (AEI-NOOSR) to be equivalent to Australian qualifications in order to be considered by UAC and Western Sydney University.

Course Structure

Qualification for this award requires the successful completion of 160 credit points as per the recommended sequence below.

Recommended Sequence

Summer intake

Year 1

Summer session

300708

Planning and Development Control

200500

Bushfire Fighting

Autumn session

200457

Bushfire Behaviour

301103

Interpreting Building Regulations (Residential Buildings)

Spring session

301049

Planning for Bushfire Prone Areas

200458

Building in Bushfire Prone Areas

Students may exit at this point with a Graduate Certificate in Bushfire Protection (60 credit points) - for Summer Intake only.

Year 2

Summer session

301104

Professional Practice and Building Law

Autumn session

300948

Fire Technology and Engineering Principles

301002

Specialised Software Applications

From Autumn 2020, 301002 will be replaced by equivalent unit 301264 Spatial Tools and Mapping

301264

Spatial Tools and Mapping

Quarter 3 session

301050

Disaster and Emergency Management (PG)

Spring session

200459

Emergency Management for Bushfire Prone Areas

200499

Alternative Solutions for Bushfire Prone Areas

From Autumn 2020, 200499 will be replaced with the equivalent unit 301265 Performance Solutions for Bushfire Protection

301265

Performance Solutions for Bushfire Protection

Students may exit at this point with a Graduate Diploma in Bushfire Protection (120 credit points)

Year 3

Autumn session

300597

Master Project 1

301004

Research Preparation in Post Graduate Studies

Spring session

300598

Master Project 2

And one elective

Autumn intake

Year 1

Autumn session

200457

Bushfire Behaviour

301103

Interpreting Building Regulations (Residential Buildings)

Spring session

200458

Building in Bushfire Prone Areas

200459

Emergency Management for Bushfire Prone Areas

Summer session

300708

Planning and Development Control

200500

Bushfire Fighting

Year 2

Autumn session

300948

Fire Technology and Engineering Principles

301002

Specialised Software Applications

From Autumn 2020, 301002 will be replaced by equivalent unit 301264 Spatial Tools and Mapping

301264

Spatial Tools and Mapping

Quarter 3 session

301050

Disaster and Emergency Management (PG)

Spring session

301049

Planning for Bushfire Prone Areas

200499

Alternative Solutions for Bushfire Prone Areas

From Autumn 2020, 200499 will be replaced with the equivalent unit 301265 Performance Solutions for Bushfire Protection

301265

Performance Solutions for Bushfire Protection

Summer session

301104

Professional Practice and Building Law

Students may exit at this point with a Graduate Diploma in Bushfire Protection (120 credit points)

Year 3

Autumn session

300597

Master Project 1

301004

Research Preparation in Post Graduate Studies

Spring session

300598

Master Project 2

And one elective

Spring intake

Year 1

Spring session

200458

Building in Bushfire Prone Areas

200459

Emergency Management for Bushfire Prone Areas

Summer session

300708

Planning and Development Control

200500

Bushfire Fighting

Year 2

Autumn session

300948

Fire Technology and Engineering Principles

301103

Interpreting Building Regulations (Residential Buildings)

Spring session

301049

Planning for Bushfire Prone Areas

301004

Research Preparation in Post Graduate Studies

Summer session

301104

Professional Practice and Building Law

Year 3

Autumn session

200457

Bushfire Behaviour

301002

Specialised Software Applications

From Autumn 2020, 301002 will be replaced by equivalent unit 301264 Spatial Tools and Mapping

301264

Spatial Tools and Mapping

Quarter 3 session

301050

Disaster and Emergency Management (PG)

Students may exit at this point with a Graduate Diploma in Bushfire Protection (120 credit points)

Spring session

300597

Master Project 1

200499

Alternative Solutions for Bushfire Prone Areas

From Autumn 2020, 200499 will be replaced with the equivalent unit 301265 Performance Solutions for Bushfire Protection

301265

Performance Solutions for Bushfire Protection

Year 4

Autumn session

300598

Master Project 2

And one elective