Graduate Diploma in Urban and Regional Planning
Degree Level Postgraduate
Year 2025
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- Australian or New Zealand Citizen
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Mode
On-campus
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Entry requirements
- Applicants will normally hold a degree or recognised equivalent qualification.
- Applicants with a completed Graduate Certificate in an aligned discipline are also eligible for entry.
Degree overview
- Benefit from our long-standing history – with more than 70 years’ experience, we’re Australia’s longest provider of planning education.
- Use this qualification as a pathway into the professionally accredited Master of Urban and Regional Planning.
- Study in a state that has developed a world class e-planning system for development assessment based on a fundamental overhaul of procedures, policies, zones and overlays.
- Gain an in-depth understanding of the professional practice of urban and regional planning.
- Develop advanced land use policy, urban design, spatial analysis and communication skills in a range of complex settings that can help state and local governments and the private sector respond to the pressures of population growth, climate change and the rise of chronic diseases associated with lack of physical activity.
- Gain skills working in a multi-disciplinary context.
- Be taught by world-class leaders in research – UniSA's research in urban and regional planning is ranked world class1.
- UniSA is an unstoppable university for unstoppable people. As one of the World’s Top Young Universities2, we’ll ensure you get the experience your future profession demands so it’ll feel like you’re studying one minute and in a career the next.
12018 Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA)
2UNSTOPPABLE® is a Kellogg Company trade mark used under licence. Ranked #43, 2024 THE Young University Rankings.
Snapshot
Planners help make inner cities, suburbs and regional towns more liveable and sustainable. Planners shape cities, towns and regions through the development planning policy that integrates infrastructure and services. They develop plans, strategies and designs that can improve the quality of life for people and support ecosystem services1.
A key component of this postgraduate qualification relates to the planning and development of environmentally sustainable cities and regions that acknowledge social diversity and the need for greater physical activity and contact with nature, which can help to prevent chronic diseases associated with excessive sedentary behaviour.
The courses studied focus on real-world issues and therefore provide you with relevant skills that are transferable in the workplace.
This qualification lays a solid foundation of knowledge and is a great pathway into the professional accredited and recognised Master of Urban and Regional Planning.
1Planning Institute of Australia, Become a Planner 2020
What you'll learn
This graduate diploma will equip you with the knowledge, skills and practical expertise needed to embark on a career in the field of urban and regional planning.
You will learn about:
- sustainable urban design and development
- planning governance and policy
- planning for healthy cities
- planning law and ethics
- development assessment
- transport and planning
Study hours
For each course you study, you will need to allocate time for various classes such as lectures, tutorials, workshops, seminars and practicals. Plus you will need additional hours to study in your own time to complete assignments, readings and projects, as well as to contribute to online discussion forums. So as a general rule, if you are studying full-time you would need to allocate 12–26 hours of study when at university and 14–28 hours of independent study per week.
Assessment
Your studies at UniSA will incorporate both practical and professionally focused and research-based learning, so assessment types will vary.
You can expect them to include individual and/or group:
- presentations
- reports
- essays
- literature/artefact reviews.
Global opportunities
Enrich your studies and your life – make overseas study part of your qualification. You may have the option to undertake an exchange, short-term program or study tour overseas while you study. We have links with universities worldwide, as well as a range of travel grants available to make going overseas much more accessible.
You can choose short-term or semester-long study from a range of universities and countries depending on your area of study and cultural interests.
Take a look at the global opportunities available.
Why Graduate Diploma in Urban and Regional Planning
UniSA offers the only urban and regional planning qualifications in South Australia and has more than 70 years’ experience in planning education – that makes us the longest provider of planning education in the country.
Throughout your studies, you will have access to and learn from prominent industry figures through lectures, national and international field trips, industry/professional based projects and workshops.
You will graduate with highly developed professional competencies, placing you to make sound, logical and ethical decisions in a range of planning contexts throughout your career.
Our commitment to research with an industry focus is unprecedented in South Australia. In the 2018 Excellence in Research for Australia evaluation, 100 per cent of our assessed research was rated world-class or above.
We are fast becoming a renowned centre of innovation and enterprise in the sectors that will drive Australia's future, including health.
Your career
This degree opens up excellent career opportunities for graduates. You may be involved in:
- planning and designing towns and suburbs
- development assessment
- environmental and transport planning
- social and community-based planning
- the protection of heritage buildings and landscapes
- planning for active living health promotion
- neighbourhood and urban regeneration
- infill and master planning
- development of regional and rural communities.
Scholarships
Every year, over 2,500 UniSA students are supported in their studies through scholarships and grants worth millions of dollars. Check out the scholarships below. One of them may be perfect for you. Visit our scholarships page for more.
Scholarship for student leadership
Available for students who are interested in undertaking specified activities with the aim of enhancing the overall student experience at UniSA.
International travel grants
Travel Grants are available to participate in our Study Overseas Programs. UniSA has agreement with over 80 institutions globally.
Your study experience and support
Our campuses have fantastic facilities including modern lecture theatres, libraries, workshops, laboratories, tech zones, and spaces that simulate real work environments. You’ll also find student gyms and campus sport activities to keep you active. We also offer flexible study options, with online resources available for accessing lecture recordings, virtual classrooms, library resources and learning support.
Adelaide also has a variety of accommodation options to suit different requirements and budgets. Options include dedicated student accommodation and private rentals. See our long-term accommodation pages, or explore our student accommodation by Scape on Bank Street in Adelaide’s lively cultural precinct, an ideal location for students. It is within easy reach of UniSA’s city and metropolitan campuses, Rundle Mall shopping, the Central Market, Chinatown, and the West End’s vibrant nightlife. It is also across the road from the Adelaide train station, and on bus and tram routes.
Student services
Our student services provide you with all the support you need at university. You can access a full range of support services including academic and personal counselling, career advice, social support services, as well as those through our student association, USASA. When you become a UniSA student, you can also contact Campus Central for help with anything related to your degree. They will help you with your enrolment, ID cards, fees, timetables and more.
24/7 digital environment
Our learnonline facilities include a personal learning environment with virtual classrooms, lecture recordings, emails, learning support, administration, library access and results. The environment is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, so you can tailor your learning to your life. We are continually investing in innovative digital technologies for a high-quality student learning experience.
Your study spaces
As an urban and regional planning student you will have access to:
- specialised computer suites
- Australia’s only Architecture Museum.
Your program director
I am the Program Director for the Master of Urban and Regional Planning, and the Graduate Diploma in Urban and Regional Planning. My enthusiasm for the field of urban and regional planning was in part kindled through the experience of peri-urban post-migration life on the fringe of multicultural Melbourne and also a period as an elected member and then mayor of the City of Port Adelaide Enfield in Adelaide. My academic education has largely focused on sociology. I felt very honoured to be awarded the Peter Harrison Memorial Prize at the State of Australian Cities Conference in Sydney in 2013 for a paper based on my PhD research analysing the suburban context of adjustment to retrenchment in the automotive industry. The paper discussed the impacts and opportunities that arise during and following retrenchment and how new jobs, the journey to work and the meaning of home play a role in adjusting to new circumstances.
Ask UniSA
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How do I apply?
The way you apply for UniSA will depend on the undergraduate or postgraduate coursework degree you're interested in studying.
The majority of applications are made via the South Australian Tertiary Admissions Centre (SATAC). Check out more information on the SATAC website and follow the appropriate process for your degree of interest.
There are a small number of degrees that you need to apply for through direct application processes. The process you need to follow will be listed on the 'How to Apply' section of the degree homepage, but you'll also be taken to where you need to go if you hit the 'apply' button.
If you are interested in studying one of our 100% online degrees you'll need to apply directly to UniSA Online.
You can find more information about the application processes for UniSA on our How to Apply webpage.
If you're more interested in applying for a postgraduate degree by research, check out and follow the information in our step by step guide to applying. -
Is there a closing date for applications?
Applications for all degrees will close ahead of study commencing, but the timelines may vary for undergraduate and postgraduate degrees.
Undergraduate
The deadline to apply to study a degree at UniSA for semester one (commencing late February) and be guaranteed equal consideration is generally in very late November or early December. While you may be able to apply after this date, you are not guaranteed to be considered equally with other applicants and your application may not be assessed in time for the main round of offers. More competitive degrees may not make any offers after the main offer round. Find more information on the Key Dates section of the SATAC website, but you can also call the Future Student Enquiries team for more information on 08 8302 376.
Postgraduate
Many postgraduate by coursework degrees do not have set closing dates. The exceptions are highly competitive degrees, so it is best to check – either on the degree homepage on the SATAC website or by checking with our Future Student Enquiries team.
As most postgraduate applications are assessed as they are submitted and offers are continuous, there are no set closing dates for applications. Degrees can be filled and closed with little notice so it is best to apply as soon as possible to avoid missing out on a place. For more information, please contact our Future Student Enquires team on (08) 8302 2376 or submit an enquiry.
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What credit can I receive for previous studies?
You may be eligible for credit or advanced standing for your chosen UniSA degree based on your previous studies, if they are in a related area and completed within a certain timeframe. Receiving credit or RPL will reduce the number of courses you undertake within the degree, and may also reduce the overall duration of your degree. You can read more about our pre-existing credit agreements through our online Credit Assessor. If you have related industry experience, you may also be eligible to receive recognised prior learning (RPL) for this experience. Credit and RPL is assessed by the Program Director once you've received an offer, and you apply through UniSA's current student experts, Campus Central.
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Can I speak to someone regarding my study options?
Future Student Enquiries welcomes the opportunity to meet with you to discuss your study options at UniSA. We can discuss degree information, entry requirements and pathways, applications, general career outcomes and student life, so you have the information to make the best study decision for your future. Head to our Book an Appointment webpage to find a date and time to speak with us, and take your next steps on journey to university study.
