Availabilities:

LocationDomesticInternational
OnlineN/A

Unit description

Focuses on Australian local government, including its international context, history and current position. Explores the challenges currently facing local government with cutbacks in government expenditure, local government reform, intergovernmental relationships and community expectations. Provides an opportunity for students to understand the complexity of local government in Australia and to explore the ways in which local governments and local communities can address the challenges confronting them.

Unit content

Module 1: The history, structure, responsibilities and global context of local government

Module 2: Local government's role in our liberal-democratic system of representative government

Module 3: Contemporary local government issues and challenges

Learning outcomes

Unit Learning Outcomes express learning achievement in terms of what a student should know, understand and be able to do on completion of a unit. These outcomes are aligned with the graduate attributes. The unit learning outcomes and graduate attributes are also the basis of evaluating prior learning.

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:
1Demonstrate an understanding of the history, scope and nature of local government, and of how intergovernmental relationships influence local government activity.
2Evaluate the effectiveness of local government in carrying out its roles and responsibilities.
3Evaluate local government as a sphere of representative government and democracy in Australia.
4Develop research skills by accessing a range of resources.

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:

  1. Demonstrate an understanding of the history, scope and nature of local government, and of how intergovernmental relationships influence local government activity.
  2. Evaluate the effectiveness of local government in carrying out its roles and responsibilities.
  3. Evaluate local government as a sphere of representative government and democracy in Australia.
  4. Develop research skills by accessing a range of resources.

Prescribed Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts
  • No prescribed texts.
Prescribed Resources/Equipment
  • No prescribed resources/equipment.
Prescribed Learning Resources may change in future Teaching Periods

Teaching and assessment

Teaching method
Workshop 1 hour (weekly)
Tutorial 2 hours (weekly)
Assessment
Take Home Exam 50%
Essay50%
Notice

Intensive offerings may or may not be scheduled in every teaching period. Please refer to the timetable for further details.

Southern Cross University employs different teaching methods within units to provide students with the flexibility to choose the mode of learning that best suits them. SCU academics strive to use the latest approaches and, as a result, the learning modes and materials may change. The most current information regarding a unit will be provided to enrolled students at the beginning of the teaching period.

Fee information

Domestic

Commonwealth Supported courses
For information regarding Student Contribution Amounts please visit the Student Contribution Amounts.

Fee paying courses
For postgraduate or undergraduate full fee paying courses please check Domestic Postgraduate Fees OR Domestic Undergraduate Fees

International

Please check the international course and fee list to determine the relevant fees.

+