NGO Education Survey

EV5955 - Contemporary Issues in Development Practice

This subject provides an overview of the critical components of contemporary development practice. It develops a detailed understanding of the practice of development, the main actors, ideologies, theories and programs and current global issues and priorities in this rapidly developing area of study. It identifies the tools used by development practitioners, including planning and participatory tools, communications, funding and delivery mechanisms. Students will acquire knowledge of the application of science to development, including the concepts of technical assistance versus shared learning. Other topics to be examined include: the role of civil society in development practice, environmental issues in development practice, concepts of constructivism versus planned development, approaches to integrated natural resource management and the history and practice of the Millennium Development Goals. There will be comparative studies of international cases. Learning Outcomes broad general understanding of the practice of development, the main actors, ideologies, theories, programs and current global issues and priorities; understanding of the inter- connectedness of all of the different subjects making up the Master of Development Practice by allowing for the entire student cohort to share knowledge gained from their respective elective subjects; knowledge of the tools used by development practitioners, planning and participatory tools, communications, funding and delivery mechanisms; knowledge of the application of science to development, of scientific theories and methods, scientific programs, the CGIAR and other international scientific programs; improved writing and communication skills and an ability to make quality public presentations with visual support.

LB5500 - Negotiation

This subject provides an introduction to contemporary theories of negotiation both in Australia and overseas. The subject builds a sound understanding of the various negotiation models available with a particular focus on interest-based negotiation. The subject explores the factors at play in negotiation, how to recognise them and how to deal with them. The overall focus is on the major elements and stages of the negotiation processes and levels and forms of intervention. Detailed attention is paid to recognition of negotiation styles, reactions and interventions with the intent of maximising the benefits to be derived through co-operative bargaining as distinct from positional bargaining.

LB5501 - Facilitative Mediation Practice

This subject provides students with the opportunity to develop practical skills used as a facilitative mediator, including essential negotiation, mediation and communication skills. Students will receive individual coaching on their mediation skills from experienced practitioners. The subject meets the requirements of the National Mediator Accreditation Standards, and after completing this subject students are eligible to sit the competency assessment for National Accreditation as a Mediator under the Standards. The mediator skills assessment and the application for accreditation through a Recognised Mediator Accreditation Body is NOT included in LB5501.

LB5514 - Cross-Cultural Conflict Resolution

This subject explores the role that culture plays in conflict and its resolution. In a multicultural country such as Australia and in parts of the country such as north Queensland, where there is more than one strong culture, an understanding of culture is critically important. Historically, people who work to mediate disputes have been expected to remain culturally neutral or removed from their own worldview when negotiating conflict in cross-cultural settings. Increasingly, however, mediators are finding that embracing and seeking to understand culture is a more practical and effective strategy. Examining the role of culture can help conflict resolution practitioners improve the ways in which they relate to disputing parties, and expand the range of tools they can use when practising mediation in cross-cultural contexts.

LB5515 - Workplace Conflict Management

In both the private and public sectors conflict is an intrinsic part of organisational life. Unmanaged, or poorly managed, conflict leads to high financial and transactional costs. Managed well, conflict is the catalyst for creating value. At a broad level, this subject examines the development of systems and structures to facilitate conflict resolution and co-operative decision-making in organisations. It reviews national and local employment laws, HR and Industrial Relations issues for managers and executives, and practical tools and techniques for issue identification and workplace conflict management. At an applied level, the subject also deals with challenging contemporary workplace issues, like workplace bullying and harassment, performance management and social media at the workplace.

LB5516 - Facilitation

This subject examines the dynamics of group facilitation and in particular considers how to work with difficult groups and groups in conflict in some way. The subject addresses groups in conflict from the perspective of participants, mediators and facilitators drawing on a range of theoretical models to inform practice. The subject covers process design, process management, and introduces participants to intermediary and advanced skills of group facilitation.

LB5521 - Conflict, Reconciliation and Peace

This subject introduces students to concepts and theories of conflict and violence, peace and peace building, transitional justice and reconciliation. The course considers the major actors and strategies being used in Australia and internationally in addressing issues in these fields.

LB5525 - Conflict Analysis

Conflict analysis is the first step towards the effective management and resolution of conflicts. This subject equips students with theoretical knowledge and analytical skills to unpack complex conflicts. Students learn to identify and explain various elements of a conflict situation and are introduced to a range of theories, frameworks and models that assist with the critical analysis of complex conflicts. Students will practice conducting conflict analysis on a range of real life conflict scenarios to develop a deeper understanding of the elements of conflict and the conflict analysis process. The subject also provides a brief introduction to a range of strategies that can be used to intervene in and manage conflict.

LB5526 - Conflict Management and Engagement

This subject acknowledges that many conflicts may not be resolved at all, completely, or quickly. Students gain a greater understanding of the role of a conflict professional in supporting clients in long-term management of conflict, beyond any potential resolution. Students learn about characteristics that make conflicts enduring and are introduced to constructive approaches to managing ongoing conflict. The subject delivers a range of strategies and techniques to assist clients in engaging effectively in ongoing conflict, including: handling conflict avoidance; using and responding to power wisely; appropriate conflict communication and developing support systems for conflicting parties.

LB5527 - Conflict Coaching

Conflict coaching involves a conflict management specialist providing one-on-one support to a person enabling them to constructively deal with conflict. This support may be provided in relation to a specific conflict, or to assist the client to develop their conflict management skills more generally. In this subject you will learn the REAL Conflict Coaching" system and a range of skills conflict coaches can use to support people in conflict. The course will include a range of exercises and role-plays to develop participants' conflict coaching skills.

LB5530 - Conflict Resolution Processes

This subject focuses on the different processes that are available for resolving conflict including negotiation, mediation, conciliation, arbitration, facilitation, conferencing, conflict coaching, family dispute resolution and collaborative law. It is an introductory subject to a range of conflict resolution processes. Students will consider the differences between the various processes and develop the capacity to evaluate which process is most suitable for a particular conflict situation.

LB5531 - Research and Writing in Conflict Management and Resolution

This subject provides students with research and writing tools relevant to the exciting and evolving multi-disciplinary field of conflict management and resolution. Students will develop skills in writing for a range of audiences and learn how to interpret and apply research from conflict studies and other disciplines to a variety of contexts. The subject prepares students for the development of future research proposals, literature reviews, journal articles, conference presentations, reports and to professionally correspond with clients.

LB5533 - Ethics and Reflective Practice in Conflict Management and Resolution

This subject considers the ethical issues that may arise in managing and resolving conflict in a wide range of contexts. Students learn about a range of ethical decision-making processes. Students also explore the concept of reflection and what it means to be a reflective practitioner in the field of conflict management and resolution.

LB5534 - Foundations of Mediation

This subject introduces some of the theories and standards relevant to mediation practice in Australia. It provides a theoretical foundation for the practical skills taught in LB5501 Mediation Skills and Practice. Students will critically analyse some of the fundamental features of mediation (with a focus on the facilitative mediation model), and consider the legal and ethical aspects of mediation practice in Australia.

Social Impact Assessment: Environmental Management

TM5552 - Global Health and Development

This course provides students an introduction and inter-disciplinary examination of contemporary global issues, actors and policies. The field of global health has been transformed over the last few decades through an unprecedented increase in international aid for health programs in developing countries, along with a general rise in interest in global health issues coming from governments, multi-lateral organisations, civil society and the private sector - including philanthropies. The changes have had a large impact on population wellbeing, brought new visibility and legitimacy to the study and practice of global health, but have also highlighted and sometimes exacerbated issues of policy and practice. Through lectures, readings and online discussion forums, students will be exposed to the history, theory and practice of global health and development from the varied perspectives of public health, economics, health diplomacy and political science. Students will deepen their understanding by producing an opinion piece and research papers and engage in online discussion and debates about present-day topics.

WS5103 -Community Development

A variety of theoretical and practical approaches to community development work in the tropics will be explored in this subject, through engaging with a wide range of literature and the completion of a number of learning activities. In particular, this subject seeks to develop a critical analysis of the potential of practice of community development practice to transform complex social systems, institutions, structures, processes, practices and inequities with a specific focus on achieving social and environmental justice. Learning Outcomes a critical understanding of the central concepts of community development and community practice, the underlying values, ethics, theories, and methods, and their application in professional practice and workplace contexts in the social work discipline; ability to discuss a number of models of, and approaches to, community development practice, and adapt community development knowledge and skills to address social barriers, inequity and injustice across diverse contexts; ability to analyse the context of community development practice in the tropics to consider the impact of complex social, political and historical issues on environmental and social sustainability; ability to analyse the potential for community development practice to transform complex social systems, institutions, structures, processes, practices and inequities; ability to investigate, critically analyse and describe the knowledge and skills necessary for effective, community development practice to engage with and enable individuals, groups and communities to achieve social and environmental justice.