UWA+ STARTER

How Water Shapes Western Australia GEOGM101

Water shapes Western Australia's landscapes, ecosystems and cultures. But, in turn, water has been shaped by our ancient geological foundations, among the oldest and most stable on Earth, and by the people who live here, including Aboriginal people, who have the oldest continuous culture on Earth, and European settlers, who have made extensive changes in a short space of time.

By exploring Western Australia's water story across geological and human timescales, students will investigate how water and people shape each other. Understanding this history provides a foundation for making informed and responsible decisions about the future of water in Western Australia.

Upon successful completion of this micro-credential, you'll receive:

  • Two PD Points
  • A Certificate of Achievement
  • A UWA Plus Professional Development Transcript, listing all successfully completed micro-credentials
Delivery mode
Online
Course dates
26 April 2027 - 02 July 2027
Duration
10 weeks
Registrations will re-open in November 2026

Total effort
5 hours per week for 10 weeks. 
Academic lead
Catherine Simmonds
Cost

UWA Starter fees for 2026 –

Broadway Schools

$82.50 (inc GST) per micro-credential for students from participating partner schools (register via your school)

$165 (inc GST) per micro-credential for individual students from non-partner schools

Non-Broadway Schools

$247.50 (inc GST) per micro-credential for students from participating partner schools (register via your school)

$495 (inc GST) per micro-credential for individual students from non-partner schools

Critical information summary
GEOGM101 How Water Shapes Western Australia [PDF 245KB]
Person isolated in a crowd

What you'll learn

Participants will be able to:

How Western Australia's ancient geology influences where water is found today.

To interpret evidence from scientific investigations and Indigenous knowledge systems to understand changes in water over.

Examine how people have adapted to and changed water systems over time.

Keyboard 

Why study this course?

Develop critical thinking, inquiry and evidence-evaluation skills by investigating Western Australia's water story through geological, historical, scientific and Indigenous perspectives. By examining how past events and decisions continue to shape contemporary water issues, students will build the knowledge and analytical skills needed to engage with complex sustainability challenges and contribute to informed decision-making for the future.

How does it work?

 10 weeks:
 Online Activities, Personal Study and Assessments 5 hours per week for 10 weeks. 

  

What's next after this course?

Future study
This micro credential is relevant to a broad range of future study and career areas including agriculture, environmental
design, human geography, spatial sciences and social and environmental sustainability.
Students who successfully complete this micro-credential will:

 

  • Receive a UWA Professional Development Transcript at the end of your studies, listing all completed UWA micro-credentials – great for uni entry and your resume!
  • Earn 2  stackable  PD Points -  complete two more UWA Starter micro-credentials to earn 6 PD Points and gain credit for one unit towards selected UWA bachelor degrees.
  • Gain points that can contribute towards admission to UWA via Experience-based entry.

Enrol in an undergraduate minor or major in Public Health to pursue study or a future career in this field.