Graduate Certificate in Performance-Based Building & Fire Codes

Name: Graduate Certificate in Performance-Based Building & Fire Codes
Price: <a href='#fees-and-scholarships'> Commonwealth supported place </a> AUD

VU course code: ETQB | Level of study: Postgraduate

Duration

1 year part time

Delivery mode

Online Real Time

Fees

Commonwealth supported place

Location

Online

Next start date

24 February 2025

Application closes

16 February 2025

View all start dates

Overview

Our fully online Graduate Certificate in Performance-Based Building & Fire Codes will see you progress your career and improve your knowledge of building surveying and design and approval of performance-based building, in light of national and international fire codes.

Gain an in-depth understanding of key concepts and alternative frameworks for performance-based building in fire codes. Further your knowledge through the assessment of performance-based building design and application of fire codes that this course provides.

Develop your professional skills and approach to performance-based codes including an appreciation of legal, statutory and design integrity requirements, as well as the need for design compliance.

: On successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

Implement professional performance-based building codes;

Evaluate the concepts and alternative acceptable frameworks for performance-based codes, with particular, but not exclusive, emphasis given to fire safety engineering design;

Deliberate appropriate knowledge and skills necessary for the assessment and application of performance-based building and fire codes;

Conceptualise the basic physics and chemistry governing ignition, fire growth and spread, smoke movement and fire extinguishment and structural behaviour during fire;

Implement relevant concepts concerning occupant communication and response in relation to fire cues;

Discuss basic fire safety engineering analysis through the use of assessment tools;

Create a professional approach to performance-based codes and a recognition of when to assess designs which are within a person's field of expertise and when to refer designs to a more appropriately qualified assessor;

Reflect upon an appreciation of the legal, statutory and design integrity requirements and the need for compliance of the design assumptions throughout the operational life of the building.
: Our staff and associates include industry-expert professors from partners CSIRO, Metropolitan Fire Brigade, Victorian Building Authority and consulting engineering firm Umow Lai, Noel Arnolds and Associates, SKIP consulting, Scientific Fire Services and many more.
: Victoria University’s Fire Research Group offers state-of-the-art research and testing facilities for safety engineering.
: Study this course via our award-winning VU Block Model®.
Instead of juggling several units at once, you’ll complete two units over 8 weeks (full-time), or just one if you’re studying part-time.
Learning in workshop-style classes, you’ll develop strong connections with your peers and practical skills for your career.
You’ll also get fast feedback on your assignments, helping you to improve quickly as you progress through your course.
Learn more about the postgraduate VU Block Model®.
: Achieve your full potential with The Learning Hub, which help you develop your confidence, academic ability, and study skills.
Benefit from in-person mentoring and study sessions, along with a range of digital learning modules that you can access anytime.
Get help from our online, 24/7 support service to polish your assignments before you submit, and receive guidance on writing, referencing, maths and more.
Read more about The Learning Hub

Entry requirements

When assessing your application, we consider your education, work experience, current skills and personal attributes (where relevant).

Applicants for this course will need to meet the entry criteria outlined below. If you don’t meet the entry criteria, you may be able to gain entry by first completing a different course. We call this a ‘pathway’.

For PhD applicants, we offer a related ‘Integrated PhD’ which allows you to establish relevant skills before beginning your research.

You may also be eligible for course ‘credits’, where you are granted a unit or units towards your qualification for equivalent previous study or work experience, so you can graduate sooner.

Entry criteria

Credit & Entry pathways into this course

Victoria University is committed to providing a transparent admissions process. Find out more about how to apply for our courses, and our commitment to admissions transparency. Meeting the minimum admission criteria does not guarantee entry into this course. Past academic performance may be considered.

Course structure

To attain the Graduate Certificate in Performance-Based Building and Fire Codes, students will be required to complete 48 credit points, consisting of:

48 credit points of Core studies.

Units

Fees & scholarships

University fees vary, depending on how much the government contributes towards course costs (if anything).

Read below to find out about the fee ‘type’, the estimated yearly tuition costs for this course, and the financial support on offer (including our generous scholarship program).

Fees

Scholarships

Careers

As a graduate of this course, you'll be in high demand in the building industry. Become an expert in the approval process for performance-based building design and become familiar with the design concepts for fire safety systems, occupant safety and environmental sustainability.

You'll be job-ready thanks to our practical approach to learning by industry-based lecturers.

This course is specifically listed in the Building Regulations 2006 (S.R. No. 68/ 2006) - Regulation 113 as one of the prerequisites for a Relevant Building Surveyor (RBS) to determine that an alternative solution complies with a fire performance requirement of the Building Code of Australia (BCA).

As a fire safety professional, you could gain employment in private business or the public sector, or work in the building industry. Many assessors and fire safety experts enjoy the benefits of self-employment and contracting.