I know “professional development opportunity” can be used as a euphemism for a work task that nobody would want to do, but I’m here to share something much more valuable. My School at UWA is offering a range of fully online “micro-credential” units at a bargain price.

They can be done as stand-alone courses, or as the first unit in a masters degree. The available courses are as follows.

Applied Benefit: Cost Analysis. I’m teaching this one. Benefit: Cost Analysis is one of the most important and widely used tools of economics. Participants learn how to apply Benefit: Cost Analysis in a rigorous, informative and practical way.

Data Analysis with R for Agriculture and Environmental Science. Participants learn how to undertake data analysis using the R software platform. They learn how to recognise the appropriate statistical technique for different data types, and how to execute appropriate analysis using R.

GIS and Remote Sensing in a Changing World. Explore Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and remote sensing methods through real-world scenarios. Participants explore impactful applications, such as the use of time-series satellite data in measuring climate change impacts, or blue carbon hotspots.

Responsible Agricultural Production. Uses a philosophical approach to critically analyse agricultural activities around the world. Participants gain the knowledge and skills to conduct a fair assessment of current and future ethical issues arising from agricultural production, such as animal welfare.

Performance Measurement with Data Envelopment Analysis. Performance measurement is important for evaluating how well firms are using available resources given the available production technology. This micro-credential introduces the fundamental concepts of performance measurement from an economic perspective, which is the basis for efficiency and productivity analysis.

If you need more encouragement, here is some student feedback for my unit last semester.

Fantastic micro-credential. Almost required for aspiring practitioners.

Video modules were very well put together – broken into small, achievable lessons with well-structured content and excellently delivered. 

The information builds each week. The interviews with experts and practitioners were helpful to reinforce important and practical aspects.

The module was very interactive and examples used in the module were based on research and actual projects that were carried out.

In each case, the price is AU$550. They start next week, so time is tight. To see more information and to get enrolled, go click on the title of each course you are interested in.