Environmental Science

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Environmental issues are many and varied.  Some are of global significance like the hole in the ozone layer or greenhouse gas emissions.  Others are of local or continental significance such as the problems of people, recreation, and fauna conservation in metropolitan wetlands, salinity problems in the wheatbelt, control of groundwater flows after mining, or flora and fauna conservation.  Environmental problems involve processes that extend over several disciplines.  Environmental Science is therefore fundamental to the understanding and management of our environment.

Environmental Science is a named programme under the Bachelor of Science, leading to the degree B.Sc. (Environmental Science).  You will complete the Environmental Management major as well as one of the following majors: Botany, Conservation Biology, Environmental Chemistry, Environmental Geoscience, Environmental Microbiology, Geography, Land and Water Management, Marine Biology, Marine and Coastal Management, Soil Science, or Zoology.

If you are interested in studying Environmental Science as a combined degree, you may do so by enrolling in the Science/Arts, Science/Commerce, Science/Economics, Science/Education, or Science/Engineering combined degrees and studying the Environmental Management major.

Course Outline

Level 1
In level 1 you will study units in Earth and Environmental Science, Biology, Mathematics or Statistics, and Chemistry.

Level 2
In level 2 you will study Environmental Policy and Law, Environmental Hydrology, Environmental Economics, and Ecology.  You will also complete a second major in one of the following disciplines:   Botany, Environmental Chemistry, Conservation Biology, Environmental Geoscience, Environmental Microbiology, Geography, Land and Water Management, Marine Biology, Marine and Coastal Management, Soil Science and Zoology.

Level 3
In level 3 you will study Environmental Planning, Management, and Sustainability, plus three choices from Land, Soil and Water Systems, Economics of Water Management, Project and Risk Management, Environmental Change, Rural Geography and Planning, Marine and Coastal Planning and Management. 

You will also complete a second major in one of the following disciplines: Botany, Conservation Biology, Environmental Chemistry, Environmental Geoscience, Environmental Microbiology, Geography, Land and Water Management, Marine Biology, Marine and Coastal  Management, Soil Science, and Zoology.

Environmental Science is a programme under the Bachelor of Science, leading to the degree B.Sc. (Environmental Science).

If you are interested in finding out which subjects you will study then have a look at the Course Outline.  This will show you the core units and the options for the course, along with course rules.

You will notice that each unit has a unit code, e.g., BIOL1130.  The first number in the unit code indicates the level of the unit - in this case level one.  For a more detailed description of a particular unit, click on the unit code.

Duration

Bachelor of Science (Environmental Science): 3 years full time, up to 10 years part time

Career Opportunities

With the increasing attention that government and private companies are required to give to environmental issues, job prospects for graduates are likely to be many and varied. Currently graduates from this University, with skills in Environmental Science, are working for a variety of Government departments (e.g. Department of Environment and Conservation, Department of Agriculture, Water and Rivers Commission) for private industry (e.g. mining companies) or running their own consulting businesses.