Faculty of Arts Specialist program in environmental studies

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Faculty of Arts

Table of Contents

1. Faculty of Arts requirements
2. The specialist program
3. Prerequisites
4. The program's requirements
5. Structuring study within the program
    5.1. First year
    5.2. Second year
    5.3. Third year
6. Some suggested programs of study within the specialist program in environmental studies
    6.1. Environmental studies with economics: a suggested course of study
        6.1.1. First year
        6.1.2. Second year
        6.1.3. Third year
    6.2. Environmental studies with physical geography: a suggested course of study
        6.2.1. First year
        6.2.2. Second year
        6.2.3. Third year
    6.3. Environmental studies with environmental sciences: a suggested course of study
        6.3.1. First year
        6.3.2. Second year
        6.3.3. Third year
    6.4. Environmental studies with ecology: a suggested course of study
        6.4.1. First year
        6.4.2. Second year
        6.4.3. Third year
7. Honours in environmental studies
8. Further study
9. Career opportunities
10. For more information

Convener: Dr Peter Christoff (School of Anthropology, Geography and Environmental Studies)

Environmental issues attract people concerned with the ways in which societies are managing interactions with their environments. We need to understand how environments function, to be able to identify ecological change, and to develop ways of repairing environmental systems, particularly those damaged by human impact. We also need to examine the ways in which societies interact with their environments and the legal, economic, political and ethical ramifications of these interactions. Societies depend on environments for their resources; individuals depend on environments for many sources of satisfaction. As societies develop increasing technical power, as the sheer amount of economic activity increases and as our interactions attain global significance, so it is crucial that governments, corporations, community groups and individuals think deeply about ways of looking after our environment for the benefit of all. The specialist program in environmental studies is designed to provide students with the opportunity to understand all these issues, and to develop skills which will prepare them for careers in the environmental field.

The specialist program in environmental studies is more focused than the ordinary BA major in environmental studies in that students concentrate more of their studies within the environmental field. Students are also provided with a wider range of options from other faculties.

In this program students gain a broad understanding of the way in which environments work, the way in which societies work, and the nature of society-environment interactions. Students also have the opportunity to study one of these areas in greater depth, and to choose elective subjects which suit their own particular environmental interests and career goals.

On completion of this degree, students should:

• have a knowledge of environmental systems and processes;

• possess skills in using techniques that measure components of environmental systems; assess the impacts of different environmental users; and understand how environmental problems arise from the workings of modern urban-industrial societies;

• have a knowledge of environmental valuation and the relationships between development and the environment.

Students who complete the BA (honours) in environmental studies should also be able to design and execute a piece of research about environmental systems or environmental impacts or environmental conflicts, regulation and valuation.

1. Faculty of Arts requirements

Within the specialist program in environmental studies, only those subjects offered by departments within the Faculty of Arts are arts-approved subjects. See Arts-approved subject requirement for more information.

2. The specialist program

The specialist program in environmental studies incorporates areas of study from a range of faculties within the University. Students are encouraged to consult the following area entries in this Handbook for full descriptions of core and elective subjects which may be included in the specialist program in environmental studies.

Faculty of Arts

• Environmental studies

• Geography

• Philosophy

• Political science

• Sociology

Faculty of Economics and Commerce

• Economics

Faculty of Engineering

• Civil and environmental engineering

• Geomatics

Faculty of Science

• Biology

• Botany

• Chemistry

• Earth sciences

• Geomatics (science)

• Zoology

3. Prerequisites

Applicants must meet the admission requirements of the Faculty of Arts. Individual subjects within the program may have prerequisites for entry. Please check the relevant area of study entries in this Handbook for details.

4. The program's requirements

In each year of the program students must complete a core of environmental studies subjects, a minimum number of subjects about environmental processes, and a minimum number of subjects about social processes.

In the course of their BA degree (300 points), students majoring in the specialist program in environmental studies must complete:

• at least 75 points of environmental studies; and

• at least 62.5 points of environmental processes; and

• at least 62.5 points of social processes; and

• at least another 50 points in one or more of these areas of study; and

• up to 50 points of elective study.

5. Structuring study within the program

Students should note that they must have their study plan approved by the convener of the program or by the Head of School.

Students are advised to plan their study in consultation with a school course adviser. Students are welcome to seek advice about the environmental studies program and about their options for study at any time. To make a course advice appointment, contact the SAGES office during business hours.

The specialist program in environmental studies usually takes the following form.

5.1. First year

5.2. Second year

5.3. Third year

6. Some suggested programs of study within the specialist program in environmental studies

The following programs of study are suggestions for ways in which you can structure your studies within the specialist program in environmental studies. They are not compulsory. As long as you fulfil the requirements for the specialist program set out above, you do not have to structure your course to fit in with one of the programs shown below. These suggestions are simply designed to illustrate some of the options available to you.

6.1. Environmental studies with economics: a suggested course of study

6.1.1. First year

6.1.2. Second year

6.1.3. Third year

On completion of this program with the appropriate grades, students are eligible to enter the honours program in economics, in addition to being eligible (subject to appropriate grades) to enter the honours program in environmental studies.

6.2. Environmental studies with physical geography: a suggested course of study

6.2.1. First year

6.2.2. Second year

6.2.3. Third year

On completion of this program with the appropriate grades, students are eligible to enter the honours program in geography, in addition to being eligible (subject to appropriate grades) to enter the honours program in environmental studies.

6.3. Environmental studies with environmental sciences: a suggested course of study

6.3.1. First year

6.3.2. Second year

6.3.3. Third year

6.4. Environmental studies with ecology: a suggested course of study

6.4.1. First year

6.4.2. Second year

6.4.3. Third year

7. Honours in environmental studies

Students who have completed a major in environmental studies with an average grade of H2B over the second/third-year subjects of the program (excluding elective study) are eligible to enter the pure honours program in environmental studies.

See Environmental studies for details regarding honours entry prerequisites and honours requirements.

8. Further study

A wide range of postgraduate programs in environmental studies and environmental science are offered by the University of Melbourne. The Faculties of Arts, Science, Commerce, Engineering, and the Institute of Land and Food Resources offer Masters and PhD supervision to students undertaking research in a wide range of areas in the environmental field. There are also a number of postgraduate coursework programs available through the University's Office for the Environment, many of which focus strongly on the development of specialist professional skills.

The following postgraduate coursework programs are offered by the School of Anthropology, Geography and Environmental Studies within the Faculty of Arts:

• Graduate Certificate in Arts (Environmental Studies)

• Graduate Diploma in Arts (Environmental Studies)

• Postgraduate Diploma in Arts (Environmental Studies)

9. Career opportunities

Graduates can expect to find creative and interesting employment in a wide variety of situations. Qualifications gained will enable graduates to work as environmental professionals in government departments and regulatory bodies, in private industry and with environmental consulting firms. There is a growing awareness of the need for professional environmental expertise in our region of Asia and the Pacific. Australia is recognised as a leader in this field and many career opportunities are opening up both in Australia and overseas.

Some of the most common opportunities available to graduates of the program are:

• as scientific, planning or education officers in government departments and authorities (for example, dealing with conservation, natural resources, planning, housing, transport, utility supply);

• as officers in private environmental consultancies, planning or exploration firms, collecting evidence about, assessing or warning of the potential of environmental impacts;

• as journalists, teachers or lecturers;

• as planning or project officers for nature conservation bodies such as the Australian Conservation Foundation, the National Trust or Greenpeace;

• as environmental officers for major development companies, such as BHP, mining and oil companies, or any number of smaller organisations that have environmental impacts;

• as environmental consultants to overseas nations, through direct employment, aid programs or international organisations.

10. For more information

Dr Peter Christoff
SAGES
Room 409, Old Commerce Building
The University of Melbourne
Victoria 3010
Tel: +61 3 8344 6339/6340
Fax: +61 3 8344 4972
Email: envirosci-postgrad@geography.unimelb.edu.au
Web: http://www.geography.unimelb.edu.au/courses/enviroindex.html

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