Environmental Science and Management major
Environmental Science assesses the impact of human activity on the global environment and develops scientific, risk-based solutions to help secure a sustainable future. Environmental scientists deal with issues such as climate change, carbon trading, greenhouse gas emissions, water resource management, salinity, land degradation and rehabilitation, flora and fauna, habitat destruction, deforestation, energy and mineral depletion, air and water pollution, soil erosion, and groundwater contamination.
Using interdisciplinary and holistic approaches, students develop techniques in problem recognition and assessment followed by scientific modelling to achieve practical solutions to environmental problems. As a student of the Environmental Science and Management major students will be trained to apply scientific, economic and regulatory knowledge to help society resolve these conflicts.
The double major in Environmental Science and Management will equip students for a career in Environmental Science or a pathway to postgraduate study. Students taking the double major in Environmental Science and Management will position themselves well in the job market by gaining fundamental scientific skills as well as being trained in networking, team work, leadership and communication of complex issues essential for future leaders. The double major further allows students the shortest possible pathway into all specialisations in Environmental Science Masters program at UWA excepting Marine and Coastal Processes.
Outcomes
Students are able to (1) apply economic principles to evaluate environmental policy decisions
; (2) evaluate alternative policy instruments for managing the environment across local, regional, and global scales; (3) integrate models for environmental management using social science and environmental science principles; (4) characterise the main drivers of environmental change from a scientific, social, cultural, and economic perspective.; (5) demonstrate an understanding of the skills and knowledge to assess environmental systems, using field, laboratory, modelling and statistical methodologies; (6) integrate ecological, physical and chemical processes to guide decision making with respect to human intervention in the environment; (7) demonstrate ab understanding of the knowledge to manage and rehabilitate disturbed systems such as natural and agricultural catchments, post mining landscapes, contaminated sites, urban environments, etc; and (8) apply the knowledge and skills required for employment related to environmental science and management..
Broadening guidelines
All students studying towards a Bachelor's Degree at UWA are required to Broaden their studies by completing a minimum of four units (24 points) of study outside their degree specific major. Broadening is your opportunity to explore other areas of interest, investigate new disciplines and knowledge paradigms and to shape your degree to suit your own aspirations and interests. Over the next few months you will find here some broadening suggestions related to your degree-specific major. While we know that many students value guidance of this sort, these are only suggestions and students should not lose sight of the opportunity to explore that is afforded by your Broadening Choices. Advice can also be sought from your Allocated Student Advising Office. If you are completing this major in a Combined Bachelor's masters Course, you have elected to pursue a highly specialised and in-depth program of study in your chosen field. While you are encouraged to use the free elective units available in your course to study in other disciplines offered at UWA, your formal requirement to broaden your course will be met through the Honours and Postgraduate units which form an integral part of your course.
Prerequisites
ATAR Mathematics Methods or equivalent or higher and ATAR Chemistry or equivalent or higher.
Environmental Science and Management can only be taken as a degree-specific major in the following degree courses:
BP004 Bachelor of Science
BH005 Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours)
Overview of unit sequence
Environmental Science and Management is a degree-specific double major comprising:
- five Level 1 units
- six Level 2 units
- seven Level 3 units
| Key to availability of units: |
|---|
| S1 = Semester 1; S2 = Semester 2 |
Level 1
Take all units (30 points):
| Availability | Unit code | Unit name | unit requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| S2 | BIOL1131 | Plant and Animal Biology | |
| S1, S2 | ECON1120 | Environmental Economics 1 | |
| S1 | ENVT1104 | Environmental Science and Technology | |
| S1, S2 | SCIE1104 | Science, Society and Data Analysis | |
| S1 | SCOM1101 | Communicating Science |
|
Bridging units must be successfully completed within the first 48 points of study. Students who have not achieved a scaled mark of at least 50 in Mathematics Methods ATAR or equivalent or higher are required to complete MATH1721. Students who have not achieved a scaled mark of at least 50 in Mathematics Applications ATAR or equivalent or higher are required to complete MATH1720 and MATH1721. Students who have not achieved a scaled mark of at least 50 in Chemistry ATAR or equivalent or higher are required to complete CHEM1003.
| Availability | Unit code | Unit name | unit requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| S1, S2 | CHEM1003 | Introductory Chemistry |
|
| S1, S2 | MATH1720 | Mathematics Fundamentals |
|
| S1, S2 | MATH1721 | Mathematics Foundations: Methods |
|
Level 2
Take all units (36 points):
| Availability | Unit code | Unit name | unit requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| S1 | ECON2224 | Environmental Economics 2 |
|
| S1 | ENVT2220 | The Climate System |
|
| S1 | ENVT2236 | Soil Science |
|
| S2 | ENVT2251 | Hydrology and Water Resource Management | |
| S1, S2 | GEOG2201 | Geographic Information Systems |
|
| S2 | SCIE2267 | Quantitative Methods in Environmental Management |
Level 3
Take all units (42 points):
| Availability | Unit code | Unit name | unit requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| S1 | ECON3323 | Business and the Environment |
|
| S1 | ENVT3338 | Land Capability Assessment |
|
| S2 | ENVT3339 | Land Rehabilitation |
|
| S1 | ENVT3361 | Environmental Assessment |
|
| S2 | ENVT3362 | Environmental Dynamics | |
| S2 | GEOG3301 | Advanced GIS and Remote Sensing |
|
| S2 | GEOG3303 | Environmental Policy and Planning |
|
Choosing your degree-specific major
Specialised degrees – Bachelor of Advanced Computer Science (Honours), Bachelor of Automation and Robotics, Bachelor of Environmental Design, Bachelor of Music
You must satisfy the requirements of the degree-specific major in your degree before you complete your course.
Bachelor of Philosophy, Politics and Economics
This comprehensive degree does not allow you to choose a double major.
General degrees
You must satisfy the requirements of a degree-specific major before you complete your course. The flexible structure of an undergraduate course allows you to try out a number of different subjects to see what interests you before nominating your degree-specific major. You have the choice to either nominate your degree-specific major when you first enrol in the course or delay nominating it until your second year.
To plan the first year of your study without nominating a degree-specific major, you are advised to choose units that will pave the way to two or more degree-specific majors that are of interest to you. For examples of the choice of units available in first year, search the first-year study plans .
To fully understand the structure of an undergraduate course, read the course structure information and the Undergraduate Degree Course Rules.
There are more choices open to you. For more examples, search the study plans .