Extended Major Overview

Description

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, rehabilitation and renaturation, habitat destruction or environmental impact assessment.

As a student of the Environmental Science and Ecology extended major, you will be trained to apply a combination of scientific knowledge from environmental science, botany and animal science for real world problems. The acquired skills and knowledge are highly relevant for the work force in this field. The extended major further allows the shortest possible pathway into most specialisations in the Environmental Science Master's program at UWA excepting Management. It further allows the entry of the honours in botany as well as the MSc in Biological Sciences (for the latter one conversion unit will be necessary).

Outcomes

Students are able to:

  1. demonstrate broad and coherent theoretical knowledge and applied technical skills in the disciplines of Environmental Science and Ecology
  2. apply scientific principles as well as creative and communication skills in diverse contexts relevant for Environmental Science and Ecology
  3. critically review, statistically analyse, and synthesise knowledge around ecological, physical and chemical processes in the environment following scientific principles in natural sciences
  4. exercise critical thinking and judgement in identifying and solving problems around climate change impacts, environmental assessments as well as ecological and environmental rehabilitation with intellectual independence
  5. demonstrate competency in laboratory practice, fieldwork study, report writing, oral presentation and team work skills suited to gain employment in the disciplines of Environmental Science and Ecology.
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. Many of you will be able to undertake more than this minimum amount of broadening study and we encourage you to do so and to pursue as many areas of interest as you can during your course of study. At the same time, we know that many of you value the University's guidance and assistance in planning your enrolment throughout your course, so we offer the following suggestions for your consideration as possible avenues to broaden your degree.

Students who are interested in continuing an Honours program in Botany should take two additional level 3 units in the field of botany.

PLNT3301 Plant Physiological Ecology S1

ENVT3060 Soil Plant Interactions S1

A minor in Science Communication or Data Science would also complement the extended major in Environmental Science and Ecology.

Do always remember, however, that there is no wrong way to broaden your studies as long as you complete at least four units not associated with your Degree Specific Major.

Prerequisites

Mathematics Methods ATAR or Mathematics Applications ATAR with a mathematics unit taken in the first year. Students without ATAR mathematics will take two first year mathematics unit.

Chemistry ATAR or an additional chemistry unit taken in the first year.

Incompatibilities

MJD-ENVSC Environmental Science

Courses

Environmental Science and Ecology can only be taken as a degree-specific major in the following degree courses:

Example Study Plans

See study plans for more information.

Units

Key to availability of units:
S1
Semester 1
S2
Semester 2
NS
non-standard teaching period

Level 1

Degree-specific major units

Take all units (24 points):

Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S2 BIOL1131 Plant and Animal Biology None
S1 ENVT1104 Environmental Science and Technology None
S1, S2 SCIE1104 Science, Society and Data Analysis
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
ATAR Subject(s) Mathematics Applications or equivalent
or Mathematics Methods or equivalent
or Unit(s) MATH1720 Mathematics Fundamentals
or MATX1720 Mathematics Fundamentals
Co-requisites
MATH1721 Mathematics Foundations: Methods
or MATX1721 Mathematics Foundations
or SCIE1500 Analytical Methods for Scientists
Incompatibility
Successful completion of
Unit(s) STAT1520 Economic and Business Statistics
or STAX1520 Economic and Business Statistics
S1 SCOM1101 Communicating Science
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
ATAR Subject(s) ATAR Mathematics Applications
or ATAR Subject(s) WACE Mathematics 2C/2D or equivalent
Co-requisites
MATH1720 Mathematics Fundamentals
or MATX1720 Mathematics Fundamentals
Bridging units

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
SCIE1500.
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 SCIE1500.

Note:Students who have completed MATH1721, are not required to complete SCIE1500.


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
Incompatibility
ATAR Subject(s) Chemistry or equivalent
S1, S2 MATH1720 Mathematics Fundamentals
Prerequisites
Mathematics Applications ATAR [with a scaled score of less than 50] or with permission
Incompatibility
Mathematics Applications ATAR [with a scaled score of 50 or greater] or Equivalent or higher
S1, S2 SCIE1500 Analytical Methods for Scientists
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
ATAR Subject(s) ATAR Subject Mathematics Applications
or MATH1720 Mathematics Fundamentals
or MATX1720 Mathematics Fundamentals
Incompatibility
ATAR Subject(s) ATAR Mathematics Methods
and Unit(s) MATH1721 Mathematics Foundations: Methods (ID 5108)
or MATX1721 Mathematics Foundations

Level 2

Degree-specific major units

ENVT2220—take all units (48 points):

Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S1 ANIM2220 Animal Diversity
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
Unit(s) BIOL1131 Plant and Animal Biology (ID 1244)
S1 ENVT2220 The Climate System None
S1 ENVT2236 Soil Science
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
any one CHEM1003 Introductory Chemistry
or CHEX1003 Introductory Chemistry
or ATAR Subject(s) Chemistry
and Successful completion of
any one EART1105 Dynamic Planet
or ENVT1104 Environmental Science and Technology
or BIOL1131 Plant and Animal Biology
or BIOL1130 Frontiers in Biology
and Successful completion of
any one SCIE1104 Science, Society and Data Analysis
or STAT1400 Statistics for Science
or STAX1400 Statistics for Science
or STAT1520 Economic and Business Statistics
or STAX1520 Economic and Business Statistics
Incompatibility
Unit(s) EART2222 Geomorphology and Soils
S1 ENVT2250 Ecology
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
BIOL1130 Frontiers in Biology
or BIOL1131 Plant and Animal Biology
or ENVT1104 Environmental Science and Technology
and
SCIE1104 Science, Society and Data Analysis
or STAT1400 Statistics for Science
or STAX1400 Statistics for Science
S2 ENVT2251 Hydrology and Water Resource Management
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
one EART1105 Dynamic Planet
or ENVT1104 Environmental Science and Technology
or GEOG1103 Urbanisation and Sustainability
or GENG1014 Earth Systems Engineering
or GEOG1106 Climate Change: Environment and Society
or prior approval
S1, S2 GEOG2201 Geographic Information Systems
Prerequisites
36 points of prior study
S2 PLNT2201 Plants in Action
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
any one Unit(s)
or BIOL1130 Frontiers in Biology
or BIOL1131 Plant and Animal Biology
or SCIE1106 Molecular Biology of the Cell
or SCIX1106 Molecular Biology of the Cell )
S2 PLNT2204 Plant Diversity and Evolution
Prerequisites
Successful completion of any one Unit(s)
BIOL1130 Frontiers in Biology
or BIOL1131 Plant and Animal Biology
or SCIE1106 Molecular Biology of the Cell
or SCIX1106 Molecular Biology of the Cell

Level 3

Degree-specific major units

Take all units (36 points):

Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S1 ENVT3338 Land Capability Assessment
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
one Unit(s) ENVT2220 The Climate System
or Unit(s) ENVT2236 Soil Science
or Unit(s) EART2222 Geomorphology and Soils
or Unit(s) EART2231 Earth Materials
or Unit(s) EART2234 Earth Processes
or Unit(s) ENVT2251 Hydrology and Water Resource Management
or Unit(s) ENVT2221 Global Climate Change and Biodiversity
or Unit(s) ENVT2250 Ecology
S2 ENVT3339 Land Rehabilitation
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
one Unit(s) ENVT2236 Soil Science
or Unit(s) EART2231 Earth Materials
or Unit(s) EART2234 Earth Processes
or Unit(s) ENVT2251 Hydrology and Water Resource Management
S1 ENVT3361 Environmental Assessment
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
one Unit(s) ENVT2236 Soil Science
or Unit(s) ENVT2251 Hydrology and Water Resource Management
or Unit(s) ENVT2221 Global Climate Change and Biodiversity
or Unit(s) ENVT2250 Ecology
S2 ENVT3362 Environmental Dynamics
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
one Unit(s) ENVT2250 Ecology
or Unit(s) ENVT2220 The Climate System
or Unit(s) ENVT2251 Hydrology and Water Resource Management
or Unit(s) SCIE2204 Marine Systems
or Unit(s) EART2204 Coastal Processes
or Unit(s) SCIE2267 Quantitative Methods in Environmental Management
S2 ENVT3363 Ecological Processes
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
one Unit(s) ENVT2250 Ecology (ID 1228)
or Unit(s) ENVT2221 Global Climate Change and Biodiversity (ID 1293)
or Unit(s) SCIE2204 Marine Systems (ID 1524)
NS PLNT3306 Australian Vegetation
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
one Unit(s) PLNT2204 Plant Diversity and Evolution (ID 1302)
or Unit(s) ENVT2250 Ecology (ID 1228)