Extended Major Overview

Description

Geographical Science is focused on understanding environmental processes and the interaction with people and economies, to address the big questions like climate change, sustainability, land degradation, population growth. A core focus is on using spatial data and techniques such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and remote sensing, and also process studies with a focus on fieldwork and the use of modelling. Geographers and spatial analysts are under high demand across the environmental regulation and consulting, mining, government and private sectors as they can provide solutions using complex spatial data.

The extended major in Geographical and Spatial Science will equip students for a career in the environment, government or policy sectors, as a dedicated specialist, spatial analyst, or skilled multi-disciplinary scientist. It also offers a pathway into postgraduate study in most specialisations in the Maters of Environmental Science. The extended major further allows students the shortest possible pathway into four specialisations in Environmental Science Masters program at UWA (except the Environmental Economics and Environmental Rehabilitation specialisations, available with conversion (not for the CBM)).

Graduates are in demand due to their GIS and spatial data skills, combined with fundamental scientific skills and training in team work, leadership and the excellent written and oral communication skills. Our graduates are the emerging future leaders solving the World's big issues.

Outcomes

Students are able to:

  1. apply geographical concepts as in understanding change in human and physical environments
  2. explain the geographical causes and environmental processes and consequences behind major environmental and social issues, including climate change, land degradation, people and the built environment, challenges in agricultural, mining and managed landscapes
  3. implement technical skills in GIS and remote sensing, based on spatial science principles to differentiate, attribute and interpret spatial processes and patterns in physical and human environments and systems
  4. communicate geographical perspectives, knowledge and solutions effectively to specialist and non-specialist audiences using appropriately selected written, oral and visual means
  5. understand indigenous perspectives and traditional knowledge as part of solutions to addressing major environmental challenges
  6. generate, create and produce effective knowledge, and apply practical and technical skills to resolve geographical challenges and questions.
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

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

Courses

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

Example Study Plan

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 (30 points):

Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S2 GEOG1104 Disasters! None
S1 GEOG1106 Climate Change: Environment and Society None
S1 GEOG1107 Global Human Inequality
Incompatibility
GEOG3309 Global Inequalities and Population Change: Transformation and Crisis
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

Level 2

Degree-specific major units

Take all units (36 points):

Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S1 ENVT2220 The Climate System None
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 GEOG2202 Reading Landscapes: People and Processes
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
GEOG1106 Climate Change: Environment and Society
or GEOG1104 Disasters!
or GEOG1107 Human Inequality in the Anthropocene
or GEOG1103 Urbanisation and Sustainability
or prior approval
S2 GEOG2203 Regions in Transition
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
48 points
Incompatibility
Unit(s) GEOG3306 Regional Development and Planning
S1 GEOG2206 Population Change: Debates and Controversies
Prerequisites
24 points
Degree-specific major units

Group A—take unit(s) to the value of 6 points either from Group A (level 2) or Group B (level 3):

Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S1, S2 SCIE2205 Science Work Placement
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
48 credit points in your chosen degree and a successful application into the WIL Placement Program
and enrolment in
a course
or major under the School of Agriculture and Environment, Engineering, Sciences (including Biological, Biomedical, Earth, Human, and Molecular disciplines), Physics, Mathematics and Computing
or Psychological Science
S2 SCIE2206 Science Consultancy Project
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
48 credit points in your chosen degree and a successful application into the WIL Placement Program
and Enrolment in
enrolment in
a course
or major under the School of Agriculture and Environment, Engineering, Sciences (including Biological, Biomedical, Earth, Human, and Molecular disciplines), Physics, Mathematics and Computing
or Psychological Science
NS, S1, S2 SVLG2002 McCusker Centre for Citizenship Internship
Incompatibility
SVLG1002 SVLG3003

Level 3

Degree-specific major units

Take all units (36 points):

Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S1 ENVT3306 Coastal Conservation and Management
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
SCIE2204 Marine Systems
or GEOG2202 Reading Landscapes: People and Processes
or permission of the unit coordinator
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
S1 GEOG3300 Advanced Spatial Analysis
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
GEOG2201 Geographic Information Systems
S2 GEOG3301 Advanced GIS and Remote Sensing
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
one Unit(s) GEOG2201 Geographic Information Systems
S2 GEOG3303 Environmental Policy and Planning
Prerequisites
Enrolment in
MJD-CONBI Conservation Biology
or MJD-NRMGT Natural Resource Management
or MJD-GGRPY Geographical Sciences
or MJD-GSSCI Geographical and Spatial Science
or MJD-HGYPL Human Geography and Planning
or MJD-APHGY Applied Human Geography
or MJD-WLCDM Wildlife Conservation
or MJD-ENVDM Environmental Science and Management
or MJD-ENVMT Environmental Management
or MJD-ENGEO Environmental Geography and Planning
or MNR-SAPEP Science and Policy: Environmental Planning
or MNR-SPCEU Science and Policy: Climate Change, Environmental Planning and Urban Environments
or MNR-ENVST Understanding the Environment
and Successful completion of
72 points in your chosen degree
Incompatibility
Unit(s) PLNG2203 Environmental Policy and Planning
S1 GEOG3308 Climate Change: Policy and Practice
Prerequisites
72 points in your chosen degree
Degree-specific major units

Group B—take unit(s) to the value of 6 points either from Group B (level 3) or Group A (level 2):

Students are able to take other UWA Work Integrated Learning (WIL) unit approved by the course coordinator

Students are able to take other UWA Work Integrated Learning (WIL) unit approved by the course coordinator

Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S1 GEOG3311 Geographies of Economic Development
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
GEOG1107 Human Inequality in the Anthropocene
and GEOG2203 Regions in Transition
or 72 points Major(s) BP013 Bachelor of Economics
Incompatibility
GEOG2205 Geographies of Economic Development
S2 PARL3399 WA Parliamentary Research Program
Prerequisites
Acceptance into the WA Parliamentary Research Program
and Successful completion of
96 points in your chosen degree
or approval from the School
NS, S1, S2 SVLG3003 McCusker Centre for Citizenship Internship
Incompatibility
SVLG1002 SVLG2002