Environment

Do you want to make a difference to the future of our environment? The Master of Environment is a flexible interdisciplinary coursework degree that allows you to develop a program of advanced learning suited to your individual interests and skills in environment and sustainability. A broad-ranging suite of courses from across the University provide exposure to current perspectives on environmental issues and approaches. Areas of interest include environmental science and management, social and ecological linkages, environmental economics and governance, environmental policy, and integrative research methods. You will also develop depth of knowledge in a selected disciplinary area: available options include biodiversity conservation, climate science and policy, environmental policy, environmental studies and human ecology, geography,  natural resource management, sustainability science, and water science and management.

Career Options

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the skills and knowledge to:

1. Demonstrate both a broad knowledge of contemporary issues and challenges in environment and sustainability, and expert knowledge in an area of specialisation
2. Independently apply their advanced knowledge and analytical, research, teamwork, and oral and written communication skills in professional practice in environment and sustainability
3. Effectively communicate knowledge and understanding in environment and sustainability to both specialist and non-specialist audiences

The Master of Environment requires the completion of 96 units, of which:

A minimum of 24 units must come from completion of 8000-level courses

A minimum of 48 units must come from completion of courses in the subject area ENVS Environment and Society

The 96 units must consist of:

A maximum of 84 units from completion of the following initial component:

A minimum of 6 units from completion of Economics and Governance courses from the following list:

CRWF8000 Government, Markets and Global Change

CRWF8001 Economic Globalisation and the Environment

CRWF8003 International Water Politics

CRWF8006 International Climate Change Policy and Economics

CRWF8014 Domestic Climate Change Policy and Economics

ECON8040 Resource and Environmental Economics

EMDV8078 Introduction to Environmental and Resource Economics

EMDV8104 Environmental Governance

EMDV8108 Applied Environmental and Resource Management

EMDV8121 Greening of Business

ENVS6033 International Environmental Policy

ENVS6528 Environmental Policy

IDEC8053 Environmental Economics

IDEC8088 Applied Economics: Cost/Benefit Analysis

IDEC8017 Econometric Techniques

IDEC8018 Agricultural Economics and Resource Policy

LAWS6503 Law and the Environment

LAWS8123 Water Resources Law

LAWS8146 Environmental Land-use Planning Law

LAWS8189 Fundamentals of Environmental Law

LAWS8280 Biodiversity Law and Policy

A minimum of 6 units from completion of Environmental Science courses from the following list:

EMDV8026 Introduction to Environmental Science

ENVS6022 Hydrology and Landforms for Natural Resource Management

ENVS6010 Australia's Forests

ENVS6012 Sustainable Systems: Rural

ENVS6023 Vegetation and Soils: Landscape Co-evolution and Ecology

ENVS6024 Biodiversity Conservation

ENVS6026 Managing Forested Landscapes

ENVS6203 Biodiversity and Landscape Ecology

ENVS6204 Weather, Climate and Fire

ENVS6302 Sustainable Agricultural Practices

ENVS6303 Climatology

ENVS6304 Land and Catchment Management

ENVS6307 Climate Change Science and Policy

ENVS6308 Fire in the Environment

ENVS6312 Geomorphology: Landscape Evolution under Changing Climate

ENVS6514 Ecological Assessment and Management

ENVS6529 Palaeo-Environmental Reconstruction

ENVS6555 Water Resource Management

ENVS8003 Climate Change Vulnerability and Adaptation

ENVS8006 Measuring Forest Carbon

ENVS8015 Contemporary Perspectives in Environmental Science

A minimum of 6 units from completion of Society and Environment courses from the following list:

ANTH8007 Key Concepts in Anthropology of Development

ANTH8008 Social Impact Studies in Project Cycle

ANTH8009 Development in Practice

ANTH8014 Mining Projects and Indigenous Peoples

ANTH8019 Practical Studies in Social Analysis

ANTH8021 Participatory Modelling for Development

ANTH8028 Introduction to Social Impact Studies

ANTH8029 Introduction to Australian Indigenous Policy

ANTH8030 Critically Assessing Contemporary Development Practice

ANTH8038 Introduction to Gender and Development

ANTH8042 Migration, Refugees and Development

ANTH8047 Introduction to Indigenous Environments

EMDV8001 Environment Sustainability Health and Development

EMDV8007 Environmental Policy and Communications

EMDV8101 State, Society and Natural Resources

ENVS6005 Sustainable Systems: Urban

ENVS6013 Society and Environmental Change

ENVS6017 Vietnam Field School

ENVS6020 Human Ecology

ENVS6021 Participatory Resource Management: Working with Communities and Stakeholders

ENVS6108 Sustainable Development

ENVS6205 Island Sustainable Development: Fiji Field School

ENVS6301 Climate Change Science and Policy in Practice

POGO8008 Participation and Program Management

POGO8061 Gender and Policy

A minimum of 6 units from completion of Research Methods courses from the following list:

ANTH8019 Practical Studies in Social Analysis

EMDV8002 Methods for Environmental Decision-making

EMDV8102 Research Methods for Environmental Management

EMDV8103 Environmental Assessment

ENVS6014 Qualitative Research Methods for Sustainability

ENVS6015 GIS and Spatial Analysis

ENVS6103 Introduction to Environmental and Social Research

MATH6102 Environmental Modelling and Integrated Assessment

MATH6103 Scientific and Industrial Modelling

A minimum of 24 units from completion of a specialisation from the following list:

Biodiversity Conservation and Management

Climate Science and Policy

Environmental Policy

Environmental Studies and Human Ecology

Geography

Natural Resource Management

Sustainability Science

Water Science and Management

A minimum of 12 units from completion of the following research component:

6 units from completion of ENVS8016 Contemporary Perspectives in Environment-Society Interaction

A minimum of 6 units from completion of courses from the following list:

ENVS6025 Complex Environmental Problems in Action

ENVS6306 Human Futures

ENVS8048 Topics in Environment and Society

ENVS8049 Independent Research Project

A course used to satisfy the requirements of one list may not be double counted towards satisfying the requirements of another list.

Students must have completed a minimum of 48 units in order to commence the research component.

Specialisations

• Biodiversity Conservation and Management
• Climate Science and Policy
• Environmental Policy 

• Environmental Studies and Human Ecology
• Geography
• Natural Resource Management

• Sustainability Science
• Water Science and Management

A Bachelor degree or international equivalent with an average mark of at least 60%.

All applicants must meet the University's English Language Admission Requirements for Students.

Applicants with a Bachelor Degree or Graduate Certificate in a cognate discipline may be eligible for 24 units (one semester) of credit.

Applicants with a Graduate Diploma or Honours in a cognate discipline may be eligible for 48 units (one year) of credit.

Cognate disciplines

Anthropology, Asia Pacific Studies, Biodiversity, Biology, Climate Change, Conservation Biology, Development Studies, Earth Science, Ecology, Environmental Policy, Environmental Science, Environmental Studies, Forestry, Geography, Human Ecology, Indigenous Australian Studies, Natural Resource Management, Policy Studies, Population Studies, Public Health, Resource Management and Environmental Science, Science Communication, Sociology, Soil Science, Sustainability Science, Sustainable Development, Urban Planning, Water Science

Want to improve your English level for admission?

Prepare for the program requirements with English Online by the British Council.

• ✔️ Flexible study schedule
• ✔️ Experienced teachers
• ✔️ Certificate upon completion

📘 Recommended for students with an IELTS level of 6.0 or below.

Enroll in the course

ANU offers a wide range of scholarships to current and future students to assist with the cost of their studies. The University is committed to enabling all students, regardless of their background, to achieve their best at ANU and realise their potential. 

Eligibility for ANU scholarships varies depending on the specifics of the scholarship and can be categorised by the type of student you are.  Specific scholarship application process information is included in the relevant scholarship listing.

Students have the option of applying to transfer to the Master of Environment (Adv) and undertaking a 48 unit research project if they satisfy the following requirements:

• achieve a minimum 70% weighted average mark in the initial 48 units of coursework

• have the approval of an identified supervisor, and 

• have completed compulsory courses in the Master of Environment (Advanced) 

Students who have completed 48 units and wish to exit the program have the option of transferring to graduate from a Graduate Diploma of Science.

Students who have completed 24 units and wish to exit the program have the option of transferring to graduate from a Graduate Certificate of Science.