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Division of Environmental and Life Sciences

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ELS Cultivates a Tall Poppy

Outstanding young ELS based scientist
Dr Craig O'Neill is among 13 NSW/ACT
winners of the 2007 Young Tall Poppy Science Awards.

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Bachelor of Environmental Science

Macquarie University's Bachelor of Environmental Science (BEnvSc) degree provides education and training in vital aspects of Environmental Science, and students have the flexibility to tailor a program to suit individual needs and interests. The program requires three years to complete. The Bachelor of Environmental Science degree combines a strong scientific education with multidisciplinary studies in the economic, legal and social aspects of environmental science.

 

Degree Structure

You can choose from four major strands of study:

and students have the flexibility to tailor a program to suit individual needs and interests. Qualified students may undertake a fourth year of study, which includes a research project, to obtain the degree of Bachelor of Environmental Science (Honours).

In keeping with Macquarie University's tradition of providing innovative undergraduate degree opportunities, the Bachelor of Environmental Science degree combines a strong scientific education with multidisciplinary studies in the economic, legal and social aspects of environmental studies. The units in the BEnvSc program introduce environmental issues, provide knowledge of the science and technology associated with environmental science and its applications and explore relevant legal, political, ethical and economic aspects. ELS301 Environmental Management Project is the only unit common to all BEnvSc programs. This unit provides practical experience and is open only to students enrolled in the BEnvSc and BEnvMgmt degrees.

The four strands are Biology, Chemistry, Geology and Physical Geography.

To gain a BEnvSc you must;

  1. obtain an aggregate of at least 68 credit points (cp), including
  2. at least 38 cp in units at 200 level or above,
  3. at least 34 cp in units at 200 level or above that are designated science units,
  4. at least 18 cp in units at 300 level or above that are designated science units,
  5. completion of one of the four coherent studies, or strands, outlined below.

Specific requirements for each strand are presented below.

 

Environmental Biology (code ENV01)

plus two of CHEM208, GEOS260, GEOS216 or GEOS266, and one of GEOS264 or PHYS220

 

Environmental Chemistry (code ENV06)

plus two of BIOL227, GEOS260, GEOS216 or GEOS266, and one of GEOS264 or PHYS220

 

Environmental Geology (code ENV03)

plus GEOS224 and two of BIOL227, CHEM208, GEOS216 or GEOS266, and one of GEOS264 or PHYS220

 

Environmental Physical Geography (code ENV04)

plus two of BIOL227, CHEM208, GEOS260, and one of GEOS264 or PHYS220

 

If you enrolled prior to 2003

Sometimes the University changes unit offerings, and we modify the strand requirements in response. This means that you might notice changes to the strand requirements, particularly over the period 2000-2003. If you enrolled prior to 2003, you may have enrolled under strands with subtly different requirements to those described above. The good news is that you can graduate under any strand requirements that existed while you were enrolled, because all variants are recognised as being valid pathways to graduation. This means that you have additional flexibility. If you have any questions, please contact the Director (see below).

 

Why Macquarie?

Macquarie University was established with a view to breaking down the traditional barriers that exist between disciplines. At Macquarie, we understand that some of the best ideas in science and many of the most successful solutions to environmental problems come from multidisciplinary approaches. The Environmental Science program is designed to reflect this. The BEnvSc degree above all trains you in natural science, giving you a solid grounding in one specialist area and an introduction to others in terms of what they have to offer environmental problem-solving and management. It also provides a very brief introduction to relevant aspects of social science to raise awareness of the need to take into account such things as economics, politics, the law, and people's perceptions and desires in tackling environmental issues in the real world.

Macquarie's excellent staff, many of whom have world-wide reputations, have made this University home to renowned centres of research and teaching excellence, including:

Many other staff members not attached to these centres are also active researchers and writers in the field of Environmental Science. The Resource and Environmental Management program, for example, provides a particular focus for human and physical geographers active in the environmental field, and offers a comprehensive undergraduate program of studies, accessible to BEnvSc students.

The Macquarie University campus is located on a superb 129-hectare site, about 18 kilometres north-west of Sydney city, with ample parking and frequent bus services to the City, Epping Railway Station, and many other suburbs. The beautiful natural setting has been maintained, and the University owns open green areas, including a fauna park, a nature reserve, and sporting facilities. Macquarie University also adjoins Lane Cove National Park.

Macquarie University is renowned for modern laboratories, and the University Library provides some of the best services of any university library in Australia, with exciting new technology to assist you in your search for knowledge. Macquarie is one of Australia's leading universities in the field of flexible teaching and learning assisted by information technology, including use of the World Wide Web.

 

Applications and Admissions

Entry to the Bachelor of Environmental Science degree program is normally determined according to academic merit as assessed in the NSW/ACT HSC. In recent years the UAI has been around 80. For information regarding assumed knowledge, please consult the entry for the Bachelor of Environmental Science degree in the UAC Guide, or contact the Director of the BEnvSc program (see below). Special arrangements are made for mature-age students and those with previous tertiary studies - see the Student Enquiry service (www.student.mq.edu.au), the UAC website (www.uac.edu.au) or contact the Director of the BEnvSc program (mark.taylor@mq.edu.au) for further information.

The DELS Office can also provide you with further details about the degree programs, as well as sending you material discussing entry, accommodation, student services, and scholarships. Please email, post or fax us for a quick response.

 

Careers

Environmental Science deals with the interplay between physical and biological processes and human activities. Every day, the media reports new ways in which our environment is being affected by what we do. A blend of skills developed in both the field and laboratory is essential for an environmental scientist, as is at least a general awareness and understanding of the economic, legal and social aspects of environmental management.

Graduates in Environmental Science are employed by private consultancies, by local government, and by a wide range of State and Federal government departments and agencies charged with monitoring the environmental impact of human activities and implementing environmental protection and resource-use policies. Environmental Science graduates are also employed by national parks and wildlife services, in education, and by industries concerned with their environmental impacts. Environmental Science is also part of the training needed by environmental lawyers and environmental economists/accountants. Environmental decisions are also increasingly becoming part of general management and decision-making processes in many companies, large and small.

The combination of the breadth of the degree program, particularly evident in the four compulsory units and the requirements to take at least some units from each of a number of sciences, and the chances you have to specialise and study a particular science in greater depth, aims to meet the perceived needs of potential employers. The workplace-oriented research project (ELS301) is also included to prepare you better for employment.

 

Contacts and Further Information

Students are strongly advised to consult an academic adviser specific to BEnvSc, to ensure that they are selecting appropriate units of study. Students enrolled prior to 2003 must seek advice from their academic advisor;

For further information contact

Dr Mark Taylor

Director, BEnvSc Degree Program
Department of Physical Geography
Macquarie University NSW 2109
Australia
Phone: [+61] (02) 9850 6319
Fax: [+61] (02) 9850 8420
e-mail: mark.taylor@mq.edu.au

or if Mark is away:
Dr Damian Gore

Department of Physical Geography
Macquarie University NSW 2109
Australia

Phone: [+61] (02) 9850 8391
Fax: [+61] (02) 9850 8420
e-mail: dgore@els.mq.edu.au

OR if you can't get either of us

The ELS Centre
Level One, Building E7A
Macquarie University NSW 2109
Telephone: [+61] (02) 9850 6000
Facsimile: [+61] (02) 9850 6565
E-mail: enquiries@els.mq.edu.au

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  • CRICOS Provider No 00002J, ABN 90 952 801 237
  • Last Updated: January 2008
  • Authorised by: Prof E Deane