Overview
Overview
The sustainability of human life on earth depends on the health and function of our natural environment, which requires a deep understanding of environmental systems and the practical skills to manage them.
In this course, you will study natural environmental systems, restoration and environmental management, and learn the technical skills of remote sensing. You’ll also learn how to apply your expertise to inform environmental policy.
This is an Advanced Science honours course designed for high-performing students to pursue their interest in science through a core of discipline knowledge alongside project-based learning, leadership and entrepreneurship.
During your studies, you’ll engage with leaders in areas such as landscapes, soils, oceans, environmental monitoring, spatial sciences and environmental geoscience. You’ll also be able to investigate specialist or cross-disciplinary areas of environmental science to either deepen or broaden your expertise, through year-long, project-based research and industry engagement that is unique to the course. In addition, you can use elective units to tailor your degree by completing a minor or a specialisation and through for-credit immersive work experiences.
As an Advanced Science student, you’ll be part of a community of excellence comprising students from Curtin’s 13 Advanced Science majors, who come together to participate in interdisciplinary STEM projects, exchange ideas and enhance each other’s learning and networks. You’ll also benefit from engagement with research leaders, industry experts and specialised workshops in entrepreneurship, leadership and communication.
During the embedded honours year (fourth year) of this course, you’ll lead a defining research project and prepare for careers in research or industry. After completing your studies, you’ll have the advanced expertise to design, create and lead initiatives to address global environmental challenges.
What jobs can the Environmental Science (Advanced) course lead to?
Environmental Science graduates can expect diverse career opportunities. Globally, they are increasingly required to help with the sustainable management of resources; preservation of critical biodiversity, habitats and ecosystems; and mitigation of damage from climate change, pollution, urbanisation and industry activities. In Western Australia, the growth in environmental careers will continue to be driven by the needs of the resources, energy and agricultural industries.
Careers
- Environmental scientist
- Mine restoration consultant
- Natural resource manager
- Remediated lands consultant
- Conservation consultant
Industries
- Science and innovation
- Research and development
- Environmental conservation and management
- Mining and energy resources
- Urban and regional planning
- Government policy and planning
What you'll learn
- exhibit depth and breadth of scientific knowledge and excellence in scientific research and application in environmental science, recognising its links to other disciplines. Contribute new knowledge to the environmental field by designing appropriate investigations, including using field, laboratory, or remote sensing techniques; accessing, synthesising, and critically evaluating knowledge from a range of sources; analysing and interpreting data; and constructing arguments and conclusions while recognising the limitations in the approaches used, GC1
- be resilient and equipped to engage in self-driven, continuous and reflective discipline and professional lifelong learning and development, demonstrating acquired environmental science and entrepreneurship skills in fostering innovation in environmental monitoring and sustainable water, land and resource management to creatively explore natural system problems and drive positive change, GC2
- effectively capacity build, communicate and promote the value of sharing ideas, knowledge, approaches and solutions around climate, environmental science, natural systems and their monitoring and management to a range of audiences (academia, industry, government and public), for a range of purposes including ecosystem restoration and conservation using a variety of oral, textual, visual modes or other digital media, GC3
- demonstrate awareness of global citizenship, and capability to address complex global climate, pollution, environmental and land use and sustainability problems by applying practical and/or theoretical scientific techniques and clean technologies, recognising that scientific endeavours are required to comply with ethical and environmentally sustainable standards and to reduce inequalities, GC4
- demonstrate an advanced and coherent understanding of the nature and relevance of environmental science, climate, ecosystems, sustainability, the social and cultural context of natural systems, and the contribution of different knowledge systems, including Indigenous perspectives, especially around environmental management and relationship to Country, GC5
- demonstrate accountability, integrity and work responsibly and respectfully with people from diverse cultural backgrounds and ways of working in a range of applied settings, including laboratory and field contexts, both as an independent, self-directed scientist and collaboratively within multi-stakeholder partnerships, with cognisance of equity, equality and all appropriate regulatory and professional considerations within and adjacent to the environmental sector, GC6