- Students are to follow the requirements of the Handbook for the year they commenced the course.
However, the subject links below do not contain the subject information for the current year. You can view current subject information through the new Course Handbook.
Bachelor of Environmental Science (Honours) | 2018
Testamur Title of Degree: | Bachelor of Environmental Science (Honours) |
Abbreviation: | BEnvSc(Hons) |
UOW Course Code: | 1880 |
CRICOS Code: | 085261J |
Total Credit Points: | 192 |
Duration: | 4 years full-time or part-time equivalent |
Home Faculty: | Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health |
Intake Session(s): | Autumn |
Delivery Mode: | On-campus (Face-to-face) |
Delivery Campus / UAC Code: | Wollongong / 757612 |
Overview
Environmental Science is the study of the interaction of the living and non-living elements of the environment and how humans impact on these elements. Environmental scientists assess, research and manage resources, together with a wide range of environmental issues.
The Bachelor of Environmental Science (Honours) degree integrates material from a wide variety of disciplines relevant to the environment and its management - these include engineering, management, law, science and technology studies and philosophy. You will be equipped to understand the ethical, social, economic and political aspects of environmental issues as well as to be able to work with engineers, lawyers and other professionals.
In the first and second years of the degree you will learn the basic "building blocks" of science in the form of introductory biology, chemistry, geography, geology and physics, as well as incorporating the 'language' of science through introductory mathematics and statistics.
In the third and fourth years, you will specialise in one of the following four majors:
- Earth Sciences
- Environmental Chemistry
- Land Resources
- Life Sciences
An Honours research report with an external organisation is a major component of the fourth year.
Those who do not qualify for direct entry to the degree may gain admission via the Bachelor of Science, subject to satisfactory performance in the first year and approval of the Course Co-ordinator and the Head of Students.
Entry Requirements and Credit Arrangements
Information on academic and English language requirements, as well as eligibility for credit for prior learning, is available from the Course Finder.
Course Learning Outcomes
Course Learning Outcomes are statements of learning achievement that are expressed in terms of what the learner is expected to know, understand and be able to do upon completion of a course. Students graduating from this course will be able to demonstrate:
| CLO | Description | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Demonstrate broad and coherent knowledge and understanding of the trends, processes and impacts that shape the Earth and its environment including local, national, global, cultural, Indigenous and spatial perspectives. | ||||||
| 2 | Critically evaluate information and data to assess scientific methods and frameworks in the environmental sciences and environmental management. | ||||||
| 3 | Develop hypotheses and experiments to test against evidence-based scientific facts, laws, principles and evidence. | ||||||
| 4 | Identify and articulate real world problems derived from the environmental sciences and environmental management. | ||||||
| 5 | Apply knowledge and appropriate techniques, including those associated with fieldwork, to evaluate possible solutions to real world problems and defend choice of solution against alternatives. | ||||||
| 6 | Locate, synthesise and evaluate data, information, results and literature pertaining to the environmental sciences using appropriate methods, measurements, tools and technologies to produce an applied research project in a specific area of environmental sciences and/or environmental management. | ||||||
| 7 | Communicate environmental science perspectives and knowledge effectively to a range of audiences using appropriate technologies and communication skills | ||||||
| 8 | Demonstrate ethical, professional, public and personal conduct and capacity to reflect on and direct own learning and practice and participate constructively in decision-making within the context of environmental sciences and environmental management. | ||||||
Course Structure
To qualify for award of the degree, the Bachelor of Environmental Science (Honours), a candidate must accrue an aggregate of at least 192 credit points, as set out below.
PLEASE NOTE:
- Students who have not completed HSC Mathematics at Band 4 or higher (or equivalent) are required to complete a mathematics subject (MATH151 or equivalent) normally in the first year.
- Students may only count 60 credit points of 100-level subjects towards the degree.
- Students must have a grade of Pass (not Pass Supplementary) or higher in 300-level core subjects which form part of a Science major.
Progression Requirements
Satisfactory performance must be achieved [normally a Weighted Average Mark (WAM) of 70% or greater in EESC320 plus 3 strand/discipline related 300-level subjects] for entry into the fourth year of the Bachelor of Environmental Science (Honours) course. Students with a WAM below 70% in the relevant 300-level subjects may only progress into the fourth year of the Bachelor of Environmental Science (Honours) with the approval of the Environmental Science Coordinator.
Students who do not gain entry into the fourth year of the Bachelor of Environmental Science (Honours) course will normally be required to transfer into the Bachelor of Science (Environment) course.
| Subject Code | Subject Name | Credit Points | Session(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | |||
| Autumn | |||
| BIOL104 | Evolution, Biodiversity and Environment | 6 | Autumn |
| EESC101 | Planet Earth | 6 | Autumn |
| EESC103 | Earth's Dynamic Surface | 6 | Autumn |
| Please select ONE subject from the following list: | |||
| Note: Students who have achieved a mark of 65% or more in NSW HSC Chemistry or equivalent must select CHEM101 and CHEM102. All other students must selectCHEM105. | |||
| CHEM101 | Chemistry IA: Introductory Physical and General Chemistry | 6 | Autumn |
| CHEM104 | Foundation Chemistry: Properties of Matter | 6 | Autumn |
| Spring | |||
| BIOL103 | Molecules, Cells and Organisms | 6 | Spring |
| EESC102 | Earth's Interconnected Spheres | 6 | Spring |
| EESC105 | Introductory Geospatial Analysis | 6 | Autumn, Spring |
| Please select ONE subject from the following list: | |||
| CHEM102 | Chemistry 1B: Structure and Reactivity of Molecules for Life | 6 | Spring |
| CHEM105 | Foundation Chemistry: Reactions and Structures | 6 | Spring |
| Summer | |||
| Students who wish to complete the Environmental Chemistry strand in Third Year and are enrolling inCHEM105, must also enrol in CHEM106. | |||
| CHEM106 | Foundation Chemistry: Properties and Reactivity of Matter | 6 | Summer 2018/2019 |
| Year 2 | |||
| Autumn | |||
| BIOL251 | Principles of Ecology | 6 | Autumn |
| PHYS233 | Introduction to Environmental Physics | 6 | Autumn |
| EESC207 | Advanced Geospatial Analysis | 6 | Autumn, Spring |
| Select ONE subject from the following list: | |||
| For students wishing to take the Life Sciences strand in Year 3; | |||
| BIOL105 | Functional Biology of Animals and Plants | 6 | Autumn |
| For students wishing to take the Earth Sciences, Environmental Chemistry or Land Resources strands in Year 3; | |||
| EESC203 | Biogeography and Environmental Change | 6 | Autumn |
| Spring | |||
| CHEM214 | Analytical and Environmental Chemistry | 6 | Spring |
| EESC202 | Shaping Earth's Surface | 6 | Spring |
| PHIL256 | Environmental Philosophy: Animals, Nature and Ethics | 6 | Spring |
| STAT252 | Statistics For the Natural Sciences | 6 | Spring |
| Year 3 | |||
| Please select ONE of the following four majors: | |||
| Land Resources | |||
| EESC320 | Capstone:Earth and Environmental Sciences | 6 | Spring |
| EESC323 | Fluvial Geomorphology and Sedimentology | 6 | Autumn |
| STS 302 | Climate Change Policy, Possible Futures | 6 | Autumn |
| GEOG222 | Society and Environment: Resources, Challenges, Futures | 6 | Spring |
| EESC322 | Coastal Environments: Process and Management | 6 | Spring |
| LAW 381 | Law for Environmental Managers | 6 | Spring |
| Plus TWO subjects from the following list: | |||
| EESC209 | G-cubed: Geochemistry, Geochronology, Geophysics | 6 | Spring |
| EESC331 | Changing Global Environments | 6 | Spring |
| EESC332 | Sedimentology, Stratigraphy and Palaeoenvironments | 6 | Autumn |
| GEOG337 | Environmental and Heritage Management | 6 | Spring |
| Earth Sciences | |||
| EESC320 | Capstone:Earth and Environmental Sciences | 6 | Spring |
| EESC201 | Earth's Inferno | 6 | Autumn |
| EESC321 | Plate Tectonics, Macrotopography and Earth History | 6 | Autumn |
| STS 302 | Climate Change Policy, Possible Futures | 6 | Autumn |
| LAW 381 | Law for Environmental Managers | 6 | Spring |
| EESC326 | Resources and Environments | 6 | Spring |
| EESC250 | Field Geology | 6 | Summer 2018/2019 |
| Plus ONE subject from the following list: | |||
| EESC209 | G-cubed: Geochemistry, Geochronology, Geophysics | 6 | Spring |
| EESC332 | Sedimentology, Stratigraphy and Palaeoenvironments | 6 | Autumn |
| Life Sciences | |||
| EESC320 | Capstone:Earth and Environmental Sciences | 6 | Spring |
| BIOL240 | Biodiversity of Marine and Freshwater Organisms | 6 | Autumn |
| BIOL361 | Conservation Biology | 6 | Autumn |
| STS 302 | Climate Change Policy, Possible Futures | 6 | Autumn |
| BIOL252 | Evolution and Behaviour | 6 | Spring |
| BIOL241 | Biodiversity of Terrestrial Organisms | 6 | Spring |
| BIOL365 | Marine and Terrestrial Ecology | 6 | Spring |
| LAW 381 | Law for Environmental Managers | 6 | Spring |
| Environmental Chemistry | |||
| EESC320 | Capstone:Earth and Environmental Sciences | 6 | Spring |
| CHEM211 | Inorganic Chemistry II | 6 | Autumn |
| CHEM212 | Organic Chemistry II | 6 | Autumn |
| CHEM337 | Environmental Chemistry | 6 | Autumn |
| STS 302 | Climate Change Policy, Possible Futures | 6 | Autumn |
| CHEM213 | Molecular Structure, Reactivity and Change | 6 | Spring |
| LAW 381 | Law for Environmental Managers | 6 | Spring |
| Plus ONE subject from the following list: | |||
| CHEM370 | Modern Inorganic and Bio-inorganic Chemistry | 6 | Spring |
| CHEM360 | Organic Synthesis III | 6 | Spring |
| Year 4 | |||
| ENVI402 | Research Report | 36 | Annual, Autumn, Spring. First offered in 2019 |
| ENVE383 | Environmental Engineering | 6 | Autumn |
| MGNT208 | Introduction to Management for Professionals A | 6 | Autumn |
Please click the subject codes in the above table for information on sessions of offer for each subject at different locations. For information regarding timetables, tutorials, and classes please the visit the Timetables and Classes page.
Honours
The degree of Bachelor of Environmental Science (Honours) is awarded for performance in third and fourth year subjects, based on a Weighted Average Mark (WAM) formula in accordance with Method 3 in the General Course Rules Section 8.
Professional Recognition/Accreditation
Graduates are eligible for full membership of the Environment Institute of Australia & New Zealand and other relevant professional bodies depending on their disciplinary orientation.
Other Information
For further information please email: smah-students@uow.edu.au