C10227v3 Bachelor of Science in Environmental Forensics

Overview

This course provides graduates with skills for careers in the new and fast-developing discipline of environmental forensics that is integral to the processes of environmental protection. It focuses on studies of living and non-living components of the environment and on the impacts of human use of environmental resources on the ecosystem.

The course has an interdisciplinary approach that allows students to gain skills and knowledge through theoretical and practice-based field and laboratory studies of ecology and environmental chemistry, and to understand the importance of investigatory scientific evidence in the legal and regulatory framework that governs the environmental protection process.

This cross-disciplinary course gives students the opportunity to combine studies of environmental biology, chemistry and law with a choice of further specialisations via a sub-major. It is attractive to students who are interested in the broad application of science to other disciplines without necessarily undertaking a combined degree.

Course aims

The course aims to produce professional environmental scientists with a solid scientific background in environmental protection, thereby enabling them to contribute to environmental management, policy and planning processes. Graduates gain scientific training and an understanding of the legal framework underlying environmental protection.

Career options

Career options include positions in both government and private industry and in environment protection and natural resource management as environmental analysts and consultants, environmental scientists and managers, policy advisers and planners. Students can also develop careers in teaching (in the secondary or TAFE sector, or as education officers) or in research (as research officers for organisations, universities or CSIRO).

Assumed knowledge

Mathematics; any two units of English; and any two units of science.

Course duration and attendance

Students can complete the course over three years full time. Full-time attendance involves approximately 20 hours each week on campus. Students may also be able to complete the course part time, usually at the rate of two subjects a semester (a 50 per cent load), taking six years to complete. Part-time students are required to attend some sessions in daytime hours.

Course structure

Students must complete a total of 144 credit points, made up of 120 credit points of core subjects and 24 credit points of elective subjects. The elective subjects enable students to increase their expertise in other areas of science or in other disciplines in the University. This can be in the form of a specialised 24-credit-point sub-major or by a varied selection of subjects. Students must satisfactorily complete all core subjects and the required number of credit points of elective/sub-major subjects for award of the degree.

Course program

The program shown assumes full-time attendance, commencing in Autumn semester.

Note: The subjects 79004 Environmental Law and Science and 79023 Environmental Forensic Law are only offered in odd-numbered years. The course program provided below is for students commencing Year 1 or Year 3 in an odd-numbered year, e.g. 2013.

Students entering Year 2 in an odd-numbered year, e.g. 2013, should choose 79004 Environmental Law and Science and 79023 Environmental Forensic Law in place of two of their Autumn and/or Spring semester electives. These students will then do the two electives instead of 79004 Environmental Law and Science and 79023 Environmental Forensic Law in Year 3.

Honours

Honours is available as an additional year to meritorious students.

Other information

Further information is available from: