Manage complex environmental issues and create a better future.
Gain the interdisciplinary knowledge and practical skills you need for a career as an environmental manager. You’ll learn to minimise human impacts on the environment, manage resources sustainably, and conserve and restore habitats, biodiversity and ecosystem services.
- Only a full-time option is available to international students on a Student visa. Online programs are not available to Student visa holders.
- * Estimated tuition fees are based on 2025 rates. Refer to international fees for more information.
- Not all majors/minors and elective options are available at every campus. You should refer to the What Can I Study tab, and the proposed study sequence for your chosen campus and intake for further information.
Gain the interdisciplinary knowledge and practical skills you need for a career as an environmental manager. You’ll learn to minimise human impacts on the environment, manage resources sustainably, and conserve and restore habitats, biodiversity and ecosystem services.
Our program has a strong focus on tropical and subtropical environments and peri-urban areas, making it highly relevant to our region as well as your job prospects. In addition, you can specialise with a range of minors such as coastal and marine environments, climate change adaptation, planning studies, environmental health, geospatial analysis and environmental geography.
You’ll get plenty of authentic learning experiences with field work activities in locations such as Fraser Island, Noosa Biosphere and Bribie Island, as well as field trips to local sites such as water treatment plants, coastal engineering works, and nature reserves.
You’ll also have the opportunity in your final year to undertake a work placement or advanced research project, giving you necessary practical experience to enter the job market or pursue further studies.
Career opportunities
Careers in the field of environmental management are diverse and include opportunities at local, state, national and international levels, in industry, government, conservation, and research organisations.
Careers in environmental management include environmental assessment and protection (air, water, land), natural resource management, ecosystem conservation and restoration, sustainable procurement and corporate stewardship, communications and public awareness, environmental education, policy and legislation development, international negotiations, and research and development of environmental technologies.
Membership
Graduates can apply to become Associate Member of the Environment Institute of Australia and New Zealand (EIANZ) while they acquire relevant work experience. Graduates can apply for Full Membership in EIANZ after they have acquired two years of professional experience in one or more functional areas of environmental practice.
Program structure
For students commencing 2016.
Introductory courses (5)
COR109 Communication and Thought
ENS103 Earth's Surface Processes, Materials and Soils
ENS120 Introduction to Environmental Management
SCI102 Biodiversity and Ecology
SCI110 Science Research Methods
Advanced courses (11)
ENS221 Plant Diversity and Ecology
ENS222 Terrestrial Vertebrate Diversity and Ecology
ENS223 Environmental Management Systems and Processes
ENS253 An Introduction to Geographic Information Science and Technology
ENS300 Environmental and Resource Economics
ENS351 Integrated Environmental Management
GEO310 Indigenous Peoples and the Environment
SUS201 Measuring Sustainability
SUS202 Communicating Sustainability
Plus one (1) of the following courses:
ENP211 Planning and Environmental Law
LGL301 Professional Practice: Legal Frameworks and Issues
Plus one (1) of the following courses:
SRP301 Special Research Project
WPL310 Workplace Learning I
Elective courses (8)
Select 8 elective courses from either faculty (Arts, Business and Law) or Science, Health, Education and Engineering).
Environmental management students are encouraged to allocate four of their elective courses to complete one of the following recommended minors in order to enhance their discipline based knowledge:
- Climate Change Adaptation
- Coastal and Marine Environments
- Environmental Geography
- Environmental Health
- Geospatial Analysis
- Planning Studies
Note: Not all USC courses are available on every USC campus.
Total units: 288
Recommended study sequences
Program requirements and notes
Program requirements
In order to graduate you must:
- Complete no more than 10 introductory courses including core courses.
- Complete a minimum of 14 advanced (200/300 level).
- Register any selected majors or minors.
Program notes
- Courses within this program are assessed using a variety of assessment methods including essays, seminar presentations, reports, in-class tests and examinations. Not all courses will necessarily include all methods.
- Only a full-time study option is available to international students on a Student Visa.
- As part of your USC program, you may apply to Study Overseas to undertake courses with an overseas higher education provider.
- When enrolling, please refer to the Study Plan.