Head: Professor J M Powell
Graduate coordinator: Dr G Dixon
The diverse research interests of the teaching staff and the variety of facilities available afford a wide range of research possibilities to graduate students in human and physical geography and environmental science. In human geography several members have conducted research in aspects of public policy relevant to urban and regional development and environmental considerations. A further strength is in the area of development studies and in the interpretation of changing attitudes to the environment in Australia. Strong research interests in physical geography include geomorphic process studies, palynology, quaternary ecology, climatology and the reconstruction of Cainozoic environments. Many of the MA and PhD theses already completed have been concerned with research problems in Australia but, depending upon available research funds, fieldwork outside Australia may also be possible.
Members of staff and their fields of special interest
Paul Bishop Landscapes and environmental history of SE Australia and Thailand; catchment processes - erosion and sedimentation; rates of landscape change; soils (Centre for Crustal Geodynamics, Department of Earth Sciences; Co-director, Graduate School of Environmental Science).
Kate Brown Process geomorphology with interests in arid zone landscapes and land management issues.
Gordon L Clark Industrial restructuring in the Pacific rim; environmental law, regulation, the intersection between law and urban society (Institute of Ethics and Public Policy, and Graduate School of Government).
Peter Cock Conserver societies; environmental education; environmental politics and decision making; multidisciplinary team research; environmental psychology.
Gale Dixon Geography of Southeast Asia; cultural geography; cartography (Centre of Southeast Asian Studies).
David Dunkerley Fluvial environments and processes; hydrology and process geomorphology of arid regions; paramaterisation and numerical methods in geomorphology (Centre for Catchment Hydrology, Department of Civil Engineering).
Frank Fisher Social construction as environmental science; technology as a social construct; conserver society theory and practice; pedagogy and practice of these. Waste minimisation/clean production (Director, Centre for Innovation in Waste Management; Co-director, Graduate School of Environmental Science).
Kathie Gibson Industrial restructuring; regional development and resources; feminist critiques of economic development restructuring (Director, Women's Studies Centre)
Geoff Goldrick Long-term evolution of southeastern Australian highlands, including soils.
John Grindrod Australian ecological systems, Quaternary vegetation and climate history, coastline dynamics and sea-level change particularly in the tropics.
Peter Kershaw Biogeography; palynology; vegetation and environmental history (Director, Centre for Palynology and Palaeoecology).
Stephen Legg Historical geography; regional development; environmental policy; forestry and farming.
Chris Maher Urban geography; population mobility; housing markets; urban policy; urban systems development; research techniques. (Associate Director [Research], Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute).
Peter Marden Political geography, social and cultural theory, development studies (Development Studies Centre, Monash Asia Institute).
John McKay Economic geography and social theory; political geography; development studies (Development Studies; Director, Monash Asia Institute).
David Mercer Environmentalism; political economy of Australian resources; forestry issues; Aboriginal land rights; environmental policy.
Kevin O'Connor Urban and economic geography; national settlement patterns and urban growth; development of Melbourne (Centre for Population and Urban Research; Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute).
Jim Peterson Geomorphology; Quaternary studies; environmental thematic mapping and Geographical Information Systems (Co-director, Centre for Geographical Information Systems).
Sharron Pfueller Community participation in environmental management; environment and health.
Joe Powell Historical geography: studies in pioneer settlement, resource management and conservation in Australia, New Zealand and North America (Australian Studies, American Studies).
Nigel Tapper Climatology; air quality studies in Australian and Southeast Asia, mesoscale circulation systems, surface energy balance (Centre for Dynamical Meteorology, Department of Applied Mathematics).
Jim Whitelaw Urban geography; urban systems, telecommunications and future urban form; technology and transport innovations; migration (Associate Dean of Graduate Studies, Faculty of Arts).
Doctor of Philosophy
The PhD is available solely by research, ie by thesis. Candidates for the PhD degree normally should have a masters degree or a first class honours degree in geography or an allied environmental discipline for which the major requirement is substantial research accomplishment.
Master of Arts
The MA in geography of offered in three `streams':
* in geography only, or
* in environment and public policy or
* in housing, environment and public policy.
The last two are for students who wish to pursue graduate work in housing and/or environmental issues with an emphasis on public policy and planning.
Note that the department also offers a separate degree, a Master of Environmental Science, some details for which are outlined below.
All three streams of the MA course may be taken over two years full-time or its equivalent part-time. (Actual time limits are detailed in the Regulations, elsewhere in this handbook.)
Depending upon an applicant's qualifications, the course may be undertaken either by coursework (ie by individual subjects), by coursework and thesis, or by thesis alone.
Part I of the Master of Arts course consists of individual subjects and they are described below. (Very highly qualified candidates are not require to enrol in Part I.) The subjects are valued at twelve points each and are taught over one semester. Full-time students enrol in two subjects each semester for a total of forty-eight points in the year. Students should consult the department about the availability of the subjects listed. In some cases students may choose subjects other than those listed for each part of each course, in consultation with the head of the department.
Part II of the MA course may consist of either four twelve-point subjects, or, for suitably qualified candidates, a thesis plus one subject or a thesis alone.
The 100 per cent masters degree (thesis only) entails a thesis of 40-60,000 words in length. If one twelve-point subject plus a thesis are undertaken, this 75 per cent thesis shall be 35-40,000 words in length. Just as individual subjects are offered according to the availability of staff, whether a student is allowed to undertake a thesis is contingent upon the availability of appropriate supervisors. Students electing to write a thesis may be given the option, under certain circumstances, to upgrade their candidature to PhD.
Note that some subjects listed below are offered with the same title but with different code numbers. Students who have completed a subject may not enrol for the subject again under a different code number, with the exception of a `supervised research paper in geography,' which may be repeated.
Entry requirements
On the recommendation of the head of the department, the Arts faculty board may admit to masters candidature an applicant who has gained tertiary qualifications in the form of either a honours degree in a relevant discipline or a pass degree with credit level grades or better in at least the third part of a major sequence relevant to the course applied for, or who has qualifications which the faculty board deems to be equivalent.
An applicant with a honours degree with a grade of H2A or H1, or a qualification deemed to be equivalent, may be admitted to either Part I or Part II of the degree by coursework or by research (thesis).
An applicant with a honours degree with a grade of H2B, or a qualification deemed to be equivalent, may be admitted to either Part I or Part II of the degree by coursework.
An applicant without an honours degree or its equivalent can only be admitted to Part I of the degree by coursework.
On the recommendation of the head, an applicant who has qualified with an approved graduate diploma (or its equivalent) in a relevant discipline with credit level grades or better may be admitted to Part II of the degree by coursework or by research (thesis).
The phrase `qualification deemed to be equivalent' means that the head of the department may recommend to the faculty board that an applicant with a tertiary degree and, say, at least five years of relevant full time employment or similar experience be admitted to candidature at a level appropriate to that qualification.
Geography stream
Part I
Students must complete the (twelve-point) core subject:
* GYM4820 Seminar in geography
* plus three other subjects (totalling thirty-six points value) chosen from:
* GYM4350 Resource evaluation and management
* GYM4390 Techniques of survey and analysis
* GYM4410 Ecological systems and management
* GYM4420 Environmental geomorphology
* GYM4470 Development in Asia, Australia and the Pacific Basin
* GYM4480 Dilemmas of policy and planning
* GYM4710 Southeast Asia
* GYM4840 Directed studies in geography
* GYM4880 Special topic in geography
* GYM4900 Supervised research paper in geography
Part II
Students are required to complete either a thesis, or a thesis plus one subject, or four subjects (totalling forty-eight points value). Normally the subjects are chosen from the following list.
* GYM5040 Environment and development
* GYM5050 Advanced studies in Southeast Asia
* GYM5060 Supervised research paper in geography
* GYM5120 Law, the environment and the policy process (proposed to be offered next in 1996)
* GYM5100 Development studies and development planning in an era of global crisis
* GYM5300 Environmental assessment (proposed to be offered next in 1996)
* GYM5320 Energy and society (proposed to be offered next in 1996)
* GYM5330 Science and systems
* GYM5340 Conserver society (proposed to be offered next in 1996)
* GYM5350 Environmental land use planning
* GYM5370 Environmental decision-making and action
* GYM5380 Gendered cities
* GYM5390 Housing policy and housing problems
* GYM5400 Environmental regulation
Environment and public policy stream
Part I
All students must enrol in the following two core subjects (totalling twenty-fourpoints):
* GYM4410 Ecological systems and management
* GYM5350 Environmental land use planning
plus two other subjects (totalling twenty-four points) from the list below:
* GYM4115 Environmental law
* GYM4350 Resource evaluation and management
* GYM4390 Techniques of survey and analysis
* GYM4480 Dilemmas of policy and planning
* GYM4840 Directed studies in geography
* GYM4880 Special topic in geography
* GYM4900 Supervised research paper in geography
Part II
Students following on from Part I are required to complete either a thesis, or a thesis plus one subject, or four subjects (totalling forty-eight points value). Normally the subjects are chosen from the following list.
* ENV8380 Environment and health
* GYM5040 Environment and development
* *GYM5060 Supervised research paper in geography
* GYM5100 Development studies and development planning in an era of global crisis
* GYM5120 Law, the environment and the policy process (proposed to be offered next in 1996)
* GYM5300 Environmental assessment (proposed to be offered next in 1996)
* GYM5370 Environmental decision-making and action
* GYM5380 Gendered cities
* GYM5390 Housing policy and housing problems
* GYM5400 Environmental regulation
* *MBA6360 Strategic management in the public sector
* *MBA6370 Public policy process (prerequisite MBA5270)
* *MBA6870 Environmental economics and policy (subject to sufficient numbers; prerequisite: background in economics)
Students accepted directly into Part II are required to complete either a thesis, or a thesis plus GYM5350 (Environmental land use planning), or the following two core subjects (totalling twenty-four points):
* GYM5410 Ecological systems and management
* GYM5350 Environmental land use planning
together with any two subjects (totalling twenty-four points) from the above Part II list.
Housing, environment and public policy stream
Part I
All students must complete the following (twelve-point) core subject:
* GYM5390 Housing policy and housing problems: an international perspective
plus three other subjects (totalling thirty-six points) chosen from the list below:
* ASM4360 Urban sociology (may not be available in 1995)
* ASM4310 Population and migration
* ECO3770 Regional and urban studies
* ECO4780 Applied urban analysis
* ENV3110 Law and the environment
* GYM4390 Techniques of survey and analysis
* GYM4480 Dilemmas of policy and planning
* GYM4840 Directed studies in geography
* GYM4880 Special topic in geography
* GYM4900 Supervised research paper in geography
* LAW4144 Planning Law (prerequisite LAW3100 Administrative law)
Part II
Students following on from Part I are required to complete either a thesis, or a thesis plus one subject, or four subjects (totalling forty-eight points value). Normally the subjects are chosen from the following list.
* ENV8380 Environment and health
* ASM5130 Issues in public policy
* ASM5620 Power, policy, patriarchy and the state
* ECO5860 Economics of transport and location
* GYM5060 Supervised research paper in geography
* GYM5120 Law, the environment and the policy process (proposed to be offered next in 1996)
* GYM5380 Gendered cities
* GYM5400 Environmental regulation
* MBA5270 Public management (quota)
* MBA6360 Strategic management in the public sector
* MBA6370 Public policy process (prerequisite MBA5270)
Students who are accepted directly into Part II are required to complete either a thesis, or a thesis plus the core subject GYM5390 (Housing policy and housing problems: an international perspective), or the core subject plus any three subjects (totalling thirty-six points) from the above Part II list.
Director (Administration): Associate Professor Paul Bishop
Director (Policy): Mr Frank Fisher
Over 150 postgraduate candidates are enrolled in the school which is located within the Department of Geography and Environmental Science. The school's purpose is to educate students about the broad physical and social patterns of environmental change, emphasising the value of understanding the environment through practical projects undertaken within a framework of social and philosophical theory, thereby encouraging an understanding of how environmental action can be achieved. Activities of the school link and integrate knowledge and perspectives derived from the sciences and humanities in relation to socio-geographical environmental processes, environmental policies and environmental management strategies.
Coursework and research involve multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary approaches, and there is an emphasis on collaborative team projects. Many projects have been funded by government and private groups.
Applications for the Master of Environmental Science and the Graduate Diploma of Environmental Science programs are sought from people of all backgrounds and disciplines, not only from the sciences. If needed, special assistance is available for graduates in the humanities. This is only a brief introduction to the environmental science programs. Further information and the Graduate School of Environmental Science handbook are available from the department.
Master of Environmental Science
The masters degree course may be taken on a full-time basis over two years or up to five years part-time. Graduates should be capable of contributing their own specialist skills within a team approach to environmental issues and be able to interpret and apply the findings and recommendations of other professionals. To this end the Master of Environmental Science program comprises both coursework and research.
Entry requirements
Students applying for the Master of Environmental Science degree should possess a four-year bachelors degree or its equivalent, or a three-year bachelors degree or its equivalent plus two years suitable experience.
Coursework
Coursework consists of a wide range of subjects presented by all faculties throughout the university. Candidates are assisted to select a study program best suited to their own needs.
* Foundation studies are obligatory for candidates with insufficient background in the six areas of study;
* core studies are compulsory and provide the integrative elements of the program;
* elective subjects are chosen to broaden perspectives, provide background, enable the candidate to pursue specialist studies, complement the candidate's work and provide personal interest and growth.
Research
Multidisciplinary team projects are undertaken in the second half of the degree. Each team works on a practical issue for a client and produces the equivalent of a consultant report. The core subject `Multidisciplinary organisation' provides experience in team work and research management to assist the conception and operation of the team project. Projects are supervised by a staff member of the school with the assistance of a supervisory committee.
Preparation of an individual supervised research paper takes place in parallel with the team project. All team members use the material they have contributed to their project as the basis of their individual paper.
Graduate Diploma of Environmental Science
The diploma may be taken over one year of full-time study or not more than three years of part-time study. The structure of the Graduate Diploma of Environmental Science is similar to the coursework component of the masters program. Students are required to complete a total of forty-eight points of work which is designed to provide advanced academic expertise, a sensitivity to the context of this expertise and an environmental perspective.
Entry requirements
Students applying for the Graduate Diploma of Environmental Science should possess a four-year bachelors degree or its equivalent, or a three-year bachelors degree or its equivalent plus two years suitable experience.
Facilities
Monash University library holdings of relevant books and periodicals are generally comprehensive and the department houses a large collection of maps and aerial photographs. There is access to the university computer network and the Faculty of Arts has a computer laboratory with twenty-four ACCR 386SX personal computers connected to the university network. The department has its own Tektronix graphics computing system, which includes a large digitiser, high-resolution flatbed plotter and screen hard-copy unit. A Centre for Geographical Information Systems has been developed, emphasising applications to urban, environmental, and physical systems, and linked to a MicroBrian Remote Imagery system. A number of personal computers are also available for research student use.
Departmental laboratories include apparatus for sediment analysis, chemical analysis, pollen analysis, magnetostratigraphy, ostracod identification and meteorological research. Analytical facilities for chemical work include a Varian atomic absorption spectrophotometer and a Pye Unicam ultraviolet/visible spectrophotometer. Extensive facilities for physical geography field work are available, including surveying equipment, chart recorders and microprocessor-based data logging systems.Three vehicles are operated by the department, including a well-equipped fourwheel drive; these may be available for field work under certain circumstances.
Graduate students enrolled for MA and PhD degrees participate in regular research-in-progress seminars attended by staff and graduate students. Special interest seminars for small groups of staff and graduate students are also run.