Geography and environmental science


The discipline

The Department of Geography and Environmental Science offers geography sequences in the faculties of Arts and Science. The department also offers a sequence permitting undergraduate specialisation in environmental science for the BA and BSc degrees and in atmospheric science for the BSc degree. At postgraduate level, MA, MSc, MEnvSc and PhD degrees are offered, and there is an active involvement in other postgraduate programs.
The main Monash program has been adapted to suit local educational and vocational demands, but is otherwise fully representative of geography's international profile. Its goal is to develop a mature understanding of the following:

The contexts addressed encompass an array of cultures and environments in both hemispheres, and make frequent reference to Australian examples. Students are thereby encouraged to see that individual and collective responsibility for the environment can be expressed through an informed engagement with local, regional and global issues. The department contributes to interdisciplinary programs in American studies, Asian studies, Australian studies, development studies, environmental engineering, environmental science, atmospheric science, European studies and women's studies.
At Monash, and throughout the developed world, the term 'environment' is employed at every level in the geography curriculum. It subsumes the following:

Students are therefore expected to come to an appreciation of internal variations of landscape and activity within each of these categories. The material and concepts studied require critical evaluation across various spatial scales.
Like many other university subjects, geography requires students to develop the following useful capabilities:

An appreciation of the importance of field and laboratory-based observations is required at all levels, especially in physical geography options. Computer techniques are considered highly relevant, from a minimum expectation of basic keyboarding to the integration of sophisticated analytical methods in later segments of the program.
Students may major in either the physical or human branches of geography, in a combination of the two, or in those areas listed below under the 'Environmental science' heading. Physical geography shares with other branches of the natural sciences an interest in the earth's atmosphere, vegetation cover and terrain. Human geography shares with other branches of the humanities and social sciences an interest in the ways in which human communities occupy, use and modify the earth's surface. It is recommended that students pursue studies in both branches, to take advantage of geography's invaluable role as a link between the arts and sciences.
Allowance is made throughout for the selection of individual courses which service broader campus programs, and for the formation of recognised sequences in geography and environmental science.
The primary objective of the first-year syllabus is to explore human impacts on the environment and to introduce key concepts in physical and human geography. No prior experience of geographical education is required to begin first-year study. Variations may be made for commencing students whose records demonstrate an advanced level of ability.
The second-year syllabus permits students to select from a variety of systematic subdisciplines. The satisfactory completion of a full minor sequence in geography equips students with an appreciation of the nature of the subject as a whole and with a knowledge of the fundamental contents and approaches contained within one or both of its human and physical branches.
At third-year level, majoring students elect to enrol in one or more of the main systematic fields which are intended to challenge them with appropriate advanced material and to intensify their familiarity with the purpose and practice of original research work.
Those proceeding into the fourth or honours year have the further opportunity to consolidate their understanding of an area (or areas) of specialisation, whilst pursuing a research topic under expert supervision. Combined honours may be taken in the Department of Geography and Environmental Science and another discipline provided that all honours requirements have been met in both disciplines and subject to the approval of the heads of both departments.
For postgraduate courses offered by the Department of Geography and Environmental Science please refer to the Arts graduate handbook 1999.

Course structure

Specific prerequisites for each of the second and third-year options are noted in the individual subject descriptions. A first-year level sequence followed by sixteen points at second-year level forms a minor sequence. To convert a minor to a major sequence, a student must complete third-year level subjects to the value of twenty-four points.
Students specialising in human geography are advised to consider including in their degrees, subjects in anthropology, economics, history, mathematics, philosophy, politics, sociology and physical geography. Students proposing to specialise in physical geography should consider including subjects in botany, earth sciences, computer science, mathematics, zoology and human geography.

Environmental science

Students wishing to major in environmental science in their BEnvSc degree are required to take a major sequence comprising:

Students' enrolments in the honours year will be approved by the head of department in conjunction with advice from coordinators of related disciplines. Students must fulfil the fourth-year requirements for an honours degree in the Faculty of Arts, which would normally include twenty-four points of coursework and a thesis.

Year coordinators

Students seeking advice on their course programs or other academic matters are invited to approach the appropriate year coordinator. Year coordinators for 1999 will be:
First year: Dr Stephen Legg
Second year: Dr Peter Marden
Third year: Associate Professor Nigel Tapper
Fourth year: Associate Professor David Mercer

Honours

Mid-year entry is offered by this department. Combined honours may be taken in the Department of Geography and Environmental Science and another discipline, provided that all honours requirements have been met in both disciplines and subject to the approval of the heads of both departments.
The due date for the submission of final coursework and the thesis is the last day of the final semester of the honours program (Friday 5 June in first semester 1999 and Friday 30 October in second semester 1999).
Departments may grant an extension of time for submission of the honours thesis or for final coursework up to the last day of the examination period of the semester in which the work is due. Applications for extensions beyond this date must be made to the Committee for Undergraduate Studies.

Assessment

Unless otherwise specified, modes of assessment will be announced at the commencement of the teaching period.

Graduate work

For students who wish to enrol for further study, MA, MSc and PhD degrees in geography are offered. Facilities are available for supervision of students in the following broad areas: landscape evolution, biogeography, palaeoecology, climate and climate change, process geomorphology, land degradation, urban and regional studies, resources and environmental management, historical geography; and third world development. For further details see the Arts graduate studies handbook and the Science handbook graduate studies section.
Students with a BA honours degree in any discipline may apply for enrolment in masters programs in environmental science. Students with H2B may enrol in the MEnvSc by coursework and students with H2A may enrol in either the MEnvSc by coursework or the MEnvSc by research combined with coursework.

First-year level

Lecturers: Dr David Dunkerley, Associate Professor Katherine Gibson, Dr John Grindrod, Dr Stephen Legg, Dr Peter Marden, Associate Professor Kevin O'Connor, Associate Professor Nigel Tapper
Lectures: Two or three per week per subject.
Tutorial-practical sessions: One per week per subject.
Fieldwork: There may be up to two full-day field classes.
A first-year sequence in geography consists of two one-semester subjects. In first semester, students on the Clayton campus will enrol in GES1000 (Natural environment and human impact). In second semester, they may choose either GES1020 (Australian physical environments: evolution, status and management) or GES1050 (The global challenge). At the Caulfield campus only GES1000 and GES1050 are offered. Students planning a comprehensive introduction to geography may take all three subjects.
Students not wishing to complete a first-year sequence may take the first-semester subject, or one or both of the second-semester subjects.

Second and third-year levels

Note that the subject GES2710/GES3710 (Southeast Asia) is offered both at second and third-year levels. In this case the syllabus is the same but additional special study is required in the third-year level subject. Students may enrol at either second or third-year level, but not both. Students enrolling at third-year level who have not completed sixteen points of second-year level geography require the permission of the head of department.

Second-year level

Third-year level

Fourth-year level

Coordinator: Associate Professor David Mercer
There are three different parts of the honours-year course: