Monash University: University Handbooks: Postgraduate Handbook 2002: Units indexed by faculty
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Master of Environmental Science by coursework and research


General information

Course code: 2702 + Course fees: Local students -- RTS HECS-exempt places available; international students -- $A13,500 pa + Coordinator: Associate Professor Frank Fisher
The degree provides a primary insight into the nature of the environmental problematique through core coursework units, a small number of elective units complementary to candidates' prior studies and an extensive interdisciplinary research experience involving both team based and individual reporting. It has been designed to (a) broaden and deepen students' existing knowledge through a one-and-a-half-year program in environmental science; provide intensive training in environmental -- ie interdisciplinary as well as disciplinary -- research; (b) enable them to apply their disciplinary training in the enhanced setting of a substantial interdisciplinary research project; and (c) gain an understanding of the politics or social construction of environmental understanding and its generation through research.

Entry requirements

Candidates must have either an honours degree in any discipline with a minimum H2A grade or equivalent, or a Masters Qualifying in Environmental Science with a research component with an average grade of H2A or above from Monash University or the equivalent, with a minimum grade of H2A in the research component.

Course structure

Integrated research folio

Students undertake a research project weighted at 66 per cent. This includes multidisciplinary team research (to produce a team report), as well as individual research on a topic arising from the team project and resulting in the production of an integrated research folio.
Staff in other departments or sections in the university as a whole may be called on to provide research supervision. Individual research supervision offered by school staff (masters by research and coursework and PhD) covers ecological systems and Quaternary vegetation and climate history; conserver society theory and practice; environmental assessment; environmental education, psychology, politics and decision-making processes; ecotourism; energy and environment; environment and health; environment and planning processes especially with a community focus and general approaches to knowledge and action from the analytical viewpoint of social construction.

Core unit

Candidates must complete 24 points of coursework:

Candidates who have not completed the Masters Qualifying in Environmental Science with a research component from Monash may be required to complete ENV501C (Systems thinking and practice 1) and ENV503C (Interdisciplinary team research) in lieu of electives.

Electives

Students must choose level-five electives to the value of 12 or 18 points (where no foundation studies are required).

Minimum grade

Note that the minimum grade for the research folio and core units in the Master of Environmental Science is a 60 C or above and a credit average for electives.

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