Course code: 2702 + Course fees: Local students - RTS HECS-exempt places available + Mid-year entry is available only for part-time candidates + Coordinator: Frank Fisher
This course, which is offered by the Graduate School of Environmental Science, concerns itself with the interactions between humans and their biogeological contexts with the aim of re-integrating the two with the insights offered by both the humanities and the sciences. While the sciences give us a certain capacity to control environments, environmental science is at pains to highlight the dependency of our actions on the way we interpret our world. This means working with the social frameworks that give us interpretations. The course provides students with understandings of humans as nature and equips them with intellectual tools to act in the knowledge that we always work in nature as insiders, never as `objective' outside observers. Core studies in systems thinking and interdisciplinary team research techniques are required. Research emphasises the processes behind human-environment interactions, the development of policy and the implementation of management strategies favourable to the environment.
The Master of Environmental Science by coursework and research 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.
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 distinction for the research component.
Students complete a research folio and 24 points of coursework. 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.
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 covers ecological systems and Quaternary vegetation and climate history; conserver society theory and practice; environmental assessment; environmental education, ecopsychology, 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.
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.
Students must choose level 5 electives to the value of 12 or 18 points (where no foundation studies are required).
Previous page | Next page | Section contents | Title and contents