geography-climate-and-physical-environments/index

aos

Monash University

Undergraduate - Area of study

Students who commenced study in 2014 should refer to this area of study entry for direction on the requirments; to check which units are currently available for enrolment, refer to the unit indexes in the the current edition of the Handbook. If you have any queries contact the managing faculty for your area of study.

print version

This area of study entry applies to students commencing this course in 2014 and should be read in conjunction with the relevant course entry in the Handbook. Any units listed for this area of study relate only to the 'Requirements' outlined in the Faculty of Arts component of any bachelors double degrees.

Managing facultyFaculty of Arts
Offered bySchool of Geography and Environmental Science
Campus(es)Clayton

Notes

  • Unit codes that are not linked to their entry in the Handbook are not available for study in the current year.

Description

Geography, climate and physical environments integrates the systematic study of environmental processes, landforms, soils, vegetation, climate and climate change, with human interactions and environmental management and policy. Students undertaking this area of study will develop analytical skills in geography and environmental science through practical and field-based learning and applied research. There are two streams within this area of study that enable students to direct their interests towards professional careers in environmental management, policy and education. The land, water and climate stream provides a pathway for students in the humanities and social sciences to enhance their capacity to work in interdisciplinary policy areas such as climate change mitigation and adaptation, biodiversity and cultural heritage conservation, environmental activism, sustainable consumption and green economies. It provides students with a competitive advantage for working in environmental agencies and departments at national, state and local levels; private sector consulting firms; and local and international environmental non-government organisations (NGOs). The geographical studies stream provides an integrative approach for students interested in teaching geography at the secondary level or working in environmental education for local governments and public knowledge institutions.

Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the major, students will be able to:

  • analyse and interrogate the key phenomena in geography and the interactions between humans and the environment across a range of scales and contexts, and recognise uncertainties in environmental systems
  • evaluate, assess and integrate empirical data and be able to place this in the context of the current state of knowledge
  • demonstrate spatial competency by successfully interpreting, applying and justifying geographical data across a range of scales and contexts to answer complex environmental problems
  • work independently and in teams to produce innovative solutions by developing own skills, knowledge and practice, and transfer geographical and environmental science to a range of audiences.

Units

Minor in geography, climate and physical environments:

Land, water and climate stream

Students completing a minorminor (http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/2014handbooks/undergrad/arts-07.html) in geography, climate and physical environments in the land, water and climate stream must complete four units (24 points), including:

(a.) two first-year gateway unitsgateway units (http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/2014handbooks/undergrad/arts-08.html) (12 points):

  • ATS1301 Australian physical environments: Evolution, status and management*
  • ATS1310 Extreme earth! Natural hazards and human vulnerability

(b.) additional elective units from the land, water and climate stream list below (12 points)

Note: Students can take the second-year cornerstone units from the land, water and climate stream major as electives.

* This unit will require payment of an additional fee that may cover items such as accommodation, entry fees, coaches, transfers, flights and university administration.

Geographical studies stream

Students completing a minorminor (http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/2014handbooks/undergrad/arts-07.html) in geography, climate and physical environments in the geographical studies stream must complete four units (24 points), including:

(a.) two first-year gateway unitsgateway units (http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/2014handbooks/undergrad/arts-08.html) (12 points):

  • ATS1309 The global challenge
  • ATS1310 Extreme earth! Natural hazards and human vulnerability

(b.) additional elective units from the geographical studies stream list below (12 points)

Note: Students can take the second-year cornerstone units from the geographical studies stream major as electives.

Major in geography, climate and physical environments:

Land, water and climate stream

Students completing a majormajor (http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/2014handbooks/undergrad/arts-07.html) in geography, climate and physical environments in the land, water and climate stream must complete eight units (48 points), including:

(a.) two first-year gateway unitsgateway units (http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/2014handbooks/undergrad/arts-08.html) (12 points):

  • ATS1301 Australian physical environments: Evolution, status and management*
  • ATS1310 Extreme earth! Natural hazards and human vulnerability

(b.) at least two second-year cornerstone unitscornerstone units (http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/2014handbooks/undergrad/arts-08.html) (12 points):

(i.) students must complete:

(ii.) plus one of:

  • ATS2545 Environmental hydrology
  • ATS2774 Understanding Australian landscapes: Soil-vegetation dynamics*
  • ATS2779 Climate change and variability

(c.) at least two third-year capstone unitscapstone units (http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/2014handbooks/undergrad/arts-08.html) (12 points):

(i.) students must complete:

  • ATS3787 Research methods in geography, environment and sustainability

(ii.) plus one of:

  • ATS3558 Global change and the earth system
  • ATS3788 Soils, landscape and their management
  • ATS3791 Environmental change: Past to future*
  • ATS3887 Designing urban futures: Urban climate, water and adaptation

(d.) additional elective units from the land, water and climate stream list below (12 points)

A minimum of three units (18 points) must be completed at third-year level.

Note: Students can take the remaining cornerstone and capstone units as electives.

* This unit will require payment of an additional fee that may cover items such as accommodation, entry fees, coaches, transfers, flights and university administration.

Geographical studies stream

Students completing a majormajor (http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/2014handbooks/undergrad/arts-07.html) in geography, climate and physical environments in the geographical studies stream must complete eight units (48 points), including:

(a.) two first-year gateway unitsgateway units (http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/2014handbooks/undergrad/arts-08.html) (12 points):

  • ATS1309 The global challenge
  • ATS1310 Extreme earth! Natural hazards and human vulnerability

(b.) at least two second-year cornerstone unitscornerstone units (http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/2014handbooks/undergrad/arts-08.html) (12 points):

(i.) students must complete:

(ii.) plus one of:

  • ATS2547 Cities and sustainability*
  • ATS2774 Understanding Australian landscapes: Soil-vegetation dynamics*
  • ATS2779 Climate change and variability

(c.) at least two third-year capstone unitscapstone units (http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/2014handbooks/undergrad/arts-08.html) (12 points):

(i.) students must complete:

  • ATS3259 Geographical information systems (GIS) for environmental management

(ii.) plus one of:

  • ATS3283 Sharing prosperity: Geographies of work, regional development and economy*
  • ATS3787 Research methods in geography environment and sustainability
  • ATS3791 Environmental change: Past to future*
  • ATS3902 Geopolitics of climate change

(d.) additional elective units from the geographical studies stream list below (12 points)

A minimum of three units (18 points) must be completed at third-year level.

Note: Students can take the remaining cornerstone and capstone units as electives.

* This unit will require payment of an additional fee that may cover items such as accommodation, entry fees, coaches, transfers, flights and university administration.

Elective units

Land, water and climate stream

  • ATM2020 Climate dynamics of the atmosphere and oceans*
  • ATM2030 Clouds, weather and forecasting*
  • ATM3040 Physical meteorology*
  • ATM3050 Dynamical meteorology*
  • ATS2547 Cities and sustainability**
  • ATS2548 Environmental policy and management
  • ATS2628 Power and poverty: International development in a globalised world
  • ATS2776 Climatology: Land ecosystems and the atmosphere
  • ATS3259 GIS for environmental management
  • ATS3281 Cultural landscape, environment and sustainability in Italy***
  • ATS3546 Environmental assessment and decision making
  • ATS3552 Remote sensing of the environment
  • ATS3556 Urban and regional development in the Indo-Pacific Rims
  • ATS3626 Global disasters: Impact, inquiry and change
  • ATS3790 Landscape processes
  • ATS3902 Geopolitics of climate change
  • BIO1042 Environmental biology
  • BIO2011 Ecology and biodiversity
  • BIO2040 Conservation biology
  • BIO3111 Ecological applications*
  • ENV2747 Soil science*
  • ESC3232 The dynamic biosphere: Changing fauna and flora through geological time
  • MON1001 Climate change: An interdisciplinary challenge

Geographical studies stream

  • ATS2386/ATS3386 Paradise lost? Sustainability and Australia
  • ATS2548 Environmental policy and management
  • ATS2628 Power and poverty: International development in a globalised world
  • ATS2776 Climatology: Land ecosystems and the atmosphere
  • ATS3281 Cultural landscape, environment and sustainability in Italy***
  • ATS3545 Environmental hydrology
  • ATS3546 Environmental assessment and decision making
  • ATS3551 Field studies in urban sustainability****
  • ATS3552 Remote sensing of the environment
  • ATS3553 Field studies in regional sustainability****
  • ATS3554 Resource evaluation and management
  • ATS3556 Urban and regional development in the Indo-Pacific Rims
  • ATS3558 Global change and the earth system
  • ATS3788 Soils, landscape and their management**
  • ATS3790 Landscape processes
  • ATS3887 Designing urban futures: Urban climate, water and adaptation
  • MON1001 Climate change: An interdiscplinary challenge

* Students need permission from the unit coordinator to take this unit.

** This unit will require payment of an additional fee that may cover items such as accommodation, entry fees, coaches, transfers, flights and university administration.

*** Field study unit taught in Italy. This unit will require payment of an additional fee that may cover items such as accommodation, entry fees, coaches, transfers, flights and university administration.

**** Field study unit taught in South Africa. This unit will require payment of an additional fee that may cover items such as accommodation, entry fees, coaches, transfers, flights and university administration.

Relevant courses

Diplomas

  • 2327 Diploma in Liberal Arts

Bachelors

Single degrees

  • 0002 Bachelor of Arts
  • 3907 Bachelor of Arts (English Language)
  • 3910 Bachelor of Arts (Global)
  • 4077 Bachelor of Arts (International)
  • 1366 Bachelor of Arts (Languages)
  • 1638 Bachelor of Arts Scholars Program
  • 4042 Bachelor of Journalism
  • 0202 Bachelor of Letters
  • 1275 Bachelor of Professional Communication

Double degrees

  • 4640 Bachelor of Aerospace Engineering (Honours) and Bachelor of Arts
  • 4098 Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Business
  • 0550 Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Business (Accounting)
  • 0553 Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Business (Banking and Finance)
  • 0555 Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Business (Management)
  • 0556 Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Business (Marketing)
  • 0542 Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Commerce
  • 0170 Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Economics
  • 1541 Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Education (Primary)
  • 1641 Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Education (Secondary)
  • 0080 Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws
  • 3054 Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Music
  • 0530 Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science
  • 3426 Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Social Work
  • 0002 Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Theology
  • 3779 Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Visual Arts
  • 4097 Bachelor of Arts Scholars Program and Bachelor of Commerce Scholars Program
  • 4403 Bachelor of Arts (Global) and Bachelor of Commerce
  • 3537 Bachelor of Arts (Global) and Bachelor of Science
  • 4634 Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) and Bachelor of Arts
  • 4426 Bachelor of Journalism and Bachelor of Business
  • 4425 Bachelor of Journalism and Bachelor of Commerce
  • 4069 Bachelor of Journalism and Bachelor of Science
  • 4648 Bachelor of Mechatronics Engineering (Honours) and Bachelor of Arts