- 2017

Undergraduate

Minor / Major / Extended major

Commencement year

This area of study entry applies to students commencing this course in 2017 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 component of any bachelors double degrees.

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

Managing faculty

Faculty of Science

Offered by

School of Biological Sciences

Coordinator(s)

Professor Paul Sunnucks (School of Biological Sciences)

Location

Clayton

Ecology is the study of interactions between organisms and their environments, which is central to understanding the diversity and organisation of life at the main recognised levels (genes, species and ecosystems). Conservation biology seeks to understand human impacts on these natural patterns and processes, and to devise practical means to conserve biodiversity and ecosystem functions such as how nutrients move through nature. The escalating global crisis in biodiversity loss is regarded by many people as the most critical and pressing issue ever to face humanity.

Students of ecology and conservation biology at Monash will engage with the key principles of the discipline, underpinning the exploration of the broad range of fascinating and practically important biological questions that can be addressed by the study of biodiversity. Because lecturing staff are also high quality researchers and teaching occurs in advanced laboratory and field settings, the curriculum is able to address the latest methodologies, technologies and analyses.

Ecology and conservation biology students will be equipped with intellectual, practical and communication skills to gain employment in diverse situations. They may come to work for non-government organisations such as Landcare Australia, in research for universities and organisations such as the Commonwealth Scientific Industrial and Research Organisation (CSIRO), or to continue onto more specialised postgraduate studies. They may gain employment developing conservation policy for government environment agencies, in environmental consultancy, or helping mining and engineering companies to limit their environmental footprint. Some find their calling in science communication.

Availability

Ecology and conservation biology is listed in S2000 Bachelor of Science, S3001 Bachelor of Science Advanced - Global Challenges (Honours) and S3002 Bachelor of Science Advanced - Research (Honours) at Clayton as a major, extended major or minor.

Outcomes

In addition to achieving the broad outcomes of their course, students successfully completing this major or extended major will be able to:

  • explain the principles underlying ecological and evolutionary interactions between organisms and their environment
  • describe the application of those principles to conservation management, complemented by an appreciation of the role and relevance of ecology in society, in particular in connection with the significant role of biodiversity in sustaining life on our planet
  • demonstrate problem-solving by applying analytical and practical ecological skills in diverse environments, encompassing working with plants and animals, designing and implementing laboratory and field methods for their study, and conducting analyses concerned with testing ideas at ecological levels from genes to species to ecosystems.

Units

Minor requirements (24 points)

12 points at level 1 and 12 points at level 2 or level 3.

Students complete:

  1. The following unit (6 points):
  2. One unit (6 points) chosen from:
  3. Two units (12 points) chosen from:*

    * Some units may require additional prerequisites.

Major requirements (48 points)

12 points at level 1 and 18 points at each of level 2 and 3.

Students complete:

  1. The requirements for the minor in ecology and conservation biology (24 points)
  2. The remaining four level 2 and 3 units (24 points) listed under the minor

Extended major requirements (72 points)

12 points at level 1 and at least 24 points at level 3.

Students complete:

  1. The requirements for the major in ecology and conservation biology major (48 points)
  2. The following unit (6 points):
    • BIO2060 Analytical methods in biology
  3. One unit (6 points) chosen from:
    • BIO2181 Evolution of plant diversity
    • BIO2231 Animal diversity
    • BIO3990 Biology in action research project*
    • GEN3062 Evolutionary and ecological genetics
    • GEN3990 Genetics in action research project*

    * This unit requires additional prerequisites.

  4. Two units (12 points) chosen from the list c. above or from the following:*

    *Some units may require additional prerequisites.

Requirements for progressing to honours

Successful completion of 24 points of relevant level 3 units, which include BIO3011 (Research methods in biology) and BIO3111 (Ecological applications), and two relevant 6-point level 3 units listed above.

Refer to S3701 Bachelor of Science (Honours) for full details.

Relevant courses

Bachelors

Single degrees

Successful completion of this area of study can be counted towards meeting the requirements for the following single degrees:*

  • S2000 Bachelor of Science
  • S3001 Bachelor of Science Advanced - Global Challenges (Honours)
  • S3002 Bachelor of Science Advanced - Research (Honours)

Students in other single bachelor's degrees may be eligible to complete the minor or major by using 24 or 48 points of their free electives.

Double degrees

Successful completion of this area of study can be counted towards meeting the requirements for the Bachelor of Science component in the following double degrees:*

  • B2023 Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Science
  • B2016 Bachelor of Commerce Specialist and Bachelor of Science
  • D3005 Bachelor of Education (Honours) and Bachelor of Science
  • E3007 Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) and Bachelor of Science
  • C2003 Bachelor of Information Technology and Bachelor of Science
  • L3007 Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and Bachelor of Science
  • S2006 Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts
  • S2007 Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Biomedical Science
  • S2004 Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Computer Science
  • S2003 Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Global Studies
  • S2005 Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Music

* Students cannot complete a minor, major or extended major in the same area of study.