Handbook

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Overview

Today’s environmental leaders are called upon to understand and to tend to not only the ecological dimensions of environmental issues but also their social, cultural, and structural drivers and impacts. The Master’s program prepares our graduates to think in transformative ways and to become reflexive leaders, change-agents, and advocates at local and global scales. You will rigorously, critically, and creatively engage with sociocultural and political-economic causes of, and responses to, today’s human-inclusive environmental challenges. In addition to the program’s key focus on conceptual tools, you will have the opportunity to develop an array of experiential and practical tools to inform ethical and restorative sustainability leadership in professional and change-making contexts. The program is structured around a transdisciplinary integration and bridging of social sciences, humanities, natural sciences, creative arts, and participatory community and place-based approaches. The experience of moving among diverse knowledge systems empowers you to communicate complex ideas, to nurture personal and collective societal capacities to rethink and reshape the world, and to partner with others in reparative and regenerative ways. With its flexible format, the program is suitable for people from a wide range of disciplines, including both environmental specialists and newcomers, seeking to develop the expertise and courage needed in environmental and societal healing and flourishing.

This program is primarily taught in Face-to-Face/Blended mode; with the exception of optional field-based courses, the program can also be completed via Distance.

Learning Outcomes

Integrate environment and sustainability concepts and analytical frameworks, including established theories and recent developments in the transdisciplinary field, to explain how today’s problems are entangled in social, cultural, and political-economic questions.

Scholars
Professionals

Demonstrate detailed knowledge of place-based and international perspectives relevant to environmental leadership and sustainability and describe the relevance of social systems of power and cultural systems of knowledge.

Leaders
Scholars

Use critical and creative synthesis to evaluate environmental issues and apply just practices of leadership to address real-world new or complex problems.

Leaders
Scholars
Professionals

Communicate complex ideas in a variety of formats to diverse audiences.

Scholars
Leaders
Global citizens
Professionals

Demonstrate a high level of personal autonomy and accountability in the acquisition and application of knowledges and skills to initiate, embrace, and engage others in ethical, sustainable, and regenerative change.

Leaders
Professionals
Global citizens

Graduate Capabilities

For more information on Graduate Capabilities please click on this link

Program Structure

Students must complete 96 UOC when taken as a standalone program.

48 UOC specialisation (ENVPXS)

Core Courses (18 UOC)
Disciplinary Knowledge Courses (at least 24 UOC)
Prescribed Elective Course (up to 6 UOC)

72 UOC specialisation (ENVPYS)

Core Courses (18 UOC)
Disciplinary Knowledge Courses (at least 42 UOC)
Prescribed Elective Course (up to 12 UOC)

96 UOC specialisation (ENVPZS)

Core Courses (18 UOC)
Disciplinary Knowledge Courses (at least 54 UOC)
Prescribed Elective Courses (up to 24 UOC)

Specialisation Requirements

Enrolment Disclaimer

Please note that this Handbook is a comprehensive catalogue of our offerings and includes courses that can be taken to satisfy program requirements irrespective as to their availability for a particular year. Availability of courses is best checked using filters on this site or on the class timetable site.

You are responsible for ensuring that you enrol in courses according to your program requirements and by following the advice of your Program Authority. myUNSW enrolment checks that you have met enrolment requirements such as pre-requisites for individual courses but not that you are enrolling in courses that will count towards your program requirements.

Admission Requirements

Entry Requirements

Minimum Entry Requirements

The entry requirements are as follows:

For the 1 year stream (A)

Honours degree or Graduate Diploma (or equivalent qualification) in a relevant discipline with a record of academic achievement equivalent to a UNSW credit average (65%)

Bachelor degree (or equivalent qualification) in a relevant discipline with a record of academic achievement equivalent to a UNSW credit average (65%), plus one year relevant professional experience

For the 1.5 year stream (B)

Bachelor degree (or equivalent qualification) in a relevant discipline with a record of academic achievement equivalent to a UNSW credit average (65%)

Bachelor degree (or equivalent qualification) in any discipline with a record of academic achievement equivalent to a UNSW credit average (65%), plus one year relevant professional experience

Honours degree or Graduate Diploma (or equivalent qualification) in any discipline with a record of academic achievement equivalent to a UNSW credit average (65%)

For the 2 year stream (C)

Bachelor degree (or equivalent qualification) in any discipline with a record of academic achievement equivalent to a UNSW credit average of 65%

Relevant disciplines include: Geography, environmental humanities, environmental social sciences, environmental art and design, environmental studies, environmental communication, sustainability studies, Indigenous studies, multispecies studies, environmental and urban planning, sustainable architecture and landscape design, environmental policy, urban studies, planetary health, conservation science, environmental engineering, environmental law, environmental management, environmental journalism, environmental economics, natural resource management

Relevant professional experience includes: Environmental educator, planner, analyst, manager, campaign director, or similar in non-profit or for-profit sector, NGOs, or government; high-responsibility position as environmental activist or advocate; environmental consultant, law associate, reporter, assessor, or monitor; environmental performer, artist, designer, therapist, or similar.

Limitations on Recognition of Prior Learning

For more information about admission requirements for various UNSW programs, visit the following website(s):

Program Requirements

Internship, Placement and Exchange Opportunities

Students with a WAM of over 65 in at least 3 courses in the program may choose to take one or both of the following courses:

IEST8001 Environment & Society Leadership Practicum I: Project or Internship (6 UoC)

IEST8002 Environment & Society Leadership Practicum II: Project or Internship (6 UoC)

Progression Requirements

Articulation arrangements:

If you have completed the requirements for the Graduate Certificate or Diploma (programs 5499 and 7339) with a credit average you are eligible for admission to the Master's program with full credit for courses already completed.

If you wish to exit the Masters program early you may nominate to transfer to and graduate from the Graduate Certificate or Graduate Diploma provided the requirements for the program have been met.

For more information on university policy on progression requirements please visit Academic Progression

Associated Programs

Postgraduate Pathway

Doctor of Philosophy - PhD1271 - Humanities

Nested Postgraduate Program

Graduate Diploma in Environmental Management - GDipEM5499 - Environmental Management

Graduate Certificate in Environmental Management - GCertEM7339 - Environmental Management

Professional Outcomes

Career Opportunities

Alumni are working as environmental and sustainability leaders in prominent positions within outreach and education, policy and regulation, arts and performance, law and planning, conservation and restoration, research and consultancy, and organisation and mobilisation in Australia and internationally in a wide range of NGOs, in non-profit and for-profit industries, and across levels of government.

Recognition of Achievement

Award with Excellence

For more information, please visit the link above.

The Award with Excellence is awarded in coursework masters programs, including Masters (Extension) but with the exception of Masters (Extended) such as JD and MD, when a Weighted Average Mean (WAM) of at least 80% has been achieved and at least 50% of the requirements of the award are completed at UNSW. All eligible programs will award 'with Excellence' except in special circumstances where approval of Academic Board has been given for a program to opt out.

Additional Information

Further Information

Contact the UNSW Arts and Social Sciences Student Services for advice.

Program Fees

At UNSW fees are generally charged at course level and therefore dependent upon individual enrolment and other factors such as student's residency status. For generic information on fees and additional expenses of UNSW programs, click on one of the following:

Pre-2019 Handbook Editions

Access past handbook editions (2018 and prior)

Faculty
Faculty: The primary academic unit in which related disciplines of teaching and research are conducted.

Campus

Sydney

Study Level
Study Level refers to the academic level of a program, specialisation or course.

Postgraduate

Typical duration:

1 - 2 Year(s)

Delivery Mode

Distance (online with some face-to-face), Face-to-face (includes blended)

Intake Period

Term 1, Term 3

Academic Calendar

Minimum Units of Credit

AQF Level

Level 9

Award Type

Masters (Coursework)

Award(s)
Award(s): Qualification upon completion (all awards offered by UNSW are accredited by UNSW and align with the Australian Qualifications Framework).

Master of Environmental Management - MEM

CRICOS Code

080063M

Environmental Management

8623

96 Units of Credit