This program gives you a unique opportunity to prepare for a career as an environmental scientist or as an urban and environmental planner. Upon graduating, you will be equipped to play an important role in bringing social and natural sciences together to find solutions for complex planning issues and problems.

Combining the knowledge and skills of planning with in-depth study of core environmental areas, the program integrates all aspects of environmental sciences (natural, social and economic) with planning principles.

Your foundation year introduces you to basic concepts, theories and methods of planning and environmental sciences. Interdisciplinary skills in environmental problem-solving are developed along with generic skills in project management, group work, research, critical thinking, research and writing for professional practice.

In Years 2 to 5, you will undertake a range of planning courses and receive training in environmental science and continue the development of specific and generic skills. In your final year you will undertake an industry placement and work with a professional planning practitioner.

After the first year, based on your individual interests, you select a major from the following list of Bachelor of Science majors that focus on environmental studies:

• Geography (Gold Coast and Nathan)
• Marine Biology (Gold Coast)
• Wildlife Biology (Gold Coast and Nathan)

PROFESSIONAL RECOGNITION

The Bachelor of Urban and Environmental Planning (Honours) is accredited by the Planning Institute of Australia (PIA).

As the importance of environmental issues continues to grow, your specialised knowledge and skills, and your ability to solve complex planning issues and problems, will give you an expanded range of rewarding career opportunities. Graduates from the program have gained employment within local, state and federal government, consulting firms and within small, local or large, multinational development companies, as well as in the high demand areas of management of land and water, conservation, natural resources or environmental pollution.