The Planetary Boundaries framework, introduced by Johan Rockström and colleagues, identifies a safe operating space for humanity grounded in the biophysical processes that keep the Earth system stable. Of the nine boundaries originally proposed, human activity has now pushed seven beyond their safe limits — climate change, biosphere integrity, freshwater change, land-system change, biogeochemical flows, novel entities, and ocean acidification. This course examines these boundaries and their interdependencies, along with the risks of irreversible environmental change that arise when multiple boundaries are transgressed simultaneously. We will also cover how the framework itself has evolved: recent revisions, informed by expert input and several years of scientific advances, have introduced a two-tier structure for some boundaries to better capture cross-scale interactions and regional variation in the underlying processes. Particular attention will be given to climate change and biosphere integrity, identified as the two "core" boundaries — each capable, if sufficiently and persistently breached, of driving the Earth system into an entirely new state on its own.

Students will gain a solid foundation of competence in essential mathematical topics. Statistics and experimental design form the backbone of empirical research. They provide the logical framework for collecting, analysing, and interpreting data. A properly structured experiment minimises bias, isolates the variables being tested, and uses statistical methods to draw valid, reproducible conclusions.

Water Systems Exploration is the study, mapping, and analysis of Earth's water resources including water movement (global water cycle), factors affecting water quality, and its impact on aquatic ecosystems and society. The course also examines technologies developed by CSIRO (Australia) to locate and track replenishment rates. The course concludes by presenting organisations responsible for environmental protection and policy monitoring.

Plant physiology in environmental science studies how plants function, grow, and interact with physical, chemical, and biological factors in their surroundings. This course will examine the core concepts such as resource capture, photosynthesis and gas exchange, and metabolic integration. The environmental variables and stress factors will also be discussed with several case studies.

This course presents the structure, function, ecology, and evolution of whole individual living organisms. It bridges molecular biology and ecosystem science by looking at how body systems and traits affect survival. That said, you cannot fully understand cellular processes or large-scale ecosystems without knowing how individual organisms survive and adapt. Hence, the course aims to equip scientists with skills to tackle modern challenges like biodiversity loss, climate change adaptation, and wildlife conservation.

In this subject the principles of chemistry, physics and biology will be used to determine how decisions are made on the suitability of soil for agriculture and what effects agricultural practice can have on soil. Topics include soil morphology, soil physical and chemical properties, clay mineralogy, soil organic matter, soil biology & ecology, soil acidity and alkalinity, and the biogeochemical cycles of C, N, and other elements as well as the environmental outcomes associated with the management of soils. The subject will enable students to understand the importance of soil knowledge for sustainable agricultural production.

This course provides an overview of major environmental and energy-related problems and the application of environmental science technology — such as green chemistry, environmental monitoring, pollution control, waste management, and resource efficiency — to renewable energy systems, energy storage innovations, and smart grid solutions, in order to conserve the natural environment and curb the negative impacts of human activity, followed by key technological responses to these challenges.

Global production and consumption patterns drive major environmental crises, including climate change, biodiversity loss, and resource depletion, but shifting to sustainable practices can protect the planet. In this course we will discuss this from several perspectives, including the critical use and pressure on natural resources that are impacting the environment; the main industries (the producers) contributing to environmental impacts; the consumption perspective (informed consumers and sustainability policies); examining which resource and material use or choice have the greatest impacts on the environment; and how socio-economic trends and developments affect industry and consumer practices.

International environmental governance relies on a decentralized network of UN bodies, specialized programs, and multilateral treaties rather than a single centralized "International Environmental Organisation". This course will introduce students to the key international regulatory bodies and the core international statutes and treaties dealing with climate change and atmosphere, biodiversity and wildlife, and hazardous waste and pollution.

The use of digital spatial data has expanded rapidly across resource management and the environmental sciences in recent years. Geographic Information Science (GIScience) is the academic discipline and scientific framework underpinning Geographic Information Systems (GIS), concerned with how spatial data is captured, stored, analysed and managed. This course combines a solid grounding in theory with hands-on practical training in geographic information systems and remote sensing, covering the analysis and simple modelling of digital spatial data and its use in decision support through commercially available software. Students will survey how digital geographic information and earth-resource imagery are applied across a broad range of environmental contexts, including geology, vegetation and forestry, agriculture, oceanography, and regional and urban analysis.

International environmental projects put global climate and biodiversity agreements into practice through on-the-ground conservation, community resilience, and policy execution. The course will discuss several international initiatives and blueprints, including UNEP, IUCN, IMO, and OneEarth, for saving critical ecosystems and tackling climate change.

Air quality is one of the most tangible indicators of the state of the environment, and has significant impacts on human health and the environment. This course provides an in-depth account of the threats posed by air pollution as a result of human actions. A number of case studies will be discussed including the effects of eutrophication, water acidification, toxic accumulation of heavy metals and synthetic chemicals, and the effects on reproduction.

This course will examine Australia's National Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and the State and Territory level Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 for State Significant Development (SSD), and the guidelines that must be considered when an environmental impact statement (EIS) is required. Environmental Impact Assessment is taught as a distinct methodical skill: scoping, baseline studies, stakeholder consultation, and mitigation planning.

An Environmental Consulting Project helps developers and businesses manage ecological risks, secure government approvals, and comply with environmental laws. Core phases of student projects include initial assessment (site checks, reviewing constraints, and spotting potential environmental "show-stoppers" early); planning and approvals (developing environmental impact statements, preparing management plans, and applying for official permits); execution and monitoring (overseeing work like remediation or construction monitoring to ensure ongoing regulatory compliance); and validation and sign-off (testing the site post-project and submitting final validation reports to clear the development for use). Students are given real-client projects, draft project proposals, conduct field study and apply technical skills, and deliver in-person presentations. This module closes the programme with an applied, portfolio-building consulting project.