Welcome to the School of Environmental Science

The School of Environmental Science focuses specifically on environmental science, one of the few schools in an Australian university to do so and the oldest, continually operating School of Environmental Science in Western Australia. In a recent independent review, the School was rated as ‘already in the top rank in Australia, and it has the potential to be acknowledged as the premier Environmental School in Australia’.

The School of Environmental Science offers several degrees in environmental science, including the flagship 4-year Bachelor of Environmental Science. Our educational strength lies in the fact that we have actively maintained a balance in pursuing both 'green' and 'brown' teaching and research in environmental science. That is, we combine the areas of environmental management and policy with relevant aspects of environmental systems and engineering in an integrated degree programme which also provides students with the flexibility to specialise in areas of their interests. Moreover, at Murdoch University, our students can pursue their interests in allied areas such as conservation biology, marine science, chemistry, energy studies, or extractive metallurgy. Consequently, our graduates are well-suited to a rapidly changing public and industry sector.

Our staff have sustained a record of excellence and achievement in research: for instance, Professor Richards Hobbs is ranked as one of the most highly-cited researchers in the world in the field of Ecology/Environment. By serving as members of advisory boards and expert panels, the staff maintain the close links that allow interchange between business and government needs and academic expertise, ensuring teaching is up-to-date and relevant. This expertise is not limited to Australian conditions, as staff have interests and contacts in Asia, throughout the Indian Ocean region and beyond.

The School's research areas encompass seven major themes: air, land, water, biota, people, policy and technology. Specific topics include:
* meteorology; air pollution; indoor air quality;
* solutions for managing organic waste and pollution control;
* environmental management, impact assessment, policy and law;
* appropriate technology for water supply and sanitation in remote communities;
* biodiversity, ecosystem management, and restoration;
* marine, estuarine and wetland ecology;
* mine-site rehabilitation;
* nature-based tourism and nature conservation management;
* plant nutrition and soil fertility;
* salinity control and landscape management; and
* sustainable agriculture, including sustainable grazing systems and reduction of greenhouse gases such as methane from livestock.

Our courses are practically based with many field studies and the School's well-equipped laboratories include facilities to study environmental problems through model simulations. Solutions can be tested on a small scale before application to the field situation, saving considerable time and money.

The School is proud to host the United Nations Environment Programme International Environmental Technology Centre (UNEP-IETC) Asia Pacific Cooperation Research Centre, which concentrates on research and development of technologies that support sustainable development.

Through our student organisation MUEnSA [Murdoch University Environmental Science Students’ Association], the School supports a strong mentoring, work experience and social programme for students.

We encourage you to find out why studying environmental science at Murdoch is a truly rewarding experience.

Professor Nick Costa
School Dean