Integrated Water Catchment Management

Integrated Water Catchment Management is offered as a major field of study in the Master of Environment degree.

With global climate change and more extreme weather conditions, water catchments have never been under more pressure, and professionals with skills in their management are in high demand.

Catchment management involves the integration of sound biophysical information with social and economic analysis. This is used to achieve the best outcomes for a catchment's natural resources and the people who live and work there.

Students studying this major will look into the functioning of catchments and the constraints to improving catchment management; particularly, how these constraints can be eased.

Integrated Water Catchment Management is appropriate for professionals working in soil and water regulation, land management, and conservation in the private and public sectors.

The Office for Environmental Programs is looking for students with a first degree in physical science, life science, social science, engineering, forestry, horticulture or agriculture. Professional geologists, natural resource scientists and managers who wish to gain advanced knowledge of catchment management strategies in urban and rural environments would also benefit from studies in this field.

Students can expect to find employment in regulatory agencies, local and state government authorities, environmental consulting companies, and industries concerned with land development, recreation and tourism.

Students who complete the Master of Environment will have:
• An advanced understanding of environmental issues
• Advanced skills and techniques applicable to changing and managing the environment
• An ability to evaluate and synthesise research and professional literature in the chosen stream or focus of study
• An advanced understanding of the international context and sensitivities of environmental assessment

The graduate attributes for the Master of Environment are:
• Expertise in multidisciplinary understanding, analysis and research with an environmental focus
• Collaborative approaches to environmental problem solving
• Capacity to engage in critical social and sustainability questions

The Master of Environment generic skills are:
• Multidisciplinary and trans-disciplinary knowledge and research of environmental relevance
• Collaborative environmental management skills
• Capacity for independent learning across discipline boundaries

Students will be required to complete the two core subjects, plus choose three subjects from the compulsory subject list and undertake electives to make up the balance of the award. The selection of electives is made in consultation with the Integrated Water Catchment Management major coordinator.

For a current list of subjects offered in the Integrated Water Catchment Management major, please refer to the course information page at: http://www.environment.unimelb.edu.au/futurestudents/specialist_paths_of_study/integrated_catchment_management

Core Subjects

Students are required to complete the subjects:

Compulsory Subjects

and choose 3 subjects from the list of:

Elective Subjects

plus undertake electives to make up the balance of the award. The recommended list of electives includes:

Other subjects may be approved at the discretion of the coordinator.