Master of Science (ES&M)

The Master of Science (Earth Science and Management) at Southern Cross University is a two-year postgraduate degree for people who want to work with the physical environment, the ground, the water, the coast, and the rules and decisions that shape how it is used. You study the science alongside the management: how soils, sediments, catchments and coastal systems actually behave, and how environmental policy, planning and regulation work in Australia.

Like all Australian master's degrees, it sits at level 9 on the Australian Qualifications Framework. Two years full-time usually means four study periods, Southern Cross runs semesters and trimesters, so you can often spread the load or accelerate depending on the units on offer. You accumulate credit points unit by unit, typically 16 units of 12 credit points each for a 192-credit-point master's, though the exact structure depends on whether you enter with a science background or a different degree. Most students finish with a research project or thesis unit, and many take a professional placement or industry-based project. Confirm the current unit list and credit-point rules on the official Southern Cross course page and the CRICOS register (course code 051066D).

What you actually do: fieldwork in the Northern Rivers and along the east coast, lab work on soil and water samples, GIS and spatial analysis, environmental impact assessment, and writing reports that a council or a regulator could act on. The management side covers environmental law, policy, planning frameworks and community consultation, the stuff that decides whether a good piece of science gets used. Southern Cross has strong links to the region's landcare groups, catchment management authorities and environmental consultancies, and those connections feed into placements and research projects.

This suits you if you have a bachelor's degree in science, environmental studies, geography, engineering or a related field and want to move into environmental consulting, government land and water management, or a research path. It also works if you are coming from a different background and want a qualification that lets you specialise. English requirements for international applicants are usually IELTS Academic 6.0–6.5 overall for coursework postgraduate study; check the current requirement for this course, since some programs ask for higher. While studying, a student visa allows 48 hours of work per fortnight, and after graduating you may be eligible for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream. Fees are published on the CRICOS register, check there and on the official page for the latest figures.

• Environmental consultant, private consultancies preparing impact assessments, contaminated land reports and approval documentation for developers and government.
• Land and water management officer, catchment management authorities, local councils and state agencies managing rivers, wetlands and coastal zones.
• Environmental planner or policy officer, state and local government, working on planning schemes, environmental regulation and natural resource policy.
• GIS or spatial analyst, mapping and analysing environmental data for consultancies, utilities, mining and agriculture.
• Natural resource management project officer, Landcare, Indigenous ranger programs, NRM regional bodies and not-for-profits.
• Mine site environmental officer, compliance, rehabilitation and water management on resources projects in Queensland, NSW and WA.
• Research assistant or PhD candidate, universities, CSIRO and cooperative research centres.
• Coastal or marine management officer, councils and state agencies dealing with erosion, estuarine health and coastal planning.