Doctor of Philosophy (Environmental Studies)

A Doctor of Philosophy (Environmental Studies) at the University of Tasmania is a research degree. You spend four years on a single, supervised project that adds something new to what we know about the environment. There are no lectures to sit through and no exams to pass. You work with a supervisor, or a small panel of them, and you produce a thesis. Tasmania is an obvious place to do this kind of work. The state holds some of the last large tracts of cool temperate rainforest in the world, alpine country, extensive coastlines and marine systems, and long-running environmental debates over forestry, water, energy and conservation. The university's research strengths sit close to those settings.

How the degree is structured

As a PhD, this sits at the top of the Australian Qualifications Framework. A bachelor degree is normally three years, an honours year adds one, a master's is one to two, and a doctorate is three or more. This one is four years full time. During that time you complete a program of supervised research and write a thesis. Many universities also require a confirmation of candidature milestone, usually within the first year, where a panel reviews your proposal and progress. Some candidates take coursework units in research methods or transferable skills, and those carry credit points like any other unit. The bulk of the degree, though, is the thesis itself.

What you actually study

Environmental studies is broad by nature, so your project determines your reading and your methods. You might be measuring water quality in a catchment, modelling fire risk under a changing climate, interviewing landholders about conservation agreements, or working on Antarctic and Southern Ocean data. The research culture at the university is tied to places like the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies and the Australian Antarctic Program, so polar and marine science is a strong area. Fieldwork is common. So is laboratory work, spatial analysis and statistics. You will learn to design a study that stands up to scrutiny, collect and manage data carefully, and write about it for examiners and for journals.

Who this suits

This degree suits someone who already has a strong honours or master's qualification in environmental science, geography, ecology, marine science or a related field, and who wants to spend several years on one question. You need to be self-directed. Nobody will chase you to turn up. You also need to be comfortable with uncertainty, because research rarely goes to plan. If you want a career in research, in government environmental agencies, in consultancies or in universities, a PhD is often the credential that opens those doors. The Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream is available to eligible graduates, and while you study, your visa allows 48 hours of work per fortnight. English proficiency requirements vary by applicant and by pathway, so check the official University of Tasmania page and the CRICOS register for the current details, including tuition and intake dates.

• Environmental scientist or research officer in state and federal environment departments
• Postdoctoral researcher or academic in Australian universities
• Marine or Antarctic scientist with research organisations and programs
• Environmental consultant advising on impact assessment, remediation and planning
• Climate adaptation or natural resource management analyst in local government
• Ecologist or conservation scientist with NGOs and catchment groups
• Data analyst or modeller working on environmental datasets
• Policy adviser on water, energy, biodiversity or land use