Future students

The School of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment is focused on the future. We aim to educate the next generation of scientists to find environmental solutions for society and the planet. This includes leading research and education on:

• understanding the processes and elements that have shaped the Earth since its formation from which we source critical mineral resources needed to power renewable energy, but which also create hazards such as volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, landslides and tsunamis;
• the fundamental weather and climate science required to predict changes in the atmosphere, ocean and cryosphere;
• the impacts of environmental changes on cities, forests, coasts, rivers, glaciers, soil and water.

After taking our first year sequence, our undergraduate course majors, streams and unit specialisations will allow you to harness the breadth of all your life and physical science studies while applying them in specialised fields of your choosing across Earth science, Geography and Environment, and Climate and Atmosphere. Choose to study specialised fields such as;

Oceanography and Coastal Science
Learn biological, chemical and physical oceanography. You will explore ocean circulation and mixing, ocean chemistry and biological productivity. Learn about local coastal processes such as erosion that pose significant management challenges for coastal societies as well as global societal concerns such as sea level rise, overfishing and pollution.

Soil Science and Land Management
Soils are critical for food and water security, effective nutrient cycling for terrestrial ecosystems and sustaining human life. You can explore alternative land uses and sustainable land management techniques and engage in the sustainable management of soil resources which are critical for agricultural production, support terrestrial ecosystems and provide a range of ecosystem services.

Remote Sensing and GIS
Gain experience in the use of GIS and remote sensing technologies, including satellite and UAV datasets. Equip yourself with the fundamental knowledge and essential skills in constructing, collecting, managing, analysing, integrating and communicating spatial data and information, for environmental, earth, geographical, and atmospheric sciences, as well as other spatial studies.

Environmental Chemistry
Learn about nitrogen, carbon, phosphorous, heavy metal and elemental cycling in the biosphere, lithosphere and hydrosphere, how humans impact on these cycles and how to remediate contaminated environments. You will learn lab, field and computational methods to quantify chemicals in solutions and other mediums, and measure chemical processes in natural and contaminated environments.

Modelling and coding
Scientific models simplify complex real-life phenomena and improve our understanding and predictability of many Earth systems such as environmental processes, climate change, tectonism, magma mixing, atmospheric circulation and ice sheet projections. You will study relevant physical and mathematical concepts, learn to code, and use cutting edge software environments.

Glaciers and Ice Sheets
Develop a deep understanding of the factors and processes driving and affecting the cryosphere. Study the Greenland and Antarctic Ice Sheets, glaciers, sea ice and the Earth’s changing climate.

Economic Geology
Learn about the geological systems responsible for the formation of metalliferous ore deposits and the mineral resources that are essential for our renewable energy future.

Structural Geology, Geodynamics and Geophysics
Plate tectonics drives rock deformation as continents collide or split into two, initiating earthquakes, forming ocean basins and building mountains. Observe, identify and measure structural elements in the field, model and analyse three-dimensional structure from geological maps, and apply geometric, kinematic and dynamic analysis to global-scale tectonics and geodynamics.

Hydrogeology
Groundwater is a critical resource and an essential component of the natural environment. Study groundwater flow and the hydrological cycle, groundwater chemistry and the origins of solutes in water, use of isotopic tracers to understand hydrological processes, the interaction between groundwater and surface water, groundwater as a resource, and contamination of groundwater. Understand groundwater and surface water resources for water security and environmental management.

Future Climates and Palaeoclimatology
Examine the evolution of Earth's climate from the formation of our planet to the present including the history and context of humankind and how past changes relate to anthropogenic climate change. What does the science really say about human-induced climate change? How do we know what the climate has been in the past? Get familiar with international policy frameworks for dealing with climate change and global and local mitigation responses.

Geochemistry and Mineralogy
Geochemistry has many applications in industry and scientific research; from understanding environmental and societal issues such as explosive volcanism and mining waste, to tracing the beginnings of the planet or performing advanced analytical chemistry for industrial purposes. If you enjoy inorganic chemistry or crystallography, you will love learning about minerals and discovering their many useful and often beautiful properties.

Dynamical and Physical Meteorology
Do you want to know how a tornado works? Ever wondered why we can make accurate weather forecasts? Physical meteorology examines the major physical forces that affect the behaviour of the atmosphere, specifically radiative transfer and precipitation. Discover how we use remote satellite and ground-based instrumentation to understand and plan for weather. Study the development of precipitation, as well as the interaction between clouds and aerosols; the motion of a density-stratified fluid in a rotating frame of reference; 'homogeneous flows' in the atmosphere and ocean; shallow-water and Rossby-wave motion; western boundary currents; internal gravity waves and thermal-wind balance.

Field Geology and Mapping
Hone your skills in surveying, landscape interpretation, and making expert observations to construct geological maps and cross-sections. Understand how to determine the geological history of complex poly-deformed terrane, assess mineralogical information on-the-ground, and communicate spatial information for exploration geosciences and research endeavours.