COURSE CURRICULUM

The Bachelor of Social and Environmental Sustainability at ACU is a three-year program designed to equip students with the knowledge, skills, and practical experience required to address complex social and environmental challenges. In the first year, students develop foundational knowledge through units such as Environmental Economics, Exploring Natural Environments, Environmental Humanities, and Introduction to Sociology, alongside courses exploring human environments, global societal change, and sustainability challenges. This combination provides a strong grounding in understanding the interplay between society, the environment, and economic systems, while also integrating the first core curriculum unit to develop ethical reasoning, critical thinking, and professional skills. In the second year, students deepen their understanding through advanced study of climate change, global consumption patterns, and environmental sociology, while also engaging in qualitative research methods and exploring literature and the environment. Students complement these core units with arts minor or elective units, allowing them to tailor their studies according to personal interests or career aspirations. The third year focuses on applying this knowledge to real-world contexts, including Sustainable Cities and Communities, Power, Wealth and Welfare, and advanced quantitative research methods, as well as mapping and oceanic humanities units, which provide practical skills in analysis, interpretation, and environmental management. Students also complete a second core curriculum unit and a community engagement placement, integrating work-based experience with theoretical learning and preparing them for professional practice. Across all three years, the program emphasizes interdisciplinary learning, critical thinking, applied research, and practical problem-solving, ensuring that graduates are equipped to pursue careers in environmental management, community development, policy, advocacy, research, and other fields that require a nuanced understanding of the intersection between human societies and the natural world. This structure ensures graduates are capable, adaptable, and ready to make a positive impact on social and environmental sustainability locally and globally.