COURSE CURRICULUM

The Master of Ecosystem Management and Conservation is a 200-point program designed to equip students with the advanced skills needed to address complex environmental challenges and support sustainable ecosystem management. The course structure includes 100 points of core subjects, 12.5–25 points of professional skills subjects, 50–62.5 points of electives and 25 points of foundation subjects, providing flexibility for students to develop expertise aligned with their career goals. Students are encouraged to undertake a 25-point Ecosystem Internship to gain practical workplace experience, strengthen professional networks and complete a valuable capstone experience that enhances work readiness. Applicants with an undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline may be eligible for an accelerated 1.5-year pathway, receiving up to 50 credit points for foundation and elective subjects. Throughout the program, students explore key topics including forest systems, spatial tools for ecosystem management, sustainable landscapes, ecosystem fire processes, soil and water ecosystem dynamics, human behaviour, and landscape governance and policy. The course plan integrates field-based learning, analytical skills development and theoretical understanding, combined with a focus on collaboration and leading change within ecosystem and conservation settings. Core subjects such as Spatial Tools for Ecosystem Management, Sustainable Landscapes and Analysing Ecosystems and Their Values build scientific and technical capabilities, while subjects such as Communities and Ecosystem Management and Landscape Governance and Policy develop students’ understanding of social, policy and community engagement aspects. Elective subjects enable students to tailor learning to their interests by exploring specialised areas of study. Designed with industry input and aligned with the needs of ecosystem, forestry and land-management sectors, the program prepares graduates for professional roles in government agencies, non-government organisations, conservation bodies, research institutions and private environmental consulting. By combining rigorous academic training with practical, real-world experience, the Master of Ecosystem Management and Conservation empowers graduates to lead sustainable environmental solutions and contribute meaningfully to natural resource management.