Bachelor of Natural Environment and Wilderness (P3M)

• The Bachelor of Natural Environments and Wilderness helps students develop the ways of thinking, integrative knowledge and practical skills that will enable them conserve biodiversity and geodiversity in one of the more difficult times in the history of nature on the planet: the Anthropocene extinction event caused by unrestricted economic growth.
• The structure of the degree ensures that you gain a broad cross-disciplinary understanding of the natural environments and wilderness, while being able to specialise in areas of interest. In addition to specialist knowledge and skills, this degree also develops a wide range of general abilities applicable to careers across any sector, including communication, data collection, fieldwork, analysis, information retrieval and presentation, planning and policy development.
• Graduates will be able to draw on their multidisciplinary range of knowledge and skills as they seek to address complex socio-environmental problems that have no obvious solution, and often generate considerable public interest. For example, we know that communicating climate change science is only part of the challenge and that professionals working in this area need to be able to navigate politics and social values to effect change.
• You could also look to address challenges where the solution involves an understanding of multiple disciplines such as ecology, planning, and environmental impact processes, and the ability to engage with a range of stakeholders who all have different views and experience levels based, such as helping maintain healthy populations of endangered species like eagles.
• Graduates work in environmental advocacy, park management and planning, natural environment interpretation, environmental assessment, natural environmental research, environmental management, natural resource management, policy development and business enterprises, particularly those associated with natural area tourism. They are, and will be, making a big difference.

• Gather, synthesise and critically evaluate information on natural environments and their relationships with people.
• Explain the physical geography, politics and management of natural environments and wilderness to contribute to political and social discourse.
• Apply spatial, scientific and social science techniques and tools in keeping with relevant professional standards to answer questions related to the conservation and exploitation of natural environments.
• Disseminate information and concepts about natural environments with other professionals and the public.
• Produce and critique environmental assessments and natural environment management plans to improve ways people interact with the environment.

Your study experience will be a combination of classroom, laboratory and in-the-field learning in the inspiring landscapes of Tasmania.

Tasmania is literally a living laboratory

Within half an hour from the Sandy Bay campus, we access marine, coastal, heathland, wetland, grassland, woodland, dry eucalypt, wet eucalypt, rainforest, subalpine and alpine natural environments, as well as urban nature. The world’s second largest temperate rainforest is only an hour away. We’re the gateway to Antarctica and, as the birthplace of the green movement, celebrate our biodiversity and environmental sustainability. Many of your classes will be conducted outside in this natural environment, and your proximity to a wide range of pristine, diverse environments, and the researchers who travel from around the world to work in them, give you unparalleled practical field experience while you study. Plus, it makes Tasmania an amazing place to live!

Learn from the best, and learn by doing

Our world-class teaching staff bring their cutting-edge findings and examples to your lessons. And not just in the laboratory and classroom, but outside doing real-world tasks such as environment management plans and heritage assessments. Research in scientific fields of agriculture, chemistry, earth sciences, ecology, environmental science and management, fisheries sciences, oceanography, physical geography, plant biology, and zoology is ranked well above world-class*, meaning that you’re learning from some of the best in the world in the same environment where they conduct their world-class research.

*Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA) 2018 National Report

Become a Student Ambassador

Improve your communication, teamwork and leadership skills, meet new people, inspire and help others, and developing lasting friendships and networks as a student ambassador. Our ambassadors proudly represent the University throughout Tasmania in schools, at University and community events, and support a range of recruitment and engagement activities. Though the Student Ambassador Program or STEM Outreach Team you will have many opportunities for training and professional development, experience in real-world community engagement and outreach, networking, and public speaking, plus end up with a key point of distinction on your CV.

Study overseas at one of our partner institutions

Our international exchange program offers opportunities to study at universities around the world, and it counts towards your degree. Exchange can allow you to have an affordable educational and cultural experience in a foreign country for a semester, or a full year. To facilitate this, we offer a range of scholarships and financial assistance. You may also be eligible for OS-HELP Loans or scholarship funding to assist with their airfares, accommodation and other expenses.

UPDATE (MARCH) 2021: Please note, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Face-to-Face Study Abroad & Exchange programs have been postponed until 2022.

Alternative Virtual Exchange Opportunities can be found on our Virtual Overseas Experiences tab. For more information please contact Global.Mobility@utas.edu.au

Find out more about Student Exchange.

Units in this degree, including KGA331 Fire, Weeds and Ferals and KGA381 Environmental Impact Assessment involve you working with teams of students, undertaking intensive field work, and producing natural environment management plans. These plans are often utilised by the owners and managers of the land on which the students are assessing, providing direct benefit to the environment and community while you study.