Bachelor of Environment & Sustainability
Overview
Maintaining the balance between our environment and human development is challenging. The future needs you to work on sustainable solutions to issues including increasing biodiversity loss, urbanisation and climate change.
The Bachelor of Environment and Sustainability is a contemporary degree, covering environmental science, policy and social sciences, allowing you to address the complex challenges of sustainability by giving you a broad environmental education.
You will study in our world renowned Fenner School of Environment and Society; a world-leading centre for interdisciplinary research on the conservation and management of Australia's distinctive biodiversity.
Combine a Bachelor of Environment & Sustainability with a selected Masters by coursework and enter the workforce with an internationally recognised postgraduate qualification. Most Vertical Double Degrees pathways can be completed in 4 years. View the pathway options here.
Program details
This program has been specially designed to give you a broad environmental education, teaching you to link the natural and social sciences with their applications in environmental conservation and sustainable resource management. The select majors in this degree will enable you to focus your studies in the area that most interests you. You will have the option of applying for an Honours year towards the end of your third year of study.
If you enjoy the great outdoors and are passionate about keeping them pristine for future generations, this degree will teach you to be an effective environmental scientist and natural resource manager, helping you to meet the sustainability challenges and opportunities facing us this century.
Key facts
- #1 in Australia for Natural Sciences (QS 2024)
- #1 in Australia for Environmental Sciences (THE 2024)
- 5 star rating for Agriculture & Environmental Studies (Good Universities Guide)
- 3 years full-time
- Semester 1 & 2 intake
- #1 in Australia for graduate employability (Times Higher Education)
Testimonials
Jharna Chamlagai
“In my Bachelor of Laws (Honours)/Bachelor of Environment and Sustainability, I really liked the intersection of environment, which is hands-on, and law, which is quite textbook. Looking at climate policy and climate action, it was really great to consider what are the legal activities that we could be doing in this space?"
Montana Coombes
"As part of my Bachelor of Environment and Sustainability, I had the privilege of studying ‘The Future of Food’ over the winter break at Yale University in the US. My favourite part was seeing the National Botanic Gardens in Washington. This was not only super cool, but it complemented my study experience, providing me with a visual understanding of how different environmental sectors in the US work."
Careers
Explore a range of careers as diverse as the environment itself.
- Policymaking within government
- Water resources management
- Urban planning and sustainability
- Fire management
- International development
- Food security consulting
- Climate change consulting
The Australian National University has been ranked as the top university for graduate employability in Australia in the Global University Employability Ranking 2023-24 As a student at ANU, you gain access to the ANU CareerHub – an online career development and employability tool that includes a jobs board and careers resources. You also have access to drop-in chats with a career consultant and to attend our career fairs to meet potential employers.
Learning experience
What are you doing? You might not even know what your dream job is yet
Jonah Lafferty shares how he came to be stepping straight from his university graduation into his “dream job”.
Read Jonah's story
How an internship can jump-start your environmental start-up
Sherbaz Hashmi says his current career trajectory was shaped by an internship he completed as part of his Bachelor of Environment and Sustainability.
Read Sherbaz’s story
Ask a geologist: Where would you go with a time machine?
Aspiring geologist Seb Bland sits down with his ‘future self’ Professor Jochen Brocks to find out what his life will be like thirty years from now.
Watch the video
Mulligans Flat - Goorooyarroo nature reserves
In partnership with the ACT Government and CSIRO, ANU researchers are working to improve box-gum grassy woodland for biodiversity.
Check out Mulligan's FlatFees & scholarships
Scholarships
Whether you are looking for financial support to start your studies at ANU or help to move away from home for the first time, we have scholarship opportunities for you and your situation.
Key people
Dr Matthew Brookhouse
Dr Matthew Brookhouse teaches first-year research methods at the Fenner School of Envionment and Society, with an emphasis on real-world applications.
Matthew is well-known for the innovative learning activities which break down the traditional barriers between researchers, teachers and students. For his outstanding teaching, he has received both an ANU Vice-Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Education and an Australian Award for University Teaching.
Matthew’s own research is in dendrochronology, silviculture, wood anatomy and plant physiology.
Convenors
Associate Professor Lorrae Van Kerkhoff, Program convener
Lorrae convenes the Bachelor of Environment and Sustainability degree program, teaches undergraduate students, and supervises graduate students.
Her research brings together concepts from science and technology studies with sustainability science. She is particularly interested in knowledge governance and its relationship to social-ecological change.
As well as her PhD research at ANU, Lorrae has conducted research at the National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, and the Harvard Center for International Development.
How to apply
Understand the how to apply steps
Visit the domestic undergraduate applications page to prepare for your application to ANU.
Domestic undergraduate applicationsUnderstand the how to apply steps
Visit the international undergraduate applications page to prepare for your application to ANU.
International undergraduate applications