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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.

Read program handbook

Key facts

Testimonials

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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

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 2022. 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.

Thomas Sloan

Tom Sloan, CEO of Sustineo

After completing his ANU degree in sustainability, Tom tutored at the Fenner School of Environment and Society before starting as a consultant at project management firm Sustineo. He is now CEO.

Field trips

Get out of the classroom (or the lab) and into the field. As a science student you will get practical experience at sites around Australia including the snowy mountains, the coral reef and our coastal campus.

Read more

Internships

As an intern, you will get hands on work experience that will put you ahead of the competition when it’s time to graduate. And did we mention you’ll get credit towards your degree?

Read more

Vertical double degree pathways available

Combine an undergraduate degree with a Masters by coursework and enter the workforce with an internationally recognised postgraduate qualification.

See combinations

Learning experience

Joanh

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
sherbaz hashmi

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
Video thumbnail, text reads geology

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
Adrian

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 Flat

Fees & scholarships

Fees

Please visit the Programs and Courses website for information about fees.

View fees

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.

Explore all ANU scholarships
Science precinct at ANU at twilight

360 Virtual tours

Ever wondered what the science buildings and facilities at the ANU look like from the inside? Take yourself on a 360 tour and find out.

Choose a tour

Key people

Matthew Brookhouse

Dr Matthew Brookhouse

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

Associate Professor Lorrae Van Kerkhoff, Program convener

Associate professor lorrae van kerkhoff

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 applications

Understand the how to apply steps

Visit the international undergraduate applications page to prepare for your application to ANU.

International undergraduate applications
 

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