Overview
With a Master of Environment, you will develop the skills and knowledge to work on big environmental problems facing the world today. Our award-winning researchers from the Fenner School of Environment and Society, a world-leading centre of research and learning, will tailor learning to meet your professional interests and needs.
Choose from a range of areas to study including biodiversity conservation, climate science and policy, disasters, environmental policy, environmental studies and human ecology, geography, natural resource management, sustainability science, and water science and management. You will graduate with in-depth expertise in one area of study.
Advanced program
In the Advanced program, you will develop research expertise through completing a substantial research project supervised by an academic, which constitutes appropriate research training for a PhD.
Commonwealth Supported Places (CSP) are available for the Advanced version of this program.
Key facts
- #1 in Australia for Environmental Sciences (THE 2024)
- 5 star rating for Agriculture & Environmental Studies (Good Universities Guide)
- 2 years full time
- #1 in Australia for graduate employability (Times Higher Education)
- Commonwealth Supported Places (CSP) are available for the Advanced version of this program
Testimonials
Mae Noble
“It was great having interdisciplinary choices during the coursework part of my degree. I really liked that I could take classes from other departments across campus and within the Fenner School, to pull together a program that addressed my knowledge gaps, and have them count directly towards my degree. Getting exposure to the many things that ANU had to offer gave me a good foundation for my PhD.”
Hana Camelia
"My favourite experience during my Masters was when I was doing my thesis and I was able to be supervised by amazing researchers. I had a chance to do the lab work and process real coral data (which is really cool!). Right now I'm preparing for my PhD in Germany which will be about paleoclimate research using corals taken from the Andaman Sea."
Careers
Graduating from the Master of Environment will make you highly employable. The degree will enhance your existing skills and expertise, building on your undergraduate experience to retrain for a new career, or provide you with new tools and insight into your work or study ambitions.
As a graduate, you will be ready for work in senior and specialised roles addressing the environment and its management in Australia and across the world, including:
- Project Management
- Research and Analysis
- Education and Community Awareness
- Policy.
Many graduates of the Master of Environment are employed in policy-making within local, state and federal governments, water resource management, environmental management, urban planning and sustainability, climate change adaptation consulting, and applied research science.
Our recent graduates hold roles such as Assistant Director at the Federal Department of the Environment and Energy, Manager of Hydrology and Flood Risk at JBA Consulting (UK), Project Officer at the Conservation Council - ACT Region, and lecturer positions at universities in Vietnam, Indonesia, southern Africa and South Asia.
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.
Changing careers
Victoria Clark was working in architecture when she returned to uni for her Master of Environment. After graduation, she secured a role as Policy Officer at the Murray-Darling Basin Authority.
“My research and time overseas was especially valuable for responding to the job selection criteria. I could show I had both the studies and the experience. I also improved my writing skills and got a broad education covering environmental law, sustainable development and biodiversity conservation. I was worried about finding work in my new field once I finished my degree, but I submitted my thesis in August and started my new job in November.”
Learning experience
Ask a student: Yen Le's Masters experience
Yen Le is studying the Master of Environment program at the Fenner School of Environment and Society.
Read about Yen Le's experience
Get out of the classroom
From the Snowy Mountains to the sea, the Murray to the Mekong, take the opportunity of a field trip as part of your degree.
Explore our field trips
The advantage of long-term field sites
We maintain over 100 long-term field sites, including the Mulligan's Flat-Goorooyaroo Woodland Experiment and the Victorian Central Highlands Research program. These sites help us fulfill our mission to conserve Australia’s distinctive biodiversity.
Long-term research at Booderee National Park
Fees & scholarships
Fees
Please visit the Programs and Courses website for information about fees.
View fees View fees for advanced programScholarships
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.
Convenors
Dr Sara Beavis
Sara’s research interests include environmental geology, gully and stream bank erosion in agricultural and forest systems, salinisation, hydrology, acid sulphate soils, hydrological impacts and policy relating to farm dams.
How to apply
Understand the how to apply steps
Visit the international postgraduate applications page to prepare for your application to ANU.
International postgraduate applicationsUnderstand the how to apply steps
Visit the domestic postgraduate applications page to prepare for your application to ANU.
Domestic postgraduate applications