Postgraduate: Course rule and topic information
Master of
Biodiversity
(MBiod)
INTRODUCTION
The Master of Biodiversity is a 72-unit program offered by the Faculty of Science and Engineering on a Commonwealth Supported basis.
The course articulates with the Graduate Certificate in Biodiversity and the Graduate Diploma in Biodiversity and the sequentially developed topics allow progression through the three awards. Candidates who have completed either of these courses are awarded credit for related topics.
Up to 36 units of credit may be awarded to students with appropriate honours level studies. Up to 18 units of credit may be awarded to students with relevant professional experience.
COURSE AIMS
The primary aims of the masters degree are to provide:
- the mastery or overview of the field of biodiversity;
- increased specialisation within a systematic and coherent body of knowledge relating to biodiversity,
- in-depth knowledge of a specific area of biodiversity study, obtained through a combination of coursework and research; and
- vocational knowledge and skills in the field of biological diversity for environmental professionals.
The expected learning outcomes for the masters degree include:
- detailed knowledge of the extent of the world's biodiversity and a critical awareness of the threat to biodiversity posed by human activities and current levels of extinction;
- an advanced level of knowledge of the biological principles underlying biodiversity assessment, conservation and management;
- detailed knowledge in a breadth of subject areas relating to biological diversity;
- the capacity to apply theory to the practical conservation of biological diversity;
- high level competence in a range of commonly employed field, laboratory and computational methods used in the study of biological diversity;
- high level competence in written and oral communication, problem-solving and critical thinking; and
- the knowledge and skills to undertake research, involving the selection of appropriate methodology, the analysis and review of research literature and the completion of a professional research project.
COURSE RULE
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Applicants who do not hold the Graduate Certificate in Biodiversity must hold an approved degree with appropriate biological content, or equivalent qualification from an approved tertiary institution.
Students without a BIOLOGY background should only be admitted to the Graduate Certificate.
PROGRAM OF STUDY
[November, 2007]
To qualify for the Master of Biodiversity, a student must complete 72 units with a grade of P or NGP or better in each topic, according to the following program of study.
Not all topics are necessarily available in a given year.
STREAM 1: TERRESTRIAL BIODIVERSITY
Students must complete the following core topic:
|
BIOD8004 |
Biodiversity Research Project B § |
18 |
plus 6 units from the following topics:
|
BIOD8003 |
Advanced Skills in Field Ecology *# |
6 |
|
BIOD8101 |
Conservation Biology and Restoration Ecology* |
6 |
plus 48 units from the following, of which at least 24 units must be chosen from the topics in Optional group A:
Optional group A
Optional group B
|
CPES8025 |
Environmental Water Chemistry GE |
6 |
|
CPES8035 |
Global Climate Change |
6 |
|
ENVS8009 |
Environmental Politics |
6 |
|
ENVS8013 |
Environmental Weed Management |
6 |
|
GEOG9012 |
Geographic Information Systems for Analysis and Management ## |
6 |
|
CUTU8101 |
Essentials of Festival and Event Management
|
6 |
|
CUTU8102 |
Festival and Event Design and Management Practice
|
6 |
|
CUTU8103 |
Applied Festival and Event Management
|
6 |
STREAM 2: MARINE BIODIVERSITY
Students must complete the following core topics:
plus 48 units from the following, of which at least 24 units must be chosen from the topics in Optional group A:
Optional group A
Optional group B
|
CPES8025 |
Environmental Water Chemistry GE |
6 |
|
CPES8035 |
Global Climate Change |
6 |
|
ENVS8009 |
Environmental Politics |
6 |
|
ENVS8013 |
Environmental Weed Management |
6 |
|
GEOG9012 |
Geographic Information Systems for Analysis and Management ## |
6 |
|
CUTU8101 |
Essentials of Festival and Event Management
|
6 |
|
CUTU8102 |
Festival and Event Design and Management Practice
|
6 |
|
CUTU8103 |
Applied Festival and Event Management
|
6 |
STREAM 3: ECOTOURISM AND BIODIVERSITY
Students must complete the following core topic:
|
BIOD8004 |
Biodiversity Research Project B § |
18 |
plus 6 units from the following topics:
|
BIOD8002 |
Ecotourism: Principles and Practice * |
6 |
|
BIOD8101 |
Conservation Biology and Restoration Ecology* |
6 |
plus 48 units from Optional groups A and B below, of which at least 24 units must be chosen from the topics in Optional group A:
Optional group A
Optional group B
|
CPES8025 |
Environmental Water Chemistry GE |
6 |
|
CPES8035 |
Global Climate Change |
6 |
|
ENVS8009 |
Environmental Politics |
6 |
|
ENVS8013 |
Environmental Weed Management |
6 |
|
GEOG9012 |
Geographic Information Systems for Analysis and Management ## |
6 |
|
CUTU8101 |
Essentials of Festival and Event Management
|
6 |
|
CUTU8102 |
Festival and Event Design and Management Practice
|
6 |
|
CUTU8103 |
Applied Festival and Event Management
|
6 |
* Any topic with an asterisk may also be taken as an elective topic if not taken as a core topic.
## requires prior completion of prerequisite GEOG3013
# Topic not offered in 2008.
§ Students may also elect to do this topic over a year by enrolling in the topic BIOD8004A Biodiversity Research Project B (9/18 units) in two consecutive semesters.
Except with permission of the Faculty Board:
- No topic may be attempted more than twice;
- A student may not include a topic which repeats work previously undertaken at the undergraduate level.
There will be some variation in the configuration and timing of the coursework topics, including some topics offered in intensive workshop mode.
|
