Environmental SciencesSubject regulations

Environmental Sciences are interdisciplinary with a focus on ecology, soil and water environments and

Environmental Sciences is available as a first major for the Bachelor of Climate Change (BCC), Bachelor of Science (BSc) and Bachelor of Science (Technology) (BSc(Tech)). Environmental Sciences may also be taken as a second major or minor in other undergraduate degrees, subject to approval of the Division in which the student is enrolled.

To complete Environmental Sciences as a single major for the BCC, BSc and BSc(Tech), students must gain 135 points including EARTH101, ENVSC101, ENVSC201 and ENVPL303; one of BIOEB202 or BIOMO203; one of CHEMY204 or ENVSC202; one of EARTH221, EARTH231 or EARTH241; and two papers in different subject areas from BIOEB303, BIOEB304, BIOEB305, BIOMO303, CHEMY304, EARTH313, EARTH321, EARTH322, EARTH331, EARTH341, EARTH342, or ENVSC302.

To complete Environmental Sciences as part of a double major for the BCC, BSc, BSc(Tech) or other undergraduate degree, students must gain 120 points including EARTH101, ENVSC101, ENVSC201 and ENVPL303; one of BIOEB202 or BIOMO203; one of CHEMY204 or ENVSC202; one of EARTH221, EARTH231 or EARTH241; one of BIOEB303, BIOEB304, BIOEB305, BIOMO303, CHEMY304, EARTH313, EARTH321, EARTH322, EARTH331, EARTH341, EARTH342 or ENVSC302.

To complete a minor in Environmental Sciences, students must complete 60 points from the papers listed for the Environmental Sciences major, including at least 30 points above 100 level. Students must include ENVSC101 and ENVSC201.

Note:

Students who commenced a major in Environmental Sciences in 2017 or prior should contact the Division of STEM for programme advice.

Other qualifications

Prescriptions for:

A Graduate Certificate and Graduate Diploma are available to graduates who have not included Environmental Sciences at an advanced level in their first degree.
For further details, contact the Division of STEM Office.
To complete a postgraduate subject in Environmental Sciences, students must complete a minimum of 60 points (for PGDip a minimum of 90 points) of taught papers in the subject at 500 level, including at least 30 points with an ENVSC prefix from the papers in List A, and a maximum of 30 points from the papers in List B. They must also complete any research requirement for their degree, typically SCIEN520 (45 points), SCIEN523 (45 points), ENVSC592 (60 points) or ENVSC594 (120 points), as well as any other degree requirements. Candidates should select their papers in consultation with the Postgraduate Convenor and enrolment in BSc(Hons) is only by invitation of the Postgraduate Convenor.
List A papers are: ENVSC501, ENVSC502, ENVSC503, ENVSC504 and ENVSC505.
List B papers are: BIOEB502, BIOEB503, BIOEB504, BIOEB505, BIOEB506, BIOMO503, BIOMO512, CHEMY503, EARTH501, EARTH502, EARTH503, EARTH504, EARTH505, EARTH506, ENGEV544, ENGEV545, SCIEN501, SCIEN502, SCIEN503, SCIEN511, SCIEN512 and SCIEN589.
NOTE:
[1] The MSc(Tech) will not be offered in 2025.
The Doctor of Philosophy is a three year research-based degree in which students undertake a programme of approved and supervised research that leads to a thesis which critically investigates an approved topic of substance and significance, demonstrates expertise in the methods of research and scholarship, displays intellectual independence and makes a substantial original contribution to the subject area concerned, and is of publishable quality.

Environmental Sciences papers

Code and paper title	Points	Occurrence/Location The study locations.
BIOEB102Introduction to Ecology and Biodiversity - Mātai Hauropi a Kanorau Koiora An introduction to the principles of ecology and biodiversity. Topics include population, community and ecosystem ecology, conservation biology, and...	15	25B (Hamilton) & 25B (Tauranga)
CHEMY100Chemistry in Context - Matū o te Ao This paper covers a broad range of chemical concepts that are fundamental to the sciences and engineering. A strong emphasis is made to teach...	15	25A (Hamilton) & 25A (Tauranga)
CHEMY101Structure and Spectroscopy - Tūramaramatia i ngā Hanganga A theoretical and practical course covering aspects of analytical and inorganic chemistry. This course is required for the chemistry major. He pepa...	15	25A (Hamilton)
EARTH101Introduction to Earth System Sciences - Pūtaiao Pūnaha Whenua A lecture and laboratory paper that explores the interacting processes that affect the surface of the Earth, producing landforms and resources, with...	15	25A (Hamilton) & 25A (Tauranga)
ENVSC101Environmental Science - Pūtaiao Taiao A scientific study of the interaction between humans and the environment including climate change, utilisation and exploitation of natural resources...	15	25B (Hamilton) & 25B (Tauranga)

Code and paper title	Points	Occurrence/Location The study locations.
BIOEB202Principles of Ecology This paper covers the principles of ecology, including adaptation to the environment, intra- and inter-specific interactions, community and ecosystem...	15	25B (Hamilton) & 25B (Tauranga)
BIOMO202Genetics This paper deals with genetics in the widest sense from the molecular and cellular to the applied and evolutionary. Both prokaryote and eukaryote...	15	25A (Hamilton)
BIOMO203Microbiology This paper will focus on microbial cell structure, function, and metabolism. Content and context will be drawn from both human and environmental...	15	25A (Hamilton)
CHEMY204Analytical Chemistry This paper covers aspects of analytical chemistry including statistical methods and techniques such as high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC...	15	25A (Hamilton)
EARTH221Soil Science An introduction to the nature, formation, and classification of soils, their physical, chemical, mineralogical, and biological properties, and issues...	15	25B (Hamilton)
EARTH231Water Resources, Weather and Climate Introduction to atmospheric and hydrological processes affecting water resources in Aotearoa / New Zealand, including the distribution of water in...	15	25A (Hamilton)
EARTH241Oceanography This paper introduces students to the broad scale properties, issues, and research importance of the global ocean via the main disciplines of...	15	25B (Hamilton) & 25B (Tauranga)
ENVSC201Environmental Monitoring An introduction to reasons for, and design and implementation of, environmental monitoring in New Zealand. Skills in data collection, management...	15	25B (Hamilton) & 25B (Tauranga)
ENVSC202Environmental Chemistry and Geochemistry This paper is a broad introduction into environmental chemistry and geochemistry including the formation of the elements, chemical evolution of...	15	25A (Hamilton) & 25A (Tauranga)

Code and paper title	Points	Occurrence/Location The study locations.
BIOEB303Terrestrial Ecology This paper explores ecological theory to understand the dynamics, functioning, and restoration of terrestrial ecosystems in New Zealand and across...	15	25A (Hamilton)
BIOEB304Freshwater Ecology Freshwater ecology is the study of how organisms in freshwater ecosystems interact with each other and their environment. This paper will introduce...	15	25A (Hamilton) & 25A (Tauranga)
BIOEB305Marine Ecology An introduction to the structure and functioning of marine ecosystems. The paper explores the fundamentals of ecology (e.g. disturbance/recovery...	15	25B (Hamilton) & 25B (Tauranga)
CHEMY304Advanced Analytical Chemistry This paper covers advanced aspects of analytical chemistry including mass spectrometry, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS...	15	25B (Hamilton)
EARTH313Engineering Geology Engineering Geology is the application of the principles of Earth Sciences to ensure hazards associated with landslides or unfavourable soil and rock...	15	25A (Hamilton)
EARTH322Soil and Water Management This paper integrates an understanding of land/soil and water processes that occur at paddock to catchment to national scales. A focus is on...	15	25A (Hamilton)
EARTH331Hydrology This paper examines aspects of the hydrological cycle at a regional scale, focussing on catchments in the North Island of Aotearoa New Zealand...	15	25B (Hamilton)
EARTH341Coastal Oceanography This paper focuses on the physical oceanography of the coastal zone. Topics include estuarine circulation, wind driven currents on the shelf...	15	25A (Hamilton) & 25A (Tauranga)
ENVPL303Environmental Assessment and Policy This is a project-based paper that provides an understanding of how environmental assessments are prepared, and used to assist decision-making and...	15	25B (Hamilton)

Code and paper title	Points	Occurrence/Location The study locations.
LEGAL434Environmental Law This paper examines the foundations and principles of environmental and resource management law, their expression in key areas (biodiversity, climate...	15	25A (Hamilton) & 25A (Tauranga)

Code and paper title	Points	Occurrence/Location The study locations.
BIOEB503Terrestrial Ecology This paper aims to develop students' understanding of ecological theory with a focus on terrestrial ecosystems, and of how theory can inform...	15	25A (Hamilton)
BIOEB504Freshwater Ecology This paper explores how advances in ecological theory and scientific methods can deliver new insights into the structure and functioning of...	15	25A (Hamilton)
BIOEB505Coastal and Estuarine Ecology This paper emphasises multi-disciplinary science to better understand the functioning of soft-sediment ecosystems. The course will cover ecological...	15	25X (Block)
BIOEB506Environmental Physiology An examination of selected topics in environmental physiology, considering how animals and plants interact with their environment and influence...	15	25B (Hamilton)
BIOMO503Microbiomes This paper explores microbiomes in the environment and in association with multicellular organisms, including humans, to understand their critical...	15	25A (Hamilton)
BIOMO512Molecular Techniques for Environmental Science This paper will introduce students of diverse scientific backgrounds to current and emerging molecular analytic and diagnostic techniques used across...	15	25B (Hamilton)
CHEMY503Analytical Methodology An advanced study of analytical methodology and instrumental techniques, this will investigate sample extraction techniques, and instrument choice...	15	25A (Hamilton)
EARTH501Volcanic Techniques and Applications This paper investigates geological techniques used to reconstruct eruption processes and histories, and their application to society, including...	15	25B (Hamilton)
EARTH503Coastal Processes: Analysis and Prediction This paper considers techniques to predict coastal processes for management and research, including assessment of which processes to observe, how to...	15	25A (Hamilton)
EARTH504Geohazard Risk This seminar paper evaluates the methodologies used to characterise risk associated with geohazards, and assesses the impact of strategies employed...	15	25B (Hamilton)
EARTH506Sedimentary Geology A paper that builds on the foundational knowledge of sedimentary geology established at the undergraduate level. It focuses on examining the...	15	25A (Hamilton)
ENVSC502Conservation and Restoration: Theory and Practice This paper examines the application of scientific principles and theories in conservation biology and restoration ecology, with particular reference...	15	25A (Hamilton)
ENVSC503Greenhouse Gas Fluxes from Land Processes and factors controlling exchanges of water, carbon and greenhouse gases in natural or managed ecosystems, methodologies to quantify them...	15	25A (Hamilton)
ENVSC504Pollution and Environmental Contaminants This paper examines the ecological effects of chemical and non-chemical pollution. Analysing online databases and the scientific literature provides...	15	25B (Hamilton)
ENVSC505Environmental Systems: Biogeosciences across Scales This paper examines how core concepts in the multidisciplinary field of biogeochemistry provide a systems understanding across scales.	15	25B (Online)
ENVSC592Dissertation A report on the findings of a theoretical or empirical investigation - 60 points.	60	25X (Hamilton) & 25X (Tauranga)
ENVSC594Environmental Sciences Thesis An externally examined piece of written work that reports on the findings of supervised research - 120 points.	120	25X (Hamilton) & 25X (Tauranga)
SCIEN501Science Research Methods This paper is an introduction to professional practice as a scientist and is required for MSc(Res) degree students. This paper may be taken by MSc...	15	25A (Hamilton) & 25A (Tauranga) & 25B (Hamilton) & 25B (Tauranga)
SCIEN502Science and Mātauranga Māori This paper will provide science students with a foundational understanding of both scientific and Mātauranga Māori perspectives on topical issues and...	15	25A (Hamilton) & 25A (Tauranga)
SCIEN503Science Communication in Society and the Workplace This paper discusses ways in which science can be communicated by scientists to others. It includes interacting with mainstream media, how to...	15	25C (Hamilton)
SCIEN512Data Analysis and Experimental Design This paper covers aspects of research design for experiments, and methods for analysis of scientific data using modern statistical techniques.	15	25A (Hamilton)
SCIEN520Dissertation A report on the findings of a theoretical or empirical investigation, in the form of an individual project based on the analysis of existing data.	45	25X (Hamilton) & 25X (Tauranga)
SCIEN523Dissertation A report on the findings of a theoretical or empirical investigation, in the form of a project based on the analysis of existing data. All students...	45	25C (Hamilton)
SCIEN589Directed Study	15	25A (Hamilton) & 25A (Tauranga) & 25B (Hamilton) & 25B (Tauranga) & 25C (Hamilton) & 25C (Tauranga)

Code and paper title	Points	Occurrence/Location The study locations.
ENVSC800Environmental Sciences MPhil Thesis	120	25X (Hamilton)

Code and paper title	Points	Occurrence/Location The study locations.
ENVSC900Environmental Sciences PhD Thesis	120	25I (Hamilton) & 25J (Hamilton) & 25K (Hamilton) & 25X (Hamilton) & 25X (Tauranga)

2025 Catalogue of Papers information current as of 23 Jun 2025 01:00am

Environmental SciencesSubject regulations

Other qualifications

GradCert(EnvSc) and GradDip(EnvSc)

PGCert(EnvSci), PGDip(EnvSci), BSc(Hons), MSc, MSc(Res) and MSc(Tech) [1]

PhD

Environmental Sciences papers