Master of Science (Ecosystem Science) (MC-SCIECO)

You’re currently viewing the 2022 version of this course

Overview

Award title	Master of Science (Ecosystem Science)
Year & campus	2022
CRICOS code	094597K
Fees information	Subject EFTSL, level, discipline and census date
Study level & type	Graduate Coursework
AQF level	9
Credit points	200 credit points
Duration	24 months full-time or 48 months part-time

The Master of Science (Ecosystem Science) is a coursework degree that incorporates a substantial research project. This degree gives students the opportunity to undertake independent research in one or more fields of their choice within ecosystem science, plus a range of coursework subjects including a professional skills component, as a pathway to PhD study or the workforce.

This degree provides students with essential skills, knowledge and research training through a 125-point research project in one of the discipline areas represented in the School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences: these include conservation biology, ecology, ecophysiology, environmental psychology, environmental and landscape management, forest science, genetics, horticulture, hydrology and soil science.

The Master of Science (Ecosystem Science) offers students the flexibility to develop their own interests by selecting from a wide range of coursework subjects, including discipline core subjects and a professional skills module that provides high-level training in the areas of science communication, data analysis and modelling, ethics and/or leadership in science.

Links to further information

http://ecosystemforest.unimelb.edu.au/

Entry requirements

In order to be considered for entry, applicants must have completed:

an undergraduate degree with a major in Agricultural Science, Botany, Ecology, Environmental Science, Environmental Management, Environmental Studies, Environmental Engineering, Environmental Economics, Forest Science, Genetics, Geography, Geology, Hydrology, Environmental Psychology, Soil Science, or Zoology, and a weighted average mark of at least H3 (65%) in the best 50 points in that major or relevant discipline studies at third year.

Meeting these requirements does not guarantee selection.

In ranking applications, the Selection Committee will consider:

prior academic performance.

The Selection Committee may seek further information to clarify any aspect of an application in accordance with the Academic Board rules on the use of selection instruments.

Applicants are required to satisfy the university’s English language requirements for graduate courses. For those applicants seeking to meet these requirements by one of the standard tests approved by the Academic Board, performance band 6.5 is required.

Note:

Quotas may be applied and preference may be given to applicants with evidence of appropriate preparation or potential to undertake research.
Entry into this stream of the Master of Science (Ecosystem Science) is subject to the capacity of the department(s) or schools(s) to provide adequate supervision in a research project appropriate to the interests and preparation of the individual student and may be subject to the agreement of a member of academic staff to supervise the project module.

Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)

For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Description, Subject Objectives, Generic Skills and Assessment Requirements of this entry.The University is dedicated to providingsupport to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison Unit website. http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

Intended learning outcomes

On successful completion of this course, students should be able to:

Conduct independent research in one or more fields of ecosystem science;
Review and critically assess the scientific literature;
Formulate and evaluate hypotheses;
Design and conduct laboratory, field and/or social studies as appropriate to the field(s) of the research project;
Analyse and interpret data;
Clearly communicate scientific results in written and oral presentations to both specialist and non-specialist audiences.

Generic skills

The ability to manage time and projects
The ability to think independently and exercise high-level problem solving skills;
The ability to exercise critical judgement and operate in both a team environment and/or with a high level of personal autonomy and accountability
The ability to interact in a cross-cultural and interdisciplinary research environment

Graduate attributes

Graduates will:

Have the ability to demonstrate advanced independent critical enquiry, analysis and reflection;
Have a strong sense of intellectual integrity and the ethics of scholarship;
Have in-depth knowledge of their specialist discipline(s);
Reach a high level of achievement in writing, research or project activities, problem-solving and communication;
Be critical and creative thinkers, with an aptitude for continued self-directed learning;
Be able to examine critically, synthesise and evaluate knowledge across a broad range of disciplines;
Have a set of flexible and transferable skills for different types of employment; and
Be able to initiate and implement constructive change in their communities, including professions and workplaces.

Course structure

Students must complete a total of 200 credit points, comprised of:

Discipline Core subjects (25 pts)
Discipline Elective subjects (25 pts)
Professional Skills subjects (25 pts)
Research Project undertaken consecutively in sequence (125 pts)

Subject options

Discipline Core (25 points)

One of:

Code	Name	Study period	Credit Points
AGRI90075	Research Methods For Life Sciences	Semester 1 (Online)	12.5
NRMT90003	Social Research Methods	Semester 1 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville)	12.5
BIOL90002	Biometry	July (Dual-Delivery - Parkville)	12.5
MAST90007	Statistics for Research Workers	Winter Term (Dual-Delivery - Parkville)	12.5

and one of

Code	Name	Study period	Credit Points
EVSC90019	Graduate Seminar: Environmental Science	Semester 2 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville)	12.5
ZOOL90007	Graduate Seminar in Ecology & Evolution	No longer available

Discipline Electives (25 points)

Overview:

Students will select 25 points of discipline elective subjects appropriate to their research project, in consultation with their supervisor. A student may complete a third-year level subject if no suitable alternative is available at the graduate level. Students wishing to take a second-year subject or more than one third-year subject will need the approval of the MSc Coordinators and the Associate Dean.

Code	Name	Study period	Credit Points
		July (Dual-Delivery - Burnley) Semester 1 (Online) Semester 1 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville) Semester 2 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville) Semester 2 (Dual-Delivery - Burnley) Semester 1 (Early-Start) (Dual-Delivery - Parkville) September (Online) April (Dual-Delivery - Parkville) February (Online) Not available in 2022 September (On Campus - Burnley) August (On Campus - Parkville) Summer Term (Online) No longer available Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) Summer Term (On Campus - Parkville) Semester 1 (Dual-Delivery - Burnley) Semester 1 (On Campus - Burnley) February (Dual-Delivery - Burnley)
ABPL90337	Managing Urban Landscapes	July (Dual-Delivery - Burnley)	12.5
AGRI90075	Research Methods For Life Sciences	Semester 1 (Online)	12.5
DEVT90003	The Political Ecology of Development	Semester 1 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville)	12.5
ENST90002	Social Impact Assessment and Evaluation	Semester 2 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville)	12.5
ENST90004	Climate Change Politics and Policy	Semester 2 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville)	12.5
ENST90005	Environmental Policy	Semester 2 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville)	12.5
ERTH90028	Urban Soils, Substrates and Water	Semester 2 (Dual-Delivery - Burnley)	12.5
EVSC90015	Environmental Impact Assessment	Semester 1 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville)	12.5
FRST90015	Landscape Ecology	Semester 1 (Early-Start) (Dual-Delivery - Parkville)	12.5
FRST90017	Bushfire Planning & Management	September (Online)	12.5
ENST90044	Analysing Ecosystems and Their Values	Semester 1 (Early-Start) (Dual-Delivery - Parkville)	12.5
FRST90022	Ecosystem Processes of Water and Soil	April (Dual-Delivery - Parkville)	12.5
FRST90025	Patterns and Processes of Landscape Fire	February (Online)	12.5
FRST90030	Forests in the Asia Pacific Region	Not available in 2022	12.5
FRST90032	Forests, Carbon and Climate Change	September (On Campus - Burnley)	12.5
FRST90033	Farm Trees & Agroforestry	Semester 2 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville)	12.5
FRST90034	Ecological Restoration	August (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5
SCIE90027	Ecosystem Internship	Summer Term (Online) Semester 1 (Online) Semester 2 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville)	25
GEOG90003	Integrated River & Catchment Management	Semester 1 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville)	12.5
GEOG90008	Advanced Reading in Geography	No longer available
GEOG90018	Contemporary Geographical Thought	Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5
GEOG90019	Indigenous Land Management	Not available in 2022	12.5
GEOG90020	Risk Management and Citizen Science	Not available in 2022	12.5
GEOG90021	Conservation and Cultural Environments	Semester 1 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville)	12.5
GEOG90022	International Internship in Environment	Summer Term (On Campus - Parkville) Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) Semester 2 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville)	25
HORT90004	Plant Production and Establishment	Semester 2 (Dual-Delivery - Burnley)	12.5
HORT90008	Horticultural Plant Science	Semester 1 (Dual-Delivery - Burnley)	12.5
HORT90011	Therapeutic Landscapes	September (On Campus - Burnley)	12.5
HORT90033	Plants in the Landscape	Semester 1 (Dual-Delivery - Burnley)	12.5
HORT90038	Food Production for Urban Landscapes	Semester 1 (On Campus - Burnley)	12.5
HORT90039	Green Infrastructure for Liveable Cities	February (Dual-Delivery - Burnley)	12.5
HORT90046	Designing Green Roofs and Walls	Not available in 2022	12.5
NRMT90002	Biosecurity: Managing Invasive Species	Semester 2 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville)	12.5
NRMT90003	Social Research Methods	Semester 1 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville)	12.5
NRMT90007	Communities and Ecosystem Management	Semester 2 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville)	12.5
ENST90043	Sustainable Landscapes	Semester 1 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville)	12.5

Professional Skills (25 points)

Students will select two professional skills subjects (25 points). These may include:

Code	Name	Study period	Credit Points
		Semester 1 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville) Winter Term (Online) Semester 2 (Online) Semester 2 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville) Not available in 2022 No longer available
SCIE90013	Communication for Research Scientists	Semester 1 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville) Winter Term (Online) Semester 2 (Online)	12.5
SCIE90012	Science Communication	Semester 2 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville)	12.5
SCIE90005	Ethics and Responsibility in Science	Semester 1 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville)	12.5
MAST90045	Systems Modelling and Simulation	Semester 1 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville)	12.5
EVSC90020	Environmental Modelling	Semester 1 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville)	12.5
EDUC90839	Science in Schools	Not available in 2022	12.5
MGMT90171	Leadership in Science	Semester 1 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville)	12.5
PHYC90045	Introduction to Quantum Computing	No longer available
COMP90072	The Art of Scientific Computation	Semester 1 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville) Semester 2 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville)	12.5
ENST90045	Spatial Tools for Ecosystem Management	Semester 1 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville)	12.5

Research Project (125 points)

This project provides students with the opportunity to design and conduct independent research in one or more disciplines within the broad field of ecosystem science. Students will also develop skills in critically evaluating new knowledge within one or more scientific paradigms.

Specific research projects will depend upon the availability of appropriate expertise, but may address questions in conservation biology, ecology, ecophysiology, environmental psychology, environmental and landscape management, forest science, genetics, horticulture, hydrology and/or soil science.

Students will take responsibility for their own research project, including the design and management of field and/or laboratory experiments, where appropriate; collection, analysis and interpretation of data; and communication of research findings through oral and written presentations.

For full-time students (24 months), the project will be taken over four consecutive semesters and will begin on the Monday of semester of entry (semesters 1 or 2) and continue until the end of the fourth semester. Students will first enrol in Research Project in Ecosystem Science Part 1, and then progress through to Part 2, Part 3 and Part 4.

For part-time students (48 months), the project will be taken over five consecutive semesters and will begin on the Monday of semester of entry and continue until the end of the fifth semester. Students will first enrol in Research Project in Ecosystem Science Part 1, and then progress to Part 2, Part 3, Pt4 Cont. and Pt 5.

The Research Project thesis will be due for submission by the end of the formal examination period of the final semester of enrolment if an earlier date is not specified.

Students may only progress through their series of consecutive Research Project in Ecosystem Science subjects upon successful completion of earlier subject assessments.

End of Semester 1, a 4,000 word literature review (15% of final mark).
End of Semester 2, an oral presentation (10 minutes plus 5 minutes for questions (5% of final mark).
End of Semester 4 for full-time students, or end of Semester 5 for part-time students: a final, oral presentation (20 minutes plus 10 minutes for questions) (10% of final mark).
Exam period after Semester 4 for full-time students, or exam period after Semester 5 for part-time students: A research thesis (up to 20,000 words, as appropriate for the field of study and chosen format), either in traditional thesis format or manuscript format (70% of final mark).

Code	Name	Study period	Credit Points
EVSC90027	Research Project in Ecosystem Sci Part 1	Semester 1 (Extended) (Dual-Delivery - Parkville) Semester 2 (Extended) (Dual-Delivery - Parkville)	25
EVSC90028	Research Project in Ecosystem Sci Part 2	Semester 1 (Extended) (Dual-Delivery - Parkville) Semester 2 (Extended) (Dual-Delivery - Parkville)	25
EVSC90029	Research Project in Ecosystem Sci Part 3	Semester 1 (Extended) (Dual-Delivery - Parkville) Semester 2 (Extended) (Dual-Delivery - Parkville)	25
EVSC90030	Research Project in Ecosystem Sci Part 4	Semester 1 (Early-Start) (Dual-Delivery - Parkville) Semester 2 (Early-Start) (Dual-Delivery - Parkville)	50

For Part Time Course Enrolments:

Code	Name	Study period	Credit Points
EVSC90038	Research Project Ecosystem Sci Pt4 Cont.	Semester 1 (Extended) (Dual-Delivery - Parkville) Semester 2 (Extended) (Dual-Delivery - Parkville)	25
EVSC90039	Research Project Ecosystem Sci Pt5	Semester 1 (Early-Start) (Dual-Delivery - Parkville) Semester 2 (Early-Start) (Dual-Delivery - Parkville)	25

Last updated: 21 February 2025