Interested in studying a Master of Environmental Management and Sustainability (formerly Master of Environmental Management) and wondering if this postgraduate degree is right for you? Let alumna Ashleigh Smith give you an insight into her experience.
What to expect from the Master of Environmental Management and Sustainability
With a focus on Sustainability, the Master of Environmental Management and Sustainability is the only degree of its kind in South Australia. Covering environmental policies, strategies and management systems, the degree will equip its graduates with all the skills and knowledge required for environmental managers.
Originally from Queensland, Ashleigh wanted to undertake her postgraduate studies elsewhere to gain another perspective on the environmental field. She chose Flinders. At Flinders, case studies draw on experience in Australia but also in the Asia-Pacific region.
“I had a really great group of lecturers across the course who had excellent experience and knowledge on their topics. They challenged my thoughts, provided great insight into their topics as well as provided great examples of the concepts they were teaching.
“It was a great experience due to the diverse group of students I was able to study alongside. It provided a great opportunity to see environmental perspectives from across the world. Teaching staff made every opportunity to bring these perspectives into tutorial groups. Studying at Flinders was also beautiful – Bedford Park is a great campus.”
“Just overall, it was a great experience and I’m so thankful I did it.”
Career options after graduating with a Master of Environmental Management and Sustainability
With a Master of Environmental Management and Sustainability, you can get into a wide range of fields within and also beyond environmental management and sustainable development – think:
- Climate Change Analyst
- Environmental Consultant
- Policy Officer
- Demographer
- And many more.
Straight after graduating, Ashleigh kicked off her career as an Environmental Officer for an environmental consultancy company and then moved into a government job.
“I now work as an Environmental Officer for the Department of Environment and Science in Queensland. The advice I was given, the education I received and in particular a lecture in which Professor Bev Clarke introduced environmental consultants, really guided me into knowing I definitely wanted to work as an environmental officer and stay in the field of environmental management.
“The support and guidance I received throughout undertaking my thesis were invaluable. Undertaking subjects such as sustainable environmental management, project governance and legislation relevant to environmental health have greatly assisted me during my career so far.”
Practical experiences during the degree
As part of this postgraduate degree, students have the opportunity to participate in field schools and take skill-based topics such as Environmental Impact Assessment and Geographical Information Systems along with a research project.
Ashleigh loved taking part in a field school during her studies, “I had an amazing field trip opportunity to visit Christie Walk to view an ecologically sustainable community. It was really valuable in reinforcing the concepts taught in lectures.”
Study a postgraduate degree in Sustainability
Besides the Master of Environmental Management and Sustainability, Flinders University offers another Master focussing on Sustainability, the Master of Sustainable Development.
Whichever Flinders postgraduate Sustainability degree you choose, you’ll be setting the foundation for a career that may change our future.