Earth and Environmental Science

What is Earth and Environmental Science?

Salt Lake
Salt Lake. Photo: © Peter Jones.

Earth and environmental science is the study of the Earth and its processes. An understanding of the natural environment is fundamental to any study of smaller or specific local environments. Studies in earth and environmental science explore changes that have occurred during the Earth's history, the evolution of life on Earth and provide an understanding of aquatic and terrestrial environments.

Earth and environmental science is structured around the themes of air, water, land, biota, people, policy and technology with an integrated environmental management perspective.

Earth and environmental science can be subdivided into many specialist areas including:

Combining several disciplines has lead to the development of new areas of research and jobs including: urban ecology, environmental forensics, and comparative planetology.

Careers

Because of the diversity of this field of science there are many areas that students can specialise in. As humans become more aware of their impact on the natural environment there is an increasing demand for people with knowledge of the Earth, environment and the impact of natural and human interactions with them.

Career options for students with a geological background include professional environmental scientist, a geologist in petroleum and minerals exploration, groundwater management, marine science, environmental management or engineering geology.

University Courses

Teacher Resources