Soil, water and energy

Personalised by

Use this icon to personalise the page to your pathway, preferred campus and study level.

Personalisation is not available through private browsing.

In the soil, water and energy discipline, we focus on the interaction between humans and the natural environment, with the aim of securing food, water and energy for communities now and in the future without compromising our planet's delicate ecological balance. With global populations rising to over 7 billion, it has never been more important to understand our interaction with the environment, including our management of natural resources and the by-products of human activity.

Skip to degrees

Mature Student Open Evenings

Get advice on starting uni as a mature student. 21, 23 & 24 January.

Reserve your place

Study environment and science at Griffith

Learn outside the classroom

At Griffith we offer a range of flexible and innovative programs that get you out of the classroom. Depending on what you study, you could find yourself studying wildlife in Nepal or alpine plants in the Australian Alps.

Practical experience in Australia and overseas

Through our unique employability program, including final year projects, you'll gain hands-on experience with local and international industry partners and be prepared to enter a wide range of careers.

Combine with data science

From 2019 you can combine your science or environmental science degree with our unique data science degree. Broaden your career options and develop a specialised skillset that can be applied to your chosen major of study. Data science skills are in demand across many professions and will prepare you for a broad range of opportunities in the future world of work.

5-Star Rated

Science and environment at Griffith has rated 5-stars for Overall Experience and Student Support by the Good Universities Guide 2018, a leading independent provider of high-quality education and career information.

Committed to sustainability

With teaching focused on natural, social and economic aspects of the environment, Griffith is committed to sustainability. As a graduate, you'll have the skills and knowledge to manage ecosystems, monitor water quality and carry out environmental assessments.

Nature Index Rising Star

Griffith researchers are providing scientific solutions to global challenges through our research. Griffith was named in Nature, the world’s leading multidisciplinary science journal, as the Nature Index Rising Star for the Oceania region in 2018.

Victoria Crepin

Bachelor of Environmental Science

‘The highlights of my university experience were the field trips. I loved going out in the field and completing experiments from scratch. I got to go to amazing locations including Stradbroke Island, Bowra Wildlife Sanctuary and Maliau Basin. It gave me invaluable work experience’.

Study options

{"query":null,"originalQuery":null,"collection":{"id":"gu-study-programs","profiles":{"_default":{"id":"_default","facetedNavConfConfig":null,"padreOpts":null},"_default_preview":{"id":"_default_preview","facetedNavConfConfig":null,"padreOpts":null},"datasource":{"id":"datasource","facetedNavConfConfig":null,"padreOpts":null}},"facetedNavigationConfConfig":null,"facetedNavigationLiveConfig":null,"textMinerBlacklist":[],"metaComponents":[],"type":"local"},"profile":"_default","clive":null,"form":"simple","cnClickedCluster":null,"cnPreviousClusters":[],"metaParameters":["+discipline:0137|T:Single|B:|W:|J:"],"systemMetaParameters":[],"additionalParameters":{"personalise":["yes"],"city":[""],"num_ranks":["1000"],"origin":["36.0,138.0"],"REMOTE_ADDR":["43.245.40.213"],"REQUEST_URI":["/s/search.json"],"fmo":["on"],"sort":["title"],"REQUEST_URL":["http://search.griffith.edu.au/s/search.json?personalise=yes&num_ranks=1000&city=&sort=title&collection=gu-study-programs&query_and=discipline%3A0137%7CT%3ASingle%7CB%3A%7CW%3A%7CJ%3A&location=&fmo=on"],"HTTP_HOST":["search.griffith.edu.au"],"location":[""]},"environmentVariables":{"REMOTE_ADDR":"43.245.40.213","REQUEST_URI":"/s/search.json","HTTP_HOST":"search.griffith.edu.au","REQUEST_URL":"http://search.griffith.edu.au/s/search.json?personalise=yes&num_ranks=1000&city=&sort=title&collection=gu-study-programs&query_and=discipline%3A0137%7CT%3ASingle%7CB%3A%7CW%3A%7CJ%3A&location=&fmo=on"},"dynamicQueryProcessorOptions":["-qlog_file=/opt/funnelback/data/gu-study-programs/live/log/queries-griff-funnelback01.log","-username=bc280c2c-b4f9-4cec-ae75-df3e18872ce8"],"userKeys":[],"selectedFacets":[],"selectedCategoryValues":{},"facetsQueryConstraints":[],"facetsGScopeConstraints":null,"impersonated":false,"requestId":"43.245.40.213","rawInputParameters":{"personalise":["yes"],"query_and":["discipline:0137|T:Single|B:|W:|J:"],"HTTP_HOST":["search.griffith.edu.au"],"city":[""],"num_ranks":["1000"],"REMOTE_ADDR":["43.245.40.213"],"REQUEST_URI":["/s/search.json"],"fmo":["on"],"location":[""],"sort":["title"],"collection":["gu-study-programs"],"REQUEST_URL":["http://search.griffith.edu.au/s/search.json?personalise=yes&num_ranks=1000&city=&sort=title&collection=gu-study-programs&query_and=discipline%3A0137%7CT%3ASingle%7CB%3A%7CW%3A%7CJ%3A&location=&fmo=on"]},"inputParameterMap":{"city":"","fmo":"on","REQUEST_URL":"http://search.griffith.edu.au/s/search.json?personalise=yes&num_ranks=1000&city=&sort=title&collection=gu-study-programs&query_and=discipline%3A0137%7CT%3ASingle%7CB%3A%7CW%3A%7CJ%3A&location=&fmo=on","personalise":"yes","sort":"title","collection":"gu-study-programs","location":"","query_and":"discipline:0137|T:Single|B:|W:|J:","HTTP_HOST":"search.griffith.edu.au","REQUEST_URI":"/s/search.json","num_ranks":"1000","REMOTE_ADDR":"43.245.40.213"},"questionType":"SEARCH","locale":"en_US","location":{"areaCode":0,"city":null,"countryCode":"JP","countryName":"Japan","dmaCode":0,"latitude":36,"longitude":138,"metroCode":0,"postalCode":null,"region":null},"hostname":null,"queryStringMapCopy":{"personalise":["yes"],"query_and":["discipline:0137|T:Single|B:|W:|J:"],"city":[""],"num_ranks":["1000"],"fmo":["on"],"location":[""],"sort":["title"],"collection":["gu-study-programs"]},"extraSearch":false}

Degrees	Campus	OP rank
Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)	Nathan	12
Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)	Gold Coast	12
Bachelor of Environmental Science	Nathan	15
Bachelor of Environmental Science	Gold Coast	15
Bachelor of Science	Gold Coast	15
Bachelor of Science	Nathan	15
Bachelor of Science (Honours)	Nathan
Bachelor of Science (Honours)	Gold Coast
Bachelor of Science Advanced (Honours)	Gold Coast Nathan	6
Bachelor of Urban and Environmental Planning	Gold Coast	15
Bachelor of Urban and Environmental Planning	Nathan	15
Master of Environment	Nathan Online
Master of Environmental Engineering	Nathan Online
Master of Environmental Engineering and Pollution Control	Nathan Online
Master of Integrated Water Management	Nathan

{"query":null,"originalQuery":null,"collection":{"id":"gu-study-programs","profiles":{"_default":{"id":"_default","facetedNavConfConfig":null,"padreOpts":null},"_default_preview":{"id":"_default_preview","facetedNavConfConfig":null,"padreOpts":null},"datasource":{"id":"datasource","facetedNavConfConfig":null,"padreOpts":null}},"facetedNavigationConfConfig":null,"facetedNavigationLiveConfig":null,"textMinerBlacklist":[],"metaComponents":[],"type":"local"},"profile":"_default","clive":null,"form":"simple","cnClickedCluster":null,"cnPreviousClusters":[],"metaParameters":["+discipline:0137|T:Double|B:|W:|J:"],"systemMetaParameters":[],"additionalParameters":{"personalise":["yes"],"city":[""],"num_ranks":["1000"],"origin":["36.0,138.0"],"REMOTE_ADDR":["43.245.40.213"],"REQUEST_URI":["/s/search.json"],"fmo":["on"],"sort":["title"],"REQUEST_URL":["http://search.griffith.edu.au/s/search.json?personalise=yes&num_ranks=1000&city=&sort=title&collection=gu-study-programs&query_and=discipline%3A0137%7CT%3ADouble%7CB%3A%7CW%3A%7CJ%3A&location=&fmo=on"],"HTTP_HOST":["search.griffith.edu.au"],"location":[""]},"environmentVariables":{"REMOTE_ADDR":"43.245.40.213","REQUEST_URI":"/s/search.json","HTTP_HOST":"search.griffith.edu.au","REQUEST_URL":"http://search.griffith.edu.au/s/search.json?personalise=yes&num_ranks=1000&city=&sort=title&collection=gu-study-programs&query_and=discipline%3A0137%7CT%3ADouble%7CB%3A%7CW%3A%7CJ%3A&location=&fmo=on"},"dynamicQueryProcessorOptions":["-qlog_file=/opt/funnelback/data/gu-study-programs/live/log/queries-griff-funnelback01.log","-username=d26dd627-6398-4e34-8108-9bb2b55347a9"],"userKeys":[],"selectedFacets":[],"selectedCategoryValues":{},"facetsQueryConstraints":[],"facetsGScopeConstraints":null,"impersonated":false,"requestId":"43.245.40.213","rawInputParameters":{"personalise":["yes"],"query_and":["discipline:0137|T:Double|B:|W:|J:"],"HTTP_HOST":["search.griffith.edu.au"],"city":[""],"num_ranks":["1000"],"REMOTE_ADDR":["43.245.40.213"],"REQUEST_URI":["/s/search.json"],"fmo":["on"],"location":[""],"sort":["title"],"collection":["gu-study-programs"],"REQUEST_URL":["http://search.griffith.edu.au/s/search.json?personalise=yes&num_ranks=1000&city=&sort=title&collection=gu-study-programs&query_and=discipline%3A0137%7CT%3ADouble%7CB%3A%7CW%3A%7CJ%3A&location=&fmo=on"]},"inputParameterMap":{"REQUEST_URL":"http://search.griffith.edu.au/s/search.json?personalise=yes&num_ranks=1000&city=&sort=title&collection=gu-study-programs&query_and=discipline%3A0137%7CT%3ADouble%7CB%3A%7CW%3A%7CJ%3A&location=&fmo=on","query_and":"discipline:0137|T:Double|B:|W:|J:","city":"","fmo":"on","personalise":"yes","sort":"title","collection":"gu-study-programs","location":"","HTTP_HOST":"search.griffith.edu.au","REQUEST_URI":"/s/search.json","num_ranks":"1000","REMOTE_ADDR":"43.245.40.213"},"questionType":"SEARCH","locale":"en_US","location":{"areaCode":0,"city":null,"countryCode":"JP","countryName":"Japan","dmaCode":0,"latitude":36,"longitude":138,"metroCode":0,"postalCode":null,"region":null},"hostname":null,"queryStringMapCopy":{"personalise":["yes"],"query_and":["discipline:0137|T:Double|B:|W:|J:"],"city":[""],"num_ranks":["1000"],"fmo":["on"],"location":[""],"sort":["title"],"collection":["gu-study-programs"]},"extraSearch":false}

Expand your qualifications and your career options with our range of double degrees. As a double degree graduate, you’ll have a special skill set that will help you stand out with future employers.

Double Degrees	Campus	OP rank
Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)/Bachelor of Environmental Science	Nathan	12
Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)/Bachelor of Environmental Science	Gold Coast	12
Bachelor of Environmental Science/Bachelor of Business	Gold Coast Nathan	15
Bachelor of Environmental Science/Bachelor of Data Science	Gold Coast Nathan
Bachelor of Urban and Environmental Planning/Bachelor of Science	Gold Coast	15

It is important to check the degree requirements including placement requirements, before you apply.

Scholarships

Over 600 Scholarships available

Find out more about Scholarships

Career outcomes

As an environmental scientist who specialises in soil, water and energy, you will find employment in areas such as resources management, environmental restoration and pollution assessment. Our graduates have become environmental officers in local, state and federal government, environmental advisors with national and international consulting and mining companies, work in analytical laboratories, and work in ecotourism. You can also go on to a career in academia and further your research interests.

Environmental scientists are also much sought after in a large variety of management positions, due to their highly diversified, multi-disciplinary backgrounds and the ability to think critically to find solutions to problems.

Create a personalised degrees guide

Explore what Griffith has to offer

Get started

Life at Griffith

You can gain more than just a degree at Griffith. With plenty of opportunities to balance life and study, you can make memories and mates to last a lifetime.

Learn more about life at Griffith University

News

View all news articles

14 Dec 2018

Researchers confirm 50-year decline of shark numbers continues

11 Dec 2018

Researchers leap closer to quantum computing with new optical microchip

Key dates

View all key dates

Saturday 16 December — Thursday 21 December

Know Your Options - Online

Chat online with our expert study advisers after you have received your entry score, to discuss your study options. Find out about pathways, entry requirements and program options, plus what you can do if your score was higher or lower than expected.

*Excluding Sunday 17 December.

Find out more.

Sunday 11 August — Sunday 11 August

Open Day 2019

With 240 information sessions, activities and tours across our Gold Coast, Nathan and South Bank campuses, discover what’s possible at Griffith.