Climate change is the largest scientific challenge facing humanity. Adapting to ongoing climate change depends on a strong scientific understanding of the fundamental climatic processes that form an integral component of Earth system science.
The ANU’s Climate Science major is a unique multidisciplinary climate science program that provides a foundation in atmospheric science, chemistry, physics, biology, statistics and scientific programming. Emphasis is placed on understanding past, present and future climate variability and change through a range of statistical, modelling, laboratory and field approaches.
This major equips students with a theoretical and analytical toolkit for understanding the scientific basis needed to adapt to future climate variability and climate change. A major in Climate Science opens up possibilities for work in government agencies, the research sector and science education. It serves as a pathway to higher degree climate science research at Australian or overseas universities.
Learning Outcomes
- Think critically about climate science issues, integrate information, and construct logical, consistent and synthesised arguments.
- Quantitatively analyse climate data and climate model output using a variety of observations and techniques.
- Draw on diverse learning environments including field, laboratory and classroom settings encompassing individual and group learning.
- Perform process-oriented, multidisciplinary studies to critically evaluate hypotheses and models on how our climate system and the life within operate.
- Write scientific reports and communicate efficiently with university staff, peer students and the wider community on Climate Science topics.
Other Information
Which courses should you take in first year?
- Either MATH1003, MATH1013 or MATH1115 (required for EMSC2021)
- Either CHEM1101, PHYS1001 or PHYS1101.
- EMSC1006 is strongly encouraged.
- Courses marked with an asterisk (*) have 1000-level course pre-requisites that may need to be taken in your first year of study.
Additional advice:
- Students should note that CHEM1101 requires an ACT major in Chemistry or NSW HSC Chemistry, or equivalent, or successful completion of a bridging course in Chemistry. Students with a level of mathematics equivalent to ACT Mathematical Methods should enroll in MATH1003. PHYS1101 has MATH1013 as a co-requisite.
- Students are encouraged in first year to take appropriate foundation courses in earth science, mathematics, chemistry, physics, biology and /or environmental science, because of the interdisciplinary nature of Climate Sciences.
- Students can only complete one special topics/research project course: ENVS3100. In order to contribute towards this major, the special topic must be in the field of Climate Science the topic/project must be in the field of Climate Science and align with the learning outcomes of the CLSC-MAJ.
- Other courses that complement the skill development include COMP1730 Programming for Scientists
Courses in this major that will contribute towards satisfying the transdisciplinary course requirements of your undergraduate degree:
- ENVS2015 GIS and Spatial Analysis (6 units)
- ENVS3013 Climate Change: Past, Present and Future
- ENVS3020 Climate Change: Science, Society and Policy (6 units)
Academic or enrolment advice:
Students can seek further advice from the academic contact for this major (details above), or the College of Science Student Services Team (students.cos@anu.edu.au)
Back to the topRequirements
Courses marked with an asterisk (*) have 1000-level prerequisites which must be selected in the first year of study and will contribute towards satisfying the 1000-level course requirements of the Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Science (Advanced) (Honours).
Please check individual courses for details however the courses listed below will cover most 1000-level requirements for 2000-3000- level courses listed in this major. Not all courses will need to be taken depending on later year course selection). Please also check the Other Information section for additional 1000-level courses that will support the learning in this major.
This major requires the completion of 48 units, which must include:
A minimum of 18 units from the completion of core climate science courses from the following list:
*EMSC2021 Fundamentals of Climate Science (6 units)
*EMSC3039 Climate Dynamics (6 units)
ENVS2004 Climate and Its Applications (6 units)
ENVS3013 Climate Change: Past, Present and Future (6 units)
A minimum of 18 units from the completion of climate application courses from the following list, of which a maximum of 12 units may come from EMSC-coded courses:
EMSC3019 Coral Reef Field Studies (6 units)
EMSC3025 Remote Sensing of Water Resources (6 units)
EMSC3027 Palaeoclimatology and Climate Change (6 units)
EMSC3032 Melting Polar Ice Sheets, Sea Level Variations and Climate Change (6 units)
ENVS3020 Climate Change: Science, Society and Policy (6 units)
ENVS3029 Palaeo-Environmental Reconstruction (6 units)
6 units from the completion of a skills development course from the following list:
ENVS2015 GIS and Spatial Analysis (6 units)
ENVS3100 Independent Research Project (6 units)
ENVS3903 Environmental Sensing, Mapping and Modelling (6 units)
*MATH3133 Environmental Mathematics
SCOM3501 Strategies in Science Communication (6 units)
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