In this flexible, 2 year full-time course, you will complete advanced coursework subjects and then undertake your own independent research project or choose to apply your skills in an industry-based project. The research project is a pathway towards a PhD by research program.

Enhance your employability and advance your career in Australia and globally through the Masters Employability Program. Complete a structured co-curricular employability skills and development program, which runs for the duration of the degree. This includes a tailored plan to support individual employment objectives, beginning from semester one through to graduation.

Masters of Science (Professional) graduates are well equipped to evaluate global environmental challenges and driven to design innovate, sustainable and holistic solutions.

Choose one of seven majors, and take specialised elective subjects from the same discipline or broaden your skills with subjects from a complementary discipline. You will also have the opportunity to study subjects in Singapore, the Galapagos Islands, Thailand or Vietnam.

If you choose to major in the same field of study as your undergraduate Bachelor of Science degree, you may be eligible to receive up to six months advanced standing.

View the handbook for a detailed overview of available majors and subjects.

Majors

Students choose from seven majors and can select elective subjects within the same major, or from another discipline to enhance their learning.

Aquaculture Science and Technology

Students benefit from practical, experience based learning in JCU’s Marine and Aquaculture Research Facility and on location with industry partners. You will explore the science of aquaculture and learn about the husbandry and nutrition of various species.

Investigate the scope and role of aquaculture as a food source and critically assess the environmental sustainability and suitability of existing and developing aquaculture industries.

Environmental Earth Science

Learn from world-class lecturers about the impacts of land use, land management, and climate change on the earth surface. Investigate the latest techniques to minimise the harmful effects of human activity on the environment.

Apply your learnings to the diverse environments of the tropics, including the Daintree Rainforest, fertile agricultural regions, the vast savannah outback, magnificent tropical rivers and diverse coastlines.

Environmental Management

Reap the benefits of hands-on fieldwork experience to develop your capability in natural resource management. Work with research and industry experts and deepen your understanding of how natural environments function and change over time.

Gain specialised technical skills in remote sensing, Geographic Information Systems, and Environmental and Social Impact Assessment. Become an expert in the interconnected ecological and social aspects of managing complex ecosystems.

Fisheries Science and Management

Explore the fundamentals of fisheries science and its application in tropical environments. Gain knowledge, technical skills and experience in fisheries assessments, sustainable development and management approaches.

Tackle the grand challenges in fisheries across small scale and industrial contexts, to ensure the best possible outcomes for human communities, fish stocks, and ecosystems globally. Continue your studies with a research project supervised by one of our world experts in fisheries or apply your learnings with one of our industry partners in fishery management.

Geology

Develop your knowledge of geological structures, mineralogy and plate tectonics. Benefit from practical experience studying rocks, sediments and soils in the Great Artesian Basin, the Savannah and the areas surrounding the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.

Learn about feasible and sustainable ways to extract resources, and evaluate geological natural hazards that may threaten communities.

Marine Biology

Study one of the most diverse and fragile marine ecosystems in the world, the Great Barrier Reef. Evaluate the impact of human society on tropical marine populations, species, habitats and ecosystems. Attain the technical skills and knowledge necessary for working in the marine conservation sector and for conducting excellent research in biology and ecology.

Students are taught by JCU’s leading researchers while working at the JCU Orpheus Island Field Station and in award-winning laboratories. Continue your studies with a research project supervised by one of our world experts or apply your learnings with one of our industry partners helping deliver innovative and sustainable solutions for marine environments and their dependent communities.

Tropical Biology and Conservation

Benefit from access to natural environments in close proximity to JCU campuses, including savannahs, the World Heritage Daintree Rainforest, and coastal marine habitats. Your studies will integrate a range of disciplines such as zoology, ecology, botany, and behaviour and evolution biology across an array terrestrial and marine habitats.

Observe, explore and build your understanding of the diversity of the biological world while developing the skills necessary to conduct applied research and / or work in environmental science industries delivering innovative and sustainable solutions for conserving the natural environment. Continue your studies with a research project supervised by one of our world experts or apply your learnings with one of our industry partners.

View the handbook for detailed subject information.

Advance your career with a JCU professional post-graduate course. JCU Master of Science graduates are highly regarded and find employment in a range of organisations around the world.

You could pursue a career in the public or private sector for business, government, educational, research and not for profit agencies.

JCU Master of Science graduates work in roles such as biologist, conservation agent, educator, environmental manager, field or laboratory technician, geologist, research scientist, or resource consultant. This course is also a pathway towards a JCU PhD