Environmental Science is a new program created from a comprehensive review of environmental teaching undertaken at UNSW in 1999. The review noted the strong awareness of environmental issues by the community, government and industry and pointed to the need to address environmental issues by specialist practice. As part of the process, the Faculty of Science and Technology amalgamated the Masters in Environmental Management and Masters in Environmental Studies to a new specialist program of Master of Science and Technology in Environmental Science (MScTech EnvSc). The school administers this program on behalf of the Faculty.

The Environmental Science programs are specialist practice programs chosen from faculty-wide environmental courses. Specialisation is achieved by undertaking study in one or two environmental streams of the program, although some flexibility in courses may be permitted at the discretion of the program authority. The programs are designed to study the nature of environmental problems and the methodology of their evaluation and management. Emphasis is placed on the development of relevant skills in environmental analysis and planning. The programs are primarily intended for students with a background in science or engineering, however, students with other degrees who have undertaken undergraduate level environmental courses and/or have professional experience in an environmental area may apply for entry.

The overall objectives of the programs are to provide students and graduates with:

Specialist streams are reviewed along with the program every 3 years. The key specialist streams identified for 2003-2006 are:

Graduate Certificate in Environmental Science
This program is designed to study the nature of environmental problems and the methodology of their evaluation and management.

Graduate Diploma in Environmental Science
Students study the nature of environmental problems, the methodology of evaluation and environmental management and control.

Master of Science and Technology in Environmental Science
This program is designed to study the nature of environmental problems and methodologies of evaluation. Emphasis is placed on a basic technolgical understanding of key environmental issues and problems, and on development of relevant skills in environmental analysis, planning, management and control.