Environmental Planning (EP)

Undergraduate Study & Papers | Graduate Study & Papers
Contact Information | Careers | Planning Research

Do you care about the natural environment? Are you interested in making a difference to the world we live in? If so, you might be interested in Environmental Planning as a programme of study.

The Environmental Planning programme (EP) aims to help you deepen your knowledge about the natural world and human use of the natural environment. It aims to give students the knowledge and skills that are needed to make sure that New Zealanders use their natural resources with care and with as little harm as possible. You will learn the latest knowledge and ideas about sustainable development and an ethic of care for our environment.

Because environmental problems usually include a human aspect as well as a natural element, EP involves papers from the subjects of Biology, Economics, Political Science, Earth Science and Geography, plus Environmental Ethics from Philosophy. These papers give students depth of knowledge about environmental issues as well as a good grounding in each of the core subjects. It helps if you have done one or another of the subjects at high school but is not necessary.

The EP programme can be followed to three levels: undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate. Entry into the graduate EP programme follows on from the University's undergraduate EP programme, or from an appropriate qualification or workplace experience. The Masters of Environmental Planning is a professional planning qualification recognised by the New Zealand Planning Institute as a qualification for Institute membership.

Careers

The EP programme is suited for people who would like a career in the use or conservation of land, water, sea coast or natural resources. Opportunities for students with a background in resources and environmental planning are wide in both public and private sectors. In the public sector, positions are available in central government departments, such as Ministry for the Environment, Department of Conservation, Te Puni Kokiri, and Land Information New Zealand as well as in regional and district councils. In the private sector, jobs are available in planning consultancies, development companies, and large resource user organisations such as forestry, mining, energy, and the dairy industry. Many Māori organisations are also interested in graduates with a knowledge of the Resource Management Act and environmental planning.

Undergraduate Study & Papers

Environmental Planning is available as a major for the Bachelor of Social Sciences (BSocSc | Degree Planner), the BSc and the BSc(Tech). Environmental Planning may also be taken as a second major or as a supporting subject within other undergraduate degrees, subject to academic approval of the Faculty or School of Studies in which the student is enrolled. To complete a major in Environmental Planning, students must gain at least 120 points above 100 level in Environmental Planning, including BIOL212, ENVP206, 20 points at 200 level from the Earth Sciences papers listed below, ENVP306 and 20 points each from the 300 level Biological Sciences and Earth Sciences papers listed below. It is recommended that students intending to major in Environmental Planning take BIOL102, ERTH102 and GEOG103 in the first year of their programme of study in order to meet prerequisites for study at 200 level.

Students seeking to follow a planning career should take the appropriate specialisation attached to the Environmental Planning major. Environmental Planning specialisations are available in Economics, Public Policy, and Resources and Environmental Planning. Details of the specialisation requirements can be obtained from the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Alternatively, an Environmental Planning major may be combined with another major of the student's choice, particularly if seeking a career in the environmental policy field.

Enquiries about the Environmental Planning programme should be directed to the Environmental Planning Convenor.

Papers

Full List of All Department Papers

Graduate Study & Papers

Prescriptions for the GradCert(EnvPlan) and GradDip(EnvPlan)
A Graduate Certificate and Graduate Diploma are available to graduates who have not included Environmental Planning at an advanced level in their first degree.

Prescriptions for the PGCert(EnvPlan)
The PGCert(EnvPlan) is designed for people with a University of Waikato Bachelor's degree or equivalent and relevant background in environment or planning-related papers to undertake a short, concentrated period of study (one semester). The programme will appeal to people who require rapid up-skilling for planning-related work in the workforce.

To complete a PGCert(EnvPlan) students must complete ENVP503, ENVP504 and GEOG505.

Prescriptions for the PGDip(EnvPlan)
The PGDip(EnvPlan) is a programme of study comprising a core of three compulsory papers on planning theory, planning law and environmental evaluation, complemented with specialised planning papers that include Māori planning and resource management, planning processes and policy formulation, resource consent processing and a planning specialty (the topic depends on the availability of staff in any year).

Graduates of the programme will have a thorough grounding in the conceptual and ethical dimensions of environmental planning as well as sound technical knowledge of planning processes and legislative and administrative frameworks. They will be qualified to work competently as planners in the workforce and also, will be well prepared for progression to study at Master's level, a degree that is recognised by the New Zealand Planning Institute for professional accreditation. The PGDip(EnvPlan) will appeal to candidates who have completed the undergraduate programme of Environmental Planning, as well as to people who have been or are currently in planning-related fields in the workforce and wish to consolidate their technical knowledge and conceptual understanding in order to progress further in their career.
Students applying to enrol in a PGDip(EnvPlan) should normally have a bachelor's degree, with a major in Environmental Planning or Resources and Environmental Planning (REP) (or equivalent), and have a B average or better in their 300 level papers.

Note: If you do not meet these criteria you may, in exceptional circumstances, be considered for admission based on academic merit and relevant work experience. In such cases, you are advised to seek advice from the Director of Resources and Environmental Planning to plan your programme of study. This may require completing a Graduate Certificate or Graduate Diploma that includes GEOG206 and GEOG306.

To complete a PGDip(EnvPlan) students must complete 120 points at 500 level, comprising ENVP503, ENVS521 and GEOG505, and a further 45 points from ENVP504, ENVP505, ENVP508, ENVP5XX and ENVP590.

Prescriptions for the BSocSc(Hons)
Resources and Environmental Planning is available for the BSocSc(Hons). Completion of the BSocSc(Hons) in Resources and Environmental Planning provides entry to the Masters in Social Sciences (MSocSc) but not to the Masters in Environmental Planning (MEP). To be eligible to be considered for admission to Resources and Environmental Planning papers, students should normally have at least a B average in their 300 level papers or all their undergraduate Environmental Planning papers. Students are required to take the two core papers listed below plus two 500 level papers from Biological Sciences, Earth Sciences, Economics, Geography, Political Science or Public Policy.

Note: Students who have partially completed the specified programme in Resources and Environmental Planning for the BSocSc should contact the Department of Geography, Tourism and Environmental Planning for information on the requirements for completion of this programme.

Prescriptions for the MEP
The Master of Environmental Planning is a programme accredited by the New Zealand Planning Institute, which has been designed specifically to be undertaken in the workforce.  It comprises at least one 6-month practicum based on experience in the workplace, plus a research dissertation equivalent to two papers (60 points) and one other 30 point paper of relevance to planning, or a research dissertation equivalent to 3 papers (90 points).  The practicums involve reading and reflection on weekly practice in a workplace setting.  The dissertation must involve research on a planning topic. The programme is the equivalent of a year's normal graduate study, but because candidates will normally be employed full-time while studying for the MEP, it is expected that the normal period for completion is likely to be 18 months to 2 years.

Students applying to enrol in the MEP, must have graduated in one of the following, with at least a B+ grade average:

i) BSocSc(Hons) in Resources and Environmental Planning (REP), or
ii) MSc in REP, or
iii) PGDipSc in REP, or
iv) PGDip(EnvPlan), or
v) an approved qualification including, or together with, approved graduate papers in the field of resources and environmental planning, and evidence of at least two years’ work experience in a relevant field.

Follow this link for additional graduate level papers offered within the Geography Department.

Note: Not all papers are offered in any one year. Interested students should consult the Chairperson of Geography, Tourism & Environmental Planning and other appropriate staff.

Contact Information

Convenor: Dr Mairi Jay, Geography
Room: HI2.01
Tel: +64 7 838 4466, ext. 8834
Email: mairij@waikato.ac.nz

See Also:

Focus on Geography 280kb pdf (Off Campus Winter 2006 Edition)
EP Library Site
Biodiversity