Australian Environment, Wildlife and Conservation

2010 Program Dates: 14 June to 25 July 2010

Program Overview: .pdf

Highlights

Includes guided travel to five distinct regions of Australia (Darwin, Kakadu, The Outback, Sydney and Cairns)
Earn academic credit transferable to your home degree
Classes taught by expert Australian environmentalists
Participants take one course (Wildlife and Conservation). The program is stream-lined to be a "stand-alone" 90 hour program worth 6-8 US credits.

Click here for maps and photos

The Program

From its rain forests, coastlines and coral reefs to its arid interior landscapes, Australia offers a diverse range of physical and cultural landscapes and ecosystems for you to explore.

The University of New South Wales, in partnership with one of Australia’s leading conservation management agencies, The New South Wales Department of Environment and Conservation, presents a practical introduction to ‘Australian Environment, Wildlife and Conservation’.

This course is an introductory level science course. It assumes no, or very little previous tertiary level biological science, however, biology students would have the opportunity to expand their knowledge, particularly in the conservation management area.

Locations and Guided Travel

You will start your course in Darwin, at the ‘Top End’ of Australia, including a three-day camping expedition to the World Heritage-listed Kakadu National Park to experience its spectacular scenery and its distinctive plants and animals. From Darwin, you will journey to the ‘red centre’, the spiritual heart of Australia. Your stay here will highlight the significance of Australia’s natural heritage to its indigenous people and provide an Aboriginal perspective on conservation management. The program will visit Alice Springs Desert Park, Uluru (Ayers Rock) and Kata Tjuta (The Olgas).

Weeks three through five will be based at The University of New South Wales, located 20 minutes from downtown Sydney. Drawing on the journey from Darwin to Sydney and through a combination of field trips and classroom-based study, you will learn that conservation is landscaped-based, integrates natural and cultural values and incorporates the conservation of biodiversity, wilderness, significant natural landforms and indigenous heritage. There will also be time to study some of Australia’s unique flora and fauna, including marsupials such as the kangaroo and koala.

The course will conclude with a stay in Cairns in the tropical far-north. From here, you will explore the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest, the only place in the world where reef meets rainforest.

Accommodations

Students will be housed in a variety of accommodation styles when travelling, including shared, budget-style accommodation, serviced apartments and a few nights camping.

Teaching

Course size is restricted to thirty students allowing greater student participation and a more hands-on approach to learning. Teaching will be done by UNSW and DEC lecturers. In addition, there will be over 100 other U.S. study abroad students participating in other UNSW summer courses. Most will be following similar itineraries, thus allowing for participants to meet and interact with other students.

Program Fee

2009 Program Fee: $5650 USD
2010 Program Fees: $6295 USD

The program fee includes tuition (6 UNSW credits, worth 6-8 US credits); all accommodation; excursion costs; airport shuttle services; orientation programs; and a UNSW student card (allowing access to all UNSW facilities); all meals when camping in Kakadu National Park, all meals when visiting the Daintree, breakfasts and lunches in Sydney, breakfasts and final dinner in Cairns. Additionally, a breakfast will be provided in central Australia this year, to help alleviate student finances at this expensive location. The program fee does not include other meals or airfares.

Travel

International air travel is organised through Qantas. Packages have been designed to allow students to spend time in the tropical north of Australia on the Great Barrier Reef at the completion of each program, or in a host of destinations such as New Zealand or Hawaii on their return to the US, at little or no extra cost. Upon application participants will be provided complete airfare details.

Credit

Participants in the program are able to obtain credits through universities and colleges in the United States and Europe. This program is approved by UNSW and students will receive their grades on a UNSW transcript. Credit transfer (generally 6-8 U.S. credits total) is subject to home institution regulations so please consult your academic advisor for guidance. Study Australia and UNSW will provide all documentation to overseas institutions to assist in credit transfer.

Admissions Requirements and Application

Students should be currently enrolled at an approved degree-granting institution of higher education. Currently, there is a 2.8 minimum GPA requirement for this program. If your GPA falls below the required minimum or you are currently a freshman, please contact to determine eligibility.

Interested students can apply on-line or download the Study Australia application.

There is a $30 application fee. In addition, after acceptance into the program a $1000 deposit is required. The deposit is fully refundable, less a $150 administrative fee, should students withdraw by March 15, 2010. After March 15, 2010 the deposit is no longer refundable. In extenuating circumstances, a refund may be a possibility after March 15, 2010, however it is at the sole discretion of UNSW.

Application Deadline: Applications are assessed on a rolling basis until all spots are filled. We suggest interested students apply by April 1, 2010 to avoid disappointment. Interested students seeking to apply after April 1, 2010 are encouraged to contact Tiana McEvoy at 1.800.585.9658 or via as there may be a few spots available on the program.

A pre-departure package for the program will be sent to the applicant once accepted into the program.