The Faculty

The Faculty has been formed as an initiative of the University designed to build on its strengths in teaching and pure and applied research of the former Faculty of Agriculture and the departments of Botany, Geography, Geology and Geophysics, and Zoology from the former Faculty of Science. The combination of these disciplines has created a capacity to address natural resource management and sustainability issues that is unique in Australia. 

The Faculty has international-level strengths in teaching and pure and applied research across a broad spectrum of interests encompassing fundamental earth and biological sciences, agricultural, aquatic and mineral production systems, the environment, biodiversity conservation, and land and marine resource management issues. Focus is placed on:

• agronomy, animal science and food production;
• the ecology and physiology of indigenous fl ora and fauna;
• economic analysis applied to agricultural and natural systems;
• environmental science;
• the evolution of the Earth and biosphere, and the geology of mineral and petroleum resources;
• marine science;
• soil science, plant nutrition, land management and rehabilitation;
• sustainable regional development and planning; and
• wildlife conservation and management.

The Faculty has approximately 300 academic, research and general staff and generated $34 million of research funding for 2007, with 900 students spread across several degree programmes.  Coursework makes up 70% of the student load and 30% is research postgraduates, including more than 200 students doing PhDs.

The Faculty consists of four academic units -

• School of Agricultural and Resource Economics;
• School of Animal Biology;
• School of Earth and Geographical Sciences; and the
• School of Plant Biology.

They are some of the most successful research Schools in the University.

Strength in research is reflected in undergraduate and postgraduate teaching. All undergraduate courses are taught by staff with significant research track records. Undergraduate degrees emphasise training in the fundamental sciences, linked to real world problems.