ATS3246 Environmental analysis
Faculty of Arts
ATS3246 Environmental analysis is a level 3, 6-credit-point, undergraduate unit from the Faculty of Arts, offered in 2026 in Semester 1 at Clayton. It has no prerequisites.
- Credit points
- 6
- Offered in 2026
- Semester 1
- Clayton
- Assessment
- No exam
- 3 tasks
- Workload
- 144 hours
- per semester
This is the 2026 handbook entry. See the 2027 entry.
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Requisites
Before ATS3246
No prerequisites or corequisites besides the enrolment rules below.
After ATS3246
No unit lists ATS3246 as a prerequisite in the 2026 handbook.
Enrolment rules
Pre-requisite: 12 credit points of Level 2 Arts units, OR
6 credit points of Level 2 Arts units and either EAE2322 or ENV2022.
Prohibition: ENV422E, ENV522E or APG5426
Overview
In this unit you will explore tools for environmental analysis and decision-making around development projects, production processes, and governmental policies. You will focus on Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), a key tool for environmental management and reporting. We learn how EIAs are conducted, and scrutinise their merits, limitations, and controversies. We also discuss Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), connecting these tools to contemporary topics such as sustainable food production, the Paris Agreement, and ‘negative emissions’ concepts. Throughout, you will examine the dynamic interaction between scientists, policy makers and the broader community through a series of in-class debates, discussions, and activities around environmental justice.
Offerings in 2026
| Teaching period | Campus | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| First semester | Clayton | Flexible |
Assessment
- ReportWritten40%
- MultimediaArtefact30%
- Policy briefWritten30%
Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.
Learning outcomes
When you finish this unit, you should be able to:
- 1
recognise and apply the process of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for development projects;
- 2
identify and showcase how Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) can inform sustainable production processes;
- 3
evaluate the influence of Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEA) in policy development;
- 4
critically analyse the EIA, LCA, and SEA literature in the context of environmental decision making.
Workload and teaching
- Lectures12 hours
- Workshops24 hours
- Teaching approachActive learning
Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.
This unit engages you in actively applying your knowledge, skills and attributes in interactive, collaborative and reflective activities.
Where it fits
ATS3246 is part of 5 areas of study in the 2026 handbook.
Contacts
- Unit Coordinators
- Dr Elissa Waters
- Chief Examiners
- Dr Elissa Waters
Common questions
What are the prerequisites for ATS3246?
ATS3246 has no prerequisites, but enrolment rules apply.
When is ATS3246 offered?
In 2026, ATS3246 runs in Semester 1 at Clayton.
How much work is ATS3246?
The handbook expects about 144 hours of study across the semester. No students have rated its difficulty yet.
Does ATS3246 have an exam?
No. ATS3246 has 3 assessment tasks and no exam.
Which majors and minors include ATS3246?
ATS3246 is part of Environmental science, Geographical science and Human geography.