Minor Overview

About this minor

The Environmental Humanities have arisen in response to the fact that ‘environmental' problems, by and large, arise out of human action and in order to address them we need to understand their human dimensions. While many environmental problems are well understood scientifically, they are still with us because social, cultural or political change is required. Furthermore, environmental degradation is not only responsible for ecological and economic losses, but also poor human health and wellbeing. Women, Indigenous people and people of colour bear the brunt of environmental hazards worldwide.

The aim of this Minor is to develop students capable of addressing the great environmental challenges of our age, using humanities' strengths in understanding human thought, being, feeling and action.

UWA is situated within one of the world's biodiversity hotspots. Our location therefore brings us directly in touch with ecosystem impacts caused by clearing, invasive species, catastrophic fire events, and dryland salinity, as well as the effects of climate change. It therefore provides an ideal setting within which to acquire environmental humanities skills and knowledges.

This Minor provides students with a multi-disciplinary grounding in the Environmental Humanities, providing a deep understanding of human subjectivities, social relationships, and cultural practices as they relate to the nonhuman worlds around us. The program of study will prepare students for effective engagement with organisations, communities and policymakers in the spheres of environmental policy, advocacy and education.

Outcomes
Students are able to (1) identify the human dimensions (human subjectivities, social relationships, and cultural practices) inherent in all environmental challenges; (2) apply a range of disciplinary and interdisciplinary knowledges and methods to environmental issues; (3) communicate ideas effectively in a range of media; and (4) translate between approaches to environmental problems from the perspective of different humanities disciplines and the interdisciplinary field of environmental humanities.

Units

Key to availability of units:
S1
Semester 1
S2
Semester 2
N/A
not available in 2026 – may be available in 2027 or 2028
Take all units (12 points):

Availability Unit code Unit name Unit requirements
S2 ENGL3200 Writing/Environment
Prerequisites
any level 1
or level 2 ENGL unit
or HIST1901 Environmental History
S2 HIST1901 Environmental History
Incompatibility
HIST2201 Environmental History
Group A—take at least 6 points of HUMA2001 or HUMA2002 (It is recommended that students take both of these units.):

Availability Unit code Unit name Unit requirements
N/A HUMA2001 Environmental Humanities
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
HIST1901 Environmental History
or 12 points of level one units
S2 HUMA2002 Thinking Ecologically
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
two level 1 Unit(s)
Group B—take up to 6 points from this group:

Availability Unit code Unit name Unit requirements
S1 ANTH2225 Human Futures: Energy, Food and Sustainable Environments
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
level 1 24 points Unit(s)
S2 ENVT3310 Kwodjet Goorliny for Boodja
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
48 points
N/A HUMA2001 Environmental Humanities
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
HIST1901 Environmental History
or 12 points of level one units
S2 HUMA2002 Thinking Ecologically
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
two level 1 Unit(s)