Bachelor of Environmental Management
Bachelor of Environmental Management
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Upcoming start dates
Semester 2 - 14 Jul 2025
November Summer School - 10 Nov 2025
Semester 1 - 23 Feb 2026
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Qualification
Bachelors
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Duration
3 years full-time
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Credits
360
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Location
Lincoln University Campus
Choose an industry-tested, multi-disciplinary degree that grows your abilities to address the most urgent environmental issues of the twenty-first century. You’ll be prepared to face the challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss and diminishing freshwater quality.
Taking on environmental issues requires multi-disciplined learning, critical thinking and sound practical experience. Lincoln University’s Bachelor of Environmental Management blends content from the physical and social sciences, fostering your understanding of the connections between environment, economy, society and culture. It prepares you with the principles and strategies to help address urgent local and global challenges, and how to apply these to different contexts.
How you’ll grow
- Understand the connections and interplay between social, economic and environmental issues.
- Learn the disciplines, principles, tools, strategies and systems for effective environmental management – and be able to apply them in different situations.
- Develop the skills to practice professionally.
- Grow the academic background necessary to gain professional certification from the New Zealand Association of Resource Management. (Note: the Bachelor of Environmental Management is not accreditation in itself. This is obtained with a relevant degree and sufficient work experience.)
Career opportunities
You’ll be a preferred candidate for opportunities in the primary sector, resource management agencies, sustainability, conservation and community organisations. Plus you’ll expand your opportunities with local, regional and central government, private development consultancies and corporations.
I chose Lincoln’s Bachelor of Environmental Management to help me gain a broad understanding of environmental issues and solutions that I may face in my career. This degree helped me achieve a practical knowledge base in the social and physical sciences whilst delving into the policy, planning and cultural influences of environmental management in New Zealand.
Billy Bartrum
Bachelor of Environmental Management
Programme information
University Entrance through NCEA or an approved, equivalent qualification.
If you have an overseas qualification, you can find out more about entry requirements here.
If English isn’t your first language, other entry requirements will apply. Learn more about English language requirements.
Recommended preparation
- English (highly recommended)
- Geography / Social Studies (highly recommended)
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Computing
- Economics
- History / Classics
- Māori Studies
- Maths / Statistics
- Tourism
Summary of Regulations
All of the following:
- Pass at least 360 credits (24 courses)
- Pass all compulsory courses
- Complete no more than 165 credits (11 courses ) at the 100 level
- Complete at least 75 credits (5 courses) at the 300 level
What's it going to cost?
Learn more by using the Domestic Fees Calculator or viewing the International Fees.
You can start studying in either:
- Semester 1 (late February)
- Semester 2 (mid-July)*
There are also options for starting in summer semesters. But the range of courses available would be limited.
*Please obtain course advice if you’re considering this option.
There are opportunities to add an additional major to the BEM, including Water Management, Parks and Outdoor Recreation and Tourism. Please refer to the programme course advisor for further information.
Graduate Attributes refer to the knowledge, skills, and values that you gain from completing your qualification. These high-level qualities will prepare you for career success, further study or research and making a valuable contribution to society in your chosen field.
Knowledge
- Discuss theoretical perspectives critical for environmental management, sustainability and rejuvenation.
- Analyse relationships between social and ecological systems.
- Understand and apply Te Tiriti o Waitangi in environmental management.
- Explain institutional and statutory processes for governing the environment at a range of scales.
Skills
- Demonstrate bicultural and intercultural competency relevant to environmental management.
- Employ critical analysis to understand and respond to sustainability challenges.
- Locate, evaluate and synthesise information from a wide range of sources required for environmental decision-making.
- Apply key methods, tools and techniques for environmental management.
- Communicate effectively using methods appropriate to different audiences.
Values
- Recognise the contribution of multiple knowledges, including the value of Indigenous knowledges, within environmental management.
- Understand equity and justice-based perspectives relevant to sustainability.
- Practice professional conduct.
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Entry requirements
University Entrance through NCEA or an approved, equivalent qualification.
If you have an overseas qualification, you can find out more about entry requirements here.
If English isn’t your first language, other entry requirements will apply. Learn more about English language requirements.
Recommended preparation
- English (highly recommended)
- Geography / Social Studies (highly recommended)
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Computing
- Economics
- History / Classics
- Māori Studies
- Maths / Statistics
- Tourism
-
Regulations and fees
Summary of Regulations
All of the following:
- Pass at least 360 credits (24 courses)
- Pass all compulsory courses
- Complete no more than 165 credits (11 courses ) at the 100 level
- Complete at least 75 credits (5 courses) at the 300 level
What's it going to cost?
Learn more by using the Domestic Fees Calculator or viewing the International Fees.
-
Intake semesters
You can start studying in either:
- Semester 1 (late February)
- Semester 2 (mid-July)*
There are also options for starting in summer semesters. But the range of courses available would be limited.
*Please obtain course advice if you’re considering this option.
-
Additional major
There are opportunities to add an additional major to the BEM, including Water Management, Parks and Outdoor Recreation and Tourism. Please refer to the programme course advisor for further information.
-
Graduate Attributes
Graduate Attributes refer to the knowledge, skills, and values that you gain from completing your qualification. These high-level qualities will prepare you for career success, further study or research and making a valuable contribution to society in your chosen field.
Knowledge
- Discuss theoretical perspectives critical for environmental management, sustainability and rejuvenation.
- Analyse relationships between social and ecological systems.
- Understand and apply Te Tiriti o Waitangi in environmental management.
- Explain institutional and statutory processes for governing the environment at a range of scales.
Skills
- Demonstrate bicultural and intercultural competency relevant to environmental management.
- Employ critical analysis to understand and respond to sustainability challenges.
- Locate, evaluate and synthesise information from a wide range of sources required for environmental decision-making.
- Apply key methods, tools and techniques for environmental management.
- Communicate effectively using methods appropriate to different audiences.
Values
- Recognise the contribution of multiple knowledges, including the value of Indigenous knowledges, within environmental management.
- Understand equity and justice-based perspectives relevant to sustainability.
- Practice professional conduct.
Programme Structure
The following Environmental Studies (ERST) courses are pending approval. Some courses are compulsory and will need to be taken:
Year 2, Semester 1
Participation, Engagement and Advocacy
Year 3, Semester 2
Transitions to Sustainability (compulsory)
Year 1
Semester 1 courses
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Semester 1 courses
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{{ 'SOCI 116' | except-last-word }} {{ 'SOCI 116' | last-word }}
Society, Culture and Environment
15 credits
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{{ 'MAST 104' | except-last-word }} {{ 'MAST 104' | last-word }}
Te Tiriti o Waitangi (The Treaty of Waitangi)
15 credits
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{{ 'LINC 101' | except-last-word }} {{ 'LINC 101' | last-word }}
Land, People and Economies
15 credits
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{{ 'ENSC 101' | except-last-word }} {{ 'ENSC 101' | last-word }}
Introduction to Earth and Ecological Sciences
15 credits
Semester 2 courses
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Semester 2 courses
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{{ 'SOCI 117' | except-last-word }} {{ 'SOCI 117' | last-word }}
Introduction to New Zealand Government and Public Policy
15 credits
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{{ 'ECOL 103' | except-last-word }} {{ 'ECOL 103' | last-word }}
Ecology I: New Zealand Ecology and Conservation
15 credits
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{{ 'ERST 103' | except-last-word }} {{ 'ERST 103' | last-word }}
Environmental Economics
15 credits
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Elective
Year 2
Semester 1 courses
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Semester 1 courses
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{{ 'MAST 206' | except-last-word }} {{ 'MAST 206' | last-word }}
Whakatakoto Kaupapa (Maori Planning and Development)
15 credits
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{{ 'ERST 203' | except-last-word }} {{ 'ERST 203' | last-word }}
Environmental Monitoring and Resource Assessment
15 credits
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B.E.M. List A*
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B.E.M. List B*
Semester 2 courses
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Semester 2 courses
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{{ 'LINC 201' | except-last-word }} {{ 'LINC 201' | last-word }}
Sustainable Futures
15 credits
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{{ 'ERST 201' | except-last-word }} {{ 'ERST 201' | last-word }}
Environmental Analysis
15 credits
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B.E.M. List A*
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B.E.M. List B*
Year 3
Semester 1 courses
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Semester 1 courses
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B.E.M. List C*
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Elective
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Elective
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Elective
Semester 2 courses
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Semester 2 courses
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{{ 'MAST 319' | except-last-word }} {{ 'MAST 319' | last-word }}
Te Kaitiakitaka (Māori Environmental Management)
15 credits
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B.E.M. List C*
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Elective
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Elective
- Compulsory courses
- Elective courses
- Refer to the lists below
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*B.E.M. List A
Choose a minimum of one of the following courses. Please note that only a total of one course from this list needs to be taken in the whole year, not one in each semester.
Semester 1
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*B.E.M. List B
Choose a minimum of one of the following courses. Please note that only a total of one course from this list needs to be taken in the whole year, not one in each semester.
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*B.E.M. List C
Choose a minimum of two of the following courses:
Semester 1
This degree structure is indicative only. A course advisor will help you to select your electives and plan your degree. You can check out our courses to see what electives might interest you.
Programme contacts

Need more info?
Email us on grow@lincoln.ac.nz
Or call us on 0800 10 60 10
If you're overseas, please call +64 3 423 0000
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