Program Requirements

The Masters of Science in Critical Resources requires completion of 96 units which must consist of:

A minimum of 24 units from completion of 8000-level courses

A minimum of 36 units from completion of courses from the subject area EMSC - Earth and Marine Science

The 96 units must include:

48 units from completion of the following compulsory courses:

EMSC6117 Critical Resources for the Energy Transition (6 units)

EMSC6210 Data Science for Earth System Scientists (6 units)

EMSC8017 Research Methods for Earth Sciences (6 units)

EMSC8025 Research Project in Earth Science (12 units, which can be taken as one 12-unit project or as two 6-unit project enrolments where permitted)

EMSC8035 Resource Exploration (6 units)

EMSC8036 From Source to Resource (6 units)

EMSC8037 Geodynamic Controls on Resources (6 units)

12 units from completion of Science and Society courses, which must include:

A minimum of 6 units from completion of science communication courses from the following lists:

SCOM6001 Fundamentals of Science Communication and Engagement (6 units)

SCOM6015 Public Speaking About Science (6 units)

SCOM6016 Science, Journalism and Society (6 units)

SCOM6027 Science Politics (6 units)

SCOM6032 Making Modern Science (6 units)

SCOM6501 Science Communication Strategy and Leadership (6 units)

A maximum of 6 units from completion of courses from the following list:

ENVS6013 Society and Environmental Change (6 units)

ENVS6025 Complex Environmental Problems in Action (6 units)

ENVS6307 Climate Change: Science, Society, and Policy (6 units)

ENVS8016 Contemporary Perspectives in Environment-Society Interaction (6 units)

ENVS8019 Sustainable Futures: Thinking in Systems (6 units)

SCNC8000 Science Internship (6 units)

12 units from completion of policy and governance courses from the following list:

EMDV8104 Environmental Governance (6 units)

EMDV8047 Land Rights and Resource Development (6 units)

EMDV8079 Water Justice, Management and Governance (6 units)

ENVS6315 Essentials of Environmental Law (6 units)

ENVS6528 Environmental Policy (6 units)

A maximum of 24 units from completion of 6000-8000-level courses from the discipline areas listed below:

BIOL - Biology

CHEM - Chemistry

COMP - Computer Science

EMSC - Earth and Marine Science (not previously taken)

ENVS - Environmental Science

MATH - Mathematics

PHYS - Physics

STAT - Statistics

A maximum of 24 units from completion of elective courses offered by the ANU

Capstone Courses

Admission Requirements

Applicants must present a Bachelor degree or international equivalent

• with a minimum GPA of at least 5.0/7.0
• with at least 8 courses in a cognate discipline, which must also have a minimum GPA of 5.0/7.0.

The GPA requirement for this program must be met by both the program as a whole, as well as by the 8 courses in a cognate discipline. Where more than 8 cognate courses have been completed by the applicant, ANU will take the best 8 courses when assessing the cognate GPA.

Ranking and English Language Proficiency: At a minimum, all applicants must meet program-specific academic/non-academic requirements, and English language requirements. Admission to most ANU programs is on a competitive basis. Therefore, meeting all admission requirements does not automatically guarantee entry. 

In line with the University's admissions policy and strategic plan, an assessment for admission may include competitively ranking applicants on the basis of specific academic achievement, English language proficiency and diversity factors. Applicants will first be ranked on a GPA ('GPA1') that is calculated using all but the last semester (or equivalent) of the Bachelor degree used for admission purposes. If required, ranking may further be confirmed on the basis of: 

• a GPA ('GPA2') calculated on the penultimate and antepenultimate semesters (or equivalent) of the Bachelor degree used for admission purposes; and/or
• demonstrating higher-level English language proficiency

Prior to enrolment in this ANU program, all students who gain entry will have their Bachelor degree reassessed, to confirm minimum requirements were met.

Further information: English language admission requirements and post-admission support

Diversity factors: As Australia’s national university, ANU is a global representative of Australian research and education. ANU endeavours to recruit and maintain a diverse and deliberate student cohort representative not only of Australia, but the world. In order to achieve these outcomes, competitive ranking of applicants may be adjusted to ensure access to ANU is a reality for brilliant students from countries across the globe.

Assessment of qualifications: Unless otherwise indicated, ANU will accept all Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) qualifications or international equivalents that meet or exceed the published admission requirements of our programs, provided all other admission requirements are also met.

 Where an applicant has more than one completed tertiary qualification, ANU will base assessment on the qualification that best meets the admission requirements for the program. Find out more about the Australian Qualifications Framework: www.aqf.edu.au

ANU uses a 7-point Grade Point Average (GPA) scale. All qualifications submitted for admission at ANU will be converted to this common scale, which will determine if an applicant meets our published admission requirements. Find out more about how a 7-point GPA is calculated for Australian universities: www.uac.edu.au/future-applicants/admission-criteria/tertiary-qualifications

Unless otherwise indicated, where an applicant has more than one completed tertiary qualification, ANU will calculate the GPA for each qualification separately. ANU will base assessment on the best GPA of all completed tertiary qualifications of the same level or higher.

Credit Granted

Applicants with a Bachelor Degree or Graduate Certificate in a cognate discipline may be eligible for 24 units (one semester) of credit. Applicants with a Graduate Diploma or Honours in a cognate discipline may be eligible for 48 units (one year) of credit.

Cognate Disciplines

Earth & Marine Sciences, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Computer Sciences, Astronomy & Astrophysics, Physical Geography, Mathematics; Engineering

Fee Information

All students are required to pay the Services and amenities fee (SA Fee)

The annual indicative fee provides an estimate of the program tuition fees for international students and domestic students (where applicable). The annual indicative fee for a program is based on the standard full-time enrolment load of 48 units per year (unless the program duration is less than 48 units). Fees for courses vary by discipline meaning that the fees for a program can vary depending on the courses selected. Course fees are reviewed on an annual basis and typically will increase from year to year. The tuition fees payable are dependent on the year of commencement and the courses selected and are subject to increase during the period of study.

For further information on Fees and Payment please see: https://www.anu.edu.au/students/program-administration/fees-payments

Scholarships

ANU offers a wide range of scholarships to students to assist with the cost of their studies.

Eligibility to apply for ANU scholarships varies depending on the specifics of the scholarship and can be categorised by the type of student you are.  Specific scholarship application process information is included in the relevant scholarship listing.

For further information see the Scholarships website.

Employment Opportunities

Graduates of the Master of Science in Critical Resources will be well prepared for employment in areas where advanced Earth science, data science and resource systems expertise are in growing demand.

Potential employment pathways include mineral exploration, critical minerals assessment, government geoscience, geological surveys, environmental and regulatory agencies, resource-sector consulting, the mining and energy sectors, research organisations, science communication, science policy, and related areas of responsible resource development.

Graduates will develop skills relevant to both technical and broader professional roles. These include interpreting geological, geochemical, geophysical, spatial and computational datasets; understanding how critical resources form and are explored for; applying data science methods to Earth system problems; evaluating uncertainty and evidence quality; and communicating scientific information to specialist and non-specialist audiences.

The program also prepares students for roles that require an understanding of the social, environmental and governance dimensions of critical resources. This includes work connected to environmental governance, land rights and resource development, water management, community engagement, regulatory assessment and responsible resource decision-making.

The program responds to recognised national workforce needs. Recent national reports highlight shortages in geoscience capability and the importance of critical resources, data science and resource expertise for Australia's energy transition, economic resilience, sovereign capability and future research and innovation system. Graduates will therefore be positioned to contribute to areas of national priority in Australia and internationally.

The program also provides preparation for students who may later wish to pursue further research training, subject to academic performance, supervisory capacity and admission requirements.

Learning Outcomes

1. Demonstrate advanced knowledge of critical resources, including their formation, distribution, exploration and role in low-emissions energy systems, advanced technologies, national resilience and responsible development;
2. Apply Earth science knowledge to complex problems in critical resources, resource exploration and responsible resource development;
3. Interpret, synthesise and critically analyse published literature and other evidence relevant to critical resources, geoscience, data science and resource governance;
4. Apply theoretical, practical, computational and research-methods skills relevant to Earth science and critical resources;
5. Critically analyse geological, geochemical, geophysical, spatial, computational and/or other Earth science data, evaluate uncertainty and reach independent conclusions;
6. Integrate evidence across multiple scales, from deep Earth processes to near-surface resource systems, to understand source-to-resource pathways;
7. Critically evaluate the social, environmental, governance, policy and ethical contexts in which critical resource decisions are made;
8. Communicate scientific concepts, methods and results clearly in written and oral formats, supported by appropriate figures, maps, data visualisations and other visual material, to specialist and non-specialist audiences.

Further Information

Program advice:

Students are advised to seek academic advice early in their program to ensure that their course selections support their intended academic and career pathway. Students should pay particular attention to the sequencing of compulsory courses, the availability of recommended electives, and the timing of the EMSC8025 Earth Science Research Project.

Students intending to undertake a research project in a specific area of critical resources should discuss possible topics and supervision arrangements with the program convener before completion of the first 48 units of study. Research project availability will depend on supervisory capacity, student preparation, and alignment with RSES research expertise.

Potential pathway to Masters (Advanced)

Students who are admitted to the Master of Science in Critical Minerals of study can explore the option of undertaking a significant research component in the Master of Earth Sciences (Advanced). Please discuss this with the program convener before completion of the first 24 units of study at the Master level. Students have the option of applying to transfer to the Master of Earth Sciences (Advanced) :

• have completed compulsory courses in the first 48 units of the Master of Earth Science (Advanced),
• achieve a minimum 70% weighted average mark in the initial 48 units of coursework,
• have the approval of an identified supervisor, and
• meet the published admission requirements for the Master of Earth Science (Advanced)

Vertical Double Degree pathway UGRD-PGRD:

This program is part of the Vertical Double Degree pathway structure offered by the College of Science and Medicine. The Vertical Double Degree pathway presents students with the opportunity to complete a 3-year single undergraduate degree offered by the ANU College of Science and Medicine with a cognate 2-year Masters degree in 4 years (full-time) instead of 5 years (full-time). Not all undergraduate and Masters programs are offered as a Vertical Double Degree pathway. For more information on applicable combinations, benefits and how to apply, eligibility and conditions please visit https://science.anu.edu.au/vertical-double-degrees .

Students who are interested in pursuing a Vertical Double Degree pathway with this program, are advised to contact student@anu.edu.au and seek academic advice. Students who are already in an undergraduate degree offered by the College of Science and Medicine should seek academic advice before completion of the first 72 units of their undergraduate studies.

This pathway is not available to students in an undergraduate Flexible Double Degree.

Exit pathways:

Students who have completed 48 units and wish to exit the program have the option of transferring to graduate from a Graduate Diploma of Science.

Students who have completed 24 units and wish to exit the program have the option of transferring to graduate from a Graduate Certificate of Science.