西澳大学

Botanists study how plants evolve and adapt to changing climates and environments and have a proactive role in mitigating the loss of biodiversity. Botany is an ideal major if you are enthusiastic about Western Australia's unique native flora or agricultural crops, and are interested in addressing current and future threats to plant conservation and sustainability.

Botany is the scientific study of plants – from their structure and function to their indispensable roles in ecosystems and the intricacies of their cell function. Botanists study how plants evolve and adapt to changing climates and environments and have a proactive role in mitigating the loss of biodiversity. Botany is an ideal major if you are enthusiastic about Western Australia's unique native flora or agricultural crops, and are interested in addressing current and future threats to plant conservation and sustainability. It is envisaged that there will be up to three overnight field trips (there will be a cost of up to $500 to cover food and accommodation for around 10 nights, to be paid for by the student).

Career Pathways

Botany graduates are highly sought after and employed by environmental consultants, resource industries, government departments (such as Agriculture and Food, Parks and Wildlife, and the Department of Water), botanic gardens (Kings Park) and research agencies (CSIRO) that either work in, or are interested in, the environment, conservation, restoration and horticulture.

Further Study

Plants underpin life on Earth. Honours in Botany allows you to conduct rigorous scientific research on various aspects of the taxonomy, biology or functioning of plants. Your research could investigate the exciting diversity and uniqueness of Australian flora or focus on how plants function and interact over all levels of biological organisation, from the plant cell to the role of vegetation in the functioning of ecosystems. Other research may focus on the ways plants adapt to environments ranging from the Antarctic oceans to deserts of the inland. You might also study how we can overcome problems of environmental degradation such as those derived from mining and salinity. If you’re enthusiastic about plants across terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, this honours specialisation is for you. Honours in Botany can lead to many careers including ecologist, conservation biologist, plant physiologist, plant taxonomist, agricultural scientist, forester, environmental impact assessor, flora resource manager, government policy writer and consultant, consultant risk assessor involved in predicting and identifying algal blooms, consultant for aquaculture, marine biologist, evolutionary biologist, science journalist, laboratory technician, field research officer, plant pathologist or forensic scientist.