The Department of Environmental Sciences (DES) equips diverse, working-world learners with the knowledge and skills to understand, protect, and sustainably manage South Africa’s natural and built environments. By blending scientific insight with real-world application, DES programmes empower students to address urgent environmental challenges facing communities, industries, and ecosystems. DES prides itself with the fact that it develops professionals who are industrial leaders and global experts in the field of environmental sciences, sustainability, and environmental management.
The Department of Environmental Sciences is strongly aligned with South Africa’s environmental priorities and challenges. We are also committed to supporting Africa’s evolving environmental challenges in a rapidly changing space, ensuring that our work contributes meaningfully to sustainable solutions across the continent. Graduates are capable of addressing issues such as water scarcity, water quality, climate resilience, land degradation, loss of biodiversity, conservation challenges, unsustainable production and development planning with locally relevant solutions.
High quality open distance environmental qualifications are offered to working professionals, rural students and under-served communities, enabling skills development at a broad scale.
Teaching, learning and research blends environmental science, nature conservation and horticulture, positioning the department as a hub for interdisciplinary problem solving across many different sectors.
The department actively engages with industry, community partners and government. Many engaged scholarship projects link scientific enquiry with real community needs, supporting municipalities, conservation bodies and industry partners with evidence-based solutions.
The Department of Environmental Sciences offers extensive qualifications across three different disciplines namely: Environmental Sciences, Nature Conservation and Horticulture.
At undergraduate level we offer the following qualifications:
At honours/postgraduate level we offer the following qualifications:
At master’s and doctoral level we offer the following qualifications:
ENGAGES SCHOLARSHIP PROJECTS
The Department of Environmental Sciences ensures that impact and learning extends beyond theoretical applications through active participation in several important Engaged Scholarship projects:
The Magagamatala community and Unisa entered into a Memorandum of Understanding in order to support and promote the sustainable use of natural resources in order to sustainably develop the Magagamatala Community within the ambit of the UNESCO Waterberg Biosphere Reserve. Signed in 2022 for a 3 year period, the project has now reached its conclusion having supported 5 SDG goals.
The Eco Households and Green Living project applies research-based recommendations to identify low-carbon technologies that address water, energy, and food challenges. These technologies are used to develop learning materials, facilitate community demonstration activities, support household implementation, and resource the Dorothy Nyembe Park Community Learning Centre to enable sustained community learning.
This project brings together communities, schools, and nature across the Vhembe, Marico, and Kruger to Canyons Biosphere Reserves. It introduces innovative vegetable tower gardens that empower schools to grow fresh, nutritious produce using minimal water. A dedicated nursery supports ongoing seedling supply, helping gardens thrive year-round. At the same time, learners and community members are trained to monitor the health of nearby streams through hands-on citizen science. By combining sustainable food production with water conservation and ecological awareness, the project strengthens local resilience, inspires environmental stewardship, and creates practical solutions that benefit both people and the ecosystems they depend on.
Vetted Ornamental Horticulture (OH) students (present and alumni) with small scale business ideas and ventures will go through the Inhlanyelo Hub programme to help them develop their business plans. They will be mentored by the OH lecturers who form part of the project team. The funding will assist the lecturers to visit the students at their business sites and serve as seed funding for the business ventures
The project is a collaboration Between Nirox sculpture Park and UNISA. The main directive is to foster a relationship with the adjacent community in the greater Cradle region using facilities such as the Kroomdraai creativity & Impact Hub and the newly established basketball as central multipurpose facilities. The initiative aims to cultivate an interest in outdoor recreational activities, bringing people closer to urban green spaces through physical activity and education. The project would strive to enhance social cohesion and encourage healthier lifestyle practices. Key concepts of Environmental sustainability will be pivotal in our engagements with the community and these will be disseminated through informed information sessions and workshops. This would provide a platform for educational opportunities (agronomic and nutritional) that would link the use of these recreational areas to support active lives by learning the basics of Nutritional needs for the local stakeholders.
EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING:
The Department of Environmental Sciences offers Work Integrated Learning modules together with the Nature Conservation and Horticulture qualifications to ensure students are able to apply theoretical underpinnings with relevant hands-on professional practice:
Nature Conservation WIL Modules:
The Nature Conservation Application (NCA) modules at Unisa are a vital component of the Nature Conservation Diploma, requiring students to spend time in the nature conservation industry gaining practical, real-world experience. These modules are specifically designed to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application, allowing students to apply ecological principles directly in the field. Ultimately, completing the NCA modules ensures that students can successfully apply their learning to applicable practical situations within conservation settings.
Ornamental Horticulture WIL modules:
These work-integrated learning (WIL) modules are designed to take students beyond the classroom by immersing them in authentic horticultural workplaces where they can apply theoretical knowledge in real-world situations. Instead of completing a set number of hours, students demonstrate competence through practical assessments completed over several months. Across nurseries, botanical gardens, farms, municipalities, and landscaping enterprises, students gain hands-on experience in core horticultural practices, plant identification, landscape construction and maintenance, and resource management. The purpose of these modules is to develop industry-ready graduates who can confidently perform practical tasks, make informed decisions, and apply professional skills within the Green Industry.
The Department of Environmental Sciences plays a critical role in addressing the most pressing environmental and socio-economic challenges in South Africa and the world. Through teaching, learning and research focused on climate resilience, sustainable land and water management, biodiversity conservation, environmental and social justice, and green-economy transitions, the department supports national priorities such as food security, disaster risk reduction, and equitable development. Its work in areas like indigenous knowledge systems, sustainable production, pollution monitoring, urban sustainability, and community-centred environmental management contributes directly to global agendas including the SDGs and UNGC Principles positioning the department as a driver of innovation, sustainability, and long-term environmental and societal wellbeing.
Explore our profile and programmes and see how you can be part of Africa’s next generation of environmentalists, conservationists or green industry experts”.
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Last modified: 2025/12/09