The Bachelor of Environmental Policy and Planning with Honours (BEPP Hons) is a four-year undergraduate honours degree at Lincoln University designed for students who want professional careers in environmental policy, urban planning, regional planning and resource management. The programme combines environmental and ecological sciences with policy, planning, law, M?ori planning and development, risk and resilience, and practical professional training. Lincoln states that the degree is accredited by the New Zealand Planning Institute (NZPI), providing professional recognition and a pathway toward professional planning membership.

The IPU programme link supplied in the request currently points to an IPU postgraduate programme rather than this Lincoln University qualification. I could not find a current IPU-published partnership, pathway, application arrangement, fee or scholarship specifically for the BEPP Hons. Therefore, IPU-specific information for this Lincoln programme is not publicly specified – please confirm with IPU.

Why Study / Key Benefits

• Combines environmental policy, planning and environmental science in one professional degree.
• Prepares students for urban and regional planning careers.
• Develops knowledge of environmental policy, resource management and planning law.
• Covers physical and ecological sciences, environmental monitoring, risk and resilience.
• Develops skills in evidence-based decision-making in multidisciplinary situations.
• Provides practical experience through professional practice and group case-study work.
• Includes M?ori policy, planning and environmental management.
• Addresses contemporary issues including climate change, sustainability, cities, energy, transport and disaster risk.
• Provides professional recognition through New Zealand Planning Institute accreditation.

Programme Structure and Subjects / Topics

The programme combines environmental policy and planning with social science, environmental science, resource management and professional planning.

Year 1 – Semester 1

• MAST 104 – Te Tiriti o Waitangi (The Treaty of Waitangi) – 15 credits
• ECON 113 – Economies and Markets – 15 credits
• SOCI 116 – Society, Culture and Environment – 15 credits
• LINC 101 – Land, People and Economies – 15 credits

Year 1 – Semester 2

• SOCI 117 – Introduction to New Zealand Government and Public Policy – 15 credits
• One BEPP Hons List A course
• One elective
• One elective.

Year 2 – Semester 1

• SOCI 204 – Research Methods – 15 credits
• ERST 203 – Environmental Monitoring and Resource Assessment – 15 credits
• MAST 206 – Whakatakoto Kaupapa (M?ori Planning and Development) – 15 credits
• One BEPP Hons List B course

Year 2 – Semester 2

• LINC 201 – Sustainable Futures – 15 credits
• ERST 201 – Environmental Analysis – 15 credits
• ERST 205 – Principles of Urban and Regional Planning – 15 credits
• One BEPP Hons List B course.

Year 3 – Semester 1

• ERST 340 – Environmental Planning – 15 credits
• ERST 330 – Risk and Resilience – 15 credits
• One elective
• One elective

Year 3 – Semester 2

• MAST 319 – Te Kaitiakitaka (M?ori Environmental Management) – 15 credits
• ERST 302 – Environmental Policy – 15 credits
• SOCI 314 – Professional Practice – 15 credits
• One elective.

Year 4 – Semester 1

• ERST 604 – Advanced Urban, Regional and Resource Planning – 20 credits
• ERST 635 – Group Case Study – 20 credits
• BEPP Hons List C course

Year 4 – Semester 2

• LWST 602 – Advanced Resource Management and Planning Law – 20 credits
• Research Placement or Research Essay
• BEPP Hons List C course.

Programme Electives / Advanced Topics

BEPP Hons List A requires at least one course from options including:

• ENSC 101 – Introduction to Earth and Ecological Sciences
• PHSC 101 – Chemistry IA
• ENGN 106 – Structures and Land Surfaces
• VAPM 101 – Introduction to Property
• SOSC 106 – Soil Science I
• ECOL 103 – Ecology I: New Zealand Ecology and Conservation.

BEPP Hons List B requires at least one course from options including:

• WATR 202 – Water on Land: Quality and Quantity
• ECOL 202 – Biological Diversity
• ERST 202 – Environmental Analysis with Geographic Information Systems
• ECON 211 – Land Economics
• SOSC 223 – Physical Landscapes: Formation and Function
• LASC 218 – Landscape and Culture
• SOCI 214 – The Living City
• WATR 201 – Freshwater Resources.

BEPP Hons List C requires at least two advanced courses. Options include:

• Advanced Energy and Transport Planning
• Advanced Risk and Resilience
• Environmental Policy and Planning
• Economics in Environmental Policy
• Advanced Landscape Planning and Policy
• Landscape Assessment
• Planning and Assessing International Development Projects
• Quantitative Economic Analysis
• Advanced Geographic Information Systems
• Environmental Impact Assessment
• Advanced M?ori Policy and Planning
• Indigenous Planning and Development
• Advanced Social Psychology of Wellbeing
• Natural Resource Recreation and Tourism
• Water Quality and Quantity Assessment
• Water Management, Policy and Planning.

Disciplines / Specialisations

The degree is centred on environmental policy and planning rather than offering separately named majors.

Key disciplinary areas include:

• Environmental policy
• Environmental planning
• Urban planning
• Regional planning
• Resource management
• Environmental science
• Ecological science
• M?ori planning and development
• Environmental law
• Risk and resilience
• Geographic Information Systems
• Environmental impact assessment
• Landscape planning
• Water management
• Climate change and sustainability
• Energy and transport planning
• Land economics
• Public policy.

Programme Highlights

• Four-year full-time honours degree.
• 480 credits.
• Professional orientation toward environmental and planning careers.
• Accredited by the New Zealand Planning Institute.
• Covers both urban and regional planning.
• Strong environmental policy and resource-management content.
• Includes M?ori planning and development.
• Includes M?ori environmental management.
• Covers risk and resilience.
• Includes environmental monitoring and assessment.
• Includes environmental planning and policy.
• Includes resource management and planning law.
• Provides advanced-level study at 600 level.
• Includes a group case study.
• Includes professional practice.
• Includes a research placement or research essay.
• Offers advanced options in GIS, environmental impact assessment, water management, energy and transport planning, landscape planning and indigenous planning.

Career Outcomes

Lincoln states that there is high demand for skilled professional planners and that graduates of its accredited degree can pursue environmental or policy planning positions across city, district, regional and central-government levels, as well as private-sector organisations.

Potential career areas include:

• Environmental planner
• Urban planner
• Regional planner
• Policy planner
• Resource-management planner
• Environmental policy adviser
• Resource-management adviser
• Planning consultant
• Environmental planning consultant
• Local-government planning roles
• Central-government policy and planning roles
• M?ori planning and development
• Environmental impact assessment
• Sustainability and resilience planning
• Water-management planning
• GIS and environmental assessment.

Important academic progression requirements include:

• Students must complete 480 credits.
• Students must pass all compulsory courses.
• At least 120 credits must be completed at 600 level.
• Students must normally have passed the group-work component and achieve a B+ grade or better in SOCI 314 – Professional Practice, or a substantively equivalent course with an assessed group-work component.
• Students must achieve a B+ average or better in the B.E.P.P. 300-level compulsory courses before enrolling in the 600-level courses.

International Student Visa Requirements

International students studying this full-time programme in New Zealand will generally need a Fee Paying Student Visa unless another visa category applies.

Lincoln states that new international students need:

• An Offer of Place from Lincoln University.
• Evidence that tuition fees have been paid, normally a fee receipt.
• A valid passport.
• A digital photograph.
• Proof of NZ$20,000 per year for living expenses.
• Evidence of funds to cover travel to the student's home country at the end of study, or an air ticket.
• The applicable visa application fee.