Ryan Judd
Bachelor of Environments: Geomatics

This semester I am finishing off my BEnvs by completing one last subject. Next semester I plan to enrol in the masters course of Spatial Information Science.

I chose the Bachelor of Environments because I was broadly interested in engineering but wasn’t sure which stream. Looking at courses in high school I felt that the Bachelor of Environments would give me an experience of the different types and enough time to choose which one I wanted to pursue.

I decided to major in Geomatics because after first year experiencing a taste of the possible options it was the one that felt like it was the most suited to me.

My favourite subjects were Mapping Environments (1st year), Australia in the Wine World (2nd year)and Land, People and Sustainability (3rd year). I enjoyed all of these subjects because they included interesting course content and were taught well by a team of people from the lecturers to the tutors. Through the Melbourne Model I was able to do a subject like Australia in the Wine World, something far removed from my course, but something which interested me.

To me, studying at the University of Melbourne meant a whole new chapter in my life. I’m from the country and moving into one of the residential colleges on campus in the heart of the city was quite a change of scenery both in terms of the environment and being able to study what interested me.

My advice to new students is to enjoy the university lifestyle but don’t forget your studies. Also make the most of the opportunity for taking breadth subjects in things that interest you away from your degree.

I am looking forward to completing the masters degree and joining the workforce. Geomatics related work is able to be applied anywhere in the world so I would at some point like to work overseas.

The BEnvs helped me develop skills to apply in the workforce as well as providing a doorway to the industry through The University of Melbourne’s extensive industry contacts. The degree itself, being part of the broad Melbourne Model program, allowed me to experience and learn about a range of different disciplines and then link them back through the multi-disciplinary approach that the university emphasises in the capstone subject.