Coastal Landforms & Processes

Subject GEOG30001 (2014)

Note: This is an archived Handbook entry from 2014.

Credit Points: 12.50
Level: 3 (Undergraduate)
Dates & Locations:

This subject is not offered in 2014.

Time Commitment: Contact Hours: 2x1hr lectures per week (all recorded on LectureCapture), 1x3hrs practical and a fieldtrip (2.5days)
Total Time Commitment: Not available
Prerequisites:

Successful completion of one of the below, or 25 points of geography or earth sciences at second year; or equivalent as approved by the subject coordinator:

Subject
Study Period Commencement:
Credit Points:
Corequisites: None
Recommended Background Knowledge: None
Non Allowed Subjects: None
Core Participation Requirements:

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Description, Subject Objectives, Generic Skills and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison Unit website: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

Contact

Melbourne School of Land & Environment Student Centre
Ground Floor, Melbourne School of Land & Environment (building 142)

Enquiries
Phone: 13 MELB (13 6352)
Email: 13MELB@unimelb.edu.au

Subject Overview:

This subject provides a detailed synthesis of the physical processes and linkages operating within the earth’s coastal systems. The coast is one of the most intensively utilised landscapes worldwide and Australia is no exception. Population densities and development pressures are all rapidly rising providing ever increasing stress on the landscape. Intense human development is however a relatively recent phenomena. Coastal landforms operate over much longer timescales than people. Beaches and dunes have natural cycles of erosion and deposition of decadal to centennial scales while cliffs may have a history of several thousand years. It is therefore impossible to successfully manage, or simply enjoy this environment without knowledge of how it evolved and operates. During this course we will explore the operation and management of the key landforms found at the shore.

Learning Outcomes:

The objectives of this course are to provide an understanding of:

• the landforms of the coast;
• the processes that drive their evolution; and
• the management of the environmentally sensitive landscape.

Field and practical skills relevant to understanding and managing coasts are also developed in this course.

Assessment:

Two essays (each 20%) of 1500-2000 words each (due by mid-semester and end of semester, respectively), practical and fieldwork exercises done throughout the semester (10%) and a 2-hour final examination (50%) to be scheduled during the examination period.

Students must submit both written assignments, submit 80% of the laboratory work and attend the field trip to be eligible to pass the subject.

Prescribed Texts:

Coasts(C Woodroffe), Cambridge 2003

Recommended Texts:

Coastal Geomorphology, An Introduction (2nd edition) (E C F Bird) Wiley 2008

Introduction to Coastal Processes and Geomorphology (R Davidson-Arnott) Cambridge 2010

Breadth Options:

This subject potentially can be taken as a breadth subject component for the following courses:

You should visit learn more about breadth subjects and read the breadth requirements for your degree, and should discuss your choice with your student adviser, before deciding on your subjects.

Fees Information: Subject EFTSL, Level, Discipline & Census Date
Generic Skills:

Upon successful completion of this subject, students will learn how to:

• critically evaluate and synthesise literature and information;
• write succinctly and accurately;
• conduct library based research;
• apply knowledge (about given examples) to new cases;
• work independently to solve problems; and
• develop competence in writing consultancies and journal entries.

Notes:

Students enrolled in the BSc (both pre-2008 degree and new degrees), or a combined BSc course (except for the BA/BSc) may receive science credit on the completion of this subject.

Related Course(s): Master of Science (Geography)
Related Majors/Minors/Specialisations: Environmental Geographies, Politics and Cultures major
Environmental Science major
Environments Discipline subjects
Geography
Geography
Geography Major
Integrated Geography
Integrated Geography
Landscape Management major
Marine Biology
Physical Geography
Physical Geography
Science credit subjects* for pre-2008 BSc, BASc and combined degree science courses
Science-credited subjects - new generation B-SCI and B-ENG.
Selective subjects for B-BMED

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