Coastal Landforms & Processes

Subject GEOG30001 (2016)

Note: This is an archived Handbook entry from 2016.

Credit Points: 12.5
Level: 3 (Undergraduate)
Dates & Locations:

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2016:

Semester 1, Parkville - Taught on campus.
Pre-teaching Period Start not applicable
Teaching Period 29-Feb-2016 to 29-May-2016
Assessment Period End 24-Jun-2016
Last date to Self-Enrol 11-Mar-2016
Census Date 31-Mar-2016
Last date to Withdraw without fail 06-May-2016


Timetable can be viewed here. For information about these dates, click here.
Time Commitment: Contact Hours: 2x1hr lectures per week (all recorded on LectureCapture), 1x3hrs practical per week and a fieldtrip (3 days)
Total Time Commitment:

170 hours

A 3 day field trip will occur over a weekend between weeks 4 and 7 of semester

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:

Corequisites: None
Recommended Background Knowledge:

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:
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 Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

Coordinator

Assoc Prof David M. Kennedy

Contact

davidmk@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:
  • Essay (35%) of 2000 words (due by end of semester);
  • Attendance at, and submission of, all tasks completed within eight practical and fieldwork exercises completed within the scheduled practicals throughout the semester (15%) and
  • a 2-hour final examination (50%) to be scheduled during the examination period.

It is a hurdle requirement that students submit the written assignment, submit 80% of the laboratory work, attend 80% of the laboratories, and attend the field trip to be eligible to pass the subject.

Prescribed Texts:

Coasts(C Woodroffe), Cambridge 2003

Recommended Texts:

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 Majors/Minors/Specialisations: Environmental Geographies, Politics and Cultures major
Environmental Geography
Environmental Science major
Environments Discipline subjects
Geography
Integrated Geography
Integrated Geography
Integrated Geography
Integrated Geography
Marine Biology
Physical Geography
Physical Geography
Physical Geography
Physical Geography
Science-credited subjects - new generation B-SCI and B-ENG.
Selective subjects for B-BMED

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