Coastal Environmental Geomorphology

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2016:

May (SECOND OFFERING), Parkville - Taught on campus.

Pre-teaching Period Start 2-May-2016
Teaching Period 09-May-2016 to 13-May-2016
Assessment Period End 20-May-2016
Last date to Self-Enrol 03-May-2016
Census Date 09-May-2016
Last date to Withdraw without fail 14-May-2016

PLEASE NOTE: THIS SUBJECT HAS TWO DIFFERENT MAY 2016 OFFERINGS.

85 hours

A knowledge of third-year geology is strongly recommended. No knowledge of coastal processes is assumed.

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

Field observations and tasks include: nature and origin of the coastal materials, geomorphic processes, environmental history, coastal management topics such as hazard/risk assessment, steep coast dynamics, beach maintenance and nourishment, impact of marinas and other engineering structures, indications and implications of sea-level rise, and conservation of significant and sensitive geoscience sites.

• Develop the geological mapping skills of students;
• equip students with discipline-specific knowledge and expertise appropriate for post-graduate research in the field;
• equip students with discipline-specific knowledge and expertise enabling them to take their place as professional geologists in industry or government organisations;
• provide students with the confidence and competence to hone their field mapping techniques;
• appreciate the biophysical processes that affect the regolith, e.g., weathering, erosion and transport; physically interpret coastal geomorphological processes and their relevance to landscape evolution along the coast.

• Field interpretation diagrams from selected sites over the 5 days (equivalent to 1000 words); due one week after the end of the teaching period (70%)
• A short report (1,500 words max) on a theme of your choice relevant to several sites e.g. beach or slope dynamics, sea-level rise impacts, safety/hazards, and other management implications; due one week after the end of the teaching period (30%).

Reading to be completed in the pre-teaching period: Bird, Coasts of Victoria.

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

• Exercise critical judgement;
• undertake rigorous and independent thinking;
• adopt a problem-solving approach to new and unfamiliar tasks;
• develop high-level written report and/or oral presentation skills;
• interrogate, synthesise and interpret the published literature;
• work as part of a team.