Undergraduate Course: Environmental Problems and Issues (EASC10049)
Course Outline
| School | School of Geosciences |
College | College of Science and Engineering |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 4 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 10 |
ECTS Credits | 5 |
| Summary | PART 1: Atmospheric Processes
Global Warming
Stratospheric Ozone Depletion
Pollution at the Earth's Surface
PART 2: Estuarine Processes
Physical and biogeochemical processes occurring in estuaries, and how these interact to control the cycling and fate of natural and contaminant materials.
PART 3: Natural Seismic and Climatic Hazards
The mechanisms and consequences of seismic and climatic hazards.
PART 4: Environmental Issues facing Coral Reefs
The science behind: coral bleaching, impacts of changing seawater CO2; eutrophication; pathogens in reef systems; plagues; controls on species diversity; species composition and relative abundance on reefs at different spatial and temporal scales; phase shifts in the reef ecosystem.
PART 5: Nuclear Waste management
Chemical, geological and socio-economic issues associated with managing the Earth¿s low-, intermediate- and high-level nuclear waste. |
| Course description |
Not entered
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Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | Only available for full year visiting students |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2014/15, Available to all students (SV1)
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Quota: 27 |
| Course Start |
Semester 1 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
100
(
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 14,
Fieldwork Hours 3,
Summative Assessment Hours 2,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 2,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
79 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
100 %,
Coursework
0 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Written Exam: 70%, Course Work:30 %, Practical Exam: 0%.
The course is assessed through student seminars (30% for presentation and for attendance/participation in seminar sessions) and a 90-minute May exam (70%, three essay questions from five). |
| Feedback |
Not entered |
| Exam Information |
| Exam Diet |
Paper Name |
Hours & Minutes |
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| Main Exam Diet S2 (April/May) | | 1:30 | |
Learning Outcomes
| This course deals with the current state of the Earth and the role of geosciences by developing a detailed understanding of the interactions between Man's activities and natural cycles. It has been broken into 5 themes that are intended to complement other EG4 courses as well as to permit students to pursue in-depth, critical studies of processes within the context of specific problems and case studies which give the course a professional context. By examining a range of real-life problems with inherent unpredictability, the student will gain an appreciation of the ways in which processes interact within different settings. The course is particularly concerned with familiarising students with the interface between geosciences and other science disciplines in tackling environmental problems. Student seminars based on topics set from each of the themes, will provide the student with experience in consolidating and critically assessing information and making formal presentations with accompanying discussion, to informed audiences.
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Reading List
| Students are provided with recommended readings with each set of lectures, and choose additional readings for their selected seminar topics. |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Keywords | EPI_Environmental_Problems_Issues |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Greg Cowie
Tel: (0131 6)50 8502
Email: Dr.Greg.Cowie@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Mr Ken O'Neill
Tel: (0131 6)50 8510
Email: koneill3@exseed.ed.ac.uk |
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