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DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2020/2021

Information in the Degree Programme Tables may still be subject to change in response to Covid-19

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DRPS : Course Catalogue : School of Geosciences : Earth Science

Undergraduate Course: Natural Hazards and Risk (EASC10117)

Course Outline
SchoolSchool of Geosciences CollegeCollege of Science and Engineering
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 10 (Year 4 Undergraduate) AvailabilityAvailable to all students
SCQF Credits20 ECTS Credits10
SummaryA comprehensive introduction to Natural Hazards and Risk at Honours level. The first part of the course is concerned with fundamentals of measurement and observation, the relevant principles of probability and statistics, the quantification of uncertainty and handling of extreme events. The second part concentrates on applications in forecasting hazards, using earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, climate, extreme weather and flooding as exemplars. The final part includes assessment of vulnerability and risk, and societal issues such as planning, resilience-building, and mitigation in a social context.
Course description This is a quantitative 'applications' course- building on the generic skills planned to be taught in the new Junior Honours programmes. The students will be introduced to a range of natural hazards and risks, including the underpinning science, the necessary statistical analysis, and issues of forecasting and decision-making under uncertainty in a societal context. The course is fundamentally multi-disciplinary, and will be taught by staff with strong research interests in these topics. It will open up significant new opportunities for our graduates in Environmental Risk Assessment, Management and Mitigation.
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Students MUST have passed: Algebra and Calculus (PHYS08041) OR Linear Algebra and Several Variable Calculus (PHYS08042)
Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements This course is also open to students who MUST have achieved a grade of 65% or more in EASC08018 Earth Modelling and Prediction (EMP2)
Information for Visiting Students
Pre-requisitesVisiting students with an equivalent level of Mathematics
High Demand Course? Yes
Course Delivery Information
Not being delivered
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  1. Understand the science and statistics underpinning natural hazard estimation.
  2. Estimate hazard and risk quantitatively, including all sources of uncertainty.
  3. Demonstrate practical skills in data analysis, integration and interpretation in hazard and risk applications.
  4. Understand societal issues affecting vulnerability, risk and resilience, and disaster risk reduction.
  5. Build a capacity for a professional career in risk quantification and management
Reading List
1. Bryant, EA, 1993. Natural Hazards. Cambridge
2. Keller, EA & RH Blodgett, 2006. Natural Hazards, Pearson Prentice Hall
3. Not, J., 2006. Extreme Events, Cambridge
4. Woo, G., 2011. Calculating Catastrophe
Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills 1. Thorough knowledge of relevant physics, statistics and probability for application to a variety of complex systems
2. Confidence in presenting case studies and reports to a variety of potential audiences
3. Experience in risk quantification and assessment
4. Awareness of social issues relating to a scientific field
5. Skill in delivering a critical assessment of a societally-relevant scientific problem
KeywordsNatural Hazards,Risks
Contacts
Course organiserProf Ian Main
Tel: (0131 6)50 4911
Email: Ian.Main@ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMr Matthew Hathaway
Tel: (0131 6)50 8510
Email: Matthew.Hathaway@ed.ac.uk
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