Postgraduate Course: Interdisciplinary Approaches to the Environment (PGGE11286)
Course Outline
| School | School of Geosciences |
College | College of Science and Engineering |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | An interdisciplinary course that exposes students to alternative approaches and ways of understanding and researching environmental issues and problems. |
| Course description |
In understanding and managing environmental issues and problems, not only is a scientific understanding required, but increasingly also an understanding from alternate perspectives. This course will provide students with an opportunity to explore a range of alternate approaches, examine the nature of the evidence or output from these approaches, and integrate the different information sources together.
The course starts with introductory sessions, then goes into a series of topics, many of which will be led by a specialist in that area. Throughout the topics, possible research tools or methods will be examined, allowing students to develop an interdisciplinary ¿toolkit¿ for further studies or the workplace. This will include ways of modelling the system in question, and examination of such methods will be backed up with case studies and further reading. For every session, students will take part in organised mini debates or there will an overall class discussion on the material in that session. The final session will look at the One Health approach, and a horizon scanning exercise will be carried out to scope possible future developments.
Proposed topics include (note that these may vary):
1. Our evolving relationship with the environment and the wicked challenges we face
2. The scientific approach and the nature of evidence
3. Assessing and synthesising interdisciplinary resources
4. Valuing the environment
5. Economics and the environment
6. Life cycle analysis tools
7. Environmental behaviours
8. Concepts of environmental justice
9. Policy influencing and analysis
10. Principles of env law and regulations
11. One Heath and horizon scanning future approaches
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
|
Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Course Delivery Information
|
| Academic year 2022/23, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
|
Quota: 41 |
| Course Start |
Semester 2 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 30,
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 10,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
156 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
|
| Additional Information (Assessment) |
50% critical essay (max 2500 words) on a selected topic or approach, and how that helps address environmental problems (may be covered in the course, or if not subject to course organiser approval)
AND
25% for each of 2 short (max 4 pages each) research briefs that examine and summarise an environmental issue from 2 approaches (e.g. scientific and behavioural) (list of env issues/topic will be supplied, for students to choose from)
|
| Feedback |
Continual feedback will be supplied through feedback to the class debates/discussions |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Be aware of how different disciplines and approaches can help us understand environmental issues and problems
- Understand the nature of evidence arising from different disciplines and approaches to the environment
- Be able to critically assess and synthesis such evidence to enable better understanding and communication of such issues
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Reading List
| There is no single text appropriate for this course, but readings (highlighted as essential or additional) will be issued for each topic |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Research skills
Interdisciplinary skills including critiquing evidence
Teamwork skills
Essay and research brief writing
Communication and presentation skills |
| Keywords | environmental,interdisciplinary |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Hannah Grist
Tel:
Email: v1hgrist@exseed.ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Ms Jennifer Gumbrell
Tel:
Email: Jennifer.Gumbrell@sruc.ac.uk |
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