62114 ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

Year	No.	Offer	Mode	Description			Cred. Pts
98	62114 	S1  	X 	ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES     	1.00

Contents


STAFFING:

Examiner: B. ROBERTS
Moderator: A. LE BROCQUE
Instructional design: J. KIRKWOOD

RATIONALE:

As the effects of population growth, resource limits and pollution increasingly influence global social stability and quality of life, an understanding of environmental issues by graduates becomes essential. This unit aims to develop informed and positive attitudes toward environmental conflict, plus an appreciation not only of the causes and symptoms of environmental degradation, but also of corrective actions and the policies which support them.


SYNOPSIS:

The unit is in three parts: Perspectives on Environmental Issues, The State of the Planet, and Ways Forward. The unit content focusses on the role of each of the professions in alleviating problems such as pollution, recycling, consumerism, loss of biodiversity and rundown of renewable and non-renewable resources. Consideration is given to population growth, the influence of technology and the role of community value systems as the basic causes of environmental problems. Issues include land degradation, water pollution, forest destruction, overfishing, power production, air pollution, climate change and city planning. Special attention is given to ways in which engineers, scientists, economists, teachers and planners can develop an environmental awareness of their profession's potential contribution to environmental problem-solving.


OBJECTIVES:

On completion of this unit students will be able to:

  1. demonstrate an understanding of the factors contributing to
    global and national environmental problems;
  2. demonstrate an appreciation of the inter-relationships between
    ecological, social and economic aspects which make up modern
    environmental issues;
  3. demonstrate a thorough understanding of at least one specific
    case of conflict of interest in the Australian environmental
    context;
  4. understand how their world view can contribute to
    environmental problem-solving.

TOPICS:

 Description                                                    Weighting(%)
  1. Global Crises - An Introduction 5.00

  2. You and the Environment 5.00

  3. Origins of Environmental Problems 1 - The Growth Syndrome 5.00

  4. Origins of Environmental Problems 2 - Cultural Value 5.00 Systems

  5. Progress in Relation to Environmental Issues 10.00

  6. Land and Freshwater 10.00

  7. Oceans 10.00

  8. Forests 10.00

  9. Atmosphere, Energy and Climate Changes 10.00

  10. Urban Environments 10.00

  11. International Cooperation 5.00

  12. Community Actions 5.00

  13. Professional Action 5.00

  14. Individual Action 5.00


TEXT and MATERIALS to be PURCHASED:

Aplin, G., Mitchell, P., Cleugh, H., Pitman, A. & Rich, D. 1995,
Global Environmental Crises. An Australian Perspective, Oxford
University Press, Oxford.


RECOMMENDED REFERENCE MATERIALS:

Brown, L. 1990, State of the World, World Watch Institute, Allen and
Unwin.


STUDENT WORKLOAD REQUIREMENTS:

	ACTIVITY				HOURS
Report Writing                                	20
Directed Study                                	80
Private Study                                 	67
Examinations                                  	3

ASSESSMENT DETAILS:

No  *F/S Marks     Due        Description                              Wtg(%)    LBL WWW
1   S              20/03/98  LOCAL ISSUE REPORT                        10.00     Y
2   S              15/05/98  MAJOR ASSIGNMENT                          30.00     Y
3   S              END S1    3 HOUR CLOSED BOOK EXAMINATION            60.00     N

*F=Formative, S=Summative

OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

In accordance with University Policy and Guidelines,
i    an  Examiner  may  grant  an extension of  the  due  date  of  an
     assignment in extenuating circumstances;
ii   no  assignments  will be accepted for assessment  purposes  after
     assignments  or  model  solutions have been  released  except  in
     extenuating circumstances;
iii  assignments  submitted after the due date without any extenuating
     circumstances  will  attract a penalty of  at  most  20%  of  the
     assigned mark for each working day late;
iv   students who submit an assignment after the due date and wish  to
     claim   extenuating   circumstances,  must  provide   documentary
     evidence with the assignment explaining the circumstances;
v      the  unit  examiner  shall consider  a  claim  for  extenuating
     circumstances and decide on the outcome;
vi   the  decision of the Dean shall be final in any dispute that  may
     arise in the implementation of these guidelines.
Closed Examination: a closed examination is an examination where the
candidates are allowed to bring only writing and drawing instruments
into the examination.

This information is accurate as at 04/11/98