GEOG311-08S1 (C) Semester One 2008

Coastal Studies

14 points

Details:
Start Date: Monday, 25 February 2008
End Date: Sunday, 29 June 2008
Withdrawal Dates
Last Day to withdraw from this course:
  • Without financial penalty (full fee refund): Sunday, 9 March 2008
  • Without academic penalty (including no fee refund): Sunday, 25 May 2008

Description

This course is aimed at those wanting to work in the fields of coastal/environmental science, resource and hazard management and coastal/environmental engineering, as well as at anyone with an interest in the coast. Students with a wide variety of backgrounds and diverse skills and perspectives are welcome in the course. GEOG311 explores the processes responsible for change in coastal environments and the development of coastal landforms in New Zealand, the Pacific and worldwide. Topics examined include waves, currents, sea levels, sediments, beaches, wetlands, tropical reefs and human interactions with the coast. Students will gain an understanding of conceptual and computational models of the coastal zone, along with practice in the field and laboratory techniques used in coastal zone investigation. As the course explores both the processes operating in different coastal environments and coastal management themes, there will be direct industry involvement with ECAN, CCC and NIWA. There will be a one-day fieldtrip on which you will have the opportunity to measure waves, currents and profiles, and to collect sediment and ecological data to analyse in labs. The wave, current, profile, sediment and ecological data examined together in labs will form the basis of the one in-term piece of assessment, a 40% report.

This course is for people aiming at a career in coastal/environmental science, resource and hazard management and coastal/environmental engineering, as well as at anyone with a keen interest in the coast. Students with a wide variety of backgrounds and diverse skills and perspectives are welcome in the course.

GEOG311 explores coastal processes, landforms, and management in NZ, the Pacific and worldwide, via topics including waves, currents, sea levels, sediments, beaches, wetlands, tropical reefs, human use of the coast and climate change issues. Students gain cutting-edge understandings of conceptual and computational models, and practice the techniques used in coastal zone investigation.

On the second Friday of term (7th March 2008) there is a compulsory fieldtrip to a local beach, where we measure hydrodynamics, morphology, sediments and ecology, and talk to CCC and ECAN about their coastal management perspectives.

Prerequisites

44 points of 200 level GEOG including GEOG201, or
in special cases with approval of HOD.

Timetable Note

Labs Friday  10-1pm 14,21,28 March
The lab room may yet be changed. You will be advised at the first lecture where it will be.

Compulsory Fieldtrip - Friday 7th March - details given in class

Thursday lectures are held in alternate weeks and do not clash with any other 3rd year Geography course.

Course Coordinator

Deirdre Hart

Assessment

Assessment Due Date Percentage 
Final Examination 50%
Project 50%

Textbooks / Resources

Recommended Reading

Masselink, Gerhard. , Hughes, Michael G; An introduction to coastal processes and geomorphology ; Hodder Arnold, 2003.

Indicative Fees

Domestic fee $530.00

International fee $2,287.00

* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.

For further information see School of Earth and Environment on the departments and faculties page .

All GEOG311 Occurrences

  • GEOG311-08S1 (C) Semester One 2008