GEOG412-25S2 (C) Semester Two 2025

Alpine Environments

15 points

Details:
Start Date: Monday, 14 July 2025
End Date: Sunday, 9 November 2025
Withdrawal Dates
Last Day to withdraw from this course:
  • Without financial penalty (full fee refund): Sunday, 27 July 2025
  • Without academic penalty (including no fee refund): Sunday, 28 September 2025

Description

Alpine environments are harsh and dynamic, yet they can also be foci of human activity. In order to make decisions about activity and infrastructure in these environments people first need to understand how physical processes in these environments interact. For example, avalanche hazard is a result of complex interactions between snow accumulation, weather conditions, topography, and human activity. Future water storage will be influenced by long-term climate trends, topography, infrastructure and demand for water. Therefore in addition to understanding physical processes, to manage resources and activities in alpine environments, people also need an understanding of cultural values, and various policies and legislation that help govern development and activities.

Learning Outcomes

  • The aim of this course is to provide guided advanced level learning about snow and ice processes in alpine environments. This course has a strong skills development focus. Key topics include temperature and precipitation measurement in alpine catchments and avalanche hazard.

    Knowledge gained through student-lead tutorials, guest lectures, assigned readings, and practical workshops, with be drawn together during a one-day field excursion (weather dependent) to a Canterbury ski area, where students will explore snow accumulation processes and engage with experts working in snow safety management.


    By the end of this course you should be able to:
  • Describe and analyse key processes and interactions governing climate in alpine terrain
  • Critically assess, and be familiar with, key research that describes process that influence the spatial variability in snow accumulation in alpine settings
  • Apply standard numerical formula to estimate spatial and temporal variability in temperature and precipitation in mountain catchments
  • Prepare and confidently use scientific equipment relevant to data collection in alpine and polar environments (e.g. automatic weather stations, ground penetrating radar (GPR)).
  • Identify and discuss key cultural, social and legislative considerations relevant to research in New Zealand’s alpine environments
    • University Graduate Attributes

      This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attributes specified below:

      Critically competent in a core academic discipline of their award

      Students know and can critically evaluate and, where applicable, apply this knowledge to topics/issues within their majoring subject.

      Employable, innovative and enterprising

      Students will develop key skills and attributes sought by employers that can be used in a range of applications.

      Biculturally competent and confident

      Students will be aware of and understand the nature of biculturalism in Aotearoa New Zealand, and its relevance to their area of study and/or their degree.

      Engaged with the community

      Students will have observed and understood a culture within a community by reflecting on their own performance and experiences within that community.

Prerequisites

Entry subject to approval of the Head of School

Restrictions

GEOG408 and GEOG410

Timetable 2025

Students must attend one activity from each section.

Lecture A
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Monday 08:00 - 11:00 Ernest Rutherford 164 Geog/Geol Lab
14 Jul - 24 Aug
8 Sep - 19 Oct
Optional A (Optional)
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Saturday 09:00 - 17:00 Canterbury High Country
18 Aug - 24 Aug
8 Sep - 14 Sep

Timetable Note

x 1 THREE-hour lecture per week
x 2 One-day field trips (weather dependent) - please see the Course Handout on Learn for field trip information
Attendance of the field trips is voluntary

Course Coordinator

Heather Purdie

Lecturers

Justin Harrison and Jamie Shulmeister

Guest Lecturer

Tim Kerr

Assessment

Assessment Due Date Percentage  Description
Online quizzes 20% Online quizzes (x 2)
Skills module 30% Skills module (x 3)
Research Project (group) 50%

Textbooks / Resources

Recommended Reading

McClung, David., Schaerer, P. A; The Avalanche Handbook ; 4th; Mountaineers Books, 2022.

Required textbook(s):
There are no set-texts but each tutorial will be supported set reading(s) of a relevant scientific paper(s). Students are expected to find and read these papers prior to each lecture. Details of the readings will be provided at the start of the course.

Notes

Recommended preparation:
GEOG205, GEOG211, GEOG312

Indicative Fees

Domestic fee $1,213.00

* 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 .

All GEOG412 Occurrences

  • GEOG412-25S2 (C) Semester Two 2025