GEOG201-15S1 (C) Semester One 2015

Environmental Processes: Principles and Applications

15 points

Details:
Start Date: Monday, 23 February 2015
End Date: Sunday, 28 June 2015
Withdrawal Dates
Last Day to withdraw from this course:
  • Without financial penalty (full fee refund): Sunday, 8 March 2015
  • Without academic penalty (including no fee refund): Sunday, 24 May 2015

Description

The course explores the fundamental principles and applications of knowledge related to the surface of the earth in the sub-disciplines of geomorphology, climatology and hydrology. Systems studied include landforms, glaciers, climate, and rivers. The main objective of the course is to explain the spatial and temporal characteristics, and the interaction between these systems in an interdisciplinary manner by drawing extensively from New Zealand examples.

This course will teach you how the environment works, with the atmospheric, cryospheric, mountain and floodplain processes. Moreover, because water and erosion present important challenges for New Zealand, the course is structured in such a way that you will start developing the necessary expertise to answer related questions that are critical for New Zealand and also prepare for the specialised courses at 300 and 400 levels.

This course works hand-in-hand with Geog211, the field-practical that gives you field and technical expertise to become an accomplished physical geographer. This is not to say that you won't learn technical skills in Geo201, but they will be "indoor skills". Geog201 concentrates on laboratory skills and desktop computing expertise, with a strong emphasis on the surface water and sediment processes. Examples of the labs for 2015 are: the use of a rainfall generator to measure the impact of rain on the soils and slopes and erosion; the use of an laboratory models of valleys to understand the evolution of sedimentary fan, and also the use of GIS to solve physical Geography problems, a skill in high demand in workplaces...

Geog201 is also part of the "Physical Geography pathway towards employment" (started in 2015), therefore some of the assignments will be pieces that will feed into your portfolio. Because the Physical Geography team wants you to be able to demonstrate your skills to your future employers, we will help you build your resume and a portfolio demonstrating your expertise - for any question on the portfolio and this initiative, contact Dr Christopher Gomez christopher.gomez@canterbury.ac.nz.

Learning Outcomes

- Understand atmospheric processes at different scales in New Zealand;
- Understand the mechanics of glaciers;
- Understand the processes of surface waters;
- Understand the interaction between sediment and water (build on First year introduction)
- Being able to use laboratory models to solve environmental problems and understand processes
- Being able to use basic statistics and GIS to solve environmental issues.

Thematic Division of the Semester

- Atmospheric processes
- Cryospheric processes
- Land surface processes

Prerequisites

Any 30 points of 100-level Geography, or
entry with approval of the Head of Department

Restrictions

GEOG201 prior to 2009.

Course Coordinator

For further information see School of Earth and Environment Head of Department

Assessment

Assessment Due Date Percentage 
Reading Report 20%
Final Exam 40%
Lab Portfolio and attendance 40%

Indicative Fees

Domestic fee $778.00

International fee $3,450.00

* 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 GEOG201 Occurrences

  • GEOG201-15S1 (C) Semester One 2015
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