233311

Earth Environments Through Time

Principles and techniques for investigating and reconstructing past environments in a range of geological time frames and settings, with emphasis on the value of such reconstructions to understand our current environment and predict what may happen in the future.

Course code

Qualifications are made up of courses. Some universities call these papers. Each course is numbered using six digits.

233311

Level

The fourth number of the course code shows the level of the course. For example, in course 219206, the fourth number is a 2, so it is a 200-level course (usually studied in the second year of full-time study).

300-level

Credits

Each course is worth a number of credits. You combine courses (credits) to meet the total number of credits needed for your qualification.

15

Subject

Earth Science

Course planning information

Prerequisite courses

Complete first

You need to complete the above course or courses before moving onto this one.

General progression requirements

You must complete at least 45 credits from 200-level before enrolling in 300-level courses.

Learning outcomes

What you will learn. Knowledge, skills and attitudes you’ll be able to show as a result of successfully finishing this course.

  • 1 Apply principles of stratigraphy, sedimentology, geochemistry and paleontology to determine the palaeoenvironment represented by a stratigraphic sequence.
  • 2 Describe and explain how key Earth environments have changed in the past and the surface and subsurface processes that have driven these changes.
  • 3 Discuss the application of selected geochronological tools to dating events across a range of geological time frames.
  • 4 Explain the role of palaeoenvironmental reconstructions to understand and predict current and future patterns in processes such as climate change, sea level change, and their links to natural hazards.
  • 5 Communicate the results of field and laboratory-based analyses effectively in written, oral and diagrammatic form.

Learning outcomes can change before the start of the semester you are studying the course in.

Assessments

Assessment Learning outcomes assessed Weighting
Written Assignment 1 2 20%
Written Assignment 1 2 3 5 25%
Practical/Placement 1 2 3 5 25%
Exam (centrally scheduled) 1 2 3 4 30%

Assessment weightings can change up to the start of the semester the course is delivered in.

You may need to take more assessments depending on where, how, and when you choose to take this course.

Explanation of assessment types

Computer programmes
Computer animation and screening, design, programming, models and other computer work.
Creative compositions
Animations, films, models, textiles, websites, and other compositions.
Exam College or GRS-based (not centrally scheduled)
An exam scheduled by a college or the Graduate Research School (GRS). The exam could be online, oral, field, practical skills, written exams or another format.
Exam (centrally scheduled)
An exam scheduled by Assessment Services (centrally) – you’ll usually be told when and where the exam is through the student portal.
Oral or performance or presentation
Debates, demonstrations, exhibitions, interviews, oral proposals, role play, speech and other performances or presentations.
Participation
You may be assessed on your participation in activities such as online fora, laboratories, debates, tutorials, exercises, seminars, and so on.
Portfolio
Creative, learning, online, narrative, photographic, written, and other portfolios.
Practical or placement
Field trips, field work, placements, seminars, workshops, voluntary work, and other activities.
Simulation
Technology-based or experience-based simulations.
Test
Laboratory, online, multi-choice, short answer, spoken, and other tests – arranged by the school.
Written assignment
Essays, group or individual projects, proposals, reports, reviews, writing exercises, and other written assignments.

Textbooks needed

There are no set texts for this course.