Meeting Environmental Challenges: Foundations (11771.1)
| Available teaching periods | Delivery mode | Location |
|---|---|---|
| View teaching periods | On-campus |
Bruce, Canberra |
| EFTSL | Credit points | Faculty |
| 0.125 | 3 | Faculty Of Science And Technology |
| Discipline | Study level | HECS Bands |
| School Of Science | Level 1 - Undergraduate Introductory Unit | Band 2 2021 (Commenced After 1 Jan 2021) Band 3 2021 (Commenced Before 1 Jan 2021) |
Learning outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:1. Develop a broad and coherent knowledge of environments at various scales, interdependencies between human societies and environments, and sustainability (ACEDD TLO 1.1);
2. Describe disciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches to identifying and conceptualising environmental and sustainability challenges (ACEDD TLO 2.1);
3. Understand diverse approaches to environment and sustainability including their own and others' values, knowledge, ethical positions and interests (ACEDD TLO 2.3);
4. Address research questions by identifying, synthesising and applying appropriate scientific knowledge and evidence from diverse sources (ACEDD TLO 3.1); and
5. Demonstrate communication skills through working both independently and collaboratively (ACEDD TLO 3.4).
Graduate attributes
1. UC graduates are professional - communicate effectively1. UC graduates are professional - employ up-to-date and relevant knowledge and skills
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - be self-aware
1. UC graduates are professional - work collaboratively as part of a team, negotiate, and resolve conflict
2. UC graduates are global citizens - adopt an informed and balanced approach across professional and international boundaries
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - reflect on their own practice, updating and adapting their knowledge and skills for continual professional and academic development
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - adapt to complexity, ambiguity and change by being flexible and keen to engage with new ideas
4. UC graduates are able to demonstrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing, being and doing - use Indigenous histories and traditional ecological knowledge to develop and augment understanding of their discipline
Skills development
In this course you will engage with some of the globe's most immediate challenges. You will learn the scientific basis of those global issues and develop an understanding of how to start to formulate solutions. This is a 'real-world' unit, so you will be challenged from the outset to think about the complex nature of problems. You will develop the skills and learn the approaches to engage with these problems and start to disentangle that complexity.
This unit is the ideal for people going on to work in environmental consulting, education, land and water policy and management and ecological or conservation research. But it is also of direct relevance to anyone who lives in modern society.
After a brief introduction to how we engage with complex problems, we will move into a set of 'modules' which are challenge focussed. Throughout the unit tutorials will be used to provide you with general skills which apply across all modules. In each module you will interact with staff who are subject-matter experts in these particular areas.
Prerequisites
None.Corequisites
None.Incompatible units
None.Equivalent units
None.Assumed knowledge
None.| Year | Location | Teaching period | Teaching start date | Delivery mode | Unit convener |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Bruce, Canberra | Semester 1 | 16 February 2026 | On-campus | Dr Margarita Medina |
| 2027 | Bruce, Canberra | Semester 1 | 15 February 2027 | On-campus | Dr Margarita Medina |
Required texts
Principles of Environmental Science
9th or 10th Edition
By William Cunningham and Mary Cunningham
ISBN10: 1260219712
ISBN13: 9781260219715
Copyright: 2020
Submission of assessment items
Extensions & Late submissions
Artificial intelligence
Students are permitted to use generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) as indicated in the assessment instructions for this unit, as well as Studiosity Writing Feedback Plus.
GenAI may only be used in authorised ways when completing assessments at UC. This means that GenAI can only be used for an assessment when:
- the Unit Convener has authorised GenAI use for that assessment
- the student uses GenAI in the way that the assessment instructions allow
- the student fully acknowledges their use of GenAI, with proper citations, references and a GenAI Acknowledgement Statement in line with the assessment instructions.
Where the assessment instructions do not specifically state that GenAI may be used and how, then its use is not permitted for that assessment. Students must still provide the required GenAI Acknowledgement Statement to indicate whether GenAI has or has not been used in the preparation of the assessment. If unsure, students should seek advice from the Unit Convener.
The GenAI for Students Library Guide provides further information, including how to reference GenAI
Special assessment requirements
In order to pass the unit:
- Students must complete the formative quiz in preparation for the fieldtrips. This must be completed before any fieldwork activities are conducted. The formative quiz will cover fieldtrip preparation, data collection, data analysis and other scientific considerations relevant to these activities.
- Students must participate in and complete the two fieldwork activities. In these fieldtrips, the students will demonstrate achievement of the skills covered in the formative quiz which are required to complete the fieldwork log 1 and 2 and the major report at the end of the semester.
The unit convenor reserves the right to question students on any of their submitted work for moderation and academic integrity purposes.
Students must apply academic integrity in their learning and research activities at UC. This includes submitting authentic and original work for assessments and properly acknowledging any sources used.
Academic integrity involves the ethical, honest and responsible use, creation and sharing of information. It is critical to the quality of higher education. Our academic integrity values are honesty, trust, fairness, respect, responsibility and courage.
UC students have to complete the Academic Integrity Module annually to learn about academic integrity and to understand the consequences of academic integrity breaches (or academic misconduct).
UC uses various strategies and systems, including detection software, to identify potential breaches of academic integrity. Suspected breaches may be investigated, and action can be taken when misconduct is found to have occurred.
Information is provided in the Academic Integrity Policy, Academic Integrity Procedure, and University of Canberra (Student Conduct) Rules 2023. For further advice, visit Study Skills.
Learner engagement
The contact hours in this unit consist of 12 hours of lectures ( 1 hr x 12 weeks), 18 hours of tutorials (12hrs x 9 weeks), 2 hours of practical/lab work and 10 hours of field work (5 hrs per fieldtrip). The remaining 108 hours of workload should be distributed across self-directed study and the various assessment tasks.
Participation requirements
You must attend both fieldtrips.
As location and circumstances of fieldtrip sessions vary throughout the semester, details relating to attendance requirements (e.g. recording of attendance) will be communicated by the unit convener in class and via Canvas.
Required IT skills
It is assumed that students have skills in Microsoft office such as word, excel and powerpoint and internet search engines (e.g. Google)
In-unit costs
A laboratory coat and a botany exercise book (with alternating ruled and blank pages) are to be purchased for this unit. These items can be purchased from the UC Shop.
You will need the labcoat in week 8 for the practical session.
The botany book is recommended to take notes in tutorials, fieldtrips, practical.
Work placement, internships or practicums
This unit involves work integrated learning: WIL Fieldwork. Students must adhere to University policy during WIL activities, including the Student Conduct Rules 2023, the WIL Policy and WIL Procedure, and the Assessment Policy and Assessment Procedure.
Contact your unit convener if you have any concerns with meeting the requirements of this unit.
Additional information
All students are expected to complete the formative quiz before the first fieldtrip.
The fieldtrips for this unit are held at different locations.
The practical class in this unit is held in a laboratory. Safety standards are strictly followed in this environment, and all students are expected to read the safety instructions prior to entry into the laboratory.
