Australian Landscapes, Regolith and Soils (8781.2)
Available teaching periods | Delivery mode | Location |
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View teaching periods | ||
EFTSL | Credit points | Faculty |
0.125 | 3 | Faculty Of Education, Science, Technology & Maths |
Discipline | Study level | HECS Bands |
Academic Program Area - Science | Level 2 - Undergraduate Intermediate Unit | Band 2 2021 (Commenced After 1 Jan 2021) Band 3 2021 (Commenced Before 1 Jan 2021) |
This unit introduced students from a range of backgrounds to methods for observing and investigating landscapes and their critical components of regolith, soil and water. It provides a framework for understanding landscape evolution and regolith development, particularly in the Australian context. It introduces management issues at the catchment scale. The unit covers the topics of landscape description and analysis; water in the landscape; landscape hazards; description and characterisation of soils and regolith; soil physics and soil chemistry; soil erosion and remediation; physiochemical hazards in the critical zone; whole of catchment (WOC) analysis; planning and environmental management of catchments. Practical activities will relate to sites being investigated by industry and government organisations to ensure professional relevance of the learning.
Learning outcomes
1. identify key characteristics and features of different landscapes, regolith materials basic soil types, basic landscape and regolith forming processes, various controls on landscape evolution, controls on regolith/soil development, and the relationships between landscape, regolith and surface and ground water hydrology;2. make assessments of landscape features and regolith/soils at the landscape scale, in terms of, physical and chemical processes, relationship to other environmental aspects, surface stability, potential hazards and management issues;
3. demonstrate skills in communication and team work through group projects related to the practical components of the unit.
Graduate attributes
1. UC graduates are professional - communicate effectively1. UC graduates are professional - display initiative and drive, and use their organisation skills to plan and manage their workload
1. UC graduates are professional - employ up-to-date and relevant knowledge and skills
1. UC graduates are professional - take pride in their professional and personal integrity
1. UC graduates are professional - use creativity, critical thinking, analysis and research skills to solve theoretical and real-world problems
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
2. UC graduates are global citizens - behave ethically and sustainably in their professional and personal lives
2. UC graduates are global citizens - communicate effectively in diverse cultural and social settings
2. UC graduates are global citizens - make creative use of technology in their learning and professional lives
2. UC graduates are global citizens - think globally about issues in their profession
2. UC graduates are global citizens - understand issues in their profession from the perspective of other cultures
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - adapt to complexity, ambiguity and change by being flexible and keen to engage with new ideas
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - be self-aware
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - evaluate and adopt new technology
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - reflect on their own practice, updating and adapting their knowledge and skills for continual professional and academic development
Prerequisites
8101 Earth System Science OR 8538 Earth Surface ProcessesEquivalent units
6911 Australian CatchmentsYear | Location | Teaching period | Teaching start date | Delivery mode | Unit convener |
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Required texts
All required reading and manuals are available electronically from the UC Library e-reserve
The text from the Earth Systems Science and Earth Surface Processes would be useful as this material is assumed knowledge for the Australian Landscapes, Regolith and Soils unit:
The Australian Physical Environment, Bridgman, Dragovich and Dodson, 2008.
Oxford University Press.
Submission of assessment items
Extensions & Late submissions
Extensions
Extensions must be applied for before the due date.
Students can apply for an extension to the due date for submission of an assessment item on the grounds of illness or other unavoidable and verifiable personal circumstances. Documentary evidence will be expected in order that an extension be granted.
It should be noted that such documentation will be considered but will not guarantee that the application will be successful. The Unit Convenor will decide whether to grant an extension and the length of the extension.
Responsibility for understanding
If there is any doubt with regard to the requirements of any particular assignments or assessment procedure, the onus for clarifying the issue rests with the student who should contact the unit convenor or tutor. Further, it is the responsibility of students to ensure that they are correctly enrolled in the unit and that the tutor and Student Administration have their correct contact details.
Deferred examinations
We will be providing immediate feedback to students during the workshop tests, and as such, have a policy of not providing opportunities for supplementary sittings. However, speak to the unit convenor if you miss a workshop test for medical reasons or substantial misadventure.
Special assessment requirements
Because the study of Australian Landscapes, Regolith and Soils is essentially field-based, students must complete and pass the field component of the course, as well as achieve an overall minimum grade of 50%, in order to pass this unit.
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.
Participation requirements
Participation in Workshop and Field classes is a compulsory condition of this unit, and attendance will be recorded. You must participate in at least 80% of Workshops (e.g. at least 16 out of 20 classes) and both Field classes to pass this unit. In the event that you cannot attend your Workshop class due to illness or unavoidable commitments, contact the Unit Convener as soon as possible for assistance with a review of missed work.
Required IT skills
Familiarity with Microsoft Office software Word, Excel and PowerPoint or equivalent is necessary. It is expected that students have learned how to access resources in the UC library and to access the Unit's Moodle site.
In-unit costs
Contribution to field expenses not exceeding $160 for all field trips in this unit
Work placement, internships or practicums
Learning in this unit will be integrally linked to experiences in professional contexts.
Policy on units that involve field trips or trips off campus can be found here
Additional information
Students are required to take responsibility and due care for their own safety and that of others during all outdoor activities. No dangerous items will be permitted on field trips.
In all cases of absence, sickness or personal problems it is the student's responsibility to ensure that the unit convenor is informed. The minimum participation requirement must be met in order to pass the unit (regardless of supporting documentation).
Research Led Education: This unit involves research-led education and the field component includes some work-integrated learning. There are active researchers delivering this unit who are able to engage students in deep and active learning and transmit to students their passion for the research they are carrying out.
Provision of information to the group
Notifications through the Moodle Announcements Forum or the Moodle Discussion Forums are deemed to be made to the whole class. It is the responsibility of the student to ensure that they check for announcements on the Unit's Moodle website (Moodle forum messages are also emailed to student email addresses only). Students should ensure they check their student email regularly. The Moodle discussion forums will be checked by staff regularly.
Use of student email account
The University Email policy states that "students wishing to contact the University via email regarding administrative or academic matters need to send the email from the University account for identity verification purposes". Therefore all unit enquiries should be emailed using a student university email account. Students should contact servicedesk@canberra.edu.au if they have any issues accessing their university email account.