Course Title: Environmental Chemical Issues

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Environmental Chemical Issues

Credit Points: 12.00

Terms

Course Code

Campus

Career

School

Learning Mode

Teaching Period(s)

CHEM1015

City Campus

Undergraduate

135H Applied Sciences

Face-to-Face

 Sem 2 2014,
Sem 2 2015,
Sem 2 2016

CHEM1015

City Campus

Undergraduate

171H School of Science

Face-to-Face

 Sem 2 2017,
Sem 2 2018,
Sem 2 2019,
Sem 2 2020,
Sem 2 2021,
Sem 2 2022

Course Coordinator: Dr. Andrew Christofferson

Course Coordinator Phone: N/A

Course Coordinator Email: andrew.christofferson@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Availability: by appointment


Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

CHEM1014 or one of the following: an equivalent first year basic chemistry course; an equivalent course; or evidence of equivalent capabilities.


Course Description

An integral part of Environmental Science is the underlying chemical and physical principles that determine the nature, composition, fate and movement of substances in various environments. This course is designed to:

  • introduce you to the principles and the factual basis of chemistry in an environmental context;
  • help you to develop the problem solving skills necessary to understand chemical and physical phenomena in the environment, and;
  • teach you how to learn fundamental chemical and physical principles, and to consequently develop independent learning skills.

 


Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

This course contributes to the development of the following Program Learning Outcomes at AQF level 7

PLO 1 - Understanding Science, demonstrate a coherent understanding of environmental science.

PLO 2 - Scientific knowledge, exhibit depth and breadth of environmental science knowledge

PLO 3 - Inquiry and problem solve, critically analyse and solve problems in environmental science data

PLO 4 - Communication, be an effective communicator of environmental science

PLO 5 - Personal and professional responsibility, be accountable for individual learning and scientific work in environmental science.


At the conclusion of this you will be able to:

  1. Identify and use key chemical principles in an environmental context.
  2. Solve a range of environmentally related chemical problems using these key chemical principles;
  3. Perform basic scientific investigation, including the manipulation of equipment, making observations and recording data.
  4. Apply knowledge to undertake numerical problem solving and plan further experimentation to solve problems.


Overview of Learning Activities

The learning activities included in this course are:

  • on-campus and/or online lectures where syllabus material will be presented and explained, and the subject will be illustrated with demonstrations and examples;
  • tutorial questions and laboratory projects designed to give further practice in the application of theory and procedures, and to give feedback on student progress and understanding;
  • assignments consisting of numerical and other problems requiring an integrated understanding of the subject matter; and
  • private study, working through the course as presented in classes and learning materials, and gaining practice at solving conceptual and numerical problems.

 


Overview of Learning Resources

You will be provided with lists of relevant texts, library resources (including appropriate journals) and freely accessible internet sites. Other material will be provided in class.

You will be able to access course information and learning material through Canvas.

The library has subject guides for Environmental Science and for Chemistry.


Overview of Assessment

This course has no hurdle requirements.

Assessment item 1: Online Quizzes
Weighting: 20% total
This assessment task supports CLOs 1, 2 & 4

Assessment item 2: Organic Class Exercise
Weighting: 20%
This assessment task supports CLOs 1 - 4

Assessment item 3: Practical Assessments
Weighting: 30%
This assessment task supports CLOs 1 - 4

Assessment item 4: End of Semester Exercise
Weighting: 30%
This assessment task supports CLOs 1 - 4