Course Title: Environmental Hazards and Monitoring

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Environmental Hazards and Monitoring

Credit Points: 12.00


Course Code

Campus

Career

School

Learning Mode

Teaching Period(s)

PUBH1103

City Campus

Undergraduate

135H Applied Sciences

Face-to-Face

Sem 2 2006,
Sem 2 2007,
Sem 2 2008,
Sem 2 2009

Course Coordinator: A/Prof Susanne Tepe

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 2899

Course Coordinator Email: susanne.tepe@ems.rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: 3.2.3


Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

Students need to have an understanding of basic biology principles and environmental principles as provided in first year courses or provide evidence of equivalent capabilities


Course Description

The course has three aspects:
1. It examines the impact and hazards created by human activities on the environment and develops strategies for their understanding and monitoring. The principles of environmental science, sampling strategies and ecological monitoring are used to assess the environmental health of ecosystems.

2. Students gain a basic understanding of the structure and functioning of the atmosphere, lithosphere and hydrosphere together with the impacts caused by human intervention. 

3. Students will gain a knowledge of controls used to restrict emissions or remediate impacted environments.

 
 


Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

By the end of this course, students should:

1. have technical knowledge relating to natural environments and the effect of human impact;

2. be able design a suitable monitoring program to assess an impact on the environment;

3. be aware of the range of controls used to restrict impacts on the environment;

4. have the ability to critically review scientific reports and publications and make objective judgments in relation to environmental monitoring


By the end of this course students should:

1. have an understanding of the impact of humans on the environment;

2. be able to put into practice the principles of environmental monitoring;

3. understand the need for controls in the environment and how they should be applied;

4. be able to objectively review environmental reports and present an objective position on contentious issues in the environment.


Overview of Learning Activities

Lectures, tutorials, field trips, oral presentations, independent learning


Overview of Learning Resources

Students 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.

Students will be able to access course information and learning material through the Learning Hub (also known as online@RMIT).


Overview of Assessment

Theory examination, practical assessment, assignments and oral presentations, practical reports, project report.