Course Title: Environmental Chemistry 1A

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Environmental Chemistry 1A

Credit Points: 12.00

Terms

Course Code	Campus	Career	School	Learning Mode	Teaching Period(s)
CHEM1014	City Campus	Undergraduate	135H Applied Sciences	Face-to-Face	Sem 1 2006, Sem 1 2007, Sem 1 2008, Sem 1 2010, Sem 1 2011, Sem 1 2013, Sem 1 2014, Sem 1 2015, Sem 1 2016
CHEM1014	City Campus	Undergraduate	171H School of Science	Face-to-Face	Sem 1 2017, Sem 1 2018, Sem 1 2019, Sem 1 2020
CHEM1267	City Campus	Postgraduate	135H Applied Sciences	Face-to-Face	Sem 2 2016
CHEM1267	City Campus	Postgraduate	171H School of Science	Face-to-Face	Sem 1 2018, Sem 1 2019

Course Coordinator: Dr James Tardio

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 2127

Course Coordinator Email: james.tardio@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: 3.2.21

Course Coordinator Availability: By appointment, by email

Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

This is an introductory, enabling course requiring no formal prerequisites.

However, if you have not done VCE Chemistry, you will probably need to put in more hours than someone who has.

Course Description

This Course will introduce you to the principles and factual basis of chemistry in an environmental context and will enable you to develop and practice independent learning skills. This course will also give you an appreciation of scientific methodology and enable you to develop those problem-solving and critical-thinking skills necessary to analyse and discuss chemical and physical phenomena in the environment.

Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

On successful completion of this course you will be able to

• CLO 1 understand and apply fundamental concepts of chemistry
• CLO 2 display technical competence in basic chemistry; specifically collect, accurately record, interpret and draw conclusions from scientific data
• CLO 3 plan a chemical investigation including developing a testable hypothesis
• CLO 4 work effectively, responsibly and safely in an individual or team context
• CLO 5 develop as an independent and self-directed learner

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

• PLO 3 understanding science, demonstrate a coherent understanding of environmental science
• PLO 2 scientific knowledge, exhibt depth and breadth of environmental science knowledge
• PLO 3 inquiry and problem solving, critically analyse and solve problems in environmental science
• 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

This course contributes to the following Program Learning |Outcomes at AQF level 9

• PLO 1.1 a body knowledge that includes the understanding of recent developments in both the understanding of environmental processes and the technological advance in measurement techniques, remediation processes and pollution control
• PLO 1.2 knowledge of teh research principles and methods applicable to studying the chemical, biological and physical processes occurrinf in the environment
• PLO 2.4 communication and technnical research skills to enable you to justify and interpret theoretical propositions, methodologies, conclusions and professional decisions to specialist and non specialist audiences
• PLO 3.4 to plan and execute a substantial environmental research based project.

Overview of Learning Activities

 

As part of this Course, you

• will regularly access the extensive range of on-line learning resources via Canvas
• will attend lectures in which syllabus material will be presented and explained and the topic will be illustrated with demonstrations and examples. During lectures you will be encouraged to participate actively by working through examples and problems.
• should to attend weekly tutorials that will reinforce lecture materials.
• will routinely attend and participate in weekly practical sessions and you will learn to prepare ahead and plan your activities before entering a laboratory.

Total study hours

 

Teacher guided hours: 70 hours, comprised of 21 x 2 hour lectures, 10 x 1 hour tutorials and 6 x 3 hour practicals.

Learner directed hours: 50 hours. You are expected to put in a similar amount of time in private study in order to excel in this course.

Overview of Learning Resources

 

The prescribed textbook is:

• Silberberg, M., "Chemistry, The Molecular Nature of Matter and Change" (McGraw-Hill)

Other textbooks that are used are:

• McMurry, J., "Organic Chemistry" (Brookes-Cole)
• Aylward, G. and Findlay, F., "SI Chemical Data" (Wiley)

The Additional learning material available to you includes:

• Lecture material including class problems available on Canvas
• Tutorial problem sheets
• Practical manual with activities that will be completed in the practical class

Overview of Assessment

In this course you will complete:

• an end-of-semester exam (40%; CLO 1, CLO 5)
• practical reports (40%; CLO 1-5)
• online quizzes (10%; CLO 1, CLO 5)
• mid-semester class test (10%; CLO 1, CLO 5)

Please note that the practical is a Hurdle component and this which means that you must pass this section (i.e. obtain half the maximum possible marks) to obtain a passing grade (Pass, Credit, Distinction or High Distinction) in the Course. This hurdle assures you will demonstrate competency in lab safety.