GEOL50130: Earth and Environmental Sciences
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Type | Tied |
---|---|
Level | 5 |
Credits | 30 |
Availability | Available in 2024/2025 |
Module Cap | None. |
Location | Durham |
Department | Earth Sciences |
Prerequisites
- None
Corequisites
- None
Excluded Combinations of Modules
- None
Aims
- To provide an introduction to a variety of Earth and Environmental and geospatial datasets, including remotely-sensed satellite imagery, and to the specialist mathematical and software tools required for their quantitative and computational analysis.
- To provide advanced knowledge of how to use these datasets and tools to tackle cutting-edge and societally-relevant problems relating to the study of the Earths physics and chemistry.
Content
- This module will equip students with the necessary specialist mathematical and software tools to handle, manipulate, visualise and analyse geospatial datasets.
- This will include developing understanding and experience of spatial and geospatial reference systems, geostatistics and Geographical Information Systems software.
- This module will also introduce Earth and Environmental Sciences datasets and cutting-edge problems through a series of detailed topics, each focussed on one or more key data streams or types, including but not limited to geophysical data or model outputs, remotely-sensed satellite data, and Environmental time-series.
- Each topic will feature an introduction to the Earth Sciences context, background, and theory underpinning the key data streams for that topic, an in-depth examination of data collection, handling and processing, and a discussion of unique considerations, limitations and strengths of the individual datasets. Each topic will also highlight a variety of diverse current and societally-relevant problems the data can be used to address.
- Students will have an opportunity to choose one of these topics to investigate further through an independent summative mini-project.
- Class-based teaching in this module is supplemented by a Data Camp; a short field course focussed on acquisition of data in the field from a variety of sources (e.g. individual sensors or drones), followed by processing of these datasets and integration and joint analysis with supplementary datasets across a diverse range of scales (e.g. satellite data, national, international sensor networks).
Learning Outcomes
Subject-specific Knowledge:
- Knowledge and understanding of Earth and Environmental and geospatial datasets, including remotely-sensed satellite data and field data.
- Knowledge and understanding of mathematical and software tools for handling, visualising, analysing and modelling these datasets.
- Knowledge and understanding of select topics of active research in Earth and Environmental Science.
Subject-specific Skills:
- Specialised and advanced computational and mathematical skills for handling, visualisation, analysis and modelling of geospatial and remotely-sensed datasets
- Intellectual and practical skills necessary to synthesise and integrate information/data acquired from a variety of sources and at a variety of scales.
- Intellectual and practical skills necessary to use Earth and Environment data and advanced methodologies for the solution of complex, novel, specialised and unfamiliar problems.
- Intellectual and practical skills necessary to plan, conduct and report on field projects.
Key Skills:
- Presentation skills
- Team working
- Problem solving, written presentation of an argument
- Ability to learn actively and reflectively, to develop intuition, and the ability to tackle unfamiliar and complex new material
- Develop an adaptable and flexible approach to study and work.
Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module
- This module will be delivered through a series of flexible 3 hour sessions comprising both lectures and practicals, supported by surgeries.
- The core teaching will also be supplemented by a Data Camp field course.
- The practicals form an important component of the module allowing "hands on" learning and experience.
- Summative assessment is made up of a practical test 20%, a mini-project based on a topic of choice 60% and a group project based on data camp 20%.
Teaching Methods and Learning Hours
Activity | Number | Frequency | Duration | Total | Monitored |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lectures/Practicals | 16 | Weekly | 3 Hours | 48 | Yes |
Surgeries | 8 | Bi-weekly | 1 Hour | 8 | |
Fieldwork | 3 | Days | 7 | 21 | Yes |
Self-Study and Reading | 223 | ||||
Total | 300 |
Summative Assessment
Component: Continual Assessment | Component Weighting: 100% | ||
---|---|---|---|
Element | Length / Duration | Element Weighting | Resit Opportunity |
In-class Test | 2 Hours | 20 | |
Mini-project based on topic of choice | 60 | ||
Group project based on data camp | 20 |
Formative Assessment
More information
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