This course provides an introduction to Earth Systems Science, a new field of science that investigates how chemical, physical, and biological processes interact to shape and regulate Earth’s environment. If you want to understand the science behind climate change or have been wondering to what extent current global environmental change is being forced by natural processes and human activities, this course is for you.
Students from both science and non-science backgrounds are welcome. In addition, this is a foundation course for students interested in or wanting to pursue earth, marine or water sciences.
‘The Blue Planet’ will build your understanding of how each part of the Earth system - the ocean, land, atmosphere, ice sheets, and Earth’s interior - works and interacts over time. You will learn how energy and matter are transferred around and into/out of the Earth system through the water, carbon, oxygen, nutrient, geologic and solar cycles, and you will be introduced to feedback mechanisms that can amplify or dampen change. A tour of global change through Earth history is used to provide context for understanding the modern Earth, including the scientific evidence for global warming, and for predicting the future path of global warming, ocean acidification and biodiversity loss.
NOTE: Postgraduate students will attend classes with undergraduate students but will be assessed differently.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
On satisfying the requirements of this course, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
1. Use an understanding of the important chemical, physical, and biological processes that occur on Earth to explain the processes that drive large-scale environmental change.
2. Critically analyse how the past changes in Earth's environment provide a basis for scientific understanding of human impacts on and interactions with the environment.
3. Critically analyse the interactions between the atmosphere, the land, biology and the oceans and how feedback mechanisms operate within the Earth system.
4. Work constructively both independently and collaboratively.
5. Test hypotheses, design and perform appropriate experiments, collect key observations, critically analyse data and apply quantitative approaches to basic Earth Systems problems.
6. Communicate effectively about Earth Systems Science issues and ideas using language that can be understood by the public and scientists.
Other Information
There will be two one-day fieldtrips. Students are required to pay a contribution towards the cost of the field trips; in 2015 it was $24.Payment can be made online at ScienceShop: http://scienceshop.anu.edu.au/
Indicative Assessment
Assessment will be based on:
- Assignments - based on lectures, workshops and lab work (44%; LO 1-6)
- One field report - based on individual and group work (16%; LO 1-6)
- Tests at the graduate level - two written tests and 2 quizzes with short answer questions (40%; LO 1-3, 5, 6)
Students in the graduate version of this course will be required to demonstrate a more advanced understanding of the material in the assessment items.
The ANU uses Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.
Workload
65 hours of contact, comprising lectures, practicals, and field excursion
Requisite and Incompatibility
Prescribed Texts
Readings will be provided on Wattle.
Preliminary Reading
Short Introduction to Climate Change (2012) by Tony Eggleton. Cambridge University Press.
Assumed Knowledge
Bachelors degree
Fees
Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.
If you are a domestic graduate coursework or international student you will be required to pay tuition fees. Tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.
- Student Contribution Band:
- 2
- Unit value:
- 6 units
If you are an undergraduate student and have been offered a Commonwealth supported place, your fees are set by the Australian Government for each course. At ANU 1 EFTSL is 48 units (normally 8 x 6-unit courses). You can find your student contribution amount for each course at Fees. Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.
| Units | EFTSL |
|---|---|
| 6.00 | 0.12500 |
Course fees
- Domestic fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2015 | $3096 |
- International fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2015 | $4146 |
Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links
ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.
Class summaries, if available, can be accessed by clicking on the View link for the relevant class number.
First Semester
| Class number | Class start date | Last day to enrol | Census date | Class end date | Mode Of Delivery | Class Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2519 | 16 Feb 2015 | 06 Mar 2015 | 31 Mar 2015 | 29 May 2015 | In Person | N/A |
