| Unit name | Oceans and Climates |
|---|---|
| Unit code | EASC30071 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | H/6 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
| Unit director | Dr. Henehan |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
Successful completion of Years 1 and 2 of the Environmental Geosciences programme. Students on other Earth Sciences programmes will be expected to undertake some preparatory work before the unit commences. You should speak to the unit director for guidance before being registered on the unit. |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | School of Earth Sciences |
| Faculty | Faculty of Science |
Why is this unit important?
Anthropogenic climate change is one of the most pressing threats to our species and way of life. It is therefore crucial that Earth science graduates can effectively cut through a noisy landscape of often-politicised and ‘spun’ climate information, and be able to understand and convey the fundamentals of climate science and carbon cycling. This unit deals with what sets atmospheric CO2, how marine biogeochemical cycles and feedbacks interact (and on what timescale), and how CO2 actually sets climate. Perhaps equally crucially, however, it seeks to introduce our graduates to where the grey areas and the frontiers for exploration in climate science actually lie, and where our confidence in Earth system behaviour is already at a level where we can make concrete predictions for our future. As an Earth Sciences unit, it inevitably focusses particularly on what lessons we can learn from the geological past, but always with measurable processes we can observe today in mind.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study
The course builds on prior learning in Years 1 and 2 to deepen your knowledge of oceans, atmospheres and palaeoenvironmental proxies at a more advanced level, and to provide you with the tools to engage with current issues and debates in ocean and (palaeo)climate science literature.
An overview of content
This unit brings together physical, chemical and biological aspects of oceanography, and the role played by oceans in climate change in the past, present and future Earth system. This topic is central to understanding the pressures on our planet today.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit?
You will have the opportunity to explore and discuss current topics in Oceans and Climates. This will allow you to develop a new understanding of – and appreciation for – how scientific research advances, and the future directions of the field.
Learning Outcomes
After completing this unit, students should be able to
The unit will be taught through a combination of
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative)
Attendance and engagement with Lectures, online materials, discussions and Practicals.
Formative oral feedback available in all Practicals and at Office Hours, on performance in previous short online continual assessment tests, and on the suitability and feasibility of plans for the final assessment report.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative)
Assessment is 30% online examinations, and 70% coursework. The coursework will be a written report.
When assessment does not go to plan
The University’s Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes outline the requirements for progression on and completion of degree programmes. Students who miss an exam and self-certify their absence may complete a supplementary assessment for an uncapped mark as if taken for the first time. Resit and supplementary exams are habitually taken during the reassessment period later in the summer. As far as is practicable and appropriate, resit and supplementary assessments will be in the same form as the original assessment but will always test the same intended learning outcomes as the initial missed or failed assessment. In the case of group work, failure by a whole group would result in an appropriate group task being set and reassessed for all group members. If a single student fails a group assessment or is unable to participate for an evidenced reason, an individual reassessment will be set.
There are rigorous and fair procedures in place to support students who are ill or whose studies and assessments are affected by exceptional circumstances.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. EASC30071).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The assessment methods listed in this unit specification are designed to enable students to demonstrate the named learning outcomes (LOs). Where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, schools will make reasonable adjustments to support a student to demonstrate the LO by an alternative method or with additional resources.
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
