Outline

Overview

This is the gateway unit of study for Human Geography, Physical Geography, Environmental Studies and Geology. Its objective is to introduce the big questions relating to the origins and current state of the planet: climate change, environment, landscape formation, and the growth of the human population. During the semester you will be introduced to knowledge, theories and debates about how the world's physical and human systems operate. The first module investigates the evolution of the planet through geological time, with a focus on major Earth systems such as plate tectonics and mantle convection and their interaction with the atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere and human civilisations. The second module presents Earth as an evolving and dynamic planet, investigating global environmental change, addressing climate variability and human impacts on the natural environment and the rate at which these changes occur and how they have the potential to dramatically affect the way we live. Finally, the third module focuses on human-induced challenges to Earth's future. This part of the unit critically analyses the relationships between people and their environments, with central consideration to debates on population change, resource use and the policy contexts of climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit	Geosciences Academic Operations
Credit points	6
Prerequisites ?	None
Corequisites ?	None
Prohibitions ?	GEOS1901 or GEOG1001 or GEOG1002 or GEOL1001 or GEOL1002 or GEOL1902 or ENSY1001
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Bill Pritchard, bill.pritchard@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s)	Damien Field, damien.field@sydney.edu.au
	Bill Pritchard, bill.pritchard@sydney.edu.au
	Bree Morgan, bree.morgan@sydney.edu.au
	Sabin Zahirovic, sabin.zahirovic@sydney.edu.au

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Supervised exam ?	Final Exam Multiple choice questions	30%	Formal exam period	50 minutes
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Prac assignment 1 Exercises from pracs 3-5	15%	Week 06 Due date: 31 Mar 2023 at 23:59	3 maps and 1,000 words
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Essay Essay	20%	Week 07 Due date: 06 Apr 2023 at 23:59	2,000 words (incl. references)
Outcomes assessed:
Small test	Mid-semester quiz 25 multiple choice questions	15%	Week 08 Due date: 19 Apr 2023 at 12:00 Closing date: 19 Apr 2023	30 minutes
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Prac assignment 2 Exercises from pracs 6-11	20%	Week 13 Due date: 26 May 2023 at 11:59	5 maps and and 1,500 words
Outcomes assessed:

Assessment summary

Group presentation: Topics are posted as the Challenge under Intergrated Earth Systems on Canvas. Students will assign themselves to a preferred topic within their tutorial, with a limit of 5 students per topic. Detailed instructions for how to do this are on Canvas. Students that join the unit following Week 4 will complete an individual presentation.
Essay: One topic to be selected from the four presented on Canvas for this unit.
Final exam: The exam will comprise multiple choice questions. All material covered in class is subject to examination. If a second replacement exam is required, this exam may be delivered via an alternative assessment method, such as a viva voice (oral exam), if deemed appropriate by the unit coordinator. The alternative assessment will meet the same learning outcomes as the original exam. The format of the alternative assessment will be determined by the unit coordinator.
Practical classes: Weekly tasks will be submitted 72 hr following the start of weekly practical classes. No submission in weeks 1, 8 and 13.

Detailed information for each assessment can be found in the Canvas site for this unit.

Assessment criteria

Group presentation

Result name	Mark range	Description
High distinction	85 - 100	You display exceptional abilities in providing a coherent response to your question. The outline and purpose of your presentation is clearly outlined. Slides are organized in a logical manner with appropriate text, graphics and images. All material is properly cited. Oral explanation of material from slides is flawless. The key factor that distinguishes a HD presentation is the elevated quality of intellectual insights, including breadth of evidence. Material is presented in a way that demonstrates insightful appreciation of how facts and arguments fit into a larger picture. The award of HD is given sparingly. Use of time is prefect.
Distinction	75 - 84	You display high aptitude for the subject area and present this knowledge with excellence. The outline and purpose of your presentation is clearly outlined and material presented logically. There are no obvious and major flaws in text, graphics and images. All material is properly cited. Oral explanation of material from slides is consistent with data and arguments. Material is presented in a way that demonstrates an understanding of the significance of the topic. Use of time is perfect.
Credit	65 - 74	You display command of your question. Slides are visually presented well, with appropriate oral explanation. Additional sources of data or argument are presented and cited appropriately. The overall logic of the presentation is clear. There may be some poor handling of time.
Pass	50 - 64	You show that you have understood the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard. Slides display an understanding of the issue and are supported appropriately by oral explanation. Material is cited appropriately. There may be some poor handling of time.
Fail	0 - 49	When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard. This could be because slides are somewhat disorganized or have some factual errors or with material that is not cited appropriately. Or it could be that the oral presentation provides inconclusive evidence that all members of the group have a clear understanding of the topic. There may be some poor handling of time.

Essay

Result name	Mark range	Description
High distinction	85 - 100	A response at the HD level will demonstrate flair for the subject area. A comprehensive understanding of the material should be apparent, and clear critical evaluation of the subject area supported by evidence and examples. There must be no factual errors. More than this, you should demonstrate clear evidence of wider knowledge and reasoning (that is, knowledge additional to that required by the essay question, and reasoning that places this knowledge in contexts that may be new or novel relative to the prescriptions of the essay). You must demonstrate wide and independent reading (again, beyond that specified or required by the question) and the use of high-quality, peer-reviewed information to support their arguments. Citation and referencing must be consistent and without error. Presentation, expression and grammar must be outstanding. The essay must be clearly and logically structured to support the argument being made. Figures and tables (if any) must be clear, captioned and appropriately referenced. An award of HD is an exceptional achievement, given sparingly.
Distinction	75 - 84	A response at the DI level will demonstrate high-level aptitude for the subject area. The essay should indicate a strong understanding of the material, incorporating all of the relevant factual information as specified by the question. Evidence of critical evaluation should be apparent. There should be no significant factual errors. Some evidence of independent and original thinking should be apparent. There must be evidence for the use of a wide range of credible, peer-reviewed sources to support arguments made in the essay. Citation and referencing must be consistent and without significant error. Presentation, expression and grammar must be of very high quality, and the essay should be clearly and logically structured. Figures and tables (if any) must be clear, captioned and appropriately referenced. An award at the DI level is an excellent achievement.
Credit	65 - 74	A response at the CR level will demonstrate a good understanding of the subject area, incorporating most of the relevant knowledge or facts as specified by the question. There is evidence of a sound understanding of the material, and that this understanding has been successfully applied to the essay question. There may be some limited evidence of critical independent thinking and/or originality of thought. There should be few significant factual errors, and the essay should incorporate most of the relevant factual information as specified by the question. There must be evidence of a range of sources, most of which must be credible, peer-reviewed sources. Presentation should be clear, and expression should be of good quality, with few typographical or grammatical errors. Figures and tables (if any) must be clear, captioned and appropriately referenced. An award at the CR level is a good achievement.
Pass	50 - 64	A response at the PS level will demonstrate a satisfactory understanding of the subject area. The essay should include some of the relevant knowledge or factual information. While the response is judged to adequately answer part or all of the question posed, there may be some significant factual errors and omissions. A limited range of sources is apparent, a proportion of which will be non-peer reviewed. Citation and referencing may be inconsistent through the essay and there may be several errors in fact, formatting or style. Presentation may be poor, and a logical structure unclear or absent. Expression may be deemed adequate, but there will be several grammatical or typographical errors that compromise the flow and meaning of the essay. Figures and tables (if any) may be unclear, not captioned or inappropriately referenced. An award at the PS level is satisfactory, and should be considered a ‘threshold’ achievement.
Fail	0 - 49	A response at the FA level will demonstrate an unsatisfactory or inadequate level of understanding of the subject area. The essay response will include little of the relevant knowledge or factual information required to properly address the set question. There may be few references, and a large proportion of these may derive from non peer-reviewed sources. Citation is inadequate, with several unsupported factual statements. Citation and referencing may be inconsistent with numerous errors. Presentation is poor, with no structure explicit or otherwise. Expression is very poor to poor, with numerous and repetitive typographical and grammatical errors. The essay is difficult to read, and the meaning of the prose may be unclear. Figures and tables (if any) will be unclear, inappropriate for the purpose, not captioned or inappropriately referenced. An award at the FA level is unsatisfactory and below the threshold standard for achievement at this year level.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

All assessments must be submitted by the due date. Students are expected to manage their time and to prioritise tasks to meet deadlines. Assessment items submitted after the due date without an approved extension via a special consideration or special arrangement will incur penalties (5% deduction from assessment mark every 24 hours).

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hub’s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	Planet Earth: Integrated Earth System	Online class (1 hr)
	Planet Earth: Integrated Earth System	Lecture (1 hr)
	Welcome to the unit; learning expectations and integrity	Practical (2 hr)
Week 02	Moving Earth: Formation and Early Evolution	Online class (1 hr)
	Moving Earth: Formation and Early Evolution	Lecture (1 hr)
	Introduction to ArcGIS Pro	Practical (2 hr)
Week 03	Moving Earth: Development of the unifying theory of plate tectonics	Online class (1 hr)
	Moving Earth: Development of the unifying theory of plate tectonics	Lecture (1 hr)
	India's collision with Eurasia; Earthquakes and tsunamis	Practical (2 hr)
Week 04	Time on Earth: Climate change in the context of geological time	Online class (1 hr)
	Time on Earth: Climate change in the context of geological time	Lecture (1 hr)
	Global paleo-climate and paleo-geography	Practical (2 hr)
Week 05	Time on Earth: The role of geologists in addressing the challenges of the 21st century	Online class (1 hr)
	Time on Earth: The role of geologists in addressing the challenges of the 21st century	Lecture (1 hr)
	Sea level change in geological time	Practical (2 hr)
Week 06	Cultivated Earth: Securing Earth's mosaic of soil	Online class (1 hr)
	Cultivated Earth: Securing Earth's mosaic of soil	Lecture (1 hr)
	Where can we grow food?	Practical (2 hr)
Week 07	Cultivated Earth: Water – Sources, volumes and flows	Online class (1 hr)
Week 07	Cultivated Earth: Water – Sources, volumes and flows	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 08	Bangladesh: Rising sea levels	Practical (2 hr)
Week 09	Dynamic Earth: Geochemistry, minerals and weathering	Online class (1 hr)
	Dynamic Earth: Geochemistry, minerals and weathering	Lecture (1 hr)
	Acid mine drainage	Practical (2 hr)
Week 10	Dynamic Earth: Earth's atmosphere and oceans	Online class (1 hr)
	Dynamic Earth: Earth's atmosphere and oceans	Lecture (1 hr)
	Greenland's melting ice sheet	Practical (2 hr)
Week 11	Human Earth: The effects of human population on global environments	Online class (1 hr)
	Human Earth: The effects of human population on global environments	Lecture (1 hr)
	Population change and diversity in western Sydney	Practical (2 hr)
Week 12	Human Earth: Dealing with negative environmental effects	Online class (1 hr)
	Human Earth: Dealing with negative environmental effects	Lecture (1 hr)
	Heat and climate change in western Sydney	Practical (2 hr)
Week 13	People & Future Earth: Responses to climate change	Online class (1 hr)
Week 13	People & Future Earth: Responses to climate change	Lecture (1 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Practical classes for this course make use of the ArcGIS Pro software. Remote students will require access to a computer to use ArcGIS Pro so they can complete their practical assessments. This will not be possible using a tablet.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

All readings for this unit can be accessed on the Canvas site for this unit. There is no prescribed text for this unit. Rather, students are expected to read and critically assess a number of set readings during the course of the semester.

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. Describe and explain the physical and social processes that have shaped terrestrial, ocean, atmospheric and human population characteristics of planet Earth.
LO2. Describe and analyse spatial data and create maps using Geographic Information Systems.
LO3. Undertake academic literature searches, and be aware of the conventions relating to academic literature.
LO4. Construct a logical argument with coherency through an essay to communicate Earth systems at a University level, as described in policy.
LO5. Investigate environmental issues, then present and discuss this research with others.
LO6. Demonstrate informed citizenship about issues relating to contemporary environmental debates.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

No changes have been made since this unit was last offered as a consequence of student feedback.

Additional information

Work, health and safety

We are governed by the Work Health and Safety Act 2011, Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011 and Codes of Practice. Penalties for non-compliance have increased. Everyone has a responsibility for health and safety at work. The University’s Work Health and Safety policy explains the responsibilities and expectations of workers and others, and the procedures for managing WHS risks associated with University activities. A link to general wellbeing and support services for students is provided (along with other links to important information and resources) at the end of this document.

Practical classes are held in computer laboratories. The following general safety rules apply to these spaces.

Face to face students will occupy every second computer (evenly numbered computers) whilst completing their practical work to maintain social distancing.
For the safety of others and for the protection of equipment, no eating or hot drinks are allowed in practical classes.
In case of fire or any emergency, follow all instructions of your class demonstrator
Students should act with civility to other students and the class demonstrator. Rude, discrimatory, racist, sexist or bullying behaviour is not acceptable under any circumstances and will not be tolerated.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Work, health and safety

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect

Current students

GEOS1001: Earth, Environment and Society

Semester 1, 2023 [Normal day] - Remote

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Work, health and safety

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect