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National Marine Science Centre Coffs Harbour Session 3 Session 3

Unit Summary

Unit type

PG Coursework Unit

Credit points

12

AQF level

9

Level of learning

Advanced

Former School/College

Former School of Environment, Science and Engineering

Unit aim

The principal aim of this unit is to make students aware of the relationship between human development and the environment. Managing this relationship is a key determinant to human survival, and any efforts towards the achievement of Sustainable Development.

The overall goal would be to encourage students to understand the need for a moderation of the human development process, in recognition of the limitations of the finite nature of the Earth System. Flexible and ethical decision making and communication skills will be developed through the learning process.

Unit content

Environmental impacts of human development – historical evidence from data

Global change and development

Ethics of development

Factors influencing environmental change in terrestrial and marine systems.

Distributional issues and conflict over resource use in fisheries and forestry

Environmental monitoring and pressure on global marine and terrestrial resources

Options for managing the marine and freshwater environments in the 21st century

Marine ecosystems as human food systems

Barriers to sustainable development in marine and terrestrial environments

Considering future scenarios – what future for the oceans?

Learning outcomes

Unit Learning Outcomes express learning achievement in terms of what a student should know, understand and be able to do on completion of a unit. These outcomes are aligned with the graduate attributes. The unit learning outcomes and graduate attributes are also the basis of evaluating prior learning.

GA1: , GA2: , GA3: , GA4: , GA5: , GA6: , GA7:
On completion of this unit, students should be able to: GA1 GA2 GA3 GA4 GA5 GA6 GA7
1 critically evaluate and report on the links between the marine and terrestrial environment and human development
2 investigate the finite nature of the earth system and its limits to economic growth
3 examine the consequences of exploitation of environmental resources and human development
4 evaluate human responsibility for global inequality, and the implications for human security
5 explore the implications for Australia of a minimum of five global marine or terrestrial issues.

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:

  1. critically evaluate and report on the links between the marine and terrestrial environment and human development
    • GA1:
    • GA3:
    • GA6:
  2. investigate the finite nature of the earth system and its limits to economic growth
    • GA1:
    • GA3:
    • GA6:
  3. examine the consequences of exploitation of environmental resources and human development
    • GA1:
    • GA3:
    • GA6:
  4. evaluate human responsibility for global inequality, and the implications for human security
    • GA1:
    • GA3:
    • GA6:
  5. explore the implications for Australia of a minimum of five global marine or terrestrial issues.
    • GA1:
    • GA3:
    • GA6:

Prescribed texts

  • There is no prescribed text for this unit but readings, from the Library, will be provided throughout the learning process. You will be expected to use referencing styles recommended in journal submission: Refer to Referencing guides for information about the referencing style you can use., PLEASE NOTE that you may use whichever of the recommended referencing styles you chose for this unit.
Prescribed texts may change in future teaching periods.