Studying online
There are now 2 possible online modes for units:
Units with modes Online timetabled and Online flexible are available for any student to self-enrol and study online.
Click on an offering mode for more details.
Unit Overview
- Description
Without energy or water, our way of life would collapse. Energy use and water availability are closely connected to climate change. How can we make effective decisions as a community about these three interconnected issues? This unit tackles this problem in three modules. Module 1 (energy and climate change) seeks to understand what drives society's demand for energy, how it is affected by energy markets and how energy policies affect greenhouse gas emissions. Module 2 (the economics of climate change) investigates the difficulties of evaluating the economic, environmental and social impacts of climate change and how this affects the effectiveness of climate change policies. Module 3 (water management and policy) seeks to understand what drives water demand and supply, how climate change affects this delicate balance and what policies can help societies adapt to the new climatic conditions. The unit focuses on the economic concepts and tools needed to explain and solve these problems, including supply issues and cost structures, pricing policies, property rights, externalities, cost-benefit analysis and risk management. The unit is a good preparation for those interested in working with electricity, renewable energy or water management agencies, relevant government departments, and industries that intensively use water or energy, such as mining, smelting, transport and power generation. Students will learn much of the content by studying in small groups a set of articles carefully selected according to their specific backgrounds, so that students in each group can complement their understanding using their respective strengths.
- Credit
- 6 points
- Offering
(see Timetable) Availability Location Mode Semester 2 UWA (Perth) Face to face Semester 2 Online Online timetabled - Outcomes
Students are able to (1) undertake economic analysis of climate adaptation options in the water and energy sectors and (2) demonstrate an understanding of the issue of climate change and how it affects the economy.
- Assessment
Indicative assessments in this unit are as follows: (1) quizzes; (2) written assignments; and (3) in-class activities. Further information is available in the unit outline.
Student may be offered supplementary assessment in this unit if they meet the eligibility criteria.
- Unit Coordinator(s)
- Professor Steven Schilizzi
- Unit rules
- Contact hours
- lectures/tutorials: 3 hours per week for 10 weeks
- Note
- This unit can be taken in the Master of Economics.
- Texts
Griffin, R. C. Water Resource Economics: the Analysis of Scarcity, Policies, and Project. MIT Press 2006
- The availability of units in Semester 1, 2, etc. was correct at the time of publication but may be subject to change.
- All students are responsible for identifying when they need assistance to improve their academic learning, research, English language and numeracy skills; seeking out the services and resources available to help them; and applying what they learn. Students are encouraged to register for free online support through GETSmart; to help themselves to the extensive range of resources on UWA's STUDYSmarter website; and to participate in WRITESmart and (ma+hs)Smart drop-ins and workshops.
- Visit the Essential Textbooks website to see if any textbooks are required for this Unit. The website is updated regularly so content may change. Students are recommended to purchase Essential Textbooks, but a limited number of copies of all Essential Textbooks are held in the Library in print, and as an ebook where possible. Recommended readings for the unit can be accessed in Unit Readings directly through the Learning Management System (LMS).
- Contact hours provide an indication of the type and extent of in-class activities this unit may contain. The total amount of student work (including contact hours, assessment time, and self-study) will approximate 150 hours per 6 credit points.
Face to face
Predominantly face-to-face. On campus attendance required to complete this unit. May have accompanying resources online.
Online flexible
100% Online Unit. NO campus face-to-face attendance is required to complete this unit. All study requirements are online only. Unit is asynchronous delivery, with NO requirement for students to participate online at specific times.
Online timetabled
100% Online Unit. NO campus face-to-face attendance is required to complete this unit. All study requirements are online only. Unit includes some synchronous components, with a requirement for students to participate online at specific times.
Online Restricted
Not available for self-enrolment. Students access this mode by contacting their student office through AskUWA. 100% Online Unit.
NO campus face-to-face attendance. All study and assessment requirements are online only. Unit includes some timetabled activities, with a requirement for students to participate online at specific times. In exceptional cases (noted in the Handbook) students may be required to participate in face-to-face laboratory classes when a return to UWA’s Crawley campus becomes possible in order to be awarded a final grade.
External
No attendance or regular contact is required, and all study requirements are completed either via correspondence and/or online submission.
Off-campus
Regular attendance is not required, but student attends the institution face to face on an agreed schedule for purposes of supervision and/or instruction.
Multi-mode
Multiple modes of delivery. Unit includes a mix of online and on-campus study requirements. On campus attendance for some activities is required to complete this unit.