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
Oceans cover more than 70% of the Earth's surface, which have enabled the evolution of complex life, control the Earth's climate and weather, and provide food for a significant portion of the world's population. The human influence on the oceans is significant and growing, driving change in a range of important physical, chemical and biological ocean processes in marine and coastal environments.
The unit will explore the extent to which humans are driving environmental change in the ocean, and the impacts of this change. Students will learn about:
(i) the responses of the oceans to climate change, including sea level rise, changes to polar oceanography, marine heatwaves, carbon cycles, extreme weather events, ocean acidification and deoxygenation.
(ii) the impacts of human pollution of the ocean environment, including from plastics, oil spills, high nutrient concentrations and noise, and the transport processes that control the fate of these pollutants.
- Credit
- 6 points
- Offering
(see Timetable) Availability Location Mode Semester 1 UWA (Perth) Face to face - Details for undergraduate courses
- Level 2 elective
- Outcomes
Students are able to (1) articulate the capacity of human activity to drive critical changes in key ocean processes in marine and coastal environments; (2) explain how climate change affects ocean processes, such as sea level rise, polar oceanography, marine heatwaves, extreme events and ocean acidification and deoxygenation.; (3) describe how the Carbon cycle in the ocean has been altered by increased atmospheric Carbon dioxide; (4) detail the full range of anthropogenic pollutants in the world's oceans and the global extent of this pollution; (5) communicate an understanding of the transport processes that govern pollutant fate in the world's oceans.; and (6) critically evaluate diverse sources of information and data describing ocean processes..
- Assessment
Indicative assessments in this unit are as follows: (1) quizzes; (2) written assignments; and (3) project. 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)
- Associate Professor Nicole Jones
- Contact hours
- 2 hours lectures per week and 3 hours practical sessions per week
- 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.