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Curtin University
Courses Handbook 2014

This handbook contains information for courses and units at Curtin in 2014.
Information for the previous year's courses and units is available at Courses Handbook 2013.

314533 (v.1) Environment and Agriculture 100

Area: Department of Environment and Agriculture
Credits: 25.0
Contact Hours: 4.0
TUITION PATTERNS: The tuition pattern provides details of the types of classes and their duration. This is to be used as a guide only. Precise information is included in the unit outline.
Lecture: 1 x 1 Hours Weekly
Computer Laboratory: 1 x 2 Hours Weekly
Tutorial: 1 x 1 Hours Weekly
UNIT REFERENCES, TEXTS, OUTCOMES AND ASSESSMENT DETAILS: The most up-to-date information about unit references, texts and outcomes, will be provided in the unit outline.
Syllabus: Graduate environmental and agricultural scientists are likely to face significant scientific, social and ethical challenges associated with issues such as climate change, peak oil, peak phosphate, population growth, food security, and loss of biodiversity. This unit considers key concepts in reasoning and critical thinking to inform practical decision-making in the context of contemporary science. There will be a focus on the scientific method, recognising actual and potential questions in science, and the role of appropriate scientific conduct in professional practice. Concepts associated with scientific conduct include respect for the ideas of others, public trust in science, scientific fraud, bias, the need for a professional ethical code of practice, plagiarism, peer review, and the social responsibilities which underpin scientific behaviours and procedures. Aspects of scientific and critical thinking will be developed: research questions, hypotheses, the critical evaluation of evidence, inductive and deductive processes, and logical argument. These foundation scientific skills and concepts will then be used to explore the discipline area of ecology: the scientific study of the ways in which organisms interact with one another and their environment. Key ecological concepts and theories will be introduced including; limitations to species distribution and abundance; population regulation; disturbance, zonation and succession; ecosystem energetics; nutrient cycles. Concepts and theories will be supported by contemporary examples from productive and natural systems with a focus on Australia.
Field of Education: 010999 Biological Sciences not elsewhere classified
Result Type: Grade/Mark


Availability

Year Location Period Internal Partially Online Internal Area External Central External Fully Online
2014 Bentley Campus Semester 1 Y        

Area External refers to external course/units run by the School or Department or offered by research.

Central External refers to external and online course/units run through the Curtin Bentley-based Distance Education Area

Partially Online Internal refers to some (a portion of) learning provided by interacting with or downloading pre-packaged material from the Internet but with regular and ongoing participation with a face-to-face component retained. Excludes partially online internal course/units run through the Curtin Bentley-based Distance Education Area which remain Central External

Fully Online refers to the main (larger portion of) mode of learning provided via Internet interaction (including the downloading of pre-packaged material on the Internet). Excludes online course/units run through the Curtin Bentley-based Distance Education Area which remain Central External


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