coursemapLoading course
Research School of Earth Sciences · ANU College of Science and Medicine
This intensive field course aims to provide students with advanced knowledge of modern and fossil carbonate environments, and the role of biological processes in reef building and erosion. It complements EMSC3023 Marine Biogeochemistry and BIOL3116 Marine Conservation Ecology, and is for students seeking a profession in marine science, environmental science or geochemistry. Several days will be spent at a coral reef location studying a modern reefal setting, fossil reef depositional environments and relevant biological processes. Activities will include both advanced lectures and field surveys. This course has a limited enrolment (~20-25 students and permission is required to enrol in this course by completion of an Expression of Interest form, which will open and close at the beginning and end of February). Students are selected on merit, with priority given to those in their final year of program who require the course to graduate.
Oral presentation of research project
Learning outcomes 2, 5, 6, 7
Examination (Held on the island location of the field trip)
Learning outcomes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
Research project report
Learning outcomes 1, 2, 3
Map of coral reef flat area
Learning outcomes 1, 2, 3
Note: To complete the course students must attend the field trip and complete the three on-course assessment tasks. All assessment items are hurdle assessments for the course.
This is an intensive field course to be held either in September during the Winter session, or November/December/early January if scheduled during the Spring or Summer sessions. Students are expected to work individually and in groups. The expected workload will consist of approximately 130 hours throughout the session including: - 1 week field trip - Approximately 70 hours of self-directed study which will include assessment tasks to be completed after the field trip. Other Information The trip will be held in the September Winter break (usually the first week of September) at Orpheus Island. If there is a Spring trip it will be run in the last week of November or first week of December (during the Spring session) at One Tree Island. The field trip costs between $800-900 person plus return transport to Townsville (Orpheus Island) or Gladstone (One Tree Island) in addition to the normal course fees. Field trip costs can be paid via the Science Shop . This course has a limited enrolment (~20-25 students and permission is required to enrol in this course by completion of an Expression of Interest form, which will open and close at the beginning and end of February). Students are selected on merit, with priority given to those in their final year of program who require the course to graduate. Please send any general enquiries to teaching.rses@anu.edu.au. Frequently Asked Questions: I am an international exchange student. Can I enrol in this course? Exchange students are generally not eligible to enrol in out of session courses or field study programs. These opportunities are typically reserved exclusively for ANU students. If the course is scheduled in the Winter session, are there contact hours in July? If the course is offered during the Winter session, it is primarily centered around the September field trip, therefore there are no contact hours in July. There are pre-departure quizzes to be completed by the end of August, and there will be an information meeting for all the participants to attend (usually in early August). Once I have completed the Expression of Interest form, when will I be notified if I am accepted in the course? Correspondence to students is generally sent to students by late April or May, though timelines may vary. What are the living conditions like? Accommodation is a bunkhouse style. There are multiple rooms with 4-6 bunks each. Students will need to share the rooms. Students form their own groups, but any issues can be discussed before the trip departs. Toilets are composting and ~10 stairs are required to reach the toilets. Showers are "bucket showers" standing on rubber mats over coral rubble.
There are no prescribed texts for this course.