GVMUAQ-Urban Air Quality

Module Provider: Geography and Environmental Science
Number of credits: 10 [5 ECTS credits]
Level:7
Terms in which taught: Spring term module
Pre-requisites:
Non-modular pre-requisites:
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded:
Current from: 2022/3

Module Convenor: Dr Hong Yang
Email: h.yang4@reading.ac.uk

Type of module:

Summary module description:

The impact of human activity on urban air quality and subsequent effect on environment and human health is one of the main environmental issues in our time. This module will provide students with an overall understanding of urban air pollution as a basis for evaluating recent advances in scientific knowledge on the influence of traffic, industry, and domestic energy consumption on air quality in urban environments. Particular focus will be given to understanding traffic and urban air pollution. The module will also measure air quality and model the concentration and emission of air pollutants affected by anthropogenic activities. A visit to a monitoring site or industrial installation will be included.

Aims:

The module aims to promote an understanding of the nature and effects of human-induced urban air pollution. 

Assessable learning outcomes:

By the end of this module, students should be able to:

• Explain the primary sources of key urban air pollutants and how they impact human and ecosystem health


• Evaluate the different approaches to air quality monitoring


• Measure key air pollutants in the urban environment (PM, NOx, Ozone, SO2)


• Model the impact of human activities on urban air quality and human and ecosystem health


• Critically evaluate current urban air quality policy and practice

Additional outcomes:

The interdisplinary nature of this module will enable students to pull together and build on knowledge and skills gained in different modules. Students will have the opportunity to develop transferable skills in:

• Team work during lecture-based activities


• Independent project work


• IT and data analysis from use of models and online data

Outline content:

This module will introduce students to the each of the key issues in urban air quality. Lectures

and seminars will cover:

• Urban sources of air pollution


• Basic atmospheric phenomena


• Air quality measurement


• Air pollution modelling


• Impact of urban air pollution


• Polices and legislation

Global context:

This module will use case studies from all over the world to demonstrate the urban air pollution. Legislation will be introduced at the national and international level.

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:

One two-hour session per week between Weeks 1 and 11 of the Spring Term. The sessions include lectures interspersed with discussions, debates, classroom exercises and practicals. Adversarial student-led seminars are used to cover some of the issues, in which groups take an opposing viewpoint about an air pollution issue.

Contact hours:

	Autumn	Spring	Summer
Lectures		12
Seminars		5
Tutorials		6
Project Supervision		8
Practicals classes and workshops		6
External visits		3
Guided independent study:
Wider reading (independent)		10
Wider reading (directed)		10
Preparation for tutorials		5
Preparation for presentations		5
Preparation for seminars		5
Group study tasks		5
Essay preparation		20
Total hours by term	0	100	0
Total hours for module	100

Summative Assessment Methods:

Method	Percentage
Written assignment including essay	80
Oral assessment and presentation	20

Summative assessment- Examinations:

Summative assessment- Coursework and in-class tests:

Group seminars are used to explore some topics, student contributions to which are assessed (20%) for presentation quality as well as content using the standard GES protocol. 

One 2000-word report based on the application of a computer model, for example GAINS, SCAIL and R package Openair, to predict the environmental and health impacts of urban air pollution.

Formative assessment methods:

Discussions and debates on set topics are interspersed in the lectures. There is a seminar session where groups have to analyze a scientific paper related to air pollution and health, and a scientific evidence-related roleplaying exercise is used to raise awareness of the issues relating to environmental and health effects of urban air pollution.

Penalties for late submission:

The below information applies to students on taught programmes except those on Postgraduate Flexible programmes. Penalties for late submission, and the associated procedures, which apply to Postgraduate Flexible programmes are specified in the policy £Penalties for late submission for Postgraduate Flexible programmes£, which can be found here: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/cqsd-old-site-documents/penaltiesforlatesubmissionpgflexible.pdf
The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of five working days;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than five working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/cqsd-old-site-documents/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf
You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Assessment requirements for a pass:

A mark of 50% overall

Reassessment arrangements:

Re-submission of coursework in August/September

Additional Costs (specified where applicable):

1) Required text books: 

2) Specialist equipment or materials: 

3) Specialist clothing, footwear or headgear: 

4) Printing and binding: 

5) Computers and devices with a particular specification: 

6) Travel, accommodation and subsistence: 

Last updated: 22 September 2022