GV3VOL-Volcanic Hazards and Risk Management

Module Provider: Geography and Environmental Science
Number of credits: 20 [10 ECTS credits]
Level:6
Terms in which taught: Autumn term module
Pre-requisites: GV2HAZ Natural Hazards
Non-modular pre-requisites:
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded:
Current from: 2023/4

Module Convenor: Dr Stuart Black
Email: s.black@reading.ac.uk

Type of module:

Summary module description:

This module aims to explore volcanic hazards and their impact on societies. The module will explore volcanic hazards and risks imposed on societies and the impact of multi-scale volcanic eruptions. The module will use a wide-range of evidence based approaches including practical-based investigations of volcanic materials/examples to illustrate the approaches. 

Aims:

This module will investigate the threat to societies from volcanic eruptions. The module will explore volcanic risk and hazards on several scales, from large explosive eruptions which have generated significant climate and environmental changes, to small scale volcanic eruptions that occur on a daily basis. The module will use a wide-range of evidence based approaches from archaeological, historical, geological, observational and real-time satellite based approaches to illustrate the nature and impact of volcanic eruptions. Students will be able to explore the latest research in these areas and these will be complimented by detailed case studies. 

Assessable learning outcomes:

By the end of the module students will be familiar with how to assess the hazards associated with volcanic eruptions and understand the mitigation risk strategies. Students will be able: 

• To understand the basic concepts of volcanic hazard strategy; 


• To use and interpret numeric data sets 


• To use and interpret volcanic hazard data sets and understand these in a risk context. 


• To create hypotheses of volcanically driven environmental change in a global context. 


• To assess the impact of volcanic activity upon human cultural development. 


• To describe the hazards associated with different forms of volcanic activity and illustrate their mitigation with appropriate case studies. 


• To conduct independent research. 

Additional outcomes:

The module also encourages skills in practical assessment of volcanic hazards. The ‘hands on’ practical experience of simulated volcanic eruptions, tephra identification and analysis will be very useful training skills. Students will produce a video blog volcanic assessment for a volcano and undergo a live TV interview to answer questions on their report. This will provide additional transferable skills in engaging with different sources of information, improvement of scientific writing and an understanding of how to structure an argument incorporating volcanic hazard data, improvement of presentation skills and management of time to meet assignment deadlines. 

Outline content:

The module will investigate a variety of volcanic hazards including: Volcanic activity and atmospheric impact; Super volcanic eruptions and their impacts on glaciations, genetic bottlenecks, extinctions and extreme climate modification; Fissure eruptions; Explosive eruptions and their impacts on more recent climate change and social response; Health impacts of volcanic activity; Volcanic activity and human cultural responses; Cities and communities at risk; Presentation of volcanic hazard materials to the media; Practical illustrations of volcanic hazards. 

Global context:

This module covers volcanic activity and risk management over a global context, with examples and data used from different volcanic systems across virtually all the continents. 

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:

Illustrated lectures, practical sessions, field excavations will be used. There will be a visit to Natural History Museum in London as part of the module and training from a range of internal and external experts. 

Contact hours:

	Autumn	Spring	Summer
Lectures	20
Seminars	2
Tutorials	1
Practicals classes and workshops	24
External visits	5
Guided independent study:
Wider reading (independent)	60
Wider reading (directed)	10
Preparation for tutorials	1
Preparation for presentations	2
Preparation of practical report	50
Completion of formative assessment tasks	5
Group study tasks	10
Reflection	10
Total hours by term	200	0	0
Total hours for module	200

Summative Assessment Methods:

Method	Percentage
Written assignment including essay	60
Practical skills assessment	40

Summative assessment- Examinations:

N/A

Summative assessment- Coursework and in-class tests:

Risk assessment of a volcano system (including critique of previous work) and TV interview with media, 60% 

Practical report on either tephra or volcanic products practical exercise, 40% 

Formative assessment methods:

An article critique will be made available for formative feedback which will help with the main risk assessment report. 

There will be an opportunity to practice the TV interview with feedback. 

Penalties for late submission:

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 40% overall.

Reassessment arrangements:

Resubmission of coursework during the re-sit period (August-September) but it cannot carry more than a pass mark. 

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: 30 March 2023