GVMEMFC: Environmental Management Field Class

Module code: GVMEMFC

Module provider: Geography and Environmental Science; School of Archaeology, Geography and Environmental Science

Credits: 20

Level: Postgraduate Masters

When you'll be taught: Semester 2

Module convenor: Professor Tom Sizmur, email: t.sizmur@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: No

Talis reading list: No

Last updated: 20 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

Fieldwork is a key component of Environmental Management. This field class provides you with hands-on experience monitoring and assessing key environmental issues within a real-world setting and introduces important field research techniques. This module aims to provide you with the practical skills to identify, document, and evaluate the impact of human activities on the environment in the field. Examples of topics include ecosystem services, contaminated land, water quality, or sustainable land management.

It is anticipated that the field class will run as a residential field class over the course of a week during the Easter vacation period to a UK national park (e.g. Dartmoor National Park).

The field class will be of value to students wishing to start a career as an environmental consultant

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:

1. Apply a variety of data and information gathering techniques and instrumentation in the field 
2. Collect, organise, analyse and present a range of types of field data and information 
3. Apply research and consultancy skills to solve real-world problems by synthesising information collected in the field and material from the academic literature into a coherently argued report 
4. Record data and observations in a field notebook clearly and accurately 

Module content

It is anticipated that the field class will run as a residential field class over the course of a week during the Easter vacation period to a UK national park (e.g. Dartmoor National Park).

Each day will focus on a particular topic of contemporary environmental relevance to the location. Examples of topics include ecosystem services, contaminated land, water quality, or sustainable land management. You will work in teams to play the role of an environmental consultant by making observations and/or collecting data to address a particular problem or answer a particular question. 

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

There will be a short introduction to the course during two seminars in the spring term. Each day's activity will be discussed the evening before and the outcomes discussed and evaluated during the evening afterwards. You will make observations in the field and then make measurements of environmental media either in the field or back at the field class accommodation.

Study hours

At least 42 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 50% to pass this module

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• 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 three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/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.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

• Verbal feedback from peers and instructors during the evening reviews whilst on the field class.
• Peer assessment of laboratory notebooks halfway through the field class.
• This field class is an excellent opportunity to develop team working skills and provide peer feedback within small groups.

Reassessment

Additional costs