Environmental Pollution Field Course
| Code | School | Level | Credits | Semesters |
| BIOS3020 | Biosciences | 3 | 10 | Autumn UK |
- Code
- BIOS3020
- School
- Biosciences
- Level
- 3
- Credits
- 10
- Semesters
- Autumn UK
Summary
The aim of this module is to provide students with practical experience of a range of environmental pollution issues within urban environments. Students will undertake a series of field exercises involving sampling and observation based on key topics such as particulate and gaseous air pollution. The field excursion will take place before the start of the Autumn term. These will be followed up by sessions in semester 5 during which samples collected in the field will be processed and data analysis undertaken. Students are required to pay a contribution towards the cost of the field course.
Target Students
BSc/MSci Environmental Science, BSc/MSci Environmental Biology and BSc/MSci Natural Sciences students on the Environmental Science pathway.Only students who have attended the field course may be registered for this module.
Classes
48 hours in field studies. 1 x 2-hour lecture for 1 week. 2 x 1-hour seminars for 2 weeks.
Assessment
- 100% Coursework 1
Assessed by end of autumn semester
Educational Aims
The overall aim is to provide students with practical experience of environmental pollution and its long-term effects. The field exercises will complement other modules offered by the School, especially The Urban Environment and Environmental Pollutants: Fate, Impact and Remediation. The field excursion will put much of the material presented in each of these modules in a real-world context. Furthermore, students will gain practical experience of fieldwork, working in teams, chain-of-custody issues concerning field samples, in situ and ex situ analysis of samples, and report writing.Learning Outcomes
After successful completion of this module students will be able to:
1. Describe the history and major sources of pollution in urban environments.
2. Plan and execute a field sampling survey.
3. Recognise key practical limitations of fieldwork and suggest solutions.
4. Implement a series of physical and chemical analyses in the field.
5. Analyse and interpret a large and varied data set.
6. Effectively communicate and explain the information revealed by the data set.
7. Work effectively as part of a team in the field and laboratory.