SD4124 Sustainable Catchment Management

Academic year

2024 to 2025 Semester 1

Further information on which modules are specific to your programme.

Key module information

SCOTCAT credits

30

The Scottish Credit Accumulation and Transfer (SCOTCAT) system allows credits gained in Scotland to be transferred between institutions. The number of credits associated with a module gives an indication of the amount of learning effort required by the learner. European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) credits are half the value of SCOTCAT credits.

SCQF level

SCQF level 10

The Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) provides an indication of the complexity of award qualifications and associated learning and operates on an ascending numeric scale from Levels 1-12 with SCQF Level 10 equating to a Scottish undergraduate Honours degree.

Availability restrictions

This module will be capped, a pre-allocation system is operated by the school.

Planned timetable

Friday 10am-1pm

This information is given as indicative. Timetable may change at short notice depending on room availability.

Module coordinator

Dr C Smeaton

This information is given as indicative. Staff involved in a module may change at short notice depending on availability and circumstances.

Module Staff

Dr C Smeaton

This information is given as indicative. Staff involved in a module may change at short notice depending on availability and circumstances.

Module description

Global environments and their communities are closely interlinked - small changes in the ecosystem can have unknown impacts on neighbouring environment and people. The clearest example of this is in the coastal zone where human pressure on the terrestrial environment can impact marine-coastal environments and the social and economic wellbeing of coastal communities. This modules offers a holistic science-based approach to co-manage coastal environments. Introducing the science underpinning contemporary environmental issues at the land-ocean interface allows for the exploration of the multiple issues in the practice of sustainable catchment management at a local and international scale. The module examines in detail current issues impacting catchments and coastal environments and the current policy and management structures designed to address these. Sustainable Development Goals (13 Climate Change; 14 Life below water; 15 Life on land) will frame module discussion.

Relationship to other modules

Pre-requisites

BEFORE TAKING THIS MODULE YOU MUST PASS SD2002 OR ( PASS SD2006 AND PASS SD2100 ) OR ( PASS GG2014 AND PASS SD2100 )

Assessment pattern

100% Coursework

Re-assessment

100% Coursework

Learning and teaching methods and delivery

Weekly contact

1.5 hour lecture (x 8 week) 1 hour seminar (x4 weeks) 2 hour practical (x4 weeks), 6 hour field-trip (x 1 week), 3 hour laboratory practical (x1 week), 2 hour computer practical (x 1 week)

Scheduled learning hours

32

The number of compulsory student:staff contact hours over the period of the module.

Guided independent study hours

264

The number of hours that students are expected to invest in independent study over the period of the module.

Intended learning outcomes

  • Critique primary sustainable catchment management literature and place it into a theoretical and real-world context.
  • Describe and explain local and global issues of sustainable catchment management.
  • Understand how human activities influence river catchments and coastal systems.
  • Appreciate a range of views about how knowledge could and/or should be used, for example in environmental management.
  • Understand how sustainable catchment management knowledge and understanding are produced, through hands-on experience in the field and laboratory.
  • Examine and synthesise and communicate complex ideas to a variety of audiences.