BSc (Hons) ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE 2019/20

Welcome

On behalf of the course tutors I would like to personally welcome you to the University of Northampton. I hope that you have an enjoyable and rewarding time whilst studying for your degree. This Welcome Pack is crammed full of information on all aspects of the course, from its structure and content to the procedure employed to determine degree classifications. Please read it carefully. We might however have missed things or not explained some parts very well… So if you can’t find something or it’s included, but is poorly explained, just ask. Remember all course tutors are more than willing to discuss any academic difficulties you may have. Should you have any problems regarding the course please do not hesitate in having an informal chat with me. Best Wishes

Nigel Freestone Head of Environmental and Geographical Sciences

E-mail: nigel.freestone@northampton.ac.uk

Welcome to BSc Environmental Science. We are looking forward to meeting you all in September and hope that this welcome pack gives you some insight as to what to expect. There is lots of information within the pack all of which I hope you find useful. During your first week here at the university you will be bombarded with yet more information but don’t panic as the course team are more than happy to talk you through it all. We will meet you all as a group at the start of the first week and we will also meet you individually to talk through the course, university and pretty much anything else you need to discuss. You will be assigned a personal tutor and this will be your main point of contact throughout your first year. Please feel free to email me at any point prior to your induction week with any concerns or simply if you want to chat about the course. See you soon. Ruth Ruth Copeland-Phillips BSc Environmental Science Course Leader E-mail: ruth.copeland-phillips@northampton.ac.uk

About your Course

BSc (Hons) Environmental Science

The natural environment is of vital importance to us all with its future and

sustainability being high on both the political and public agendas. Human impact

is placing increasing stress on the environment but at the same time there is a

growing awareness of the problems and of the need to find solutions. This inter-

disciplinary programme provides a science-based degree focusing on the

scientific concepts and principles which are of particular importance for

understanding the natural environment together with specialist and in-depth

experience of selected topics and an extended opportunity to carry out focused

research. Being science-based, this programme includes laboratory and field

work as well as more general skills-related modules. As the subject of

environmental science is very broad the programme is structured with several

specialist routes available through the programme, as well as the generic

programme itself. This allows students to build a tailored programme and slant

their degree towards areas of particular interest – climate change, landscape

ecology and wastes management.

Award Maps and Modules

Details of award: BSc (Hons) Environmental Science 2019 entry

STAGE 1

Code Title Credits Status

ENV1001 Air and Water – Principles 20 Compulsory

ENV1002 Introduction to Ecology 20 Compulsory

ENV1111 Principles of Wastes Management 20 Compulsory

GEO1107 The Physical Environment 20 Compulsory

ENV1016 Environmental Science Practical 20 Compulsory

ENV1012 Biodiversity: An Introduction 20 Compulsory

Students must take all compulsory modules

STAGE 2

Code Title Credits Status

ENV2036 Research Methods 20 Compulsory

LAW2006 Environmental Law 20 Compulsory

ENV2014 Air and Water – Processes 20 Compulsory

ENV2130 Resource Recovery Technologies 20 Designated

ENV2129 Land Contamination and Disposal 20 Designated

ENV2018 Habitat Ecology and Management 20 Designated

ENV2103 Biogeography 20 Designated

ENV2124 Fieldwork Module 20 Designated

ENV2127 Principles of the Circular Economy 20 Designated

GEO2111 Weather and Climate 20 Designated

GEO2034 Past Environments 20 Designated

Students must take all compulsory modules plus three designated modules. Recommended modules for students interested in Climate Change are: ENV2103, GEO2111 and GEO2034

Recommended modules for students interested in Landscape Ecology are: ENV2018 and ENV2124 and ENV2103 or ENV2129

Recommended modules for students interested in Wastes are: ENV2127, ENV2130 and ENV2129

STAGE 3

Code Title Credits Status

ENV4101 Research Project and Dissertation 40 Compulsory

ENV3131 Career Planning and Placement 20 Compulsory

ENV3135 Wastes Prevention 20 Designated

ENV3133 Recycling Systems 20 Designated

ENV3134 Sustainable Manufacture 20 Designated

ENV3013 Sustainable Development: Land Use and Planning 20 Designated

ENV3014 Landscape and Restoration Ecology 20 Designated

ENV3021 Biodiversity and Conservation 20 Designated

GEO3124 Water Resource Management 20 Designated

GEO3108 Climate and Society 20 Designated

Students must take the compulsory modules plus three designated modules Recommended modules for students interested in Climate Change are: GEO3108, ENV3013 or GEO3124

Recommended modules for students interested in Landscape Ecology are: ENV3013, ENV3014 or GEO3124 Recommended modules for students interested in Wastes are: ENV3135,

ENV3133 or ENV3134 Students who do not complete the Honours Degree will be eligible for an

Ordinary Degree in the named subject upon successful completion of a minimum of 60 Level 6 credits. These can be from any Level 6 modules, whether identified as compulsory or designated.

Programme Learning Outcomes (3 year BSc (Hons)

A1 Apply knowledge and understanding of the physical, chemical, biological and anthropogenic processes operating on the ecosystems.

A2 Identify and explain the importance of timescale (geological to short term) on the impacts of natural and human induced activities on the ecosystem.

A3 Critically evaluate appropriate research, recognising the strengths and weaknesses of different explanatory paradigms and types of relevant data

A4 Adopt a scientific approach to identifying, understanding, managing and communicating the Earth’s processes and ecosystem and critically evaluate the nature, organisation, complexity, interconnections of human impact and response to environmental change

A5 Identify and critically evaluate key concepts of environmental instrument such as sustainability and sustainable development; management and policy and environmental impact.

A6 Coherently collate and critically evaluate scientific and technological information and tools to inform decision making processes and environmental management and utilise a holistic approach to resolve a broad spectrum of environmental issues.

A7 Demonstrate a critical understanding of the principles of energy consumption, resource extraction and waste disposal and the options available for the remediation of arising environmental impacts.

A8 Utilise practical skills associated with laboratory and field situations, including the ability to plan, implement, analyse and report outcomes safely and ethically, demonstrating adaptability and flexibility in both independent and team working.

A9 Plan, conduct and present and independent research project relating to environmental science using appropriate research methods and based on sound scientific principles and associated with subject specific theories, paradigms , concepts and principles.

Programme Learning outcomes (4 year BSc (Hons) with Foundation Study Framework)

A1 Explain fundamental concepts related to the physical, chemical, biological and anthropogenic processes operating on the ecosystems.

A2 Discuss impacts of natural and human induced activities on the ecosystem.

A3 Use data, information and data from a range of sources and link to own ideas within assignments

A4 Understand and explain the nature, organisation, complexity, interconnections of human impact and response to environmental change

A5 Demonstrate and an understanding of key concepts of environmental instrument such as sustainability and sustainable development; management and policy and environmental impact.

A6 Understand the use scientific and technological information to inform decision making processes within environmental management.

A7 Identify the principles of resource extraction and waste disposal and the associated environmental impacts.

A8 Use and develop practical skills associated with environmental sciences and show an ability to process and describe data using appropriate numerical techniques.

A9 Demonstrate communication skills associated with a range of media and a range of audiences

Preparing for Your Course There is nothing you specifically need to buy in advance for your course. Your first year and indeed your induction week, will include field work so you need to have appropriate clothing and footwear for all weather. We will provide waders when necessary but it always good to have sturdy footwear or wellington boots, and suitable wet weather outdoor clothing. We also suggest that you have pens, paper, and at least one memory stick to ensure that you can save all your work or access to cloud storage.

You will, of course, need to bring lots of enthusiasim and a smile. 😊

Recommended and Indicative Reading What should read before you embark on this course……. Anything really…..what do you find interesting? There are loads of news articles and internet sources related to the environment with lots of hot topics such as plastics in the environment and Prof Margaret Bates has done lots of interviews on BBC news, radio recently so see if you can catch these on the internet Read something that sparks your interest and look at some of these popular science books and webpages for a starter. Examples of some popular science books Adams, Douglas and Carwardine, Mark (2009) Last Chance to See. Arrow Books. Thompson, Ken (2015) Where do camels belong? The story and science of invasive species. Profile Books Ltd. Thompson, Ken (2010) Do we need Pandas? The uncomfortable truth about biodiversity. Green Books. Juniper, Tony (2013) What has nature ever done for us? How money really does grow on trees. Profile Books Examples of Internet Sources BBC Science pages https://www.bbc.co.uk/science The Guardian Science https://www.theguardian.com/science The Telegraph science pages https://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/ New Scientist (also in magazine form) https://www.newscientist.com/section/news/ The National Geographic (also available in magazine form) https://www.nationalgeographic.com/ Within the modules that you take, you will be recommended specific reference texts and indicative reading lists are often provided as part of general lecture material – check with your tutor and the appropriate module description on NILE. Relevant papers on specific topics are also made available on short-loan in the library. Do use your own judgement. Read around the subject - use the chapter headings and indexes

in set texts as a guide. When you “have nothing to read”, use one of the standard broad environmental science texts to read around the subject (check the library catalogue). If you find a particular text “heavy-going” do not despair - try another one. Your tutors will be able to recommend alternative texts if you wish. Whilst we can recommend books the question of which books to buy is one which you must make your own judgement. The decision will depend on several factors:

1. your level of background knowledge 2. what sort of book you prefer to read (ranging from lighter books in cartoon format

through to ‘heavy’ academic books with lots of mathematical equations and no pictures)

3. what you can afford (new vs second-hand vs none at all; personal copies vs shared copies)

4. access to books in libraries Remember, just because we recommend books does not mean that you have to rush out to buy them. Deciding which books to purchase is one of your first big decisions in academia - and like many issues in environmental science you'll find there's no simple answer! There are many biology texts in the library and if you look through the indexes you will see that many of them cover similar themes. We recommend particular books because we think they cover the subject reasonably well and they are readable. That does not mean that you have to follow our recommendations. The most important point is that you read around the subject and ask questions. Therefore, it is important that you choose a book that you feel comfortable using. Some recommended books are given below.

Doing and Writing Science

• Lobban, C.S. & Schefter, M. (1993) Successful Lab Reports. Cambridge University Press.

• Northedge, A., Thomas, J., Lane, A. & Peasgood, A. (1997) The Sciences Good Study Guide. The Open University.

• King, G. (2000) Good Writing. Harper Collins.

• Pentacost, A. (1999) Analysing Environmental Data. Longman

• Handbook of Biological Statistics: http://www.biostathandbook.com/ Standard texts: There are a number of excellent standard text books available for Environmental Science, such as:

• Andrews, J.E., Brimblecombe, T.D., Jickells, T.D. & Liss, P.S. (2 Rev Ed edition 2003) An Introduction to Environmental Chemistry. Blackwell Science

• Botkin, D.B. & Keller, E.A. (9th ed. 2014) Environmental Science. Earth as a Living Planet. Wiley.

• Buckingham, S. & Turner, M. (eds.) (2008) Understanding Environmental Issues. Sage.

• Cunningham, W.P. & Cunningham, M.A. (8th ed. 2016) Principles of

Environmental Science. McGraw-Hill.

• Dickinson, G. & Murphy, K., (2nd Edition 2006) Ecosystems, Routledge Introductions to Environment Series

• Enger, E.D. & Smith, B.S (2008) Environmental Science. McGraw-Hill. 11th ed.

• Hinchliffe, S., Blowers, A. & Freeland, J. (2003) Understanding Environmental Issues. Wiley.

• Jackson, A,R.W. & Jackson, J.M. (2000) Environmental Science. Prentice Hall. 2nd ed.

• Kemp, D.D. (2004) Exploring Environmental Issues. Routledge.

• Miller, G. Tyler (13th Ed 2004) Living in the Environment. Thomson Brookes/Cole

• Wali, M.K., Evrendilek, F. & Siobhan Fennessy, M. (2010) The Environment. CRC Press.

• Williams, P.T (2005) 2nd Edition, Waste Treatment & Disposal, Wiley, London P.S. Don’t forget that texts you have used previously may still provide useful background reading. There’s also market in second-hand books - see notice boards, ebay, amazon etc. (but beat prices down if older editions).

TEACHING INFORMATION

Blended Delivery - Each module is made up of appropriate blended learning

components, this is a mix of methods, including both face-to-face activities and

online learning e-tivities, which can be completed on or offsite and you will be given

advice on when they are best to complete. Each module has a Coordinator and they

meet on a regular basis with the Programme Leader to ensure that the highest

quality teaching and learning activities are being provided.

Seminars and Seminar presentations — to allow students to test ideas against

those of staff and other students as well as more formal presentations and to discuss

contemporary and historical photography.

Practical demonstrations, Laboratory and Field work — there are lots of opportunity

to enhance your laboratory and field techniques. They provide the perfect

opportunity to the transfer technical skills and expertise, they offer hands-on

instruction to students and guidance to complete specific tasks.

Projects — The project is essential in teaching and learning in that it encourages the

definition of problems and their appropriate solution and evaluation. All projects have

clearly defined learning outcomes and assessment criteria, related to content, which

provide the framework for exploration, experiment, research, development,

presentation and communication. As students progress through the course, they are

expected to take a more active role in directing their own work and ideas, and

designing their own project briefs through negotiation with staff.

Tutorials — Each student will be allocated a tutor. The tutorial system enables

exploration through discussion of issues such as current work, progress, including

new ideas and possibilities, providing analysis and exchange, through increasingly

negotiated development to support progressively independent and student-centred

learning. An open and direct approach to discussion of work is encouraged.

Industrial Visits and Activities — These aim to foster group dynamics, peer group

learning and broadening of student experience of the industrial world.

Visiting speakers — carefully selected speakers with relevance to the course

contribute through presentations on their practice and specialism,

4

What is Changemaker? In 2013, in recognition for our commitment to developing the Changemakers of tomorrow, the University of Northampton was designated the UK's first and only Changemaker Campus. This designation places us amongst only 30 such Universities across the world and highlights our unique achievement of providing a student experience that places social innovation and social enterprise at the centre of everything we believe and do. As a result of our Changemaker status we are now regarded as the No1 UK University for social enterprise, a significant player in advising UK and EU governments, and play a major role on a global stage leading the way in the social enterprise and social innovation fields.

What this means for students At the University we offer a unique Changemaker experience that provides students with the widest possible opportunities to understand what 'matters to them', how they want to 'Change the World' and develop the skills to be a 'Changemaker'. We prepare students to demonstrate and articulate their ability to:-

• Take responsibility for effecting positive social change

• Mobilise resources to effect that change

• Work through networks to deliver change

• Apply innovation as a way of delivering change

• Live in accordance with your own values

• Work empathetically with those around you to effect positive change More information about AshokaU and Changemaker campuses can be found at http://ashokau.org/changemakercampus/

Changemaker and Employability Skills (3 year BSc (Hons)

Change: B1 Identify and critically evaluate appropriate tools and strategies to develop workable solutions through meaningful collaborations and communications with others demonstrating synthesis of research and practice.

Self-Direction: B2 Critically reflect and analyse personal skills in light of self, peer and professional review, leading to the enhancement of performance and an awareness of ongoing personal development.

Collaboration: B3 Demonstrate an informed awareness in the context of real world issues and the ability to justify decisions and judgements which foster innovation and change within different situations drawing on core ideas and concepts.

Changemaker and Employability Skills (4 year BSc (Hons) with Foundations Study Framework)

Change: B1 Identify and understand different tools and strategies used in problem solving and demonstrate an ability to work collaboratively.

Self-Direction: B2 Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of self-management and demonstrate an ability to set targets and objectives which enhance learning strategies

Collaboration: B3 Demonstrate an awareness of the need for different methods of communication and evaluate the effectiveness of different problem solving strategies.

If you have any further questions you need to ask please feel free to conctact us.

See You in September

BSc (Hons) Environmental Sciences

Welcome Week Timetable: 23rd - 27th September 2019

Time Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

9:00-10:00

Team Building

Session LH323

Biology/ Environmental

Sciences Trip

Woburn Safari Park with guided

conservation and biodiversity tal.

10:00-11:00

11:00-12:00

Environmental Science/ Biology Subject Session

LH121

Personal Tutorial Session LH324

12.00-1:00 Welcome and Expectations

LH319

1:00-2.00

2:00-3:00

3:00-4:00

4:00-5:00

LH- Learning Hub

CH- Creative Hub

SU- Student Union