ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

Transcription

1 LIVERPOOL HOPE UNIVERSITY FACULTY OF SCIENCE ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE YOUR FUTURE STARTS WITH HOPE

2 Environmental Science Fact File Faculty: Science Department: Geography and Environmental Science Campus Location: Hope Park Entry Requirements: The standard offer level is between UCAS points, including a minimum of two A/A2 Levels or equivalent. UCAS Code: F750 Duration: Three years Year of Entry: 2016 Fees: The tuition fees for home and EU students for 2016/17 are 9,000 for full-time undergraduate courses. Degree: BSc Single Honours You may also be interested in... Geography Tourism Tourism Management Contact Details: Student Recruitment +44 (0) enquiry@hope.ac.uk 2

3 Course Introduction Working towards a sustainable, healthy future for people and the environment is a priority. Climate change scenarios indicate the urgent need to work towards this. An Environmental Science degree not only gives opportunities to investigate and understand the environment but also develops key practical skills relevant to the workplace. Environmental Scientists have appropriate knowledge and understanding that makes them well-suited to contributing to the solutions presented by the environmental challenges facing modern society. The degree covers various aspects of Environmental Science in a holistic, multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary way through an investigation of Earth systems, biodiversity, ecology, aspects of environmental biology, and human/ environment interactions. A strong dimension to the provision will be the consideration of environmental challenges such as habitat loss, climate change, resource management, and a range of other key environmental issues. Given the current global concern and focus on sustainability and sustainable development, these will be key themes that will run throughout the degree programme. The offering at Liverpool Hope University can be viewed as a truly integrated degree programme that will enable clear academic development through the degree course in terms of holistic intellectual development rather than through packaged learning offered by traditional module-based courses. The Environmental Science degree complements Liverpool Hope s moral and ethical approach to stewardship of the Earth and responsibilities to present and future generations. By the very nature of the degree it prepares students to work individually and collectively towards an environmentally sustainable and socially conscious future. 3

4 What you will study Level C (Year One) Physical Geography (e.g. geological, geomorphological and biogeographical systems) Concepts of Environmental Stewardship (e.g. sustainability, conservation) Environmental Issues and Concerns (e.g. energy, climate change, pollution) Introduction to Ecosystems and Ecology (e.g. diversity of life, energy flow and resource acquisition) Biology (e.g. comparative anatomy and physiology, human evolution and genetics, biology in society) Human Geographies (e.g. social, urban and cultural geographical themes/topics) Field-based Investigations Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Level I (Year Two) Earth Surface Processes (geomorphological and biogeographical processes) Environmental Resources (concept, nature and management of environmental resources) Ecosystems in a Changing World Evolution, Adaptation and Behaviour Introductory Bioinformatics and Biostatistical Analysis using RStudio Population Ecology and Habitat Management Research Skills Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Level H (Year Three) Sustainable Futures (sustainability, sustainable development, environmental ethics, sustainable cities, ecosystem services/biodiversity, climate change) Earth s Changing Environments (glacial or coastal environments processes, sediments and landforms and landscapes) Current Research in the Physical Environment International Fieldwork Applied Ecology Biological Conservation and Habitat Management Environmental Philosophy Applied Bioinformatics Environmental change and management Honours Project (dissertation) Recent Honours Project titles include: Abiotic and biotic interactions: a small-scale characterisation of free-standing urban walls ; The effects of human intervention and recreational impacts on the vegetation of coastal sand dunes ; A grave future: weathering effects on marble gravestones ; and Sustainable living, climate change and their influence on consumer air travel. Assessment methods typically include: essays, reports, laboratory reports, verbal presentations (sometimes as part of a group), examinations (which may involve seen questions), fieldwork reports, posters, and portfolios. Fieldwork is a key component of this degree and takes the form of either short day trips or longer residential fieldwork - locations typically include Malta, the Netherlands, Snowdonia National Park, the Peak District National Park and local destinations such as the North Wirral and the Sefton coast. 4

5 5

6 Employability and Career Opportunities Environmental challenges (local, national and global environmental issues) require specialist knowledge and skills to address them and as a graduate in Environmental Science you will be equipped to meet, for example, the science or environmental management needs of industry and other employers. Employment opportunities also exist in growth areas such as sustainable development, renewable energy industries, and in the development of green economies, in both the private and public sectors. Environmental Science is equipped with tools of modern spatial analysis such as geographic information systems (GIS) and remote sensing that support effective management of natural resources and promote sustainable economic development on our planet. Thus the environmental science positively contributes to the improvement of life in regional and national scales. Liverpool, and indeed Merseyside as a whole, has significant employment opportunities to offer to science graduates as it is home to Liverpool Science Park, is the Biomanufacturing Capital of Europe (Liverpool City Region), and is home to a growing environmental technologies sector within the Merseyside region. The teaching team has significant contact with local conservation and professional environmental organisations that is utilised to gain more informal understanding of environmental science in practice and provides both work experience and research project opportunities. In terms of skill development, a strong emphasis is placed on the acquisition of practical skills (especially field-based and laboratory practical skills) in addition to the development of a wide range of transferable skills to ensure a maximum employability focus to the degree programme. 6

7 Why study this subject at Liverpool Hope? The Environmental Science degree includes the opportunity for the Honours Project to be undertaken through the medium of a work placement to enable you to gain relevant environmental work experience so that they can apply their environmental knowledge and experiences into a work setting. The degree programme utilises staff expertise and good practice in the provision of fieldwork to national and international destinations. This allows the exploration of key concepts and aspects of Environmental Science in a field-based context. The course includes low-cost and carbonconscious fieldwork, in particular costs and the associated carbon-footprints are attempted to be reduced through the use of local destinations (utilising public transport) or through students being able to determine their own travel arrangements. The course includes e-learning and teaching as a means to reduce the environmental impact of teaching. It features interdisciplinary perspectives on various aspects of Environmental Science such as how to respond to environmental challenges, the contested concept of sustainable development, and the complexity of achieving a sustainable future. The small teaching team engenders a friendly and supportive teaching and learning environment that is focused on ensuring your success. 7

8 8

9 Graduate Feedback What an experience! From day one everyone involved at Liverpool Hope made my time there both a happy and enjoyable one. You are not just a number, the lecturers are truly interested in your development and can be approached on all levels. I would definitely recommend the University. The course at Liverpool Hope University gives you the best experiences and opportunities for life in the real world. The fieldtrips are amazing and the tutors are so helpful and friendly and their knowledge is outstanding! 9

10 Academic Staff Profiles Dr Kevin Crawford, Senior Lecturer in Geography Kevin holds qualifications in geology, geochemistry, glacial sedimentology and environmental legislation. His research expertise and publications are in the following areas: glacial environments, geoconservation and geotourism. He is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and was an executive committee member of the national organisation GeoConservation UK in addition to being actively involved in local and regional geoconservation groups. Paul Rooney, Senior Lecturer in Geography Paul is a Chartered Geographer and Chartered Environmentalist and a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. He is a full member of the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management and is active at both a regional and national level in the institute. His research and consultancy expertise in the field of coastal management especially in the conservation management of coastal sand dunes. He is published widely in this area and is the Director of the Sand Dune and Shingle Network. Carl Larsen, Senior Lecturer in Biology Carl began lecturing in Biology and Environmental Studies at Liverpool Hope University in 1993 and was appointed to Senior Lecturer in Biology in He is enrolled for a PhD at the University of Liverpool, the research entitled A behavioural and phylogenetic survey of the Nightjar, Caprimulgus europaeus, and its allies. His work has been published in a leading internationally peer-reviewed journal. Dr Barbara Tigar, Lecturer in Biology Barbara has a PhD in Ecology from Imperial College and London University, and was recently awarded a Postgraduate certificate in Academic Practice from Hope. Her research and academic expertise are in ecology and applied ecology, and she is pursing a new area of research based upon reconstruction of historic diets in large herbivores and the Cape leopard using stable isotopes. 10

11 Professor Peter Siska, Head of Department Professor RNDr Peter Siska CSc is the Head of the Department of Geography and Environmental Science. The areas of his expertise are Geographic Information Science (GIS), and applied physical and regional geography. He has international experience teaching and researching from several academic institutions in the United States and Europe. He also studied the significance of culture in the conflicting regions. Recently, he is interested in spatial analysis of heavy metal pollution in soils and their transfer to mammals. He has led field trips to Austria, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Poland, Ukraine, Hong Kong and Vietnam. Revd Professor David K Chester, Professor of Environmental Sciences Professor Chester was awarded his BA (Durham 1973), PhD (Aberdeen 1978), Dip Theol., C.Geol. FGS, FRGS and has worked on natural hazard and responses to them for more than 35 years. He has studied earthquakes and volcanic eruptions and their impacts, both globally, and more specifically in Italy and Portugal (including the Azores). His recent research has concentrated on religious responses to disasters, and the reconstruction of historical catastrophes using a mixture of field and archival evidence. He is also interested in Holocene landscape change in the Mediterranean region, soil erosion and the history and current practice of geography. 11

12 Liverpool Hope University Hope Park Liverpool L16 9JD t: e: If you require this document in another format please contact us. The University reserves the right to make variations to the content or methods of delivery of courses.