Students

ENVS3462 – Environmental Management

2023 – Session 1, In person-scheduled-weekday, North Ryde

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Convenor
Alex Carthey
alexandra.carthey@mq.edu.au
Email for appointment
Professor
Kirstie Fryirs
kirstie.fryirs@mq.edu.au
Email for appointment
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
130cp at 1000 level or above including (ENV267 or ENVS2467 or ENVS214 or ENVS2115)
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description

This unit provides an advanced understanding of the interdisciplinary links between environmental research, management strategies and policy frameworks that are fundamental to environmental management. We explore significant issues and challenges associated with managing dynamic human-nature systems. The unit includes field visits to sites of environmental and Indigenous cultural importance in the Sydney region. Students will develop skills in GIS, App development, data management, science communication, video-editing, policy assessment, grant writing and professional literacy that are designed to enhance employability.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • ULO1: Identify and explain the key terms, concepts and approaches in environmental management.
  • ULO2: Evaluate the principal threats to environmental systems and develop appropriate management strategies.
  • ULO3: Analyse and communicate complex issues in environmental management.
  • ULO4: Utilise maps, graphs, statistics, images and text to convey information to diverse stakeholders in environmental management.
  • ULO5: Critically read, think about, interpret and evaluate environmental and social science data and other information relating to environmental policy, planning and legislation.

General Assessment Information

See ENVS3462 iLearn site for details on each Assessment Task. 

Assessment Criteria

Assessment at Macquarie University is standards-based, as outlined in the Assessment Policy. This means that your work will be assessed against clear criteria, and these criteria (e.g. in a rubric) will be made available when the assessment tasks are released to you on iLearn.

Submission of Assessments

All Assessments tasks should be conducted (for Assessment 1 quizzes) or submitted (Assessment 2 and 3) through the ENVS3462 iLearn site. Please do not submit your assessments via email or hard copy unless agreed with the convenor.

For more information on submitting assignments go to: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/technology/systems/ilearn/assignments-grades

Marking of Assessments

Assessment grades will be provided through Gradebook on iLearn. We aim to return your assessment grades and feedback within three weeks of the due date. We appreciate your patience and will advise you through iLearn when your marked assessments and feedback are available for viewing.

Late Assessment Submission Penalty  

Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, a 5% penalty (of the total possible mark of the task) will be applied for each day a written report or presentation assessment is not submitted, up until the 7th day (including weekends). After the 7th day, a grade of ‘0’ will be awarded even if the assessment is submitted. The submission time for all uploaded assessments is 11:55 pm. A 1-hour grace period will be provided to students who experience a technical concern.  

For any late submission of time-sensitive tasks, such as scheduled tests/exams, performance assessments/presentations, and/or scheduled practical assessments/labs, please apply for Special Consideration.  

Assessments where Late Submissions will be accepted  

  • Assessment 1 Module Quizzes – YES, Standard Late Penalty applies  
  • Assessment 2 Video of site biocultural values – YES, Standard Late Penalty applies 
  • Assessment 3 Grant Application – YES, Standard Late Penalty applies 

Special Consideration

The Special Consideration Policy aims to support students who have been impacted by short-term circumstances or events that are serious, unavoidable and significantly disruptive, and which may affect their performance in assessment. If you experience circumstances or events that affect your ability to complete the assessments in this unit on time, please inform the convenor and submit a Special Consideration request through ask.mq.edu.au. 

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Module Quizzes 20% No At the end of each module
Video of site biocultural values 40% No 11.55pm, Friday 7th April, 2023
Grant application 40% No 11.55pm, Monday 29th May, 2023

Module Quizzes

Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 10 hours
Due: At the end of each module
Weighting: 20%

 

For each module students will need to complete a 20 question multiple choice quiz.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Identify and explain the key terms, concepts and approaches in environmental management.

Video of site biocultural values

Assessment Type 1: Media presentation
Indicative Time on Task 2: 30 hours
Due: 11.55pm, Friday 7th April, 2023
Weighting: 40%

 

Drawing on practical classes and lectures you are required to produce a 5 minute video on the biocultural values of an environmental management site including GIS maps, data collected using your App and links to relevant Australian legislation and policies.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Identify and explain the key terms, concepts and approaches in environmental management.
  • Evaluate the principal threats to environmental systems and develop appropriate management strategies.
  • Analyse and communicate complex issues in environmental management.
  • Utilise maps, graphs, statistics, images and text to convey information to diverse stakeholders in environmental management.
  • Critically read, think about, interpret and evaluate environmental and social science data and other information relating to environmental policy, planning and legislation.

Grant application

Assessment Type 1: Professional writing
Indicative Time on Task 2: 30 hours
Due: 11.55pm, Monday 29th May, 2023
Weighting: 40%

 

This assessment task requires you to use the template provided in class to write an Expression of Interest for a grant application focusing on an environmental monitoring project.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Identify and explain the key terms, concepts and approaches in environmental management.
  • Evaluate the principal threats to environmental systems and develop appropriate management strategies.
  • Analyse and communicate complex issues in environmental management.
  • Utilise maps, graphs, statistics, images and text to convey information to diverse stakeholders in environmental management.
  • Critically read, think about, interpret and evaluate environmental and social science data and other information relating to environmental policy, planning and legislation.

1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:

  • the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
  • the Writing Centre for academic skills support.

2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation

Delivery and Resources

Lectures and practicals will commence in week 1 (From 21st February 2023).

Methods of Communication

We will communicate with you via your university email or through announcements on iLearn. Queries to convenors can either be placed on the iLearn discussion board or sent to ENVS3462@mq.edu.au from your university email address.

COVID Information

Masks are strongly recommended for all classes in indoor spaces and social distancing will be implemented wherever possible. Students will also be required to sanitise surfaces before and after use.

Students are requested to minimise the risk of spreading COVID to themselves and others. For the latest information on the University’s response to COVID-19, please refer to the Coronavirus infection page on the Macquarie website: https://www.mq.edu.au/about/coronavirus-faqs. Remember to check this page regularly in case the information and requirements change during semester. If there are any changes to this unit in relation to COVID, these will be communicated via iLearn. 

Delivery 

The timetable for ENVS3462 can be found at: https://timetables.mq.edu.au/. A detailed class schedule outlining the lecture and practical topics is provided below and on ilearn.

Check iLearn regularly for any class schedule updates.

ENVS3462 is taught via lectures, practicals, field trips, readings and assessment tasks. All ENVS3462 lectures and pracs will be delivered face to face in Session 1, 2022 unless otherwise announced on ilearn. Lectures will also be recorded via ECHO360. 

Students should make use of iLearn to access teaching and learning materials, to submit assignments, to stay in touch with the unit, to contact lecturers, and to discuss issues and concepts with classmates.

Workload

ENVS3462 earns 10 credit points towards your degree. University guidelines state for a 10 credit point unit you are expected to put in around 150 hours in total. This requires planning on your part to do all the work required in lectures, practicals and assignments.

Resources

iLearn The ENVS3462 iLearn page can be found at: https://ilearn.mq.edu.au/login/index.php. Information about how students can access iLearn can be found at:https://students.mq.edu.au/support/technology/systems/ilearn. The iLearn page uses Macquarie University’s standard interface and has links, discussion threads and access to lectures (as audio files through Echo360, and as downloadable PDF presentations) and practical material. Important announcements will be made through iLearn, so please check the ENVS3462 page regularly.

Echo360 Information about how to access lecture recordings through the Echo360 EchoCenter page in iLearn can be found at: http://mq.edu.au/iLearn/student_info/lecture_recordings.htm

Turnitin Macquarie University promotes student awareness of information management and information ethics. As well as training and the provision of information, the University tackles the issue of academic honesty through the use of the online program Turnitin. Information about how to submit assignments to Turnitin in iLearn can be found at: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/technology/systems/ilearn/assignments-grades As well as being a key tool for assignment submission, marking and feedback, Turnitin compares your work with the work of your classmates, with previous students from Macquarie and other universities, with material available on the Internet, and with freely available and subscription based electronic journals. The results are sent only to your lecturers who will analyse them in reference to the University's Academic Honesty Policy. You will be able to access the results of the Turnitin academic honesty scan for your own assignments, known as your ‘originality report’. In ENVS3462, we will allow you to overwrite the initial submission file with a second submission if you choose to do so, but only up until the final due date and time for the assignment. We consider this opportunity to fine-tune your academic integrity a considerable resource, and we hope that you will use this review process constructively to ensure you are referencing other material correctly and effectively.

 

Unit Schedule

Refer to iLearn and lecture notes for the unit schedule.

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Students seeking more policy resources can visit Student Policies (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/policies). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/student-conduct

Results

Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Academic Integrity

At Macquarie, we believe academic integrity – honesty, respect, trust, responsibility, fairness and courage – is at the core of learning, teaching and research. We recognise that meeting the expectations required to complete your assessments can be challenging. So, we offer you a range of resources and services to help you reach your potential, including free online writing and maths support, academic skills development and wellbeing consultations.

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

The Writing Centre

The Writing Centre provides resources to develop your English language proficiency, academic writing, and communication skills.

The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources. 

Student Services and Support

Macquarie University offers a range of Student Support Services including:

Student Enquiries

Got a question? Ask us via AskMQ, or contact Service Connect.

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/. 

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Changes since First Published

Date Description
03/02/2023 Apologies for the late edit. Kirstie Fryirs requested a change to the due date for Assessment 3 (grant application), as due to the class timetabling, the students would not have had enough time between the prac and the assessment due date to be able to complete the work. Thanks!

Unit information based on version 2023.02 of the Handbook