Students

ENVS7205 – Environmental Pollution

2023 – Session 2, In person-scheduled-weekday, North Ryde

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Convenor, Lecturer
Vladimir Strezov
12WW 3.10
Grant Hose
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Admission to MRes
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
ENVS8205
Unit description Unit description

This unit focuses on the scientific aspects of environmental pollution. The aims of the unit are to show how a number of major pollutants are released into the environment, how they react, move and impact the environment and human health. The presentation is set in the context of the science and management of environmental pollution. The unit includes assessment and treatment of problems in air and water pollution, global atmospheric change and environmental impact assessment.

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: evaluate the sources and transformation of environmental pollutants to understand and minimise their impacts on human health and ecosystems
  • ULO2: demonstrate skills for collection and analysis of raw data in environmentally significant terms to evaluate the state of environmental quality
  • ULO3: demonstrate modelling skills for environmental impact assessment of pollutant emissions to evaluate potential risks to environment and human health
  • ULO4: responsibly work in a team to collaboratively assess environmental problems of real life industrial emissions
  • ULO5: communicate environmental quality scientific data in a written format to inform management and public audiences

General Assessment Information

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. To pass the unit, you must achieve a total mark equal to or greater than 50%.

Submission of Assessments

All assessments, except for the quizzes, must be submitted online through Turnitin unless otherwise indicated. Links for the submission of each assessment will be available on iLearn. The quizzes will be conducted through iLearn.

You should always check that you have uploaded the correct file. If you have a problem, please email the Unit Convenor with your correct file. You must also keep a copy of your assessments until the end of semester in case there is a problem with your submission. It is your responsibility to ensure that you can provide a copy of your assessment if requested.

Marking of Assessments

Assignments will usually be marked through Turnitin with grades provided through Gradebook on iLearn. Please do not submit your assessments via email or in hard copy unless requested (e.g. a sketch or drawing).

We aim to return your assessment grades and feedback within two to three weeks of the date that you submitted it. 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) will be applied each day a written 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. Submission time for all written assessments is set at 11:55 pm. A 1-hour grace period is 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, students need to submit an application for Special Consideration.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Quiz 40% No 29/08/23 & 24/10/23
Report 30% No 3/10/23
Project 30% No 3/11/23

Quiz

Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 24 hours
Due: 29/08/23 & 24/10/23
Weighting: 40%

 

The quizz will test knowledge and may be online or in-class.

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • evaluate the sources and transformation of environmental pollutants to understand and minimise their impacts on human health and ecosystems
  • demonstrate modelling skills for environmental impact assessment of pollutant emissions to evaluate potential risks to environment and human health

Report

Assessment Type 1: Report
Indicative Time on Task 2: 23 hours
Due: 3/10/23
Weighting: 30%

 

This assessment will consist of preparing a consulting report assessing environmental pollution data of a case study.

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • evaluate the sources and transformation of environmental pollutants to understand and minimise their impacts on human health and ecosystems
  • demonstrate skills for collection and analysis of raw data in environmentally significant terms to evaluate the state of environmental quality
  • demonstrate modelling skills for environmental impact assessment of pollutant emissions to evaluate potential risks to environment and human health
  • responsibly work in a team to collaboratively assess environmental problems of real life industrial emissions
  • communicate environmental quality scientific data in a written format to inform management and public audiences

Project

Assessment Type 1: Project
Indicative Time on Task 2: 23 hours
Due: 3/11/23
Weighting: 30%

 

The project will involve modeling and assessment of environmental impacts of industrial operations.

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • demonstrate skills for collection and analysis of raw data in environmentally significant terms to evaluate the state of environmental quality
  • demonstrate modelling skills for environmental impact assessment of pollutant emissions to evaluate potential risks to environment and human health
  • responsibly work in a team to collaboratively assess environmental problems of real life industrial emissions
  • communicate environmental quality scientific data in a written format to inform management and public audiences

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

Unit iLearn

This unit has an iLearn page that can be accessed through ilearn.mq.edu.au. It contains important information and other materials relating to the unit, including details and links for assessments.

Communication

We will communicate with you via your university email and through announcements on iLearn. Queries to convenors can either be placed on the iLearn discussion board or sent to the unit convenor via the contact email on iLearn.

Unit Organisation This unit is delivered in modules/weekly topics. The organisation of these is outlined in a detailed unit schedule which is available on iLearn.

Classes

The class timetable for this unit can be found through the Timetable portal. You should also check the unit schedule as some weeks may have other instructions or locations.

Workload

The expected workload for this 10-credit point unit is 150 hours of activity, comprising 80 hours on learning activities and 70 hours on assessment tasks.

Requirements to complete this unit satisfactorily

To complete this unit satisfactorily, you must:

1. Participate in all scheduled classes; 2. Complete all assessments; and 3. Achieve a pass grade or higher.

The descriptions for grades common to all coursework units offered by Macquarie University are outlined in Schedule 1 of the Assessment Policy.

Recommended Texts and/or Materials

There is no set text for this unit. The following lists some useful references.

Harrison RM 1999 Understanding our Environment: An Introduction to Environmental Chemistry and Pollution (3rd ed.) Royal Society of Chemistry, London.

Stoker HS & Seager SL Environmental Chemistry: Air and Water Pollution, (2nd ed). vanLoon GW and Duffy SJ 2000 Environmental Chemistry - a global perspective. B. Reports

Goedkoop, M. et al. ReCiPe A life cycle impact assessment method which comprises harmonised category indicators at the midpoint and the endpoint level, 2009.

State of the Environment Reports published by the Australian Government are key resources which summarise many of the important issues which will be treated in this course, and also contains a comprehensive bibliography in many of the areas. Web site https://soe.dcceew.gov.au/

Boyd CE, 2000 Water Quality: An Introduction, Kluwer Academic Publishers.

Connell DW 1993 Water Pollution: Causes and Effects in Australia and New Zealand 3rd ed. Uni Qld Press, Brisbane.

Laws E.A 1993 Aquatic Pollution: An Introductory Text 2nd edition John Wiley.

Williams W.D. (ed.) An Ecological Basis for Water Resource Management. American Public Health Association 1995 Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater (19 ed.) APHA, AWWA, WPCF, Washington.

Technology Used and Required

This unit will use iLearn and Echo360. See the Instructions on how to log in to iLearn and the iLearn quick guides for students which will help you:

  • Getting started - Find out how to navigate and familiarise yourself with the iLearn environment
  • Activities - Learn how to effectively complete the activities required of you in iLearn
  • Assignments and Gradebook - Find out how to submit assessments and view your grades using iLearn
  • Online study tips - Studying online is a unique experience, learn how to navigate it here
  • Discussion forums - Explore the different types, and features of discussion forums in iLearn
  • Lecture recordings - Find out how to access lectures online, as well as the features available to you.

COVID Information

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.

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
23/07/2023 The submission dates for the report, project and quiz 2 are corrected.

Unit information based on version 2023.02 of the Handbook