Students

EESC2160 – Climate and Oceans

2025 – Session 2, In person-scheduled-weekday, North Ryde

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff
Neil Saintilan
neil.saintilan@mq.edu.au
Tutor
Anjali Gopakumar
anjali.gopakumar@mq.edu.au
Tutor
Luke Walker
luke.walker3@hdr.mq.edu.au
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
(ENVS1017 or EESC1160) or 10cp in PHYS units at 1000 level
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description

The Earth’s climate and oceans are intimately linked and are fundamental to life on this planet. This unit explores the climate system and the role that oceans play in regulating climate and the impact of climate change on ocean and coastal processes. The unit examines climate and ocean interactions and processes on a range of spatial scales (local to global) and time scales (daily to decadal and millennial). The unit includes a field trip that introduces students to evidence of climate drivers and responses in marine and coastal habitats such as sea-level rise impacts and adaptation.

Learning in this unit enhances student understanding of global challenges identified by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) Climate Action, Life Below Water

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: Demonstrate an understanding of the fundamental links between the climate and oceans to interpret climate-ocean interactions and processes.
  • ULO2: Apply data collected from measuring and modelling climate-ocean-coastal interactions to understand mechanisms of climate and ocean and coastal variability, and appropriate management responses.
  • ULO3: Demonstrate effective individual and team work skills in climate-ocean-coastal science to understand and solve real-world environmental problems in both the field and laboratory. 
  • ULO4: Draw on and synthesise appropriate sources of information to communicate ideas about climate drivers and responses in marine and coastal habitats.

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. 

 

Submission of Assessments

All assessments must be submitted online through Turnitin unless otherwise indicated. Links for the submission of each assessment will be available on 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 

From 1 July 2022, Students enrolled in Session based units with written assessments will have the following university standard late penalty applied. Please see https://students.mq.edu.au/study/assessment-exams/assessments for more information. 

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.  

Assessments where Late Submissions will be accepted 

In this unit, late submissions will accepted as follows: 

  • Assessment 1 Practical Report – YES, Standard Late Penalty applies 
  • Assessment 3 Field Report - YES, Standard Late Penalty applies 
  • Assessment 3 Test- NO, unless Special Consideration is Granted 

 

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.

 

Requirements to Pass this Unit

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

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Practical report 40% No 05/09/2025
Fieldtrip presentation 30% No Week 11
Test 30% No 04/11/2025

Practical report

Assessment Type 1: Lab report
Indicative Time on Task 2: 20 hours
Due: 05/09/2025
Weighting: 40%

 

The report will include experimental data introduced during practicals that is presented with appropriate graphical representation and statistical analysis, and a conclusion drawing correct associations and inferences from the data.  During this assessment task students will develop skills to apply to the fieldtrip presentation.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Demonstrate effective individual and team work skills in climate-ocean-coastal science to understand and solve real-world environmental problems in both the field and laboratory. 
  • Draw on and synthesise appropriate sources of information to communicate ideas about climate drivers and responses in marine and coastal habitats.

Fieldtrip presentation

Assessment Type 1: Field work task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 42 hours
Due: Week 11
Weighting: 30%

 

The fieldtrip presentation will be completed during the local fieldtrip. The presentation will reflect thorough research of scientific and technical issues citing specific sources, incorporate a range of media, including video, and students will respond to questions following the presentation. A group mark will be provided

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the fundamental links between the climate and oceans to interpret climate-ocean interactions and processes.
  • Apply data collected from measuring and modelling climate-ocean-coastal interactions to understand mechanisms of climate and ocean and coastal variability, and appropriate management responses.
  • Demonstrate effective individual and team work skills in climate-ocean-coastal science to understand and solve real-world environmental problems in both the field and laboratory. 
  • Draw on and synthesise appropriate sources of information to communicate ideas about climate drivers and responses in marine and coastal habitats.

Test

Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 10 hours
Due: 04/11/2025
Weighting: 30%

 

The test involves both multiple choice and short answer responses. Content can be from the lectures, practicals, fieldwork or assigned readings.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the fundamental links between the climate and oceans to interpret climate-ocean interactions and processes.
  • Apply data collected from measuring and modelling climate-ocean-coastal interactions to understand mechanisms of climate and ocean and coastal variability, and appropriate management responses.

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

The Unit consists of a weekly discussion of pre-recorded lectures scheduled for Tuesdays at 11 am, in 17WW, G02 Lecture theatre. The lectures are also available in on-line form, uploaded to iLearn on the Friday of the week prior, which can be viewed at a time convenient to the student. The Tuesday morning lecture period is therefore an opportunity for you to engage with the lecturer and the material. There will be a weekly 2-hour practical session on campus on Tuesdays 1 PM - 3 PM, in 04 Western Road, Room 320. The excursion will be held on Saturday 6th September, on the Central Coast, and students will be allocated to either a morning or afternoon group. 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 neil.saintilan@mq.edu.au from your university email address. 

Unit Schedule

Week

Date

Lecturer

Lecture Topic

Practical

Topic

Assessment

Module 1: Marine Climate Change

1

Tuesday

29th July

NS

Introduction- coupled ocean atmosphere system

in time

No practical

 

2

Tuesday

5th August

NS

Paleo Sea level and coastal morpho-dynamics

Practical 1: East Australian sea-level trend analysis

 

3

Tuesday  

12th August

NS

Extreme maritime storms

Practical 2 Vertical accretion of intertidal

habitats

 

4

Tuesday

19th August

NS

Marine climate and weather-

ENSO and the IOD

Practical 3: IPCC Interactive Atlas + Indigenous perspectives in coastal

management

 

Module 2: Coastal processes and management

5

Tuesday

26th August

NS

Blue Carbon

Practical 4 Spatial analysis of

habitat change

 

6

Tuesday  2nd September

NS

Estuarine and surf zone processes

Practical 5 Indonesia case study + Excursion primer

Assessable Pracs due Friday 5th September (40%)

 

 

Excursion Saturday 6th September

Central Coast (Week 37)

7

Tuesday

9th September

AG

Coastal Zone Management

Seminar: observations from the field trip. Presentation requirements

 

8

Tuesday 16th September

LM

The southern ocean

Practical 7 Ocean facilities

 

 

Study Break: 22 September – 6 October

9

Tuesday 7th September

LM

Tropicalisation

Practical 8

Managing the Coasts

 

10

Tuesday 14th October

LM

 Seagrass

Practical

Seagrasses

 

11

Tuesday 21st October

AG

Field trip group presentations (AG, LW)

In class

presentations (30%)

12

Tuesday 28th October

No lecture

 

Field trip group presentations (AG, LW)

 

13

No Class

Test  (30%) Tues 4th

November

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 connect.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/

Academic Success

Academic Success 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 the Service Connect Portal, 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.

Unit information based on version 2025.05 of the Handbook