Students

BIOL8770 – Topics in Australian Marine Science

2025 – Session 1, In person-scheduled-weekday, Other

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff
Chanelle Webster
chanelle.webster@mq.edu.au
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Admission to MConsBiol or GradCertResFSE or GradDipResFSE
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description

This unit introduces students to current research undertaken in various disciplines of marine science in Australia. It is a multi-institutional unit taught at the Sydney Institute of Marine Science (SIMS) with contributions from the four University partners of SIMS. Lectures and tutorials will be taught by leading researchers in marine science. Topics cover physical and biological oceanography, climate change, molecular ecology, aquaculture, marine biology and marine geosciences. In practical classes, students will analyse and interpret remote-sensing data from the Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS), which provides comprehensive information on the biological and physical processes of Australia's coastal and oceanic waters. This gives students hands-on experience in working with and analysing big data sets. Students can attend lessons either at SIMS or fully online.

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: Understand the diversity of open access data and instrumentation for data collection
  • ULO2: Formulate and test hypotheses within a scientific framework
  • ULO3: Access and managing data, including those from large datasets
  • ULO4: Produce and present data visually
  • ULO5: Evaluate and synthesise a variety of expert opinions within marine science

General Assessment Information

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

We strongly encourage all students to actively participate in all learning activities. Regular engagement is crucial for your success in this unit, as these activities provide opportunities to deepen your understanding of the material, collaborate with peers, and receive valuable feedback from instructors, to assist in completing the unit assessments. Your active participation not only enhances your own learning experience but also contributes to a vibrant and dynamic learning environment for everyone.

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

o Assessment 1:Written assignments – YES, Standard Late Penalty applies

o Assessment 2:Final 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 https://connect.mq.edu.au.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Written assignments 60% No Ongoing
Final test 40% No 15/05/2025

Written assignments

Assessment Type 1: Professional writing
Indicative Time on Task 2: 60 hours
Due: Ongoing
Weighting: 60%

 

You will submit 6 written assignments based on the results of exercises completed as part of the practical modules.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Understand the diversity of open access data and instrumentation for data collection
  • Formulate and test hypotheses within a scientific framework
  • Access and managing data, including those from large datasets
  • Produce and present data visually
  • Evaluate and synthesise a variety of expert opinions within marine science

Final test

Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 40 hours
Due: 15/05/2025
Weighting: 40%

 

You will sit a written test at the conclusion of the unit. The test format can include multiple choice questions and short answers.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Understand the diversity of open access data and instrumentation for data collection
  • Formulate and test hypotheses within a scientific framework
  • Access and managing data, including those from large datasets
  • Produce and present data visually
  • Evaluate and synthesise a variety of expert opinions within marine science

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

Practical classes

The practical classes will introduce you to the IMOS – Australia’s Integrated Marine Observing System, a national infrastructure facility that collects marine data from Australia’s coasts and oceans. These data are made publicly available and used by scientists to explore and monitor biological and oceanographic processes in the coastal and marine environment. In practical classes you will analyse and interpret remotely-sensed data from IMOS, which provides comprehensive information on the biological and physical processes of Australia’s coastal and oceanic waters. Practical classes are run at The Sydney Institute of Marine Science.

Seminars

The seminar series is built around the most current research questions in Australian marine science. Scientists from a number of disciplines will present their research and the most important research questions in their field in a 1 hour seminar. Seminar topics cover physical and biological oceanography, climate change, molecular ecology, aquaculture, marine biology and marine geosciences. Seminars are given at The Sydney Institute of Marine Science.

How to get to SIMS and where to park

You can travel to SIMS by public transport or by car.  For the most up to date information on public transport please check http://www.transportnsw.info/

If you decide to drive to SIMS please ensure you arrive at class on time. A map of how to get to SIMS is available on the SIMS website www.sims.org.au.  Parking is available at an hourly rate or if you have a valid national parks sticker you can park for free in designated areas.  Alternatively you can park up in Headland Park, Georges Heights and walk down through the bushtrack. See the course convenor if you need further information.

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

Changes from Previous Offering

We value student feedback to be able to continually improve the way we offer our units. As such we encourage students to provide constructive feedback via student surveys, to the teaching staff directly, or via the FSE Student Experience & Feedback link in the iLearn page

Unit information based on version 2025.04 of the Handbook