Requirements to Pass this Unit: To pass this unit you should attempt and submit all assessments, and must achieve an aggregate 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.

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.

Referencing: Students often ask about the preferred referencing style. The University approves five styles (https://libguides.mq.edu.au/referencing). The default is APA 7th style (https://libguides.mq.edu.au/APA7_referencing), but any of the five are acceptable.

Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence Tools: Many students have experimented with AI tools to write or re-write their text. Read this advice: https://students.mq.edu.au/study/assessment-exams/academic-integrity/ai-tools and refer to iLearn for more information ("Using AI in this Unit" tab). Please use AI tools in a responsible manner to enhance, but not replace, your learning. 

Submission of Assessments: Instructions and submission links for the assesssments are provided in iLearn ("Assessments" tab). Do not submit written assessments via email. Due dates for all assessments are shown in the unit schedule on iLearn ("Unit information" tab). If you have commitments that will significantly impact your study during the session then you must plan for this in advance as part of an effective individual study plan.

Automatic Short-Extensions: Students are able to request a short 3-day extension for Assessments 1 and 2. The short extensions are approved automatically and recorded, however, iLearn will still show the original due date for the assessment. The short-extensions do not apply to the final exam. 

Marking of Assessments: Assessments will be marked by a tutor and feedback will be noted on the assignments. Assessment marks will be available via the Grades Report on iLearn. We aim to return your written assessment with feedback within three weeks of the date of submission although sometimes other factors can affect release dates, particularly late submissions due to short-extensions. We appreciate your patience and will advise you through iLearn when your marked assessments are available for viewing.

Late Assessment Submission Penalty: Unless an extension has been approved, a 5 % penalty (of the total possible mark of the task) will be applied for each day a written assessment is not submitted, up until the 7^th day (including weekends). After the 7^th day, a mark of ‘0’ will be awarded even if the assessment is submitted. The submission time for all uploaded assessments is 2355 h. A 1 h grace period will be provided to students who experience technical concerns. In the case of late submission of assessments with justifiable reason, please apply for Special Consideration.

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. 

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 unit assessments on time, please inform the convenor and submit a Special Consideration request through https://connect.mq.edu.au.

Week 1 Classes: Lectures start in week 1. Workshops start in week 2. 

Methods of Communication: We will communicate with you through announcements on iLearn, and possibly also your university email. General queries about the unit content can be placed on the iLearn discussion board. It is your responsibility to stay up to date.

If your query is of a personal nature, or if you want more privacy, please don't email us directly. Instead, post a message to the "Private Message to Unit Contacts" link (see "Communications" tab). This helps us to manage student queries and improves your response time.  

Class Schedule: Students should check class availability with the Classfinder tool in eStudent

A detailed Unit Schedule with the weekly topics and assessment task due dates is available on iLearn ("Unit Information" tab).

Learning Activities: You must receive an aggregate mark of at least 50% to pass this unit. In order to receive a Pass grade, you should spend around 12 h per week on this unit, which includes lectures, practicals, reading and assessment preparation and completion. However, keep in mind, marks are awarded on a demonstration of your understanding and ability, not on time or effort!

• Lectures provide the framework with which to focus your study of the subject and they are essential for you to engage with. There are 25 lectures, which are pre-recorded so you can listen to them in your own time. You MUST complete the lectures BEFORE the prac each week so that you understand the topics covered in the practical. 
• You need to attend 10 x 2-hour on-campus practicals, starting from Week 2. The practicals contain material to supplement the lectures and comprise of exercises which give you skills to help with your understanding of the unit topics and the workplace. The practicals are run as a workshop-style consisting of tasks that you have to work through individually, but teaching staff will be available to introduce the activity, demonstrate skills and help you to work through tasks, if you need help. The assessments for the unit will also be discussed in the pracs. Hence, the pracs provide the best opportunity for you to ask questions and seek feedback on your learning.
• You should supplement the lectures and pracs by reading from current journals. The iLearn site contains some readings related to the unit content including the Middlemann (2007) text, but please don't limit yourself to those.  

All lecture content and practical material is assessable in the final exam.

Note: the lectures are pre-recorded, but the pracs are delivered face to face and will NOT be recorded.

Technologies Used and Required: You will need to bring a computer to the practicals each week. We will use basic programs such as Word and Excel. You will also need a computer to use the university systems (e.g. iLearn, library) and complete the assessment tasks. Submissions of the assessment tasks will be through iLearn using Turnitin. Help with IT can be obtained at students.mq.edu.au/support/.

Background Reading: There is no textbook set for this unit. The volume by Middlemann (Ed) 2007 is the best available for Natural Hazards in Australian (see "Unit Information" tab for the link to download). 

Assessment Grading Standards: Grades for the written assessment tasks and the unit as a whole will be awarded according to a general rubric shown in the table below.

Due to retirements and course structure changes, this is planned to be the last offering of this unit. To ensure that students receive the best possible learning, the lectures were recorded by the professor who taught the unit for many years. The practicals will be taken by a tutor who has also been teaching in this unit for years, and has a wealth of knowledge and professional experience from decades spent working in industry.