ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND SOCIETY - 2021/2

Module Overview

This module seeks to provide students with the physical science and social science introduction that other modules in the Centre for Environment and Sustainability subsequently build upon. 

Module provider

Centre for Environment & Sustainability

Module Leader

CHENOWETH Jonathan (Civl Env Eng)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 7

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Module Availability

Semester 1

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

None

Module content

Indicative content includes:

• ecology and biodiversity,


• thermodynamics of ecosystems and human systems,


• pollution science,


• the science of climate change,


• the science of ozone depletion,


• environmental risk assessment,


• scientific uncertainty and the development processes for environmental policy.

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

Alternative case study (group assessment), alternative set of questions (post-module assignment)

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate the ability to conduct research in the scientific literature and thus build upon concepts introduced in the module’s lectures. 

The summative assessment for this module consists of:

• Ten-page group work report completed during module week (20% of module marks)


• 3000 word individual post-module coursework consisting of short-answer questions (80% of module marks)

Module aims

• To introduce key theoretical concepts in the physical and natural sciences and their importance for sustainable development;
• To outline the underlying science behind specific environmental problems such as climate change, ozone depletion and biodiversity loss;
• To give an overview of the scientific approaches to diagnosis, analysis and solution of environmental problems;
• To introduce the complex interactions between scientific knowledge, uncertainty and public policy.

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The teaching and learning strategy is designed to encourage active, problem-based learning.  The module will encourage students to explore and critically evaluate theoretical perspectives, and consider their application to case studies.

The learning and teaching methods include:

• Lectures and class discussions (25 hours)


• In-class assessed group work (7 hours)


• Independent study (118 hours)

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: ENGM060

Programmes this module appears in

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2021/2 academic year.