Earth and Marine Sciences Minor
Earth and Marine Sciences Minor - Overview
Offered By: |
ANU Joint Colleges of Science |
Academic Contact: |
|
Areas of Interest: |
Description:
Earth Science is an all-embracing term for the science related to the study of our planet and brings together aspects of chemistry, physics, mathematics and biology to understand the processes that shape it. Earth and Marine Sciences are central to many pressing issues of our time such as the supply of resources including energy and water, climate change and natural hazards.
The minor in Earth and Marine Sciences provides an overview on the multidisciplinary approach to understand the complex Earth systems. The evolution through time of rocks, the oceans and the atmosphere and how this made life on Earth possible are discussed.
The minor addresses the fundamental mechanisms driving global plate tectonics and how this is manifested in earthquakes, mountain belts and volcanos. An increasingly important aspect of Earth Science is the understanding of past and present climate systems through integrated studies of the interactions between the lithosphere, oceans, atmosphere and biosphere.
Studying the Earth involves “getting out” and test hypotheses and many opportunities arise in the minor for field studies. A minor in Earth and Marine Sciences can complement a major in any Science discipline and will broaden the skills and knowledge in dealing with complex systems.
Learning Goals:
On completing the minor in Earth and Marine Science students will be able to:
- Draw on diverse learning environments, from the field to the laboratory to the classroom by individual and group learning, combining field observation with theory.
- Interpret data from a wide range of Earth Science disciplines and relate them to current issues such as the supply of resources, climate change and natural hazards.
- Apply an understanding of time (evolution of continents, oceans and life over billions of years) and space (nano to planetary scales) to a variety of contexts.
- Analyse complex Earth systems by combining evidence from different science disciplines.
Requirements
This minor requires the completion of 24 units, which must include:
A total of 12 units from the following compulsory courses:
EMSC1006 The Blue Planet: An Introduction to Earth System Science
EMSC1008 Earth: The Chemistry and Physics of our Planet
A total of 12 units to be chosen from the following 2000 level EMSC courses:
EMSC2012 Introduction to Structural and Field Geology
EMSC2014 Sedimentology and Stratigraphy
EMSC2015 Chemistry of the Planet Earth
EMSC2017 Rocks and Minerals
EMSC2019 Geobiology and Evolution of Life on Earth
EMSC2021 Fundamentals of Climate System Science
Advice to Students:
What 1st year courses should you enrol in? EMSC1006 and EMSC 1008.
A minor in Earth and Marine Sciences can be taken in conjunction with any major offered through the College of Physical & Mathematical Sciences or College of Medicine, Biology & Environment. A minor in Earth and Marine Sciences can complement a major in any Science discipline and will broaden the skills and knowledge in dealing with complex systems.
For example students with an interest in Chemistry could select EMSC2015 Chemistry of Planet Earth, and EMSC2017 Minerals and Rocks. Students with an interest in Biology could select EMSC2014 Sedimentology and EMSC2019 Geobiology. Students with an interest in Maths and/or Physics could select EMSC2021 Climate System Science and EMSC2017 Minerals and Rocks.
Students should seek further course advice from the academic convener of this Earth and Marine Science minor.
The information published on the Study at ANU 2012 website applies to the 2012 academic year only. All information provided on this website replaces the information contained in the Study at ANU 2011 website.
