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2024 unit offering information will be available in November 2023

Unit description

Introduces students to the role of science in understanding the complex socio-ecological interactions involved in our biggest global challenges, including climate change, land degradation, biodiversity loss, pollution and overfishing. Students will build an understanding of the foundations, philosophies and ethics that underpin science, exploring the role of science in society and vice versa. Bringing together knowledge of science, stakeholders and Indigenous thinking enables students to develop creative solutions to complex global challenges. This unit also supports students to develop foundational academic skills, including literature searching, referencing, collaboration, critical thinking, academic writing and science-communication.

Unit content

Using case studies of globally important environmental challenges, the following will be explored:

  1. Science and Philosophy: exploring the scientific method, the history of science philosophy and holistic systems thinking

  2. People and Planet: Indigenous knowledges, stakeholders and socio-ecological systems

  3. Land and Water: agricultural, landscape and freshwater challenges

  4. Oceans: overfishing, pollution and acidification

  5. Climate change and the complex interactions of global challenges

  6. Critical Issues for Science and Global Challenges

Learning outcomes

Unit Learning Outcomes express learning achievement in terms of what a student should know, understand and be able to do on completion of a unit. These outcomes are aligned with the graduate attributes. The unit learning outcomes and graduate attributes are also the basis of evaluating prior learning.

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:
1critically examine the value, limitations and ethical considerations of science in addressing global challenges, including its philosophical underpinnings, complexity thinking and Indigenous knowledges
2demonstrate the foundational academic skills required to produce, critique and reflect on science-based communications
3devise creative approaches for engaging different stakeholder groups in complex environmental challenges
4collaborate in a scholarly and professional setting.

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:

  1. critically examine the value, limitations and ethical considerations of science in addressing global challenges, including its philosophical underpinnings, complexity thinking and Indigenous knowledges
  2. demonstrate the foundational academic skills required to produce, critique and reflect on science-based communications
  3. devise creative approaches for engaging different stakeholder groups in complex environmental challenges
  4. collaborate in a scholarly and professional setting.

Teaching and assessment

Notice

Intensive offerings may or may not be scheduled in every teaching period. Please refer to the timetable for further details.

Southern Cross University employs different teaching methods within units to provide students with the flexibility to choose the mode of learning that best suits them. SCU academics strive to use the latest approaches and, as a result, the learning modes and materials may change. The most current information regarding a unit will be provided to enrolled students at the beginning of the teaching period.

Fee information

Domestic

Commonwealth Supported courses
For information regarding Student Contribution Amounts please visit the Student Contribution Amounts.

Fee paying courses
For postgraduate or undergraduate full fee paying courses please check Domestic Postgraduate Fees OR Domestic Undergraduate Fees

International

Please check the international course and fee list to determine the relevant fees.

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