Biennial course. Not offered in 2015. Next offered in 2016.
The course applies the core human ecology concepts developed in ENVS2011 to the urban environment. The emphasis is on how human activities affect ecological processes and human wellbeing in urban areas and how they affect the health of the hinterlands on which those urban areas depend. Students will study the effect that different human values, institutional arrangements and management strategies have on urban energy and material stocks and flows. Case studies covered by the course include: the changes that the urban form places on water, energy and material flows as well as how urban design and planning processes affect transport and settlement patterns. For each of these topics, different human interventions will be considered, including those aimed at improving governance, harnessing ecosystem services and engaging with the community.
Honours Pathway Option
Subject to the approval of the course convenor; students taking this option will be expected to complete advanced weekly readings and to be prepared to discuss this advanced material in tutorials. In addition, students will be expected to make a seminar presentation on one week's reading and to lead the subsequent discussion. A concise paper must accompany the presentation. The paper, quality of presentation and quality of subsequent facilitation will all form part of the student's mark (a minimum of 15% of overall assessment). All other assessment and requirements remain the same.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
On satisfying the requirements of this course, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
1. apply key concepts in Human Ecology to the urban environment, and communicate these to a range of audiences
2. describe the ecosystem services demanded by modern urban systems
3. explain material and energy flows of modern cities, including food and water, and carry out a material stocks and flows analysis of a chosen aspect of the urban environment
4. describe constraints and opportunities for future sustainable cities
Indicative Assessment
Regular attendance and participation in classwork and fieldtrips is required. Students who fail to submit set work by the due date or fail to participate in classes and field trips may be excluded from examination. Assessment will be based on:
- Short test on basic concepts (10%; LO 1)
- Contribution to, and facilitation of, student-led seminar activities (10%; LO 1, 2, 3, 4)
- Material Stocks and Flows Research project, involving original reflective-evaluative research into the ecological load of some aspect of students' everyday lives, and recommended strategies to reduce that load, and class presentation (45%; LO 3, 4)
- Reflective field trip report examining how and why ecosystem services are affected by human activity and assess the desirability of this continuing. (35%; LO 2, 3, 4)
The ANU uses Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.
Workload
60 contact hours, including lectures, tutorials, workshops and fieldwork.
Requisite and Incompatibility
Preliminary Reading
Hargroves, K and Smith, M (eds), (2005), The Natural Advantage of Nations, London, Earthscan.
Areas of Interest
- Geography
- Human Ecology
- Interdisciplinary Studies - Sustainability
- Resource Management and Environmental Science
- Biological Anthropology
- Environmental Studies
- Human Sciences
- Population Studies
Majors
Minors
Fees
Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.
If you are a domestic graduate coursework or international student you will be required to pay tuition fees. Tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.
- Student Contribution Band:
- 2
- Unit value:
- 6 units
If you are an undergraduate student and have been offered a Commonwealth supported place, your fees are set by the Australian Government for each course. At ANU 1 EFTSL is 48 units (normally 8 x 6-unit courses). You can find your student contribution amount for each course at Fees. Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.
| Units | EFTSL |
|---|---|
| 6.00 | 0.12500 |
Course fees
- Domestic fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2019 | $3840 |
- International fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2019 | $5460 |
Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links
ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.
Class summaries, if available, can be accessed by clicking on the View link for the relevant class number.
Second Semester
| Class number | Class start date | Last day to enrol | Census date | Class end date | Mode Of Delivery | Class Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8977 | 27 Jul 2020 | 03 Aug 2020 | 31 Aug 2020 | 30 Oct 2020 | In Person | View |