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Your introduction to planet Earth, inside and out. The origin of our universe, oceans, mountains, climate change, and mass extinctions: it’s all connected. Three field trips including a research cruise.
This multidisciplinary paper commences with an overview of our place on planet Earth, the solar system, and deep space. It then covers a vast number of topics by way of the unifying theme of Earth "spheres"; Atmosphere, Geosphere, Hydrosphere, Cryosphere, and Biosphere. Topics such as climate and atmospheric/oceanic circulation, plate tectonics and associated hazards, weathering and erosion/deposition, past and present life, glaciers and ice sheets, and the impact of humans on the planet are covered. Students will finish the course with a holistic understanding of planet Earth, and a good feel for topics worth pursuing at more advanced levels.
| Paper title | Earth and Ocean Science |
|---|---|
| Paper code | EAOS111 |
| Subject | Earth and Ocean Science |
| EFTS | 0.15 |
| Points | 18 points |
| Teaching period | Semester 1 (On campus) |
| Domestic Tuition Fees (NZD) | $1,110.75 |
| International Tuition Fees | Tuition Fees for international students are elsewhere on this website. |
- Schedule C
- Science
- Notes
- EAOS111 is required for students taking Geology as a major or minor subject, and is recommended for students wishing to enter Marine Science studies at a later stage.
- Contact
- More information link
- Teaching staff
Co-ordinator: Dr Christian Ohneiser
- Paper Structure
Lectures cover the following themes:
- Our place in space: humanity on earth, earth in the universe
- The geosphere: our dynamic earth
- Earth's surface: where the geosphere meets the hydrosphere
- The hydrosphere and the atmosphere: a tightly coupled system
- The cryosphere: Ice distribution, dynamics, and trends
- The biosphere: life on earth
- Teaching Arrangements
4 lectures and one 3-hour laboratory per week.
Fieldwork: Two 1-day field trips (there is a choice of Saturday or Sunday) to North Otago and Taieri Plains. One lab trip aboard Polaris Research Vessel and one lab trip to Portobello.
Assessment is approximately an even split between internal (on-going during the semester) and external (final exam).- Textbooks
- The Blue Planet: An Introduction to Earth System Science 3rd Edition by Brian J Skinner & Barbara W Murck (2011), J Wiley & Sons Inc.
- Course outline
View the latest course syllabus here (previous syllabus indicative of content next time the paper is taught).
- Graduate Attributes Emphasised
- Global perspective, Interdisciplinary perspective, Critical thinking, Environmental
literacy, Information literacy, Research, Self-motivation, Teamwork.
View more information about Otago's graduate attributes. - Learning Outcomes
Students who successfully complete this paper will
- Understand and describe the processes that shape Earth's surface, interior and oceans
- Draw connections between the various components of the Earth system
- Apply concepts introduced in lectures and laboratories to field settings
- Understand the concept of geologic time in relation to physical and biological systems
- Understand the physical and biological controls on the distribution of Earth materials and make predictions based on this understanding
