Aims

The coastal zone is one of the most dynamic and rapidly evolving environments that we can observe today, and it is at risk from climate related changes such as increased storms and sea level rise. In this module we provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the dynamic interactions shaping coastal environments. Through a multidisciplinary approach, students will explore the key processes influencing coastal zones, including sedimentation, erosion, hydrodynamics, and the impact of climate change. The two key aims are:

(i) To introduce students to the geomorphological processes controlling coastal evolution
(ii) To develop an understanding of the societal impacts of this change and various management approaches to dealing with this change

Through a combination of lectures, fieldwork, and practical exercises, students will gain hands-on experience and develop the necessary skills to contribute meaningfully to the field of coastal science and management.

Outline Of Syllabus

Part 1 (Coastal Processes) considers the geomorphological processes that shape the coastline. This will cover content such as wave generation, sediment transport, coastal morphological change, and in the accompanying computer practicals we will explore how numerical modelling gives us insight into what changes we might see at the coast.

Part 2 (Deltas) will consider both the physical processes but also explore the complexities involved in managing low elevation land. Deltas are integral to global food supplies, fish stocks, water supply, industry, trade and culture. Deltas are under threat from climate change, rising sea levels, industrial farming techniques and pollutants. Drawing on experience from the large Living Deltas project, this part of the course will explore what needs to be done to prevent delta systems from collapsing.

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

Students will use a mixture of lectures, practicals, seminars and field trip in this module. Lectures provide the background content that scaffolds discussion in the wider course. Computer practicals are used as a means of getting hands on with industry standard software so that you can gain key employability skills such as numerical modelling. The fieldtrip and seminars are structured such that you will see first hand and subsequently discuss some of the challenges facing coastal communities, stakeholders, and policy makers when it comes to managing the coastal zone.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

Both of the assessments are geared towards employability/consultancy skills. Numerical modelling is a key method in which we can seek to better understand and predict a dynamic system, and so students will write a report based on their own model outputs to ensure they have the requisite skills to model complex environments. Converting this scientific output to something useful for policy makers is a key employability skill, and therefore the second assessment centred on a policy brief assesses students against this skill, and ensures they engage meaningfully not just with the physical processes but also translate this effectively into useful management approaches.