NES1507 : Introductory Oceanography
- Offered for Year: 2025/26
- Available to incoming Study Abroad and Exchange students
- Module Leader(s): Dr Guenther Uher
- Lecturer: Professor Sam Wilson
- Owning School: Natural and Environmental Sciences
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 2 Credit Value: | 10 |
| ECTS Credits: | 5.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Aims
To provide a multidisciplinary introduction to oceanography. To introduce students to the fundamental features of seawater properties, circulation and mixing, and the fundamental interactions between physical and chemical processes and marine life, which determine the distribution of primary production on global scales. To appreciate the role of the oceans in the Earth system on global scales.
Outline Of Syllabus
Lectures covering the following themes:
1. History of Earth and oceans, the global water cycle; seawater composition and properties
2. Global heat budget, atmospheric circulation, ocean currents and deep circulation
3. Tides, mixing in estuaries and the deep ocean.
4. Geographical and seasonal patterns of marine primary production; major controls of primary production
5. Revision Session. Dedicated revision session aimed at preparing students for the exam.
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 3 | 2:00 | 6:00 | Evaluation & Interpretation of laboratory results |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 5:00 | 5:00 | Preparation for and completion of digital exam |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 12 | 1:00 | 12:00 | Lectures including dedicated end of term revision lecture |
| Guided Independent Study | Directed research and reading | 12 | 2:00 | 24:00 | Lecture follow up - wider reading |
| Structured Guided Learning | Academic skills activities | 1 | 5:00 | 5:00 | Completion of summative coursework (portfolio) |
| Structured Guided Learning | Academic skills activities | 3 | 3:00 | 9:00 | Working through exercises introduced in workshop materials |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Practical | 3 | 3:00 | 9:00 | Laboratory Practicals on topics in physical chemical and biological oceanography |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Workshops | 3 | 2:00 | 6:00 | Three computer workshops: in Biological, Chemical and Physical Oceanography |
| Guided Independent Study | Independent study | 12 | 2:00 | 24:00 | Follow up of lectures and workshops: ReCap and supplementary materials |
| Total | 100:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
Lecture materials are designed to give students a broad factual knowledge of key oceanographic processes, including properties of the seafloor and seawater. The interaction between marine organisms and seawater will be covered to show students how the chemical and physical properties are important in controlling the distribution of marine organisms. The use of new technologies for ocean observation will be embedded in lecture material.
Weekly end-of-theme formative study exercises will allow students to deepen their understanding of key concepts introduced in the lectures by applying those key concepts to study problems.
Interactive workshops will provide students with opportunities to apply key concepts introduced in lectures, interpret oceanographic data, and illustrate and explore taught material with numerical problems.
Directed research, supported by supplementary online material and activities, and wider reading of the scientific literature will support lecture material. Independent study will be guided through the use of these materials and access to key texts, library resources and online materials. Students will be encouraged to become more independent in their learning to develop key skills such as Active Learning, Goal Setting and Action Planning, Decision Making, and Initiative, which they will require at Levels 5 and 6.
Preparation and completion of the formative assessment, and the dedicated revision lecture, will allow students to fully prepare for the end of term digital examination.
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Exams
| Description | Length | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Digital Examination | 50 | 1 | A | 50 | In-person invigilated digital exam (Inspera) |
Exam Pairings
| Module Code | Module Title | Semester | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Marine Environment | 1 | Simultaneous examinations required due to shared question sets |
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portfolio | 1 | M | 50 | 750 word (or equivalent) portfolio, consisting of reports from computer workshop activities |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
The 500-word (or equivalent) formative coursework submission will assess the students’ knowledge of fundamental physical and chemical properties and processes in the marine environment, and their importance for controlling the distribution of marine plankton. In addition, the students use of the relevant resources to support their ideas and their ability to present information in an appropriate scientific format will be examined.
The digital exam will assess the level of breadth and depth of knowledge and understanding of all aspects of the module, including incorporation of additional online resources and student wider reading.
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- NES1507's Timetable