Module Catalogue 2025/26

Pre Requisite Comment

N/A

Co Requisite Comment

N/A

Aims

• To develop an understanding of the causes of climate and environmental change during the Quaternary.
• To develop an awareness of the impacts of climate change on Earth and human systems, and of the scientific and sociopolitical approaches and challenges in addressing them.
• To understand how natural system change is deciphered using the tools of modern science for palaeoenvironmental investigation.
• To provide broad grounding in the knowledge and skills necessary for Stage 3 palaeoenvironmental modules and dissertations.

Outline Of Syllabus

The module will be delivered by means of lectures and practical sessions. Lectures will deliver the knowledge base, while practicals will give hands-on experience of working with a range of data useful in palaeoenvironmental reconstruction.

Themes explored in the module include:
• Introduction to the Pleistocene and long-term climate change.
• Ice-core proxies and millennial-scale change.
• Continental Records: Interpreting the landform and sedimentary record of “Cold Stages”.
• Reconstructing Environmental Change during the Pleistocene-Holocene transition.
• Introduction to the Holocene: climate, environment, human development, adaptation and impacts.
• The Anthropocene: Have we entered a new geological epoch dominated by human activity?
• Global climate futures: approaches and challenges to address the climate crisis.

Intended Knowledge Outcomes

At the end of this module you will be able to demonstrate:

• A basic understanding of how our climate and natural systems operate and how they change through time.
• Understanding of the impacts of climate change on Earth and human systems.
• The ability to infer past (Quaternary to Recent) environmental change by analysing data derived from sedimentary records.
• The ability to identify appropriate analytical methods in relation to modern environments and Quaternary samples and datasets.

Intended Skill Outcomes

At the end of this module you will have the:

• Ability to apply appropriate methodology to palaeoenvironmental investigation.
• Ability to analyse palaeoenvironmental datasets.
• Ability to present conclusions based upon data analysis.

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

Successful reconstructions of Quaternary environments require proficient practical skills surrounding the range of methods employed, underpinned by a significant academic knowledge base which addresses the theory behind the methods and awareness of the wider conceptual and theoretical issues. Here we consider it essential to assess all these elements and to place equal weighting on practical and more academic skills. The practical report will assess technical skills including data production and analysis together with the more theoretical and conceptual aspects of palaeoenvironmental reconstruction.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

We consider it essential to assess all elements of the module and to place equal weighting on practical and academic skills. The practical report will assess technical skills such as data production and analysis, in addition to the more academic theoretical and conceptual aspects of environmental change during the Quaternary. The poster presentation will assess skills in poster design and oral presentation as well as understanding of the course material.

The format of resits is determined by the Board of Examiners.

General Notes

N/A