Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Natural Resource Management

Credit Points: 12.00

Terms

Course Code

Campus

Career

School

Learning Mode

Teaching Period(s)

ARCH1482

City Campus

Postgraduate

365H Global, Urban and Social Studies

Face-to-Face

 Sem 1 2022

ARCH1482

City Campus

Postgraduate

365H Global, Urban and Social Studies

Face-to-Face or Internet

 Sem 1 2017,
Sem 1 2018,
Sem 1 2019,
Sem 1 2020,
Sem 1 2021,
Sem 1 2023,
Sem 1 2024,
Sem 1 2025

Course Coordinator: Dr Melissa Neave

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 2512

Course Coordinator Email: melissa.neave@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: Building 8, Level 11

Course Coordinator Availability: By appointment


Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

None


Course Description

This course introduces key theories and concepts that will help you to interpret and engage with current issues and debates about natural resource management, particularly focussing on impacts from natural hazards. You will explore how certain social constructs, such as property rights, valuing natural capital, risk and uncertainty, affect natural resource management. You will also examine basic ecological and physical principles that are critical to understanding current natural resource issues and their relationships with natural hazards—both within Australia and around the world.

These social and ecological/physical knowledges will be applied to investigate how different natural resources (e.g. water, organisms, minerals) are both formally and informally managed in association with natural hazard events (including through data manipulation, policy and legislation) and how land use policy and practices engage with risk and hazard.


Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

Program Learning Outcomes

In course you will develop the following program learning outcomes:

  • Develop and use appropriate research tools, methods and strategies to generate knowledge, manage urban environments, and inform decision-making in diverse social, cultural and geographic contexts. 
  • Apply the specialist knowledge and technical skills required to implement locally inspired solutions to a range of environmental and other consequences of urbanisation.  
  • Clearly communicate complex and technical research findings and environmental management decisions to diverse audiences. 
  • Provide professional leadership by demonstrating environmental stewardship, cultural and social sensitivity, and ethical and reflective practice. 


Course Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:

  1. Interpret and engage with advanced debates about the impact of natural hazards on sustainable resource management;
  2. Outline and review the major formative processes behind selected natural hazards and natural resource issues both in Australia and internationally;
  3. Analyse the integrated nature of human practices and natural systems and critically reflect on the sometimes competing perspectives of different natural resource users;
  4. Work collaboratively to research, communicate and devise solutions to natural resource problems;
  5. Use analytical tools (for example, a GIS) to investigate natural resource management scenarios in association with particular natural hazards and their spatial context


Overview of Learning Activities

You will be actively engaged in learning that involves a range of activities including lectures, tutorial and/or online group discussions, face-to-face and/or self-directed practical sessions, and group and individual research. 


Overview of Learning Resources

RMIT will provide you with resources and tools for learning in this course through our online systems. 

A list of recommended learning resources will be provided by your lecturer, including books, journal articles and web resources. You will also be expected to seek further resources relevant to the focus of your own learning. 

There are services available to support your learning through the University Library. The Library provides guides on academic referencing and subject specialist help as well as a range of study support services. For further information, please visit the Library page on the RMIT University website and the myRMIT student portal. 


Overview of Assessment

You will be assessed on how well you meet the course’s learning outcomes and on your development against the program learning outcomes.

Assessment Tasks

    1. Critical Investigation (25%) (Linked to CLO 1, 2 and 3)

    2. Spatial Data Analyses (25%) (Linked to CLO 4)

    3. Engagement with Key Concepts and Knowledge Exchange Item (50%) (Linked to CLO 1, 2, 3 and 5)

Feedback will be given on all assessment tasks.

If you have a long term medical condition and/or disability it may be possible to negotiate to vary aspects of the learning or assessment methods. You can contact the program coordinator or Equitable Learning Services if you would like to find out more.

Your course assessment conforms to RMIT assessment principles, regulations, policies, procedures and instructions.