University of Sydney Handbooks - 2021 Archive

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Soil Science and Hydrology

Unit outlines will be available through Find a unit outline two weeks before the first day of teaching for 1000-level and 5000-level units, or one week before the first day of teaching for all other units.
 

SOIL SCIENCE AND HYDROLOGY (HONOURS)

The Bachelor of Advanced Studies (Honours) (Soil Science and Hydrology) requires 36 credit points from this table including:
(i) 12 credit points of 4000-level Honours coursework selective units, and
(ii) 24 credit points of 4000-level Honours research project units

Honours Coursework Selective

ENVX4001 GIS, Remote Sensing and Land Management

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 1 Classes: Refer to the unit of study outline https://www.sydney.edu.au/units Prerequisites: 144 cp of 1000-3000 level units Assumed knowledge: Basic GIS knowledge. Completion of at least a major or minor Assessment: Refer to the unit of study outline https://www.sydney.edu.au/units Campus: Remote Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) day
This unit of study is aimed at advanced techniques in Remote Sensing RS linked with Geographical Information Systems GIS as applied to land management problems We will review the basic principles of GIS and then focus on advanced RS principles and techniques used for land resource assessment and management This will be followed by practical training in RS techniques augmented by land management project development and implementation based on integration of GIS and RS tools The unit thus consists of three separate but overlapping parts 1 a short theoretical part which focuses on the concepts of RS 2 a practical part which aims at developing handson skills in using RS tools and 3 an applicationfocused module in which students will learn the skills of how to design a land management project and actualize it using integrated GIS and RS techniques
Textbooks
Refer to the unit of study outline https://www.sydney.edu.au/units
LIFE4000 Data and Technology for the Life Sciences

Credit points: 6 Session: Intensive March Classes: Refer to the unit of study outline https://www.sydney.edu.au/units Prerequisites: 144 credit points of units of study including a minimum of 24 credit points at the 3000- or 4000-level and 18 credit points of 3000- or 4000-level units from Science Table A or 1 Assumed knowledge: Completion of units in quantitative research methods, mathematics or statistical analysis at least at 1000-level. Assessment: Refer to the unit of study outline https://www.sydney.edu.au/units Campus: Remote Mode of delivery: Block mode
Advances in digital technology are creating new ways to quantify biological processes and properties, from the scale of molecules to ecosystems. The life scientist of the 21st century needs to understand how to collect, manage, synthesise, and communicate this information within a reproducible workflow in order to make robust inferences about the natural world. This intensive unit of study will introduce you to key concepts and tools across three modules: digital project and data management, evidence synthesis and meta-analysis, and scientific coding using R. The focus is on active learning, discussion, and problem-solving across intensive workshop-based practicals, rather than the traditional lecture format. By completing this unit you will further understand the practical realities of scientific inquiry. To that end, you will develop a flexible skillet for conducting reproducible and open research to ensure the results of your work are maximally beneficial to both your future self and the broader community. Knowledge of how to work with data through the entire pipeline -from sampling to synthesis-will be useful wherever it is encountered in your education, career, and life.
Textbooks
Refer to the unit of study outline https://www.sydney.edu.au/units
SCIE4002 Experimental Design and Data Analysis

Credit points: 6 Teacher/Coordinator: Refer to the unit of study outline https://www.sydney.edu.au/units Session: Intensive March Classes: Refer to the unit of study outline https://www.sydney.edu.au/units Prerequisites: 144 credit points of units of study and including a minimum of 24 credit points at the 3000- or 4000-level and 18 credit points of 3000- or 4000-level units from Science Table A. Prohibitions: ENVX3002 or STAT3X22 or STAT4022 or STAT3X12 Assumed knowledge: Completion of units in quantitative research methods, mathematics or statistical analysis at least at 1000-level. Assessment: Refer to the unit of study outline https://www.sydney.edu.au/units Campus: Remote Mode of delivery: Block mode
An indispensable attribute of an effective scientific researcher is the ability to collect, analyse and interpret data. Central to this process is the ability to create hypotheses and test these by using rigorous experimental designs. This modular unit of study will introduce the key concepts of experimental design and data analysis. Specifically, you will learn to formulate experimental aims to test a specific hypothesis. You will develop the skills and understanding required to design a rigorous scientific experiment, including an understanding of concepts such as controls, replicates, sample size, dependent and independent variables and good research practice (e. g. blinding, randomisation). By completing this unit you will develop the knowledge and skills required to appropriately analyse and interpret data in order to draw conclusions in the context of an advanced research project. From this unit of study, you will emerge with a comprehensive understanding of how to optimise the design and analysis of an experiment to most effectively answer scientific questions.
SOIL4000 Soil and Water in the Changing Environment

Credit points: 6 Teacher/Coordinator: Refer to the unit of study outline https://www.sydney.edu.au/units Session: Semester 1 Classes: Refer to the unit of study outline https://www.sydney.edu.au/units Prerequisites: 144 credit points of units including SOIL2005 Assessment: Refer to the unit of study outline https://www.sydney.edu.au/units Campus: Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) day
Our need to fulfill the demand of food and clean water for the world's population has changed how we interact with our soil, water, and environment. This change is represented by a strong signature detectable within the earth's systems, so much so that current scientific consensus classifies the current age as the 'Anthropocene', a new geological epoch driven by the activity of humanity and our impact on environmental systems. In this unit you will investigate how soil, water, and the environment have changed and how it will change into the future in the face of climate change and other anthropogenic forcings. You will evaluate the impact of anthropogenic activities, in terms of agricultural industry and land-use changes, on the environment. This evaluation will progress to the identification of signals of change in soil and water and a discussion of approaches that ensure that agriculture and our future can be sustainably developed. You will also discuss current research and technology focused on mitigating this change. By doing this unit, you will develop an understanding of the impact of anthropogenic activities on soil and water and contribute to ideas on how we can create more sustainable and climate-resilient landscapes.
Textbooks
Refer to the unit of study outline https://www.sydney.edu.au/units

Honours Core Research Project

SOIL4103 Soil Science and Hydrology Honours Project A

Credit points: 6 Teacher/Coordinator: Refer to the unit of study outline https://www.sydney.edu.au/units Session: Semester 1,Semester 2 Classes: Refer to the unit of study outline https://www.sydney.edu.au/units Assessment: Refer to the unit of study outline https://www.sydney.edu.au/units Practical field work: Honours in Soil Science and Hydrology typically involves practical fieldwork. Arrangement will differ between students and be tailored to the specific requirements of research topics. Campus: Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) day
Independent research can be a life changing experience. In this unit you will complete a research project in the discipline of Soil Science and Hydrology. Together with your supervisor, you will identify a novel research question and develop a hypothesis. You will then design and carry out experiments to test your hypothesis. In terms of assessment, you will communicate the research plan and findings through written tasks and oral presentations culminating in an (approx. 12, 000 word) honours thesis. Successful completion of your Honours will clearly demonstrate that you have mastered significant research and professional skills for either undertaking a PhD or any variety of future careers.
SOIL4104 Soil Science and Hydrology Honours Project B

Credit points: 6 Teacher/Coordinator: Refer to the unit of study outline https://www.sydney.edu.au/units Session: Semester 1,Semester 2 Classes: Refer to the unit of study outline https://www.sydney.edu.au/units Corequisites: SOIL4103 Assessment: Refer to the unit of study outline https://www.sydney.edu.au/units Practical field work: Honours in Soil Science and Hydrology typically involves practical fieldwork. Arrangement will differ between students and be tailored to the specific requirements of research topics. Campus: Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) day
Independent research can be a life changing experience. In this unit you will complete a research project in the discipline of Soil Science and Hydrology. Together with your supervisor, you will identify a novel research question and develop a hypothesis. You will then design and carry out experiments to test your hypothesis. In terms of assessment, you will communicate the research plan and findings through written tasks and oral presentations culminating in an (approx. 12, 000 word) honours thesis. Successful completion of your Honours will clearly demonstrate that you have mastered significant research and professional skills for either undertaking a PhD or any variety of future careers.
SOIL4105 Soil Science and Hydrology Honours Project C

Credit points: 6 Teacher/Coordinator: Refer to the unit of study outline https://www.sydney.edu.au/units Session: Semester 1,Semester 2 Classes: Refer to the unit of study outline https://www.sydney.edu.au/units Corequisites: SOIL4104 Assessment: Refer to the unit of study outline https://www.sydney.edu.au/units Practical field work: Honours in Soil Science and Hydrology typically involves practical fieldwork. Arrangement will differ between students and be tailored to the specific requirements of research topics. Campus: Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) day
Independent research can be a life changing experience. In this unit you will complete a research project in the discipline of Soil Science and Hydrology. Together with your supervisor, you will identify a novel research question and develop a hypothesis. You will then design and carry out experiments to test your hypothesis. In terms of assessment, you will communicate the research plan and findings through written tasks and oral presentations culminating in an (approx. 12, 000 word) honours thesis. Successful completion of your Honours will clearly demonstrate that you have mastered significant research and professional skills for either undertaking a PhD or any variety of future careers.
SOIL4106 Soil Science and Hydrology Honours Project D

Credit points: 6 Teacher/Coordinator: Refer to the unit of study outline https://www.sydney.edu.au/units Session: Semester 1,Semester 2 Classes: Refer to the unit of study outline https://www.sydney.edu.au/units Corequisites: SOIL4105 and SCIE4999 Assessment: Refer to the unit of study outline https://www.sydney.edu.au/units Practical field work: Honours in Soil Science and Hydrology typically involves practical fieldwork. Arrangement will differ between students and be tailored to the specific requirements of research topics. Campus: Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) day
Independent research can be a life changing experience. In this unit you will complete a research project in the discipline of Soil Science and Hydrology. Together with your supervisor, you will identify a novel research question and develop a hypothesis. You will then design and carry out experiments to test your hypothesis. In terms of assessment, you will communicate the research plan and findings through written tasks and oral presentations culminating in an (approx. 12, 000 word) honours thesis. Successful completion of your Honours will clearly demonstrate that you have mastered significant research and professional skills for either undertaking a PhD or any variety of future careers.
SCIE4999 Final Honours Mark

Teacher/Coordinator: Refer to the unit of study outline https://www.sydney.edu.au/units Session: Semester 1,Semester 2 Classes: Refer to the unit of study outline https://www.sydney.edu.au/units Assessment: Refer to the unit of study outline https://www.sydney.edu.au/units Campus: Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) day
All students in Science Honours must enrol in this non-assessable unit of study in their final semester. This unit will contain your final Honours mark as calculated from your coursework and research project units.