This is the gateway unit of study for Human Geography, Physical Geography, Environmental Studies and Geology. Its objective is to introduce the big questions relating to the origins and current state of the planet: climate change, environment, landscape formation, and the growth of the human population. During the semester you will be introduced to knowledge, theories and debates about how the world's physical and human systems operate. The first module investigates the evolution of the planet through geological time, with a focus on major Earth systems such as plate tectonics and mantle convection and their interaction with the atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere and human civilisations. The second module presents Earth as an evolving and dynamic planet, investigating global environmental change, addressing climate variability and human impacts on the natural environment and the rate at which these changes occur and how they have the potential to dramatically affect the way we live. Finally, the third module focuses on human-induced challenges to Earth's future. This part of the unit critically analyses the relationships between people and their environments, with central consideration to debates on population change, resource use and the policy contexts of climate change mitigation and adaptation.

This unit of study provides a geographical perspective on the ways in which people interact with each other and the physical world, focussing on the processes that generate spatial variation and difference. Students will consider the development and characteristics of natural environments across the globe, and will explore how these environments both constrain, and are influenced by, humans. In the process, they will learn about the biophysical, political, economic, cultural and urban geographies that shape contemporary global society. Each of these themes will be discussed with reference to key examples, in order to understand the ways in which the various processes (both physical and human) interact. The unit of study is designed to attract and interest students who wish to pursue geography as a major within their undergraduate degree, but also has relevance to students who wish to learn how to think geographically about the contemporary world.

Advanced students will complete the same core lecture material as for GEOS1001, but will be required to carry out more challenging practical assignments.

Advanced students will complete the same core lecture material as for GEOS1002, but will be required to carry out more challenging practical assignments.

We are in the midst of an unprecedented global ecological and climatological crisis, and consequently need to transform our social, political and economic systems. This crisis - its causes, its effects, and its solutions - are geographically unevenly distributed and situated. Therefore, this unit of study uses geographical concepts to consider what has caused this global crisis, how we should think about the relations and interactions between humans and their environments, and what some strategies are for managing our environment and resources to negotiate this predicament. Using examples focused in Australia, Asia, and the Pacific region, students will learn how to integrate environmental, economic, political, social and cultural considerations and perspectives, and how to evaluate environmental and resource management policies and ideas.

Advanced students will receive the same core lecture materials as for GEOS2121 but have a separate seminar and are required to complete alternative written work.

The unit provides an essential framework for understanding the classification of natural hazards within Earth systems and explores key examples of geological, atmospheric, hydrological and biological hazards and explores the social relations and processes that turn hazard events into disasters. Given the vast majority of disasters are climate and weather-related, basics of weather, climate and climate change will be explored. Students will be introduced to key concepts in the study of hazards and disasters including underlying theories and models as well as critically interrogating concepts of vulnerability and resilience. Basic elements of the process of disaster risk reduction will be introduced. Case studies and examples from Australia and around the world will be drawn upon to unpack the nuances of hazard and disasters.

This unit has the same objectives as GEOS2111 and is suitable for students who wish to pursue aspects of the subject in greater depth. Entry is restricted and selection is made from the applicants on the basis of their performance to date. Students who elect to take this unit will participate in alternatives to some aspects of the standard unit and will be required to pursue independent work to meet unit objectives.

The surface of the planet on which you live is the product of a balance between tectonic forces and numerous agents of erosion. The landscapes in which you live and work, and from which you draw resources, are therefore the legacy of many processes operating synchronously over long time periods. It is also true that Earth's landscapes are dynamic, and constantly changing around you in response to climate, tectonics and patterns of life. The sustainable management of landscapes is strongly dependent upon an awareness of those processes and the ways that they constrain human-environment interactions. In Earth Surface Processes, you will learn how landscapes are produced, and what this means for contemporary land use. Lectures by experts in physical geography, geology, soil science and environmental science will introduce you to the planetary and regional-scale controls on landforms and landscape dynamics, and the nature and distribution of major Australian landscape types. Focussed around 'hands on' field and laboratory-based tasks, students will gain essential practical, analytical and interpretive skills in the analysis of landscapes and earth surface processes that shape them. This is a unit for anyone wanting to better understand the planet on which they live.

The surface of the planet on which you live is the product of a balance between tectonic forces and numerous agents of erosion. The landscapes in which you live and work, and from which you draw resources, are therefore the legacy of many processes operating synchronously over long time periods. It is also true that Earth's landscapes are dynamic, and constantly changing around you in response to climate, tectonics and patterns of life. The sustainable management of landscapes is strongly dependent upon an awareness of those processes and the ways that they constrain human-environment interactions. In the Advanced mode of Earth Surface Processes, you will learn how landscapes are produced, and what this means for contemporary land use. Lectures by experts in physical geography, geology, soil science and environmental science will introduce you to the planetary and regional-scale controls on landforms and landscape dynamics, and the nature and distribution of major Australian landscape types. Focussed around 'hands on' field and laboratory-based tasks, students will gain essential practical, analytical and interpretive skills in the analysis of landscapes and earth surface processes that shape them. The Advanced mode of Earth Surface Processes challenges you to create new knowledge, and provides a higher level of academic rigour. You will take part in a series of small-group practical exercises that will develop your skills in research design and execution, and will provide you with a greater depth of understanding in core aspects of geomorphology. The Advanced mode will culminate in a research-focussed Advanced Assignment. This is a unit for anyone wanting to better understand the planet on which they live, and who may wish to develop higher-level analytical and research skills in geomorphology and landscape analysis.

This unit provides students with the conceptual frameworks and practical skills to understand and analyse processes of urbanisation in contemporary cities, in all their diversity and dynamism. The Unit has three main components. The first set of lectures considers some the key urbanisation processes shaping cities today, including colonisation, globalisation, informalisation and financialisation. The second set of lectures considers a range of everyday practices that take place in cities, including dwelling, commuting, policing and more. These lectures are complemented by a full-day field-trip in the Sydney region, which will examine how processes and practices come together in places, through observation and interpretation. Lectures and field trips will be supported by weekly tutorials, which facilitate discussion of key concepts and reflections on lecture material.

GEOS2923 has the same thematic content as GEOS2123 however with elements taught at an Advanced level.

Global environmental challenges demand interdisciplinary thinking, and professional practice in interdisciplinary teams. Geography straddles thought and practice in both social and natural sciences, and is therefore inherently interdisciplinary. This unit will provide students with an opportunity to integrate the concepts and skills acquired during their Geography program. In teams, you will work with external partners on specific projects relevnt to them, and provide outcomes directly to those partners. Students will draw on concepts and skills drawn from their training in physical and human geography, and apply them in an integrated way. By completing this unit you will develop skills in contemporary geographical practice with 'real world' impact.

Environmental regulation and governance plays an important role in regulating human impacts on the environment. This unit provides an introduction to environmental regulation. We investigate key environmental issues through an examination of environmental policies, legislation and case law at a variety of scales (international, national and state/local). The ethics component helps students develop thoughtful and informed positions on issues in environmental ethics. The aim of this Unit is to enable students to understand the broad principles of environmental law and ethics and to apply this understanding to contemporary environmental problems.

This advanced unit of study will cover the same core lecture material as for ENVI3111, but students will be required to carry out more challenging writing based activities.

The aim of this course is to introduce students to a variety of Coastal Environments and the major processes which control the morphodynamic evolution of these systems. The course offers a unique opportunity of learning the full spectrum of marine sedimentary environments from siliciclastic, temperate, highly urbanised and impacted estuarine ecosystems to carbonate, tropical, pristine and undeveloped/protected coastal and continental margin environments. The course is divided in three sections: Section A covers the basic morphodynamics and processes impacting carbonate-dominated coastal and continental margin environments. The focus is on carbonate reefal and margin systems and their geologic and biologic responses to past, present and future environmental changes; Section B covers the basic morphodynamics of temperate and tropical coasts, including beach morphodynamics and basic knowledge on waves and currents; Section C consolidates all concepts learnt in the previous sections by applying them to numerical modelling.
There is a compulsory weekend fieldtrip to the NSW coast to study beach morphodynamics and fieldwork techniques. Depending on the year, there may be a voluntary fieldtrip to a coral reef environment, for example, The University of Sydney One Tree Island Research Station.

Advanced students will complete the same core lecture material as for GEOS3009 but will carry out more challenging projects, practicals, assignments and tutorials.

The critical role of geospatial science in major disturbance events, such as bushfires, coastal monitoring and mapping spatio-temporal trends in NSW COVID-19 cases, has placed GIScience at the forefront of policy agendas, information sharing and community engagement. The disruptive nature of this field is clear and demand for expertise in GIS, Earth observation, spatial data analytics and location intelligence has grown. However, this expertise needs to be backed by an understanding of the science, conceptual principles and ethics that underpin these enabling technologies. We will incorporate the transformative potential of GIScience driven technologies demonstrated by disturbance events. This unit content will expose you to a breadth of analytical capabilities within GIS, various applications to complex environmental and coastal issues and ethical considerations in using and disseminating geographical information and knowledge. The fundamentals of GIS, spatial modelling and Earth observation will be introduced in the context of environmental and coastal management. You will build on these foundational concepts through problem-based learning in which GIS methods will be applied to address issues relating to fire and biodiversity, acid sulphate soils, coastal processes and water security. This unit is co-taught with ENVX3001. GIScience, spatial reasoning and Earth observation in the context of environmental and coastal science and management is core to the learning objectives of both units.

Advanced students will complete the same core lecture material as for GEOS3014 but will carry out more challenging projects, practicals, assignments and tutorials.

The unit of study uses classroom and field-based learning to introduce students to the application of geographical concepts and methods to environmental and development problems in Asia-Pacific countries. The location and timing of this unit may change from year to year in accordance with the availability of lecturers and climatic considerations. In 2019, it will be run over two to three weeks in February, in India. This unit can be taken only with prior permission from the unit of study coordinator, and involves mandatory attendance at pre-departure briefings. You will learn skills and knowledge about: (1) India's environmental and development challenges at a national scale (2) processes of rural social, environmental and economic change; (3) the challenges of sustainable urbanisation; (4) social transformations in India, specifically relating to gender, migration and mobility, and class. The unit is conducted in partnership with pre-eminent Indian universities, who provide guest lectures as appropriate in addition to those by the unit of study coordinator. The unit will also expose students to civil society groups working on issues of geo-political, economic and environmental importance. By doing this unit you will develop skills and knowledge that are highly relevant to research and careers in the Asia-Pacific.

The unit of study uses classroom and field-based learning to introduce students to the application of geographical concepts and methods to environmental and development problems in Asia-Pacific countries. The location and timing of this unit may change from year to year in accordance with the availability of lecturers and climatic considerations. In 2019, it will be run over two to three weeks in February, in India. This unit can be taken only with prior permission from the unit of study coordinator, and involves mandatory attendance at pre-departure briefings. You will learn skills and knowledge about: (1) India's environmental and development challenges at a national scale (2) processes of rural social, environmental and economic change; (3) the challenges of sustainable urbanisation; (4) social transformations in India, specifically relating to gender, migration and mobility, and class. The unit is conducted in partnership with pre-eminent Indian universities, who provide guest lectures as appropriate in addition to those by the unit of study coordinator. The unit will also expose students to civil society groups working on issues of geo-political, economic and environmental importance. By doing this unit you will develop skills and knowledge that are highly relevant to research and careers in the Asia-Pacific.

Sediments and sedimentary rocks cover most of the Earth's surface, record much of the Earth's geological and climatic history and host important resources such as petroleum, coal, water and mineral ores. The aim of this unit is to provide students with the skills required to examine, describe and interpret sediments and sedimentary rocks for a variety of different purposes. Specific foci of the unit will be the identification of the recent or ancient environment in which sedimentary materials were deposited, the environmental controls which produce sedimentary structures, and the processes that control the production, movement and storage of sediment bodies. On completion of this unit students will be familiar with the natural processes that produce and modify sediments across a range of environments at the Earth's surface, including fluvial, aeolian, lacustrine, marginal marine and deep marine environments. The various controls on the sedimentary record such as climate and sea-level change, as well as diagenesis and geochemical cycles will also be discussed. Practical exercises will require students to examine global datasets, and determine the properties and significance of sediments and sedimentary rocks. The course is relevant to students interested in petroleum or mineral exploration, environmental and engineering geology as well as marine geoscience.

This unit has the same objectives as GEOS3103 and is suitable for students who wish to pursue aspects of the subject in greater depth. Entry is restricted and selection is made from the applicants on the basis of their performance at the time of enrolment. Students who elect to take this unit will participate in alternatives to some aspects of the standard unit and will be required to pursue independent work to meet unit objectives. Specific details for this unit of study will be announced in meetings with students in week 1 of semester.

More than half the world's population now live in cities. The contemporary growth of cities, however, is attached to profound political and environmental questions about what it means to be urban, what 'being urban' means for the planet, and how we might produce more just and sustainable urban spaces and experiences. This Unit provides grounding to these crucial questions by examining urban environments from the dual perspectives of citizenship and sustainability. The Unit has three modules. Module 1 examines the intersection of urban environmental change with questions of citizenship and justice. Module 2 considers key urban environmental issues such as energy, transport and food, and how cities and citizens might address stresses and shocks in these systems. Module 3 studies new models for governing emergent urban environmental challenges. Throughout the semester, a Practical Project will involve a research project with real-world partners to introduce key skills related to working in collaboration with external organisations.

GEOS3920 has the same thematic content as GEOS3520 however with elements taught at an Advanced level

This unit of study provides students with grounding in core theories and frameworks used in Geography to account for the social, spatial and economic unevenness in global development. During the first half of the semester, we focus on questions relating to who are the winners and losers from contemporary patterns of global economic change. This includes the analysis of relevant conceptual approaches to understand processes of global development and inequality (including comparative advantage, global value chain theory, developmentalism, structuralism, neo-liberalism, and post-development). Then, in the second half of the semester, we adopt a livelihoods approach to better understand these broader processes from the perspective of individuals, households and communities. In general, issues are tailored to themes being played out in Asia-Pacific countries. Students are expected to participate in a variety of practical class exercises throughout the semester. This unit is a feeder-unit into the Southeast Asia Field School.

GEOS3924 has the same thematic content as GEOS3524 however with elements taught at an Advanced level.

This interdisciplinary unit provides students with the opportunity to address complex problems identified by industry, community, and government organisations, and gain valuable experience in working across disciplinary boundaries. In collaboration with a major industry partner and an academic lead, students integrate their academic skills and knowledge by working in teams with students from a range of disciplinary backgrounds. This experience allows students to research, analyse and present solutions to a real-world problem, and to build on their interpersonal and transferable skills by engaging with and learning from industry experts and presenting their ideas and solutions to the industry partner.