Last modified: 30 Aug 2024 12:16
This course examines key water management issues in Scotland and provides practical hands-on experience. A substantive element is a week-long residential field trip within Scotland, where the whole class will visit water supply and hydropower reservoirs, water treatment plants, river gauging and groundwater monitoring sites, ecological (fisheries) monitoring stations, experimental research catchments and landscape-scale nature-based solutions for integrated land and water management.
| Study Type | Postgraduate | Level | 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Term | Second Term | Credit Points | 15 credits (7.5 ECTS credits) |
| Campus | Aberdeen | Sustained Study | No |
| Co-ordinators |
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The whole class will spend five days travelling across Scotland to visit key water management facilities (supply, hydro, waste water treatment), engage with professional working in the water sector, and conducting field experiments at specific sites of environmental interest. Each year, the field trip will aim to get students to learn about the roles and responsibilities of Scottish Water and SEPA in the management of land and water management resources in the country. Likewise, we will aim to visit key water storage and hydropower generation facilities like Backwater reservoir and Pitlochry Dam, as well as relevant environmental sites in the Cairgorms National Park.
In addition to the five-day residential field trip throughout Scotland, formal teaching also includes lectures and practical elements in workgroups.
In preparation for the field trip, students will identify a water management topic specific to Scotland and they will undertake research in groups and individually. They will take responsibility in preparing for that element of the fieldtrip, which will involve an on-site visit, apresentation, and data collection which will involve the rest of the class. As such, the course will involve peer-to-peer learning.
Students will be assessed on their research design (25%), their group presentation in the field (25%) and an individual write up of the field trip (50%).
Students must be able to bring suitable clothes for the field (waterproof windbreaker, trousers, and boots). This is only a cost if they don't own these things already.
| Description | Value |
|---|---|
| Students are responsible for cover their subsistence cost during the trip. All other costs, including equipment, transport, and lodging will be covered by the University. | GBP 0.00 |
Information on contact teaching time is available from the course guide.
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 25 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback |
Word Count: 4,500 In groups of three people (with groups of two or four people allowed under exceptional circumstances), students will prepare a scientific-technical report including: In order to ensure all group members contribute to this assessment, it will be required to include a contribution declaration as is nowadays common in most scientific journals. |
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| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Analyse | Be able to identify and analyse the problems and opportunities concerning sustainable water management issues in Scotland |
| Conceptual | Apply | Implement hydrological process understanding to topical sustainable water management issues in Scotland |
| Conceptual | Create | Design a small research project related to a sustainable water management issue in Scotland |
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 50 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback |
Word count: 3,000 Written and verbal feedback will be provided on all assessments After the fieldtrip, students will compose an individual reflective report on the current status of water resources in Scotland and how it may evolve in the future. Students will have to consider all the different topics/issues covered during the fieldtrip and link them together for an integrated perspective. |
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| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
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| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 25 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback |
Student groups will prepare a 15-minute presentation based on the group report they write on a water resources management topic/issue. After the presentation, there will be a further 15-minute questions and discussion round. The presentation will be delivered during the field trip at a site that best suits the topic of choice. To ensure the engagement of all the members of the group, they will all have to participate in the presentation. Students will have to take into account that the presentation will be delivered outdoors, so no visual support will be available. Presentation will be recorded for marking and revision. |
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| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Analyse | Be able to identify and analyse the problems and opportunities concerning sustainable water management issues in Scotland |
| Conceptual | Apply | Implement hydrological process understanding to topical sustainable water management issues in Scotland |
| Reflection | Create | Develop networking and leadership skills via coordinating a key element of the field trip |
There are no assessments for this course.
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Analyse | Be able to identify and analyse the problems and opportunities concerning sustainable water management issues in Scotland |
| Conceptual | Apply | Implement hydrological process understanding to topical sustainable water management issues in Scotland |
| Conceptual | Create | Design a small research project related to a sustainable water management issue in Scotland |
| Reflection | Create | Develop networking and leadership skills via coordinating a key element of the field trip |
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