Overview
Human activity and development impact the natural environment. To what extent then, can the associated issues be reviewed and mitigated? The answers to such questions are often evaluated in Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA). In this unit, you will become familiar with the enabling concepts behind EIAs. You will formulate an Environmental Impact Study by assessing current practice in the field.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
There are no requisites for this unit.
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 2 - 2017
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes – in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of ‘pass’ in order to pass the unit. If any ‘pass/fail’ tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully (‘pass’ grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the ‘assessment task’ section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University’s Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback – Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from Unit co-ordination reflection.
Unit learning activity refinement.
Some of the weekly learning activities are to be updated.
- Explain the concepts that underpin an environmental impact assessment
- Review and apply the procedures for conducting an environmental impact assessment
- Assess the extent to which examples of environmental impact studies meet these concepts and practices.
N/A
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| 1 - Online Quiz(zes) - 30% | |||
| 2 - Group Work - 30% | |||
| 3 - Written Assessment - 40% | |||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| 1 - Communication | |||
| 2 - Problem Solving | |||
| 3 - Critical Thinking | |||
| 4 - Information Literacy | |||
| 5 - Team Work | |||
| 6 - Information Technology Competence | |||
| 7 - Cross Cultural Competence | |||
| 8 - Ethical practice | |||
| 9 - Social Innovation | |||
| 10 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | |||
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
| Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | |
| 1 - Online Quiz(zes) - 30% | ||||||||||
| 2 - Group Work - 30% | ||||||||||
| 3 - Written Assessment - 40% | ||||||||||
Textbooks
Environmental Impact Assessment in Australia; Theory and Practice
Edition: 6 (2014)
Authors: Elliott,M.
Federation Press
Sydney Sydney , NSW , Australia
ISBN: 9781862879454
Binding: Paperback
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: Harvard (author-date)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
m.hewson@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Background to Social and Environmental Impact Assessment (SIA/EIA)
Chapter
Each week of the unit will include a selection of required readings, videos and activities accessible from the Moodle site.
Chapter 1 of the prescribed text-book.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
SIA/EIA: Context and Content
Chapter
Chapter 2.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
SIA/EIA: Many Components
Chapter
Chapter 3.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
SIA/EIA: Public Consultation
Chapter
Chapter 4.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Quiz 1 due 9 am AEST Monday 31/07/17
Module/Topic
SIA/EIA: Global
Chapter
Chapter 5
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
SIA/EIA: Australia
Chapter
Chapter 6.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Forum 1 due 9 am AEST Monday 21/08/17
Module/Topic
EIS: Contents
Chapter
Chapter 7.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Quiz 2 due 9 am AEST Monday 28/08/17
Module/Topic
EIS: Determining Impacts
Chapter
Chapter 8.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Quiz 3 due 9 am AEST Monday 4/09/17
Module/Topic
SIA/EIA: Revisiting Process
Chapter
Chapter 9.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
SIA/EIA: The Future
Chapter
Chapter 10.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Forum 2 due 9 am AEST Monday 18/09/17
Module/Topic
Walking Country – Australian Indigenous Cultural Heritage
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
EIS: Assessment #3
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Forum 3 due 9 am AEST Monday 2/10/17
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Term paper due 9 am Monday 9/10/17
Environmental Impact Statement Critique Due: Review/Exam Week Monday (9 Oct 2017) 4:00 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 Online Quiz(zes)
There are three multiple choice question quizzes each with 10 questions set at different times in the term. You should select the most appropriate answer from those given. The questions will be from your readings as follows:
- Quiz 1: weeks 2 and 3 - due 9 am AEST Monday 31/07/17.
- Quiz 2: weeks 5 and 6 - due 9am AEST Monday 28/08/17.
- Quiz 3: week 7 - due 9 am AEST Monday 4/09/17.
1
The due dates and times for each forum are noted above.
Automatic on completion.
No Assessment Criteria
- Explain the concepts that underpin an environmental impact assessment
- Review and apply the procedures for conducting an environmental impact assessment
- Assess the extent to which examples of environmental impact studies meet these concepts and practices.
- Problem Solving
- Information Literacy
2 Group Work
You will be required to submit a 250-350 word entry to three different unit Moodle forums during the term. You will also comment briefly to some of the the posts of other students in those same Moodle forums. Each forum contribution (original post and comments on other student posts) will be scored out of 10 - making a total of 30 marks available.
- Forum 1 based on week 4 material will close on Monday 21/08/17 at 9 am AEST.
- Forum 2 based on week 8 material will close on Monday 18/09/17 at 9 am AEST.
- Forum 3 based on week 10 material will close on Monday 2/10/17 at 9 am AEST.
Each of the three Moodle forums will be set up such that you will not be able to see any other students contribution until you have first submitted your own post.
The due dates and times for each forum are noted above.
The online Moodle forums will be marked by 1 week following submission.
A marking criteria and standards sheet for this assessment will be posted on the Moodle site for this unit that will cover:
- insightful and engagingly written opinion drawing on source materials (note: referencing not required);
- within word limits;
- timely post submission (so that others can comment);
- reflected on several of other student opinions; and
- congruent communication.
- Explain the concepts that underpin an environmental impact assessment
- Review and apply the procedures for conducting an environmental impact assessment
- Assess the extent to which examples of environmental impact studies meet these concepts and practices.
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Team Work
3 Written Assessment
You will be required to examine-in-depth and critically evaluate an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). You will be able to choose a "real world" EIS from several made available by the lecturer. Each EIS is associated with an in-progress project of considerable interest to the community close to the development.
The learning activities of the unit will all contribute material to the assessment task.
Further details will be posted on the Moodle site for this unit.
Review/Exam Week Monday (9 Oct 2017) 4:00 pm AEST
Exam Week Friday (20 Oct 2017)
The marked assessment task will be returned through the Moodle site as soon as practicable after the due date.
An assessment criteria and standards sheet will be posted on the Moodle site which will examine that the paper:
- addresses the topic using the unit material focussing on EIA and EIS;
- addresses the topic using scholarly sources as evidence to underpin argument;
- is engaging and clearly structured and advances discussion from introduction to conclusion in a logical manner ; and
- accords with written communication conventions and cites references correctly.
- Explain the concepts that underpin an environmental impact assessment
- Review and apply the procedures for conducting an environmental impact assessment
- Assess the extent to which examples of environmental impact studies meet these concepts and practices.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Team Work
- Ethical practice
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
