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SOIL220 Introduction to Soil Science

Credit Points 6
Offering
Responsible Campus Teaching Period Mode of Study
Armidale Trimester 2 Off Campus
Armidale Trimester 2 On Campus
Intensive School(s)
Start Finish Attendance Notes
18 June 2012 20 June 2012 Mandatory
Supervised Exam There is a UNE Supervised Examination held at the end of the teaching period in which you are enrolled.
Pre-requisites None
Co-requisites None
Restrictions None
Notes

For on-campus students teaching will include weekly lectures and practical classes, and the use of online resources including multimedia, discussions and quizzes.

All off-campus students will attend a Mandatory Intensive School in which there will be lectures, tutorials and practical classes and will also make extensive use of the online resources.
Combined Units None
Coordinator(s) Chris Guppy (cguppy@une.edu.au)
Unit Description

Soil is the living skin of the planet and the single most diverse and fascinating ecosystem imaginable. This unit introduces soil; the way it functions in a landscape, the myriad interactions with the water, carbon and nutrients that sustain life, and the damage human activity can do to its health and productivity. Students will get their hands 'dirty' and learn how to assess and examine soil. A separate module is provided for Engineering students to examine soil mechanics and testing procedures.

Materials Text information will be published prior to commencement of the teaching period.
Disclaimer Unit information may be subject to change prior to commencement of the teaching period.
Assessment Assessment information will be published prior to commencement of the teaching period.
Learning Outcomes (LO) Upon completion of this unit, students will be able to:
  1. use an understanding of soil to appreciate soil function in urban and rural landscapes and make recommendations for land management;
  2. calculate and describe the fundamental soil physical properties and explain how these relate to soil behaviour and management;
  3. (BEngTech students) - explain and interpret the basic tests and concepts of soil mechanics that are used by engineers;
  4. (non BEngTech students) - explain and interpret the core concepts of soil chemistry, biology and nutrient cycling in terms of soil processes;
  5. demonstrate and interpret a range of practical field and laboratory techniques to assess soil properties.

Graduate Attributes (GA)
Attribute Taught Assessed Practised
1 Knowledge of a Discipline
Students gaining a basic knowledge of soil science is the underlying aim of the unit and is addressed in all classes and assessments. 		True True True
2 Communication Skills
Students practise communicating their understanding of soils verbally and in written assessments. 		True
3 Global Perspectives
Students are introduced to soil as part of global biogeochemistry. 		True True
4 Information Literacy
Students are taught and use data presentation skills and electronic communication skills. 		True True
6 Problem Solving
Students solve problems in practical classes involving interpretation of field and laboratory data. 		True True True
7 Social Responsibility
Students practice social responsibility in group work. 		True
8 Team Work
Students work in groups in field and laboratory classes. 		True
   

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