Dynamic earth processes - a field journey across Sweden, 7.5 Credits

Contents

The course provides a field-based perspective on how large-scale variability in geology, glaciation history, and climate combined with human activities interact to form present-day Swedish landscape. The students will learn about how the glacial and postglacial history of a landscape affect vegetation, soil development, peat formation, and land use, and how this varies across Sweden.

During the course, students will explore the variability in climate and vegetation along latitudinal and altitudinal gradients both in the field and theoretically. They will learn how different natural and anthropogenic processes are expressed in landscapes across Sweden. During an extended excursion, they will get hands-on experiences from the field on how such processes can be detected, studied, and quantified.

Expected learning outcomes

After completion of the course, the student should for the grade "Pass" (G) be able to:

ELO 1. Describe and explain the main contrasts in bedrock, deglaciation history, climate, vegetation, hydrology, soil development, and geomorphology found across Sweden and provide specific examples from their own observations in the field to illustrate these contrasts.

ELO  2. Explain and identify how interactions between the physical conditions and landscape history are expressed in the Swedish landscape and how they impact current land use and other human activities.

ELO 3. Select and use different methods for studying processes related to soils, climate, hydrology, geology, and geomorphology in the field, and evaluate the precision and quality of the acquired data.

Form of instruction

The teaching will consist of online lectures and seminars, project work, and an extended excursion.

Examination modes

The course will be examined through a combination of participation in mandatory activities, including the excursion, and written and oral presentation of project work. 
The entire course is given one of the grades Fail (U) or Pass (G). For the grade passed, all FSRs for the grade Passed must be met. Grades for the entire course are only given when all mandatory modules have been completed and approved. Students who have passed an exam may not take a new exam for a higher grade. Students who fail an exam have the right to take a new exam. A student who has passed two tests for a course or part of a course without a passing result has the right to have another examiner appointed unless there are special reasons against it (HF chapter 6, § 22). The request for a new examiner is made to the head of the Department of Ecology & Environmental Science (EMG).

Examiners may decide to deviate from the modes of assessment in the course syllabus. Individual adaption of modes of assessment must give due consideration to the student's needs. The adaption of modes of assessment must remain within the framework of the intended learning outcomes in the course syllabus. Students who require an adapted examination must submit a request to the department holding the course no later than 10 days before the examination. The examiner decides on the adaption of the examination, after which the student will be notified.

Crediting
Students have the right to have their previous education or equivalent knowledge and skills acquired in the profession tested whether it can be credited for the corresponding course at Umeå University. Application for credit is submitted to the Student Centre / Examinations. For more information on credit transfer available on Umeå University's student web, www.student.umu.se, and the Higher Education Ordinance (Chapter 6). A refusal of accreditation may be appealed against (Higher Education Ordinance Chapter 12) to the University Appeals Board. This applies to the whole as well as part of the application if accreditation is refused.

Other regulations

The student is responsible for costs related to transport, accommodation, and food to/from and during the field trip, except for bus transportation between the various excursion sites, which is covered by the department.

In the event that the course plan ceases to apply or undergoes major changes, students are guaranteed at least three exam opportunities (including regular examinations) according to the rules in the syllabus that the student was originally registered for, for a maximum of two years from the date of expiry of the previous course plan or the course ceased being offered.