NW Scotland Field Skills

Description

This module starts to prepare students for independent project work in years 3 and 4 through delivery of training in field methods through a residential field class and a small amount of subsequent campus-based teaching. Students complete a 6 day trip to NW Scotland studying the interface between geology and geomorphology. This will have an emphasis on (1) recognising and recording the evidence that allow changes in past climates through the Quaternary to be elucidated, and (2) introducing field techniques for a range of geoscience and geographic data collection across stratigraphy, paleoclimates, palaeobiology, hydrology and ecology. Assessment will be a combination of evening work and a summary report submitted after trip.

By the end of the module students should be able to:

  • Study the direct effects of climate change and glacial ice on landscape evolution from an area of dynamic climate change during the past 2 million years;
  • To foster a critical approach to problem solving and enhance teamwork skills;
  • Experience hypothesis- and question-led study of geological, geomorphological and hydrological phenomena that may have multiple or ambiguous origins;
  • To interpret palaeoenvironment from geomorphological, sedimentological and stratigraphic data.

Assessment

Post-fieldwork Assynt report (60%), notebooks (20%) and group presentation (20%).