• Offered for Year: 2026/27

• Module Leader(s): Dr Mark Ireland
• Lecturer: Dr Helen Adamson, Dr Jon Telling, Dr Cees van der Land, Dr Simon Peacock, Dr Shannon Flynn
• Technician: Mr David Earley, Miss Fiona Maclachlan

• Owning School: Natural and Environmental Sciences
• Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus

Semesters

Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.

Aims

This module provides a fundamental understanding of the physical, chemical, and biological processes shaping the environment. It introduces key concepts of Earth systems – including plate tectonics, landscape evolution, hydrological & biogeochemical cycles – and explores interactions between rocks, sediments, soils, water, and ecosystems. Core chemistry principles relevant to environmental understanding are introduced, with specific focus on water chemistry, pollutant sources and pathways, and their impacts on aquatic ecosystems and human health. The module examines key biogeochemical cycles—carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus—and their interplay with hydrological systems. Finally, it introduces the fundamental principles of life on Earth, including plant physiology, adaptations to diverse environments, primary productivity, and ecological interactions, investigating how organisms interact with and respond to environmental change, including impacts from human activities.

Students will gain insight into how these components influence environmental change and sustainability, developing a strong foundation for interpreting complex environmental data (PC4 Data Literacy). The module emphasizes systems thinking (PC1 Knowledge Application) to understand interconnectedness and feedback loops within natural systems. Furthermore, students will develop the ability to critically evaluate scientific literature (PC2 Information Literacy) & assess the impact of human activities on natural processes. This knowledge is essential for informed decision-making and provides the crucial scientific underpinning required for successful application of field and laboratory techniques.

Theoretical concepts will be built on by a strong focus on introducing and developing the practical skills (PC3) and analytical abilities required to investigate and address contemporary environmental challenges, applying laboratory and field methods to collect and analyse samples and data related to real-world environmental problems. Emphasis will be placed on developing problem-solving skills (PC10 Integrated Problem Solving), including experimental design, data interpretation, error analysis (PC4 Data Literacy), and the effective communication of findings (PC5 Communication). Students will gain experience in assessing environmental impacts, evaluating potential mitigation strategies, and contributing to evidence-based decision-making (PC1 Knowledge Application).

Outline Of Syllabus

Theoretical concepts & understanding will be delivered through lectures, interactive discussions, data analysis exercises & assigned readings. Emphasis will be on applying theoretical concepts to real-world environmental issues (PC1). Workshops, lab practical, field trips, developing an understanding of fundamental physical & life sciences concepts that underpin environmental sciences. Knowledge development will pair with development of core skills in field data collection, lab practices & data analysis.

Part I- Earth Systems & Structure: Intro to interconnectedness of Earth's spheres. Overview of Earth’s internal structure & its influence on surface processes

Plate Tectonics: Theory of plate tectonics associated geological hazards & their environmental impacts
Landscape Evolution & Surface Processes: Weathering, erosion, deposition; formation of landforms
Rocks, Sediments & Soils: Rock types, sediment formation, soil composition & properties, degradation

Soil Sampling & Field Measurements: Soil properties & importance in environmental science; Sampling techniques for different soil types; In-situ measurement of soil temperature, moisture content; Practical: Soil sample collection
Sediment sampling & geological units: sampling & borehole data collection. Basic rock identification & recording of lithological information

Part II- Chemistry & Hydrology
Biogeochemical Cycles: Carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur cycles; their interactions & human impacts
Environmental Chemistry: Basic chemical principles, water chemistry, atmospheric chemistry, pollutants
Hydrological Processes: Water cycle, precipitation patterns, groundwater flow, surface runoff, river systems
Pollution & Contamination: types, sources, pathways, effects on ecosystems & human health

Water Sampling & Field Measurements: Water quality parameters & importance; Sampling techniques for surface/groundwater; In-situ measurement of temperature, pH, conductivity, dissolved oxygen; Practical: Water sample collection

Laboratory Analysis: Principles of pH measurement & importance in environmental science; Calibration & use of pH meters; Conductivity measurement & interpretation; Practical: Measuring pH & Conductivity of water & soil samples. Titration & its application to environmental analysis; Practical: Titration of water samples

Part III- Biosphere
Ecology: Population, community, ecosystem, biodiversity, trophic levels.
Plants: Plant physiology, adaptations to different environments, primary productivity, role of plants in ecosystems
Invertebrates as Environmental Indicators: Soil & aquatic invertebrates, bioaccumulation
Vertebrates & Environmental Change: Role of vertebrates in ecosystems & sensitivity to change

Ecological Surveys-Vegetation: survey design; Quadrat sampling techniques for plant communities; Species identification & abundance estimation; Practical: Quadrat-based vegetation survey.
Invertebrates: Using invertebrates as bioindicators of water & soil quality; Sampling techniques for aquatic/terrestrial invertebrates; Identification to family level; Practical: Invertebrate sampling & identification

Cross cutting themes
Safety & ethics: Environmental ethics & responsible fieldwork; Lab & Field safety protocols, risk assessments, PPE; data management & record keeping

Data Visualisation & Interpretation: Creating graphs & charts (bar charts/scatter plots/histograms); Principles of data presentation- axis labels, titles, legends; Statistical tests & interpreting statistical results & drawing conclusions

Scientific Calculations & Error Analysis: Unit conversions & dimensional analysis; Calculating percentages, ratios, concentrations; Understanding sources of error in environmental measurements; Error propagation & significance

Data Integration & Report Writing Workshop: Integrating field observations, lab results, statistical analyses; Structuring a scientific report; Peer review of draft reports

Teaching Methods

Teaching Activities

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

This module employs a mix of lectures, practical workshops, directed study to embed understanding of environmental science concepts and theories and to develop problem solving and analysis skills. Lectures will be delivered present in person and are focused on establishing foundational knowledge across core topic areas.

Practical Workshops will provide hands-on R experience of calculating, analysis and solving problems in Environmental Science. The workshops are central to skill development in environmental data analysis and will include the use or R or other high level programme languages.

Experiential learning, through a strong emphasis on fieldwork, laboratory practice, and data analysis allows students to fully appreciate the complexity and challenges in environmental measurement and monitoring. The blended approach—combining experience in both sampling and analyzing will enable students to develop critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and methodological competence.

Fieldwork provides authentic learning experiences, allowing students to apply theory in real-world contexts & develop observational skills. Laboratory sessions build technical proficiency & data handling expertise. Data analysis exercises bridge the gap between raw data and meaningful interpretation. This iterative process—observe, measure, analyse, interpret—mirrors professional practice in environmental science.

Collaborative activities during lab and fieldwork promote communication, teamwork, and critical evaluation – essential skills for future environmental science professionals. The focus is on developing methodological literacy - the ability to select, apply, and critically assess appropriate methods for addressing environmental questions.

Independent study will encourage consolidation of learning & self-directed exploration of key concepts.

The direct reading will develop research skills & exposes students to current scientific literature for critical evaluation. It will also support the synthesis of existing work, a key skill for environmental professionals.

Assessment Methods

The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners

Other Assessment

Zero Weighted Pass/Fail Assessments

Formative Assessments

Formative Assessment is an assessment which develops your skills in being assessed, allows for you to receive feedback, and prepares you for being assessed. However, it does not count to your final mark.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

This module utilizes three problem-solving exercises to assess understanding of the theoretical concepts and knowledge application. This approach is chosen to align with the module’s learning outcomes, which emphasize applying theoretical knowledge to real-world environmental challenges and developing skills for future professional practice (PC1 Knowledge Application). The focus on problem solving (PC10 Integrated Problem Solving), rather than solely recall-based assessments, reflects the dynamic and complex nature of environmental science.

The rationale for problem solving as a core assessment strategy is that it provides:

Authenticity: Environmental science is inherently about identifying, analyzing, and proposing solutions to real-world problems. These exercises provide students with opportunities to engage in scientific inquiry,

Skill Development: The exercises directly assess key skills, in particular data analysis (PC4), critical thinking (PC1), application of theoretical concepts (PC1), and synthesis of information from different disciplines (PC2).

Problem-solving: The exercises will require students to move beyond recall and demonstrate a deeper understanding of underlying principles. They must integrate knowledge from multiple areas of the module to arrive at effective solutions (PC10).

In the exercises students will be expected to make use of computational methods (PC6), for example using R (or other high-level programming languages such as Python) to analyse and integrate data. The expected use of computation methods will provide students with practice of data handling & analysis, performing calculations, and visualizing results.

To evaluate students' development of methodological competence (PC3 Practical Skills) and their ability to select, apply, interpret (PC4 Data Literacy), and communicate (PC5) findings from environmental investigations, the emphasis is on practical report-based assessments, which directly reflects the module’s core aim to develop skills essential for future environmental professionals.

Practical/Lab Reports assess students' proficiency in specific laboratory and field techniques. They move beyond simply *performing* a method to requiring critical evaluation of its suitability, accurate data collection and analysis, and clear presentation of results. There will be a focus on data skills to ensure students can effectively process, interpret, and draw meaningful conclusions from environmental datasets.

Zero-Weighted Pass/Fail Lab Skills Demonstration: The assessment ensures that students can undertake safely and responsibly laboratory methods. A pass/fail demonstration of basic lab skills ensures all students meet a minimum standard of competence in handling equipment and substances, adhering to safe working procedures before undertaking basic lab protocols. Successful completion is a mandatory requirement for module credit.

The Integrated Field Week Presentation is a culminating assessment requires students to draw together their learnings from across the module. The presentation format encourages communication skills, teamwork, and the ability to convey complex information effectively. Critically, this assessment requires that students *design* an investigation, justify their methodological choices, collecting and analyse data in the field, and present a coherent interpretation of their findings.

Reading Lists

• NES1211's Reading List

Timetable

• Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
• NES1211's Timetable