PUN015 Environmental Management and Sustainability
To view more information for this unit, select Unit Outline from the list below. Please note the teaching period for which the Unit Outline is relevant.
| Unit code: | PUN015 |
|---|---|
| Prerequisite(s): | PUN465. PUN465 can be studied in the same teaching period as PUN015 |
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Timetable | Details in HiQ, if available |
| Availabilities |
|
| Domestic tuition unit fee | $2,592 |
| International unit fee | $3,876 |
Unit Outline: Semester 2 2020, Kelvin Grove, Internal
| Unit code: | PUN015 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Pre-requisite: | PUN465. PUN465 can be studied in the same teaching period as PUN015 |
| Coordinator: | Javier Cortes Ramirez | javier.cortesramirez@qut.edu.au |
Overview
Population growth, non-renewable energy use, pollution and consumption are threatening the Earth's planetary systems that enable human health and wellbeing. With strong community pressure, government and private organisations are increasingly interested in environmental management, corporate compliance with environmental laws and showcasing their adoption of sustainable practices that reduce their ecological footprint. Organisations rely on environmental management, sustainability and HSE professionals to effectively manage environmental protection and lead in the adoption of new ideas and technologies that advance sustainable ways of working and living. It assumes high level understanding of the science, sustainability principles and imperative legal frameworks for environmental management. It promotes collaboration in complex thinking and collective capacity for effective action to address both local and major planetary challenges.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:
- Work collaboratively and individually to examine complex real world challenges for broad environmental protection and ecological sustainability.
- Build knowledge of the potential range of solutions, including the latest innovations, and recommend avenues for implementing, monitoring and evaluating sustainability improvement.
- Apply knowledge of environmental management and sustainability concepts and links to human health, laws, policies and industry practices to assist individual organisations to plan, implement and assess their environmental policies, strategies and activities.
- Analyse data from environmental audits/reviews and national and global datasets to make recommendations and advocate for improvement in environmental and sustainability outcomes at local, national and global levels.
Content
The aim of the unit is to enable you to understand, analyse and apply current practices and innovative thinking to address critical challenges in environmental management and ecological sustainability at local and global levels.
This unit supports students develop advanced skills and knowledge necessary to manage environmental issues and promote sustainability across a wide range of organisations. Topics covered in this unit include: sustainability; environmental management systems; energy, water and waste minimisation; environmental auditing; compliance monitoring and corporate reporting; development applications and land-use planning processes; rehabilitation and remediation processes; heritage conservation; and environmental and ecological economics, policy and policy change. Effective communication of environmental management and sustainability information will also be examined. You will gain a working knowledge of environmental management and sustainability legislation, policies and practices and on the completion of the unit will be able to apply this information in a range of contexts.
This unit develops the advanced skills and knowledge which are essential for environmental management at an organisational level. The unit also encourages you to develop communication and advocacy skills to promote sustainability and critically evaluate and apply current options to increase sustainability in workplace and community settings.
Learning Approaches
To maximise your engagement with the learning materials in this unit, flexible modes of delivery will be used to generate a rich, social learning environment. Lectures and web conferences will be recorded to enable some flexibility in the location, time and mode of study, with respect to work and life commitments.
Self-directed learning will be supported by study modules and lecture sessions. There is also an intensive two day workshop session planned which may include a field trip to explore how a large organisation manages their environmental and sustainability obligations.
Blackboard will be used extensively to provide: unit information, details on assessment items, access to lecture notes, links to relevant documents and websites, on-line exercises, and a means of communicating notices to students.
Feedback will be provided to you on written assignments and there will be regular discussion sessions held on Blackboard. Formative activities online will be based on case studies and real world scenarios.
Feedback on Learning and Assessment
Assessment will be spaced throughout the semester to provide the opportunity for feedback on your learning to that point. You will be provided with written feedback on all your assessments as you progress through the unit.
Assessment
Overview
Each assessment type in this unit will be subject to internal /external moderation, such as cross unit discussions and regular meetings of assessors, to ensure that marks awarded by different teaching staff are internally consistent and meet appropriate academic standards (MOPP C/5.2).
Unit Grading Scheme
7- point scale
Assessment Tasks
Assessment: Sustainability Report
You will be required to undertake a sustainability analysis focusing on water use, food consumption and waste, energy use, human activities or waste generation in a real life setting. The findings of the analysis and recommendations to improve environmental and sustainability outcomes are submitted in the form of a written report.
Assessment: Environmental Impact Statement review – peer feedback
You will be required to provide feedback to one of your classmates’ pre-report of the Environmental Impact Statement review. Your feedback should be concise, constructive, and relevant to the assessment criteria.
Assessment: Assessment: Environmental Impact Statement review
You will be required to write a report detailing the current environmental management and sustainability practices of a large organisation; an assessment of the suitability of the current practices; and recommended improvements.
Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is a commitment to undertaking academic work and assessment in a manner that is ethical, fair, honest, respectful and accountable.
The Academic Integrity Policy sets out the range of conduct that can be a failure to maintain the standards of academic integrity. This includes, cheating in exams, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion and contract cheating. It also includes providing fraudulent or altered documentation in support of an academic concession application, for example an assignment extension or a deferred exam.
You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.
Breaching QUT’s Academic Integrity Policy or engaging in conduct that may defeat or compromise the purpose of assessment can lead to a finding of student misconduct (Code of Conduct – Student) and result in the imposition of penalties under the Management of Student Misconduct Policy, ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.
Resources
Resource Materials
Other
There are no recommended texts required to be purchased for this unit.
Resources will be available on QUT Readings, Blackboard or online from the QUT library website.
Travel and accommodation costs may be incurred by students who attend the intensive on-campus workshop. QUT will arrange vehicles to transport students from the QUT Kelvin Grove campus to the field trip site and the return trip at no cost to students.
High visibility vests and hats will be provided to students attending the field trip.
Risk Assessment Statement
Substantial computer-based work will be required. You should refer to the guidelines for safe work at VDUs contained in the School of Public Health and Social Work (SPH&SW) Guidelines for Students. You should ensure that your workstations are adjusted in accordance with these guidelines and that regular rest breaks are taken.
As noted above, there may be a field trip to a workplace. You may also undertake independent visits to organisations that are the subject of your assessment items. You should be aware of and abide by the workplace health and safety requirements of the workplace and you are expected to undergo any induction or other training provided in the workplace for employees or visitors to the workplace as appropriate. It will be necessary to wear appropriate enclosed footwear and consider personal sun protection options (e.g. sunscreen, hats) while on the field trip for this unit.
Unit Outline: Semester 2 2020, Kelvin Grove, External
| Unit code: | PUN015 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Pre-requisite: | PUN465. PUN465 can be studied in the same teaching period as PUN015 |
| Coordinator: | Javier Cortes Ramirez | javier.cortesramirez@qut.edu.au |
Overview
Population growth, non-renewable energy use, pollution and consumption are threatening the Earth's planetary systems that enable human health and wellbeing. With strong community pressure, government and private organisations are increasingly interested in environmental management, corporate compliance with environmental laws and showcasing their adoption of sustainable practices that reduce their ecological footprint. Organisations rely on environmental management, sustainability and HSE professionals to effectively manage environmental protection and lead in the adoption of new ideas and technologies that advance sustainable ways of working and living. It assumes high level understanding of the science, sustainability principles and imperative legal frameworks for environmental management. It promotes collaboration in complex thinking and collective capacity for effective action to address both local and major planetary challenges.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:
- Work collaboratively and individually to examine complex real world challenges for broad environmental protection and ecological sustainability.
- Build knowledge of the potential range of solutions, including the latest innovations, and recommend avenues for implementing, monitoring and evaluating sustainability improvement.
- Apply knowledge of environmental management and sustainability concepts and links to human health, laws, policies and industry practices to assist individual organisations to plan, implement and assess their environmental policies, strategies and activities.
- Analyse data from environmental audits/reviews and national and global datasets to make recommendations and advocate for improvement in environmental and sustainability outcomes at local, national and global levels.
Content
The aim of the unit is to enable you to understand, analyse and apply current practices and innovative thinking to address critical challenges in environmental management and ecological sustainability at local and global levels.
This unit supports students develop advanced skills and knowledge necessary to manage environmental issues and promote sustainability across a wide range of organisations. Topics covered in this unit include: sustainability; environmental management systems; energy, water and waste minimisation; environmental auditing; compliance monitoring and corporate reporting; development applications and land-use planning processes; rehabilitation and remediation processes; heritage conservation; and environmental and ecological economics, policy and policy change. Effective communication of environmental management and sustainability information will also be examined. You will gain a working knowledge of environmental management and sustainability legislation, policies and practices and on the completion of the unit will be able to apply this information in a range of contexts.
This unit develops the advanced skills and knowledge which are essential for environmental management at an organisational level. The unit also encourages you to develop communication and advocacy skills to promote sustainability and critically evaluate and apply current options to increase sustainability in workplace and community settings.
Learning Approaches
To maximise your engagement with the learning materials in this unit, flexible modes of delivery will be used to generate a rich, social learning environment. Lectures and web conferences will be recorded to enable some flexibility in the location, time and mode of study, with respect to work and life commitments.
Self-directed learning will be supported by study modules and lecture sessions. There is also an intensive two day workshop session planned which may include a field trip to explore how a large organisation manages their environmental and sustainability obligations.
Blackboard will be used extensively to provide: unit information, details on assessment items, access to lecture notes, links to relevant documents and websites, on-line exercises, and a means of communicating notices to students.
Feedback will be provided to you on written assignments and there will be regular discussion sessions held on Blackboard. Formative activities online will be based on case studies and real world scenarios.
Feedback on Learning and Assessment
Assessment will be spaced throughout the semester to provide the opportunity for feedback on your learning to that point. You will be provided with written feedback on all your assessments as you progress through the unit.
Assessment
Overview
Each assessment type in this unit will be subject to internal /external moderation, such as cross unit discussions and regular meetings of assessors, to ensure that marks awarded by different teaching staff are internally consistent and meet appropriate academic standards (MOPP C/5.2).
Unit Grading Scheme
7- point scale
Assessment Tasks
Assessment: Sustainability Report
You will be required to undertake a sustainability analysis focusing on water use, food consumption and waste, energy use, human activities or waste generation in a real life setting. The findings of the analysis and recommendations to improve environmental and sustainability outcomes are submitted in the form of a written report.
Assessment: Environmental Impact Statement review – peer feedback
You will be required to provide feedback to one of your classmates’ pre-report of the Environmental Impact Statement review. Your feedback should be concise, constructive, and relevant to the assessment criteria.
Assessment: Assessment: Environmental Impact Statement review
You will be required to write a report detailing the current environmental management and sustainability practices of a large organisation; an assessment of the suitability of the current practices; and recommended improvements.
Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is a commitment to undertaking academic work and assessment in a manner that is ethical, fair, honest, respectful and accountable.
The Academic Integrity Policy sets out the range of conduct that can be a failure to maintain the standards of academic integrity. This includes, cheating in exams, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion and contract cheating. It also includes providing fraudulent or altered documentation in support of an academic concession application, for example an assignment extension or a deferred exam.
You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.
Breaching QUT’s Academic Integrity Policy or engaging in conduct that may defeat or compromise the purpose of assessment can lead to a finding of student misconduct (Code of Conduct – Student) and result in the imposition of penalties under the Management of Student Misconduct Policy, ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.
Resources
Resource Materials
Other
There are no recommended texts required to be purchased for this unit.
Resources will be available on QUT Readings, Blackboard or online from the QUT library website.
Travel and accommodation costs may be incurred by students who attend the intensive on-campus workshop. QUT will arrange vehicles to transport students from the QUT Kelvin Grove campus to the field trip site and the return trip at no cost to students.
High visibility vests and hats will be provided to students attending the field trip.
Risk Assessment Statement
Substantial computer-based work will be required. You should refer to the guidelines for safe work at VDUs contained in the School of Public Health and Social Work (SPH&SW) Guidelines for Students. You should ensure that your workstations are adjusted in accordance with these guidelines and that regular rest breaks are taken.
As noted above, there may be a field trip to a workplace. You may also undertake independent visits to organisations that are the subject of your assessment items. You should be aware of and abide by the workplace health and safety requirements of the workplace and you are expected to undergo any induction or other training provided in the workplace for employees or visitors to the workplace as appropriate. It will be necessary to wear appropriate enclosed footwear and consider personal sun protection options (e.g. sunscreen, hats) while on the field trip for this unit.