School: Science

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

Your unit may be subject to government or third party COVID-19 vaccination requirements. Please consider this before enrolling in this unit, and speak with the unit coordinator if this raises any concerns.

  • Unit Title

    Environmental Impact Assessment
  • Unit Code

    SCM3203
  • Year

    2022
  • Enrolment Period

    1
  • Version

    6
  • Credit Points

    15
  • Full Year Unit

    N
  • Mode of Delivery

    On Campus
    Online
  • Unit Coordinator

    Prof Angus Neil MORRISON-SAUNDERS

Description

This unit examines the role of environmental impact assessment (EIA) in environmental planning, decision-making and management to deliver sustainable development. Legislation, administrative processes and practice are critically evaluated with an emphasis on international best practice environmental impact assessment.

Prerequisite Rule

Students must pass SCI1193 or SCI1001

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Integrate the social, political, legal and scientifice dimensions in which environmental impact assessment occurs.
  2. Critically evaluate environmental impact assessment best practice principles and procedures.
  3. Work individually and in teams to produce oral and written work relevant to professional practice in the field of environmental impact assessment.
  4. Critically review the literature on environmental impact assessments giving consideration to both theory and practice.

Unit Content

  1. Definitions, evolution, goals and purposes of environmental impact assessment.
  2. International applications of environmental impact assessment, best practice principles and evaluating EIA effectiveness.
  3. Legislative, administrative and procedural basis for environmental impact assessment, focusing on Western Australian practices.
  4. The EIA process including baseline studies, impact identification and prediction, consideration of alternatives, determining significance, mitigation, decision-making and follow-up.
  5. The role of science in environmental impact assessment.
  6. Engaging with stakeholders.

Learning Experience

Students will attend on campus classes as well as engage in learning activities through ECU's LMS

JoondalupMount LawleySouth West (Bunbury)
Semester 220 x 2 hour workshopNot Offered20 x 2 hour workshop

For more information see the Semester Timetable

Additional Learning Experience Information

This unit uses technology enhanced learning with a mix of lectures, workshops, group discussions and team work, assignments, E-Learning material and support.

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant School Progression Panel.

ON CAMPUS
TypeDescriptionValue
ReportBest Practice EIA methods/approaches (groupwork assessment)30%
PresentationCritical analysis of EIA procedures (groupwork assessment)30%
AssignmentCritique of an EIA case study (individual assessment)40%
ONLINE
TypeDescriptionValue
ReportBest Practice EIA methods/approaches (groupwork assessment)30%
PresentationCritical analysis of EIA procedures (groupwork assessment)30%
AssignmentCritique of an EIA case study (individual assessment)40%

Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005)

For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), inherent requirements for this subject are articulated in the Unit Description, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the support for students with disabilities or medical conditions can be found at the Access and Inclusion website.

Academic Integrity

Integrity is a core value at Edith Cowan University, and it is expected that ECU students complete their assessment tasks honestly and with acknowledgement of other people's work. This means that assessment tasks must be completed individually (unless it is an authorised group assessment task) and any sources used must be referenced.

Breaches of academic integrity can include:

Plagiarism

Copying the words, ideas or creative works of other people, without referencing in accordance with stated University requirements. Students need to seek approval from the Unit Coordinator within the first week of study if they intend to use some of their previous work in an assessment task (self-plagiarism).

Unauthorised collaboration (collusion)

Working with other students and submitting the same or substantially similar work or portions of work when an individual submission was required. This includes students knowingly providing others with copies of their own work to use in the same or similar assessment task(s).

Contract cheating

Organising a friend, a family member, another student or an external person or organisation (e.g. through an online website) to complete or substantially edit or refine part or all of an assessment task(s) on their behalf.

Cheating in an exam

Using or having access to unauthorised materials in an exam or test.

Serious outcomes may be imposed if a student is found to have committed one of these breaches, up to and including expulsion from the University for repeated or serious acts.

ECU's policies and more information about academic integrity can be found on the student academic integrity website.

All commencing ECU students are required to complete the Academic Integrity Module.

Assessment Extension

In some circumstances, Students may apply to their Unit Coordinator to extend the due date of their Assessment Task(s) in accordance with ECU's Assessment, Examination and Moderation Procedures - for more information visit https://askus2.ecu.edu.au/s/article/000001386.

Special Consideration

Students may apply for Special Consideration in respect of a final unit grade, where their achievement was affected by Exceptional Circumstances as set out in the Assessment, Examination and Moderation Procedures - for more information visit https://askus2.ecu.edu.au/s/article/000003318.

SCM3203|6|1

School: Science

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

Your unit may be subject to government or third party COVID-19 vaccination requirements. Please consider this before enrolling in this unit, and speak with the unit coordinator if this raises any concerns.

  • Unit Title

    Environmental Impact Assessment
  • Unit Code

    SCM3203
  • Year

    2022
  • Enrolment Period

    2
  • Version

    6
  • Credit Points

    15
  • Full Year Unit

    N
  • Mode of Delivery

    On Campus
    Online
  • Unit Coordinator

    Prof Angus Neil MORRISON-SAUNDERS

Description

This unit examines the role of environmental impact assessment (EIA) in environmental planning, decision-making and management to deliver sustainable development. Legislation, administrative processes and practice are critically evaluated with an emphasis on international best practice environmental impact assessment.

Prerequisite Rule

Students must pass SCI1193 or SCI1001

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Integrate the social, political, legal and scientifice dimensions in which environmental impact assessment occurs.
  2. Critically evaluate environmental impact assessment best practice principles and procedures.
  3. Work individually and in teams to produce oral and written work relevant to professional practice in the field of environmental impact assessment.
  4. Critically review the literature on environmental impact assessments giving consideration to both theory and practice.

Unit Content

  1. Definitions, evolution, goals and purposes of environmental impact assessment.
  2. International applications of environmental impact assessment, best practice principles and evaluating EIA effectiveness.
  3. Legislative, administrative and procedural basis for environmental impact assessment, focusing on Western Australian practices.
  4. The EIA process including baseline studies, impact identification and prediction, consideration of alternatives, determining significance, mitigation, decision-making and follow-up.
  5. The role of science in environmental impact assessment.
  6. Engaging with stakeholders.

Learning Experience

Students will attend on campus classes as well as engage in learning activities through ECU's LMS

JoondalupMount LawleySouth West (Bunbury)
Semester 220 x 2 hour workshopNot Offered20 x 2 hour workshop

For more information see the Semester Timetable

Additional Learning Experience Information

This unit uses technology enhanced learning with a mix of lectures, workshops, group discussions and team work, assignments, E-Learning material and support.

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant School Progression Panel.

ON CAMPUS
TypeDescriptionValue
ReportBest Practice EIA methods/approaches (groupwork assessment)30%
PresentationCritical analysis of EIA procedures (groupwork assessment)30%
AssignmentCritique of an EIA case study (individual assessment)40%
ONLINE
TypeDescriptionValue
ReportBest Practice EIA methods/approaches (groupwork assessment)30%
PresentationCritical analysis of EIA procedures (groupwork assessment)30%
AssignmentCritique of an EIA case study (individual assessment)40%

Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005)

For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), inherent requirements for this subject are articulated in the Unit Description, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the support for students with disabilities or medical conditions can be found at the Access and Inclusion website.

Academic Integrity

Integrity is a core value at Edith Cowan University, and it is expected that ECU students complete their assessment tasks honestly and with acknowledgement of other people's work. This means that assessment tasks must be completed individually (unless it is an authorised group assessment task) and any sources used must be referenced.

Breaches of academic integrity can include:

Plagiarism

Copying the words, ideas or creative works of other people, without referencing in accordance with stated University requirements. Students need to seek approval from the Unit Coordinator within the first week of study if they intend to use some of their previous work in an assessment task (self-plagiarism).

Unauthorised collaboration (collusion)

Working with other students and submitting the same or substantially similar work or portions of work when an individual submission was required. This includes students knowingly providing others with copies of their own work to use in the same or similar assessment task(s).

Contract cheating

Organising a friend, a family member, another student or an external person or organisation (e.g. through an online website) to complete or substantially edit or refine part or all of an assessment task(s) on their behalf.

Cheating in an exam

Using or having access to unauthorised materials in an exam or test.

Serious outcomes may be imposed if a student is found to have committed one of these breaches, up to and including expulsion from the University for repeated or serious acts.

ECU's policies and more information about academic integrity can be found on the student academic integrity website.

All commencing ECU students are required to complete the Academic Integrity Module.

Assessment Extension

In some circumstances, Students may apply to their Unit Coordinator to extend the due date of their Assessment Task(s) in accordance with ECU's Assessment, Examination and Moderation Procedures - for more information visit https://askus2.ecu.edu.au/s/article/000001386.

Special Consideration

Students may apply for Special Consideration in respect of a final unit grade, where their achievement was affected by Exceptional Circumstances as set out in the Assessment, Examination and Moderation Procedures - for more information visit https://askus2.ecu.edu.au/s/article/000003318.

SCM3203|6|2