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Overview

Course Prescription

An examination of environmental change from a historical geography perspective. Approaches to investigating and understanding the transformation of environments are explored, and processes driving creation of different types of landscapes including heritage places are considered. The course enables students to place the modern environment within a historical context.

Course Overview

This course on Environment, Landscape and Heritage examines recent environmental change and the formation of different types of landscapes, including natural and cultural heritage places. Central to the course are consideration of: 

  • changes to New Zealand's landscape and environment since human arrival. We cover topics such as resource exploitation, forest loss, acclimatisation, the impacts of human activity on rivers and wetlands, and processes driving the creation of different types of landscapes and heritage spaces. 
  • the ongoing effects of colonialism on natural environments and people. 
  • approaches to investigating and understanding the transformation of environments.
Content is delivered using a combination of lectures, tutorial exercises framed around skills for researching recent environmental change, and guided walks. On completion, students should have an understanding of past processes and ideas that have shaped environments and landscapes, and be able to place the modern environment within a historical context. 
This course will be of value to students interested in geography, environmental management, heritage, history, and/or archaeology. It leads into further postgraduate study in geography and environmental management, including courses such as GEOG 750 Environment, Landscape.

Key Topics

Landscape, environment, heritageThe pre-colonial environmentRemaking landscapes and waterscapes from 1840 onwardsAcclimatisation, adaptation and home-makingHeritage and environmental legacies

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.

For this course, you can expect 30 hours of lectures, 7 x 2 hour tutorials (14 hours), 44 hours of reading and reflecting on content and 62 hours of work on coursework assignments and exam preparation.

Additional Advice on Prerequisites

Prerequisite: 30 points at Stage II

Locations and Semesters Offered

LocationSemester
City

Teaching and Learning

Campus Experience

Attendance is expected at all scheduled lectures and tutorials to complete components of the course. Lectures will be available as recordings but these should be considered as a back up and not a replacement for lecture attendance. Other learning activities including tutorials will not be available as recordings.

The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.

Learning Resources

Taught courses use a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas to provide students with learning materials including reading lists and lecture recordings (where available). Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Additional Information on Learning Resources

The course text is: Eric Pawson and Tom Brooking, 2013. Making a New Land: Environmental Histories of New Zealand (new edition). Otago University Press. [This is available as an e-book.]
Other readings include academic journal articles and book chapters which are provided for each lecture. There may also be some use of online video resources and podcasts. Details of these will be provided in the lecture description and the associated reading list.

Copyright

The content and delivery of content in this course are protected by copyright. Material belonging to others may have been used in this course and copied by and solely for the educational purposes of the University under license.


You may copy the course content for the purposes of private study or research, but you may not upload onto any third-party site, make a further copy or sell, alter or further reproduce or distribute any part of the course content to another person.

Health and Safety

The course includes three walks (around the University Campus, Auckland Domain, Albert Park). Students are expected to follow the instructions of the lecturer/tutor in charge. They are encouraged to wear suitable shoes for walking and bring appropriate wet weather clothing if needed.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption, we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and course assessment continues to meet the principles of the University’s assessment policy. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator/director, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the university website for information about how to proceed.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed for potential plagiarism or other forms of academic misconduct, using computerised detection mechanisms.

Similarly, research students must meet the University’s expectations of good research practice. This requires:

  • Honesty - in all aspects of research work
  • Accountability - in the conduct of research
  • Professional courtesy and fairness – in working with others
  • Good stewardship – on behalf of others
  • Transparency – of research process and presentation of results
  • Clarity - communication to be understandable, explainable and accessible

For more information on the University’s expectations of academic integrity, please see the Academic Conduct section of the University policy hub.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about taught courses is made available to enrolled students in Canvas.

Students may be asked to submit assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. In exceptional circumstances changes to elements of this course may be necessary at short notice. Students enrolled in this course will be informed of any such changes and the reasons for them, as soon as possible, through Canvas.


Assessment and Learning Outcomes

Special Requirements

The course includes three walks in the vicinity of the University campus and Auckland Domain that are held during the scheduled tutorial sessions.

Course Learning Outcomes

CLO #OutcomeProgramme Capability Link
1
2
3
4
5
6

Assessments

Assessment TypeAssessment PercentageAssessment Classification

Assessment to CLO Mapping

Assessment Type123456

Student Feedback, Support and Charter

Student Feedback

Feedback on taught courses is gathered from students at the end of each semester through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions. Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students. In addition, class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

Additional Information on Student Feedback

Course content, the tutorial program, and coursework assessments may be reviewed prior to delivery in 2025.

Class representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

Tuākana

Tuākana is a multi-faceted programme for Māori and Pacific students providing topic specific tutorials, one-on-one sessions, test and exam preparation and more. Explore your options at Tuakana Learning Communities.

Additional Information on Tuākana

As part of the University-wide Tuākana community, The School of Environment Tuākana Programme aims to provide a welcoming learning environment for, and enhance the success of, all of our Māori and Pacific students. We are led by the principles of tautoko (support) and whanaungatanga (connection), and hope you find a home here at the School. Students who have identified as Māori and/or Pacific will receive an invitation to our online portal introducing the Programme, the resources we have available, and how you can get involved. Māori and Pacific students are encouraged to contact Sonia Fonua (s.fonua@auckland.ac.nz) or Kimoro Taiepa (kimoro.taiepa@auckland.ac.nz) for information about the Tuākana programme.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website.

Wellbeing

We all go through tough times during the semester, or see our friends struggling. There is lots of help out there - please see the Support Services page for information on support services in the University and the wider community.

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed work is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due. If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page. This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter.

Student Academic Complaints and Disputes

Students with concerns about teaching including how a course is delivered, the resources provided, or supervision arrangements, have the right to express their concerns and seek resolution. The university encourages informal resolution where possible, as this is quicker and less stressful. For information on the informal and formal complaints processes, please refer to the Student Academic Complaints Statute in the Student Policies and Guidelines section of the Policy Hub.