Short courses (subjects) and field schools

Our short course subjects offer the chance to pack a lot in to a single semester, or to fill your summer break with fascinating field schools in some of Australia's most amazing locations.

We are located close to the Great Barrier Reef and the Wet Tropical Rainforests World Heritage Areas as well as the amazing outback and wilderness landscapes of northern Australia. Our region has astonishing geological diversity and major world class minerals fields (Mt Isa and Charters Towers). We offer subjects that provide an insight into local Indigenous culture.

A simple calendar overview of short course subjects

A large number of our subjects have more than one course code, reflecting their availability at both the undergraduate and postgraduate student level.  Students eligible for the postgraduate subject option receive varied content and are assessed at a higher level.

2012 Short Course (Block Mode) subjects

January 24- February 02 EV5209 – Principles and Practices of Protected Area Management (Townsville)
This subject covers: protected area concept, global applications, current practices and issues, including regional reviews with emphasis on the tropics; National Parks and other national and international systems for nature conservation; role of IUCN; biogeographic foundations including SLOSS and other debates; comparative analysis and case studies; major issues facing protected area managers; primary research needs; electronic and other data sources. (no field component)

February 07- February 15 EV3601/5601 – Social Impact Assessment: Environmental Management (Townsville)
Develop an awareness and understanding of the theoretical and practical processes of Social Impact Assessment. The history and development of Social Impact Assessment is presented along side practical learning of the processess. An intergral component of the planning degree program. (no field component)

February 06 - February 17 EA5024 - Business and Financial Management in the Minerals Industry (Townsville)
The course is an introduction to general, technical and financial management for professionals in the minerals sector with special emphasis on exploration management. It is offered as part of the Minerals Geoscience Masters Program or as an EGRU Short Course.)

April 16-19 EA3008/5090 – Advanced Hydrology (Cairns)
The subject presents advanced concepts and techniques in surface and groundwater hydrology. It will focus on today's major water resources issues in Australia and the rest of the World. It is intended to provide the students with an advanced understanding of the concepts and techniques necessary to identify, quantify, map and monitor the natural hydrological processes and assess the impact of activities. Case studies will be taken across a wide spectrum of space and time scales from large basins in Australia (eg Murray Darling) and the rest of the World (eg Amazon) to small local catchments. Special topics include dryland salinity, the impact of land use and climate change, water quality and pollution, recharge of aquifers, irrigation water, water resources development and environmental protection. (3 days field component)
April 16-20 EV3252/5252 – Indigenous Environmental Management (Cairns)
This subject explores Indigenous peoples roles in tropical environments in both Australia and across the world. Students obtain an introduction to core issues and concepts through lectures, workshops, seminars and reading material that reflects and accesses Indigenous perspectives on environmental management issues. They will also participate in a field experience with Indigenous environmental management organisations, traditional owners and other Indigenous Australians. Students are subsequently guided towards resources to enable them to synthesise their new understandings and complete the assessment requirements. (no field component)

June 18 – June 27 EV3010/5010/9010 - Planning for Sustainable Communities in a Changing Environment (Cairns)
The subject seeks to provide students with advanced capacities to understand the challenges that face planning for sustainable regions and settlements. It explores a number of key problems for settlements: sustainable management of marine and terrestrial resources, water use and allocation, regional sustainability, resilient communities, implications of climate change, carbon economy, food miles and the food supply, nature conservation and development. Case studies deal with a range of examples from land and sea environments of north Queensland. (24 hours fieldwork)
June 21 - June 28 EV2900/5330 - Introductory Field Geology (Cairns, Townsville)
An introduction to the techniques of field geology inclusive of outcrop observation and analysis, the assessment of rock relationships, traversing techniques and stratigraphic analysis based on section logging. An introduction to the preparation and interpretation of geological maps using basic surveying map controls and aerial photographs; the interpretation of rock relationships and the construction of cross-sections; the assessment of stratigraphic and structural aspects of geological histories based on geological mapping.
There are additional charges for this subject; please contact the School for details. (8 days fieldwork)
June 21-July 17 EA9002 - Outback Field Course International (Townsville)
Detailed mapping of a selected area in the Mount Isa Inlier, interpretation and synthesis of field data (sedimentary, structural, metamorphic, igneous, economic), plotting maps and cross sections, geological report writing. There are additional charges for this subject; please contact the School for details. (27 days fieldwork) Booklet about the course here

June 30 – July 17 EA3510/5044-EA3511/5045 - Geological Mapping / Advanced Geological Mapping (Townsville)
Detailed mapping of a selected area in the Mount Isa Inlier, interpretation and synthesis of field data (sedimentary, structural, metamorphic, igneous, economic), plotting maps and cross sections, geological report writing. There are additional charges for this subject; please contact the School for details. (18 days fieldwork)
June 30 – July 08 EV5602 - Urban Design Studio (Cairns)
This studio examines the scope, complexities and responsibilities of urban design. It provides a broad overview of the social, economic, environmental and regulatory factors shaping urban form, and goes on to develop a conceptual framework for effecting good urban design. The main theories, principles, concepts and methods that have influenced urban design practice from the late nineteenth century to the present are reviewed, with a view to examining their continuing validity. The studio's emphasis is on creating a socially responsible, environmentally sustainable and commercially feasible urban environment with reference to current urban design priorities such as urban consolidation and ecologically sustainable development. The subject is organised as studio sessions that are augmented with lectures/seminars devoted to current urban design practice. (no field component)

July 15 – July 21 EA3007/5018 Field Studies in Tropical Water and Soil Science (Cairns)
This is a field-based one-week intensive course that provides a practical introduction to hydrological, water quality, regolith and soil issues of the tropics. Our laboratory is Far North Queensland, with all its geologically and climatically diverse landscapes, including the Great Barrier Reef catchments. We study the natural processes and human impacts on the amount and quality of water flowing through rivers and aquifers. Topics include landscape water balance, hydrological monitoring and modelling, aquifer properties, transport and transformations of nutrients and contaminants, water quality assessment in the field and laboratory, soil erosion and degradation, dryland and irrigation salinity and water regulation. (7 days fieldwork)
July 16 – July 22 EV5013 - Climate Change: The Science, Impacts and Solutions (Cairns)
This subject provides students with a broad understanding of the fundamental science underpinning natural and anthropogenic climate change and the likely impacts on natural and social systems in the 21st Century. It develops an understanding of mitigation and adaptation strategies to deal with the more adverse effects of climate change in developed and developing world contexts. The content will include an evaluation of the politics of climate change at the national and international levels and links between climate change and other global drivers such as population growth and land use change. Students will become familiar with application of climate change science and adaptation strategies to development practice. (no field component)

Nov 18 - Nov 24 EV5603/3603 Planning Legislation and Professional Practice (Townsville)
This subject covers the evolution of current legislation in Queensland and other relevant regulatory frameworks. It provides a basis for understanding the development process, including planning schemes, environmental impact assessment, subdivisional development, appeals and the jurisdiction of the Planning and Environment Court. (no field component)
Nov 19–Nov 22 EV3014/5014 – Managing Tropical Fisheries (Townsville)
This subject examines the process of managing fisheries in tropical regions to ensure positive outcomes for fish stocks, ecosystems and human communities. The paradigm of fisheries as linked social-ecological systems will be used to develop an understanding about how biology, economics, human communities and legislative factors all contribute to outcomes in fisheries management. Case studies from tropical regions will be examined, including industrial, artisanal and recreational fisheries. Practical skills in achieving positive outcomes will be developed.  (no field component)
Nov 20–Nov 28 EV5208 – World Heritage and National Estate Processes (Townsville)
The concepts of World Heritage and other internationally recognised protected areas (including Biosphere Reserves and Ramsar sites); international conventions in conservation; process of nomination and inscription; evaluation; regional reviews of World Heritage sites; identification of critical management issues; sources of information for World Heritage, including electronic access; the Australian register of the National Estate; nomination and evaluation processes; legislative issues and management implications. (2 days field work)

Nov 26–Dec 02 EA3640/5640 – Advanced Marine Geoscience Technologies and Applications (Townsville)
This subject applies state-of-the art technologies to investigate coastal and marine processes and environments. It exposes students with a background in coastal and marine geomorphology and/or geology to state-of -the art methodologies, techniques and technologies. Content may include: seabed mapping and visualisation using sonar; advanced sediment analysis; measurement and analysis of waves and currents; research vessel operation; deep water data and sample collection. (24 hours field work)

Dec 03 – December 12 EV3502/5502 Advanced Geographic Information Systems (Townsville)
This subject introduces participants to more advanced forms of spatial analysis, in both theory and practice. Topics to be covered include: raster modelling; spatial interpolation and terrain modellng; landscape ecology applications; spatial statistics; data quality and error analysis; GPS mapping; Web GIS design and development. (no field component)

2013 Short Course (Block Mode) subjects

January TBA EV3601/5601 – Social Impact Assessment: Environmental Management (Townsville)
Develop an awareness and understanding of the theoretical and practical processes of Social Impact Assessment. The history and development of Social Impact Assessment is presented along side practical learning of the processess. An intergral component of the planning degree program. (no field component)

January TBA EV5209 – Principles and Practices of Protected Area Management (Townsville)
This subject covers: protected area concept, global applications, current practices and issues, including regional reviews with emphasis on the tropics; National Parks and other national and international systems for nature conservation; role of IUCN; biogeographic foundations including SLOSS and other debates; comparative analysis and case studies; major issues facing protected area managers; primary research needs; electronic and other data sources. (no field component)