Aims of the course:
- To introduce the importance of ocean species and habitats and the variety of benefits people derive from them.
- To understand the impacts of human activities on the marine environment.
- To explore approaches to marine conservation.
Course content overview:
This course will explore the incredible diversity and importance of the world's oceans and coasts. Participants will be introduced to the range of marine habitats and species around the globe and the many benefits people derive from them. We will examine the various threats facing the ocean today and look in detail at the most pressing issues of overfishing and climate change. Having gained insight into the problems the oceans face we then move on to consider the main marine conservation approaches available to address these issues. Key areas we will explore include sustainable fisheries management, marine protected areas, and the importance of consumer choice.
Schedule (this course is completed entirely online):
Orientation Week : 13-19 July 2020
Teaching Weeks: 20 July-23 August 2020
Feedback Week: 24-30 August 2020
Each week of an online course is roughly equivalent to 2-3 hours of classroom time. On top of this, participants should expect to spend roughly 2-3 hours reading material, etc., although this will vary from person to person.
While they have a specific start and end date and will follow a weekly schedule (for example, week 1 will cover topic A, week 2 will cover topic B), our tutor-led online courses are designed to be flexible and as such would normally not require participants to be online for a specific day of the week or time of the day (although some tutors may try to schedule times where participants can be online together for web seminars, which will be recorded so that those who are unable to be online at certain times are able to access material).
Unless otherwise stated, all course material will be posted on the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) so that they can be accessed at any time throughout the duration of the course and interaction with your tutor and fellow participants will take place through a variety of different ways which will allow for both synchronous and asynchronous learning (discussion boards,etc).
A Certificate of Participation will be awarded to participants who contribute constructively to weekly discussions and exercises/assignments for the duration of the course.
What our students say - February 2016
"The tutor related theory to her practical field experience around the globe, providing evidence for certain assumptions, and links for further reading"
What our students say - July 2014
"The tutor's presentation and feedback was informative and helpful. The course was very well organised"
