Course Outline

HIS210 Explorations in Environmental History

Course Coordinator:Kate Kirby (KKirby@usc.edu.au) School:School of Law and Society

2026Trimester 2

UniSC Sunshine Coast

UniSC Moreton Bay

Blended learning Most of your course is on campus but you may be able to do some components of this course online.

Online

Online You can do this course without coming onto campus, unless your program has specified a mandatory onsite requirement.

Please go to unisc.edu.au for up to date information on the
teaching sessions and campuses where this course is usually offered.

What is this course about?

Description

This course explores the relationship between humans and nature by examining the interactions between natural, social, and political processes across time. The course takes a chronological and thematic approach with a concentration on the Australian environment and explores how history can contribute to understanding current environmental issues.

How will this course be delivered?

Activity Hours Beginning Week Frequency
Blended learning
Learning materials – Online learning materials 1hr Week 1 12 times
Tutorial/Workshop 1 – On campus tutorial/workshop - 2 hours 2hrs Week 2 10 times
Online
Learning materials – Online learning materials 1hr Week 1 12 times
Tutorial/Workshop 1 – Online weekly tutorial 2hrs Week 2 10 times

Course Topics

This course approaches environmental history from an Australian perspective. It touches on topics including but not limited to the following:

  • Deep Time
  • Aboriginal custodianship of Country
  • Human and non-human actors
  • ‘Natural’ disasters
  • The slow violence of drought
  • The Great Barrier Reef
  • The Murray-Darling Basin
  • Environmental movements
  • Urban environments
  • The Anthropocene and climate change

Mature Content

Violence, Coarse Language, Adult themes

What level is this course?

200 Level (Developing)

Building on and expanding the scope of introductory knowledge and skills, developing breadth or depth and applying knowledge and skills in a new context. May require pre-requisites where discipline specific introductory knowledge or skills is necessary. Normally, undertaken in the second or third full-time year of an undergraduate programs.

What is the unit value of this course?

12 units

How does this course contribute to my learning?

Course Learning Outcomes On successful completion of this course, you should be able to... Graduate Qualities Completing these tasks successfully will contribute to you becoming...
1 Explain and evaluate central themes and concepts in environmental history. Knowledgeable
Creative and critical thinker
2 Identify contemporary debates within environmental history literature and apply historical argumentation and professional historical analysis. Knowledgeable
Creative and critical thinker
Engaged
Information literacy
3 Analyse historical data to inform current environmental issues and policies. Creative and critical thinker
Empowered
Problem solving
Information literacy
4 Critically analyse topics in Australian environmental history and communicate effectively in both written and oral formats. Knowledgeable
Creative and critical thinker
Engaged
Sustainability-focussed
Communication

Am I eligible to enrol in this course?

Refer to the UniSC Glossary of terms for definitions of “pre-requisites, co-requisites and anti-requisites”.

Pre-requisites

Not applicable

Co-requisites

Not applicable

Anti-requisites

Not applicable

Specific assumed prior knowledge and skills (where applicable)

Not applicable

Microcredential Information

Not applicable

How am I going to be assessed?

Grading Scale

Standard Grading (GRD)

High Distinction (HD), Distinction (DN), Credit (CR), Pass (PS), Fail (FL).

Details of early feedback on progress

Timely and detailed feedback is provided for each assessment. Feedback is provided both within text and general comments to build scholarly skills. Students are able to seek feedback through face-to-face discussion with the course coordinator. Tutorials will include extended discussion and review of the assessment task requirements and scope.

Assessment tasks

Delivery mode Task No. Assessment Product Individual or Group Weighting % What is the duration / length? When should I submit? Where should I submit it?
All 1 Quiz/zes Individual 20%
4 x short online quizzes in Weeks 2, 4, 6 and 8.
Throughout teaching period (refer to Format) Online Test (Quiz)
All 2 Oral and Written Piece Individual 35%
8 minute presentation and 2 minutes of questions.
Throughout teaching period (refer to Format) Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check and in class
All 3 Essay Individual 45%
2250 words
Week 12 Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check
All - Assessment Task 1:Quizzes
Goal:
To demonstrate knowledge of central themes and concepts in environmental history, including an understanding of contemporary debates in the scholarly literature.
Product: Quiz/zes
Authorship Statement:
Format:
Submit: Weeks 2, 4, 6, 8. Four fortnightly online quizzes beginning in Week 2. Students will complete four (4) short online quizzes throughout the trimester, in week 2, 4, 6, and 8. 

Each quiz will be worth five (5) marks and will predominantly contain short-answer questions and some multiple-choice questions on Australian environmental history. 

Quiz content relates to online learning, active participation in tutorial discussions, and set readings from the previous fortnight. Students may refer to learning materials and the set readings while undertaking the quizzes. 

Each quiz will be active for two weeks only; students can complete each quiz at any point during the two-week period it is active. 

Quiz responses must demonstrate active participation in tutorial discussions, academic integrity, using appropriate academic language and formatting. All primary and secondary sources must be referenced. The referencing style used should be either Harvard, APA, or Chicago 17A.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1
Breadth and Depth of Knowledge
1
2
Interpretation
2
3
Communication
4
4
Academic Standards
4
Generic Skills:
Communication, Problem solving, Information literacy
All - Assessment Task 2:Case Study Presentation
Goal:
To demonstrate knowledge of environmental history themes and concepts and advancing research skills connected to a specific Australian case study, communicated as an oral presentation.
Product: Oral and Written Piece
Authorship Statement:
Format:
Submit: Presentations are conducted live in tutorials in allocated times across Weeks 7, 8 and 9.

Students will develop an 8 minute presentation on an Australian environmental history case study. Students will be guided in tutorials on selecting an appropriate case study for the task. Following the presentation, the student will answer questions asked by the tutor about the presentation for 2 minutes.

The Presentation should follow a logical structure to share research discoveries and ideas on the selected Australian environmental history case study. This is an opportunity for students to: explain environmental history themes and concepts related to the case study; explain their research process and challenges; share historical data and primary sources consulted and detail relevant historical information; demonstrate engagement with relevant scholarly secondary sources and understanding of related contemporary debates; and outline related historical, cultural, political, and social drivers.

The Presentation must demonstrate active engagement in tutorial discussions, academic integrity, using appropriate academic language and formatting. It should be engaging and professional in tone, well-illustrated, and referenced (images, quotes and ideas from other sources should be referenced on the slides with a reference list provided in the PPT and script). The referencing style used should be Harvard, APA, or Chicago 17A.

In addition to presenting during the allocated time/tutorial, students are required to submit a referenced Microsoft PowerPoint presentation and a referenced written script.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1
Breadth and Depth of Knowledge
1
2
Quality of Scholarship and Process
2
3
Historical Connection
3
4
Communication
4
5
Academic Standards
4
Generic Skills:
Problem solving, Organisation, Applying technologies, Information literacy
All - Assessment Task 3:Analytical Essay
Goal:
To demonstrate critical analysis of concepts and advancing research skills connected to a specific Australian environmental history topic, communicated as an analytical essay.
Product: Essay
Authorship Statement:
Format:
Submit: Friday Week 12. 

Students will produce a 2250 word essay on a key Australian environmental history topic. Students will be provided with a list of possible research topics to select from.

This task presents an opportunity for students to: demonstrate a suitable critical thinking, reading and writing process for the task; combine knowledge of course concepts/themes with in-depth research on the selected environmental history topic (drawing on historical data, primary sources,  and scholarly secondary sources); engage with relevant contemporary debates within environmental history literature; and apply historical argumentation and analysis in critically analysing the topic. 

The written pieces must demonstrate active participation in tutorial discussions, academic integrity, using appropriate academic language and formatting. All primary and secondary sources must be referenced. The referencing style used should be Harvard, APA, or Chicago 17A.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1
Breadth and Depth of Knowledge
1
2
Quality of Scholarship and Process
2
3
Historical Connection
3
4
Creation of a Compelling Argument
2 4
5
Academic Standards
4
Generic Skills:
Communication, Problem solving, Organisation, Information literacy

Directed study hours

A 12-unit course will have total of 150 learning hours which will include directed study hours (including online if required), self-directed learning and completion of assessable tasks. Student workload is calculated at 12.5 learning hours per one unit.

What resources do I need to undertake this course?

Please note: Course information, including specific information of recommended readings, learning activities, resources, weekly readings, etc. are available on the course Canvas site– Please log in as soon as possible.

Prescribed text(s) or course reader

There are no required/recommended resources for this course.

Specific requirements

Nil

How are risks managed in this course?

Health and safety risks for this course have been assessed as low. It is your responsibility to review course material, search online, discuss with lecturers and peers and understand the health and safety risks associated with your specific course of study and to familiarise yourself with the University’s general health and safety principles by reviewing the online induction training for students, and following the instructions of the University staff.

What administrative information is relevant to this course?

Assessment: Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is the ethical standard of university participation. It ensures that students graduate as a result of proving they are competent in their discipline. This is integral in maintaining the value of academic qualifications. Each industry has expectations and standards of the skills and knowledge within that discipline and these are reflected in assessment.

Academic integrity means that you do not engage in any activity that is considered to be academic fraud; including plagiarism, collusion or outsourcing any part of any assessment item to any other person. You are expected to be honest and ethical by completing all work yourself and indicating in your work which ideas and information were developed by you and which were taken from others. You cannot provide your assessment work to others. You are also expected to provide evidence of wide and critical reading, usually by using appropriate academic references.

In order to minimise incidents of academic fraud, this course may require that some of its assessment tasks, when submitted to Canvas, are electronically checked through Turnitin. This software allows for text comparisons to be made between your submitted assessment item and all other work to which Turnitin has access.

Assessment: Additional Requirements

Eligibility for Supplementary Assessment

Your eligibility for supplementary assessment in a course is dependent of the following conditions applying:
(a) The final mark is in the percentage range 47% to 49.4%; and
(b) The course is graded using the Standard Grading scale

Assessment: Submission penalties

Late submissions may be penalised up to and including the following maximum percentage of the assessment task’s identified value, with weekdays and weekends included in the calculation of days late:
(a) One day: deduct 5%;
(b) Two days: deduct 10%;
(c) Three days: deduct 20%;
(d) Four days: deduct 40%;
(e) Five days: deduct 60%;
(f) Six days: deduct 80%;
(g) Seven days: A result of zero is awarded for the assessment task.

The following penalties will apply for a late submission for an online examination:
Less than 15 minutes: No penalty
From 15 minutes to 30 minutes: 20% penalty
More than 30 minutes: 100% penalty

Links to relevant University policy and procedures

For more information on Academic Learning & Teaching categories including:

  • Assessment: Courses and Coursework Programs
  • Review of Assessment and Final Grades
  • Supplementary Assessment
  • Central Examinations
  • Deferred Examinations
  • Student Conduct
  • Students with a Disability

For more information, visit https://www.usc.edu.au/explore/policies-and-procedures#academic-learning-and-teaching

Student Charter

UniSC is committed to excellence in teaching, research and engagement in an environment that is inclusive, inspiring, safe and respectful. The Student Charter sets out what students can expect from the University, and what in turn is expected of students, to achieve these outcomes.

General Enquiries

For course-specific questions, contact your teaching staff or Course Coordinator.  

For other enquiries or to access support, please contact Student Central: