International River Basin Management (ENEN90037)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)
Overview
| Availability(Quotas apply) | Semester 1 |
|---|---|
| Fees | Look up fees |
AIMS
River basins, where human civilisation comes from, are challenged by increasing population pressures, rapid urbanization and climate change impacts. A river basin is a semi-closed ecological and economic system, representing logical management units of the water cycle, throughout which all decisions and actions have interdependent ecological, social and economic implications. Thus, river basin management needs interdisciplinary knowledge. This subject aims to equip tomorrow’s water managers with the adaptive approach by linking cutting edge knowledge to stress-tested practices in river basin management.
This subject includes (a) 10 weeks of classroom teaching during the semester (2 hours of lectures and 1 hour of tutorial each week) and (b) a 5-7 day field trip held in either China or Australia, to be held in the first week after the exam period. Students are expected to make a contribution towards the cost of the field trip.
Intended learning outcomes
This subject aims to equip students who are interested in environment and natural resource management with a whole-of-system approach in managing a co-evolved social-ecological system-river basin. It helps students with engineering background and interest to understand how their engineering knowledge and skills contribute to a real co-evolved social-ecological system. Specifically:
- ILO 1. Compare the historical development of large multi jurisdictional river basins from an economic, social and environmental perspective
- ILO 2. Identify links between the historical development and the management challenges facing the current generation of river basin managers
- ILO 3. Critique the policy and other reforms designed to solve a range of river basin management challenges
- ILO 4. Create new solutions to particular contemporary river basin management challenges.
- ILO 5. Identify and describe the key elements involved with modelling water resource systems
Generic skills
- Ability to undertake problem identification, formulation, and solution
- Ability to utilise a systems approach to complex realities
- Field work skills
- Cross-cultural communication and research skills
- Research Project design
- Teamwork.
Last updated: 4 March 2025
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
One of
| Code | Name | Teaching period | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| ENEN30002 | Intro to Sustainable Water Management | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
Or Admission into the following:
- MC-ENSYSEN Master of Environmental Systems Engineering
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
None
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 4 March 2025
Assessment
| Description | Timing | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
Written Assignment- Four written personal reflections on the river basin management topic of the week. 4 x 300 words. Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) 1 -3 are addressed in this assignment.
| From Week 3 to Week 6 | 25% |
Written Assignment- Individual written assignment on a river basin management topic allocated. 1,200 words. ILOs 3-5 are addressed in this assignment.
| Week 10 | 25% |
Presentation- Group oral presentation on the learnings from the field trip. ILO's 1-5 are addressed in this presentation.
| Last day of field trip. | 15% |
Written Assignment- Individual staged written report tackling international river basin management challenges drawing on experience during the field trip. Part 1: 1,200 words prior to the field-trip to set a framework Part 2: 400 words at end of field-trip to review outcomes. ILOs 1 - 5 are addressed in this report.
| Part 1: Prior to the field-trip, i.e. 1st week of the exam period Part 2: on the penultimate day of the field-trip | 35% |
| Hurdle requirement: Attendance on field-trip | Note: The field trip is essential to fulfill the subject learning outcomes, so exemptions from this hurdle requirement will only be considered in the case of circumstances that could not have reasonably been foreseen at subject commencement. | N/A |
Last updated: 4 March 2025
Quotas apply to this subject
Dates & times
- Semester 1
Coordinator Keirnan Fowler Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours Total hours: 80 hours Teaching during semester: 30 hours - 2 hours of lectures and 1 hour of tutorial for 10 weeks; Field Work: 40 hours Total time commitment 200 hours Teaching period 3 March 2025 to 1 June 2025 Last self-enrol date 14 March 2025 Census date 31 March 2025 Last date to withdraw without fail 9 May 2025 Assessment period ends 27 June 2025 Semester 1 contact information
Keirnan Fowler
email: fowler.k@unimelb.edu.au
Time commitment details
200 hours
What do these dates mean
Visit this webpage to find out about these key dates, including how they impact on:
- Your tuition fees, academic transcript and statements.
- And for Commonwealth Supported students, your:
- Student Learning Entitlement. This applies to all students enrolled in a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP).
Subjects withdrawn after the census date (including up to the ‘last day to withdraw without fail’) count toward the Student Learning Entitlement.
Additional delivery details
Please note that the offering of this subject has an enrolment quota:
- 20 places only.
- Initial self-enrolment will be provisional, places will not be guaranteed until the selection process has been run.
- Students will be selected into the subject on a first-come, first-served basis with preference given to students undertaking the subject as a compulsory subject in their degree or a core subject in their major.
- Students undertaking the subject as a compulsory subject in their degree or a core subject in their major, can submit an Enrolment Variation request to check if there is still room in the quota.
- Students taking the subject as breadth may be withdrawn and should consider enrolling in the subject in a subsequent semester.
Subject Delivery:
10 weeks of teaching on campus during the semester (2 hours of lectures and 1 hour of tutorial each week): 30 hours;
Field trip is in the first week after the exam period: 40 hours.
Last updated: 4 March 2025
Further information
- Texts
- Related Handbook entries
This subject contributes to the following:
Type Name Course Master of Environmental Systems Engineering Course Master of Environmental Engineering Specialisation (formal) Civil Specialisation (formal) Environmental Specialisation (formal) Water Systems - Available through the Community Access Program
About the Community Access Program (CAP)
This subject is available through the Community Access Program (also called Single Subject Studies) which allows you to enrol in single subjects offered by the University of Melbourne, without the commitment required to complete a whole degree.
Please note Single Subject Studies via Community Access Program is not available to student visa holders or applicants
Entry requirements including prerequisites may apply. Please refer to the CAP applications page for further information.
Additional information for this subject
Subject coordinator approval required
- Available to Study Abroad and/or Study Exchange Students
Last updated: 4 March 2025