Useful links
Skip to main content
Search the University of Sydney website
Current students
Unit of study_
GEOS2116: Earth Surface Processes
2025 unit information
The surface of the planet on which you live is the product of a balance between tectonic forces and numerous agents of erosion. The landscapes in which you live and work, and from which you draw resources, are therefore the legacy of many processes operating synchronously over long time periods. It is also true that Earth's landscapes are dynamic, and constantly changing around you in response to climate, tectonics and patterns of life. The sustainable management of landscapes is strongly dependent upon an awareness of those processes and the ways that they constrain human-environment interactions. In Earth Surface Processes, you will learn how landscapes are produced, and what this means for contemporary land use. Lectures by experts in physical geography, geology, soil science and environmental science will introduce you to the planetary and regional-scale controls on landforms and landscape dynamics, and the nature and distribution of major Australian landscape types. Focussed around 'hands on' field and laboratory-based tasks, students will gain essential practical, analytical and interpretive skills in the analysis of landscapes and earth surface processes that shape them. This is a unit for anyone wanting to better understand the planet on which they live.
Unit details and rules
Managing faculty or University school:
Science
| Study level | Undergraduate |
|---|---|
| Academic unit | Geosciences Academic Operations |
| Credit points | 6 |
|
Prerequisites:
?
|
None |
|---|---|
|
Corequisites:
?
|
None |
| Prohibitions:
?
|
GEOS2916 or GEOG2321 |
| Assumed knowledge:
?
|
None |
At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:
- LO1. recognise the major planetary and regional-scale geological, tectonic and climatic controls on landform and landscape dynamics
- LO2. demonstrate knowledge of common landscape types, how they are classified, and what processes control their distribution and form
- LO3. recognise and explain the ways that geomorphic processes influence the management of contemporary landscapes
- LO4. recognise and interpret stratigraphic facies in terms of the geomorphic processes that produce them
- LO5. develop an understanding of geological time and the various approaches used to date earth materials
- LO6. demonstrate competency in field and laboratory methods for acquiring data on landform processes
- LO7. demonstrate a familiarity in the use and application of software tools for spatial analysis and modelling of earth surface processes and landscape types
- LO8. develop and apply, critical thinking and problem-solving skills to a range of tasks in the classroom, the field, or the laboratory
- LO9. communicate effectively to a wide range of audiences, using a range of media, complex scientific knowledge, ideas and concept
- LO10. work safely, co-operatively, and ethically, in groups or as individuals.
Unit availability
This section lists the session, attendance modes and locations the unit is available in. There is a unit outline for each of the unit availabilities, which gives you information about the unit including assessment details and a schedule of weekly activities.
The outline is published 2 weeks before the first day of teaching. You can look at previous outlines for a guide to the details of a unit.
| Session | MoA ? | Location | Outline ? |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Semester 2 2025
|
Normal day | Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney |
Outline unavailable
|
Find your current year census dates
Modes of attendance (MoA)
This refers to the Mode of attendance (MoA) for the unit as it appears when you’re selecting your units in Sydney Student. Find more information about modes of attendance on our website.
