Outline

Overview

This Unit of Study can be used for two purposes and requires permission for both; GEOS3055 is co-badged with AGEN3008 Indigenous Land and Food Knowledge (see handbook for more information on this unit of study) and requires permission to enrol from the unit coordinator OR GEOS3055 can be used in instances where students wish to gain academic credit for their participation in an approved field-based learning module undertaken overseas in the Asia-Pacific region. This will typically take the form of University of Sydney International Placement program that operates with oversight from a member of academic staff of the School of Geosciences and with curriculum content consistent with the discipline of Geography. It requires permission to enrol from the Geosciences Head of School. This is a selective 3000-level unit in the Environmental Studies major and the Geography major.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit	Geosciences Academic Operations
Credit points	6
Prerequisites ?	GEOS2X21 or AREC2005 or GOVT2228 or GEOS2X11 or GEOS2X23 or GEOS2X16
Corequisites ?	None
Prohibitions ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	No

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Rebecca Cross, r.cross@sydney.edu.au

Assessment

The census date for this unit availability is 1 September 2025

Details
Criteria

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length	Use of AI
Portfolio or journal	Field Study Report Notes describing Field Study activities - hard copy submission	10%	Week -02	Booklet filled out during Field Study	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
Contribution	Engagement during Field Study Evidence of engagement and group collaboration during Field Study	10%	Week -02	Engagement during Field Study	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
Written work	Individual essay Essay	25%	Week 05 Due date: 05 Sep 2025 at 23:59	2000 words	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
Presentation	Presentation of Feasibility Study Presentation of Feasibility Study	10%	Week 09	15mins	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
Experimental design	Group Feasibility Study Feasibility Study with funding application as an appendix	20%	Week 10 Due date: 17 Oct 2025 at 23:59	3000 word report	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
Portfolio or journal	Critical Reflection Critical reflection using excerpts from reflective journal	25%	Week 11 Due date: 24 Oct 2025 at 23:59	2000 words	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
= group assignment ?

Assessment summary

Participation and fieldwork booklet
Place-based essay
Critical reflection
Feasibility study plus presentation

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name	Mark range	Description
High distinction	85 - 100	A response at the high distinction level will demonstrate flair for the subject area. A comprehensive understanding of the material should be apparent, and clear critical evaluation of the subject area supported by evidence and examples. The student has been able to grasp complex ideas and to originally interpret their field findings. There must be no factual errors. More than this, the student should demonstrate clear evidence of wider knowledge and reasoning (that is, brings in superior levels of knowledge or relates to ideas that may be new or novel relative to the field site or topic). The student would demonstrate familiarity with a wide range of sources and materials. Essays must be clearly and logically structured to support the argument being made. An award of high distinction is an exceptional achievement.
Distinction	75 - 84	A response at the distinction level will demonstrate high-level aptitude for the subject area. The essay should indicate a strong understanding of the material, incorporating all of the relevant factual information as specified by the question. Evidence of critical evaluation should be apparent. There should be no significant factual errors. Some evidence of independent and original thinking should be apparent. Some evidence for an understanding of the broader literature would be required. Presentation, expression and grammar must be of very high quality, and essays should be clearly and logically structured. An award at the distinction level is an excellent achievement.
Credit	65 - 74	A response at the credit level will demonstrate a good understanding of the subject area, incorporating most of the relevant knowledge or facts as specified by the question. There is evidence of a sound understanding of the material, and that this understanding has been successfully applied to the essay question. There may be limited evidence of critical independent thinking and/or originality of thought. There may be a few minor factual errors, but these do not significantly affect the logic of the response. Essays should incorporate most of the relevant factual information as specified by the question. Presentation should be clear, and expression should be of good quality, with few typographical, spelling or grammatical errors. An award at the credit level is a good achievement.
Pass	50 - 64	A response at the pass level will demonstrate a satisfactory understanding of the subject area. Essays should include relevant knowledge. While the response is judged to adequately answer part, or all, of the question posed, there may be some significant factual errors and omissions. A limited understanding of the issues or concepts is apparent, suggesting that the student may have misunderstood some of the concepts presented. Presentation may be of low quality, and a logical structure difficult to discern. Expression may be deemed adequate, but there will be several grammatical or typographical errors that compromise the flow and meaning of the essay. An award at the pass level is satisfactory, and suggests a basic understanding of the subject area.
Fail	0 - 49	A response at the fail level will demonstrate an unsatisfactory or inadequate level of understanding of the subject area. Essay responses will include little of the relevant knowledge or factual information required to properly address the question posed. Presentation is poor, with no structure explicit or otherwise. Expression is very poor to poor, with numerous and repetitive typographical, spelling and grammatical errors. The essay is difficult to read, and the meaning of the prose may be unclear. It is apparent that the student has been unable to grasp and articulate the issues being addressed. The student would usually have not made a genuine attempt to participate in group discussions. An award at the fail level is unsatisfactory and below the threshold standard for achievement at this year level.

For more information see guide to grades.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI)

You can use generative AI tools for open assessments. Restrictions on AI use apply to secure, supervised assessments used to confirm if students have met specific learning outcomes.

Refer to the assessment table above to see if AI is allowed, for assessments in this unit and check Canvas for full instructions on assessment tasks and AI use.

If you use AI, you must always acknowledge it. Misusing AI may lead to a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy.

Visit the Current Students website for more information on AI in assessments, including details on how to acknowledge its use.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

5% per day late deduction

Academic integrity

The University expects students to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

Our website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. This includes advice on how to avoid common breaches of academic integrity. Ensure that you have completed the Academic Honesty Education Module (AHEM) which is mandatory for all commencing coursework students

Penalties for serious breaches can significantly impact your studies and your career after graduation. It is important that you speak with your unit coordinator if you need help with completing assessments.

Visit the Current Students website for more information on AI in assessments, including details on how to acknowledge its use.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Support for students

The Support for Students Policy reflects the University’s commitment to supporting students in their academic journey and making the University safe for students. It is important that you read and understand this policy so that you are familiar with the range of support services available to you and understand how to engage with them.

The University uses email as its primary source of communication with students who need support under the Support for Students Policy. Make sure you check your University email regularly and respond to any communications received from the University.

Learning resources and detailed information about weekly assessment and learning activities can be accessed via Canvas. It is essential that you visit your unit of study Canvas site to ensure you are up to date with all of your tasks.

If you are having difficulties completing your studies, or are feeling unsure about your progress, we are here to help. You can access the support services offered by the University at any time:

Support and Services (including health and wellbeing services, financial support and learning support)
Course planning and administration
Meet with an Academic Adviser

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity	Learning outcomes
Week -03	13day Field Trip across NSW (Wiradyuri, Gamilaraay and Anaiwan Country)	Field trip (97.5 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Pre-enrolment tasks must be completed to gain permission to enrol in the unit
The CSU ICCP must be completed
Attendance during the Field Study (14 days in July across NSW) is mandatory
Attendance at pre-Field Study workshops are required for WH&S briefings, cultural competence training and organisation of travel logistics
Attendance at the post-Field Study workshop is required for the group presentation

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. Understand the complexity involved in sustainably caring for Country using multiple sources of knowledge and world-views
LO2. Recognise the extent of Indigenous land management in Australia by working directly with individuals and communities living and working on Country.
LO3. Develop the cultural competence and capability to work effectively with Indigenous communities.
LO4. Be familiar with the main challenges facing contemporary Indigenous communities in the context of land management and critically examine the potential future implications of these challenges.
LO5. Practice applying skills and knowledge to work competently and confidently with individuals and communities for positive change.
LO6. Explore and describe options for enterprise development in collaboration with communities and assess the potential for increasing cultural inclusivity.
LO7. Develop a feasibility study for enterprise development and a grant application tailored to include local Indigenous knowledge and participation.
LO8. Critically reflect on and analyse how different cultural values and beliefs affect professional communication and practice and the strategies that can be employed to enhance communication across cultures.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

GEOS3055 offered to students in 2025 without the co-badged unit AGEN3008.

Additional information

Additional costs

Costs for accommodation, transport and some meals will be required

Site visit guidelines

Permission obtained as required for each site visited.

Work, health and safety

As this is a field trip includes travel relatively remote locations, all WH&S requirements are followed carefully and fully.
Students are fully briefed for safety and risks before the field trip and on a daily basis according to the risks associated with tasks for the day.
Students are required to complete a Fieldwork Acknowledgement Form to raise awareness of risks and to gather relevant medical information and contact details.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI)

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Additional costs

Site visit guidelines

Work, health and safety

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

GEOS3055: Field Studies in Geography

Semester 2, 2025 [Block mode] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI)

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Additional costs

Site visit guidelines

Work, health and safety

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links