GEO4410 – Glacial and Periglacial Geomorphology

Course content

The focus of this course will be on the geomorphological processes and the landforms associated with glaciers, permafrost, periglacial and slope environments. The course also has relevance for Quaternary geology. The course will give an insight into modern research methods, including field methods, numerical landscape modelling and theoretical approaches to understanding processes and impacts of meteorology and climate on glacial, periglacial, gravitational and fluvial landforms, past as well as the present.

The course has a theoretical part with lectures and seminars, and a practical part with fieldwork/excursion. The fieldwork will provide students with personal experience from modern glaciers and periglacial environments. Seminars will deal with papers, based on field studies in Norway and other cold-climatic regions, to improve knowledge on such geomorphological processes, and to demonstrate the use of cold-climate landforms to reconstruct past environments and climatic conditions. Discussions will concentrate on identifying the critical questions for future cold-climate geomorphological research. Computer labs will provide insight into the use of physical and empirical modelling of geomorphological phenomena.

Learning outcome

After taking this course, you are able to

  • describe and discuss geomorphological processes and landforms, with a special focus on cold environments and changing climates?

  • describe the large-scale features of the Scandinavian landscape, and discuss different theories of its formation

  • describe relevant processes which control the extent and evolution of permafrost and frost processes, their impact on the landscape, with a special focus on changing climates

  • describe how we can reconstruct past ice sheets and glaciers, and outline the main features of the deglaciation history of Scandinavia

  • model landscape evolution using numerical models, and reflect on the relevant responsible agents shaping glacial and periglacial landscapes

  • collect, analyze and present glacial and periglacial data

  • read, discuss and present scientific literature, and reflect and evaluate its relevance and novelty

  • independently discover new knowledge and apply this to solving specific problems

Admission to the course

Students admitted at UiO must?apply for courses?in Studentweb. Students enrolled in other Master's Degree Programmes can, on application, be admitted to the course if this is cleared by their own study programme.

Nordic citizens and applicants residing in the Nordic countries may apply to take this course as a single course student.

If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about?admission requirements and procedures for international applicants.

Formal prerequisite knowledge

Overlapping courses

Teaching

The course will have a theoretical part with lectures up to 2 x 2 hours per week and seminars/computer lab 2 hours per week.

From the seminars/computer lab, you have to submit 2 lab reports which must be approved before the final examination. Students will also have to write a group report based on one of the computer labs which will count towards the final grade.?

There is a compulsory field excursion of up to 7 days with overnight accommodation. An excursion report must be written from the field excursion, which counts towards the final grade.

Attendance at the first lecture is compulsory. Students who fail to meet are considered to have withdrawn from the course unless they have previously given notice to the Student administration, (studieinfo@geo.uio.no).

We reserve the right to change the teaching?form and examination of the course in semesters where 5 or fewer students have been admitted.

General information about excursions at the Department?of Geosciences

As?the?teaching involves laboratory and/or fieldwork, you should consider taking out a separate travel and personal risk insurance.?Read about your insurance coverage as a student.

Cost of taking the course

The field trip is compulsory and has a fee of NOK 150 per night (if accommodation).?

Examination

  • 2 written computer lab reports must be approved in order to sit the final exam.?
  • One written excursion report counts 35% towards the final grade.
  • One group report based on one of the computer labs counts 15% towards the final grade.?
  • A final oral examination counts 50% towards the final grade.
  • Both the written excursion report, the group report and the final examination must be passed separately in order to pass the course.

Mandatory assignments are valid for 5 semesters starting from the semester they were approved the first time.

If there are more than 10 students admitted for the course, the final examination may be held as a written examination.?

It is possible to take the exam up to 3 times. If you?withdraw from the exam?after the deadline or during the exam, this will be counted as an examination attempt.

Examination support material

Approved calculator

Language of examination

Courses taught in English will only offer the exam paper in English (if written exam).

You may write your examination paper in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish or English.

Grading scale

Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F is a fail. Read more about the grading system.

Resit an examination

Students who can document a valid reason for absence from the regular examination are offered a postponed examination at the beginning of the next semester.

Re-scheduled examinations are not offered to students who withdraw during, or did not pass, the original examination.

More about examinations at UiO

You will find further guides and resources at the web page on examinations at UiO.

Last updated from FS (Common Student System) Nov. 10, 2024 5:53:20 AM

Facts about this course

Level
Master
Credits
10
Teaching
Autumn
Examination
Autumn
Teaching language
English

Contact

Department of Geosciences