Courses & Units

Governing Antarctica KSA201

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Introduction

Antarctica and the Southern Ocean – valued, protected, understood. This mantra was coined originally by the Australian Antarctic Division (the government department with responsibility for Australian activities in the Antarctic) and was also adopted, with modification, by Antarctica New Zealand (New Zealand’s government department). It reflects the vision of these two countries, and the ideological approach they have to their interests in the Antarctic. It is simple, descriptive and informative. It is what this unit is all about. “Protecting Antarctica” integrates the natural and social sciences to give context to contemporary Antarctic environmental issues. Its objective is to provide a comprehensive, multidisciplinary review of the management and regulation of uses of the continent and surrounding marine environment of the Southern Ocean from the point of view of protecting the natural environment and its values. It includes a series of lectures on geography and environmental sciences, physical sciences, biological sciences, social sciences and humanities. “Protecting Antarctica” incorporates the theme of multiple use management of a globally important region, wherein management involves commercial marine living resource extraction, scientific research, logistics, and tourism and other non-extractive commercial activities. Antarctica and the Southern Ocean are subject to a unique legal regime including an environmental protocol to the 1959 Antarctic Treaty, and this instrument has become the basis upon which all human activity in Antarctica is judged. Completing the unit will equip students from a wide variety of fields with the ability to view the Antarctic from a more holistic perspective. Your new knowledge will assist you to understand the various values of the region, how they – and the areas they apply to – become known, then valued, then protected.

Summary

Unit name Governing Antarctica
Unit code KSA201
Credit points 12.5
College/School College of Sciences and Engineering
Institute for Marine & Antarctic Studies
Discipline Oceans and Cryosphere
Coordinator Associate Professor Jeffrey McGee
Available as an elective? Yes
Delivered By University of Tasmania
Level Intermediate

Availability

Location Study period Attendance options Available to
Hobart Semester 1 On-Campus International Domestic
Online Semester 1 Off-Campus International Domestic

Key

On-campus
Off-Campus
International students
Domestic students
Note

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Key Dates

Study Period Start date Census date WW date End date
Semester 1 26/2/2024 22/3/2024 15/4/2024 2/6/2024

* The Final WW Date is the final date from which you can withdraw from the unit without academic penalty, however you will still incur a financial liability (refer to How do I withdraw from a unit? for more information).

Unit census dates currently displaying for 2024 are indicative and subject to change. Finalised census dates for 2024 will be available from the 1st October 2023. Note census date cutoff is 11.59pm AEST (AEDT during October to March).

About Census Dates

Learning Outcomes

  • Demonstrate a broad understanding of the geographical scope and characteristics of the Antarctic and understand what activities are conducted there that make it vulnerable.
  • Interpret the vulnerabilities of the Antarctic in order to identify options to avoid potentially harmful practices.
  • Analyse a wide range of legal and regulatory instruments that help to manage human use.
  • Critically assess the effectiveness of specific policy and legal approaches to solving human use problems.

Fee Information

Field of Education Commencing Student Contribution 1,3 Grandfathered Student Contribution 1,3 Approved Pathway Course Student Contribution 2,3 Domestic Full Fee 4
050999 $1,118.00 $1,118.00 not applicable $3,068.00

1 Please refer to more information on student contribution amounts.
2 Please refer to more information on eligibility and Approved Pathway courses.
3 Please refer to more information on eligibility for HECS-HELP.
4 Please refer to more information on eligibility for FEE-HELP.

If you have any questions in relation to the fees, please contact UConnect or more information is available on StudyAssist.

Please note: international students should refer to What is an indicative Fee? to get an indicative course cost.

Requisites

Prerequisites

KSA101 OR HIR101 OR HPP101

Teaching

Teaching Pattern

1 hour of pre-recorded lectures, 1 hour of synchronous online lecture, 1 hour tutorial

AssessmentAssignment (30%)|Short Answer Questions (30%)|Exam (40%)
TimetableView the lecture timetable | View the full unit timetable

Textbooks

Required

Secretary of the Antarctic Treaty, 2017, Compilation of Key documents of the Antarctic Treaty System, Third Edition.

P.A. Berkman et al (eds), 2011, Science Diplomacy: Antarctica, Science and the Governance on International Spaces’, (Smithsonian Institution Press: United States).
Recommended

Recoomended Readings are continuously updated and provided in the Unit Schedule in the Unit outline

LinksBooktopia textbook finder

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