EAE2522 Earth surface dynamics
Faculty of Science
EAE2522 Earth surface dynamics is a level 2, 6-credit-point, undergraduate unit from the Faculty of Science, offered in 2025 in Semester 1 at Clayton. It has no prerequisites and unlocks 3 units, leading on to 4 units in all.
- Credit points
- 6
- Offered in 2025
- Semester 1
- Clayton
- Assessment
- No exam
- 4 tasks
This is the 2025 handbook entry. See the 2027 entry.
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Requisites
Before EAE2522
No prerequisites or corequisites besides the enrolment rules below.
After EAE2522
3 units list EAE2522 as a prerequisite or corequisite.
Overview
This unit focuses on the methods used to decipher the geological history the Earth from the sedimentary rock record. Topics covered include sedimentology, sedimentary petrology, stratigraphy, physical volcanology and palaeontology. You will explore the formation of sedimentary basins, their environments and past climate in the context of plate tectonics and how basins and their resources are analysed using geophysical and geological observations.
Offerings in 2025
| Teaching period | Campus | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| First semester | Clayton | On campus |
Assessment
- Assessed practical workDemonstration25%
- Three, intra-semester testsQuiz / Test30%
- Field tripDemonstration15%
- Basin analysis projectDemonstration30%
Learning outcomes
When you finish this unit, you should be able to:
- 1
Analyse the global tectonic context of sedimentary basins;
- 2
Determine the age of sedimentary and volcanic rocks using the principles of stratigraphy;
- 3
Apply the techniques of sedimentology, physical volcanology, stratigraphy and palaeontology to reconstruct the geological and paleoclimate record of sedimentary basins;
- 4
Evaluate basin evolution using geophysical techniques;
- 5
Apply geological principles to explore for and manage the resources and uses of sedimentary basins, including water and mineral resources, carbon capture and storage, and geothermal energy.
Workload and teaching
- Workshops24 hours
- Practical activities36 hours
- Teaching approachActive learning
- Teaching approachField trips
- Teaching approachProblem-based learning
- One 2-hour workshop;
- One 3-hour practical and
- Approximately 6 hours of independent study per week, plus
- One 1-day field trip.
Workshops are active classes where you will learn the unit content in an interactive context taught directly by the academics teaching the unit.
You will reinforce your learning on a field trip, where you can apply the knowledge developed in workshops and the skills you have practice in practical classes to understand the place around you.
In practical classes you will solve problems related to sedimentary rocks formation and composition, their provenance and transport, the environment in which they formed, the evolution of basins as the combined effect of climate, sea level change and deformation of the surface of the Earth.
Where it fits
EAE2522 is part of 3 areas of study in the 2025 handbook.
Contacts
- Chief Examiners
- Dr Fabio Capitanio
- Unit Coordinators
- Dr Fabio Capitanio
Common questions
What are the prerequisites for EAE2522?
EAE2522 has no prerequisites, but enrolment rules apply.
What can I take after EAE2522?
EAE2522 is a prerequisite or corequisite for 3 units, including EAE2511, EAE2532 and EAE3512. Those lead on to 4 units in all.
When is EAE2522 offered?
In 2025, EAE2522 runs in Semester 1 at Clayton.
Does EAE2522 have an exam?
No. EAE2522 has 4 assessment tasks and no exam.
Which majors and minors include EAE2522?
EAE2522 is part of Earth science.