Our Changing Climate
UndergraduateTAS-KGA3202025
- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- 100% online
- Enrol by
- 13 July 2025
- Entry requirements
- Prior study needed
- Duration
- 14 weeks
- Start dates
- 21 July 2025
- Price from
- $2,726
- Upfront cost
- $0
- Loan available
- HECS-HELP and FEE-HELP available
Our Changing Climate
About this subject
Upon successful completion of this subject, the student should be able to:
- Analyse interactions and feedbacks in climate systems and under climate change
- Evaluate spatial and temporal climate variability and trends using climate model simulations, historical and palaeoclimatic data
- Evaluate the impacts of climate change on physical, biological and human systems
- Obtain scientific information and present it graphically, quantitatively, qualitatively and via oral presentation
- Work constructively in groups to produce scientific outputs
- Introduction to Climate Observations
- Basic Climate Concepts
- Introduction to Global Climate Models (GCMs)
- Introduction to Regional Climate Modelling
- Introduction to Palaeoclimate
- Climate and the Biosphere: Marine and Terrestrial
- Climate Science Communication
- Climate Change Impacts
- Climate Variability
- The IPCC, Climate Detection and Attribution
- Climate Extremes
Human-induced climate change is arguably the most serious problem currently facing our planet. Detecting and attributing human-induced climate change requires an understanding of the mechanisms of natural climate variability as well as trends in climate. Earth's climate is a coupled system involving interactions between the atmosphere, ocean, land surface, biota, snow, and ice. Gaining an understanding of how our climate system works is an important first step to more confidently diagnosing and predicting the effects and impacts of human-induced climate change. In this subject, you will explore the complexities of Earth's climate system and the evidence of climate change. The subject is designed to provide you with comprehensive knowledge and skills in climate science through a combination of lectures, workshops, and practical assignments.
During this subject, you will:
- Learn about the fundamental components and interactions within Earth's climate system.
- Understand the role of climate models in simulating past, present, and future climate conditions.
- Analyse patterns and trends in climate data over different regions and timescales.
- Study historical climate changes using proxy data and reconstructions.
- Evaluate the effects of climate change on physical, biological, and human systems.
- Develop skills in presenting scientific information graphically, quantitatively, qualitatively, and via oral presentations.
- Monash Simple Climate Model (15%)
- Group Oral Presentation and Discussion (10%)
- Workshop portfolio task (35%)
- Essay (40%)
For textbook details check your university's handbook, website or learning management system (LMS).
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- QS World University Ranking 2025, within Australia:
- 20
- Times Higher Education World University Ranking 2025, within Australia:
- 19
Entry requirements
Prior study
You must either have successfully completed the following subject(s) before starting this subject, or currently be enrolled in the following subject(s) in a prior study period; or enrol in the following subject(s) to study prior to this subject:
Please note that your enrolment in this subject is conditional on successful completion of these prerequisite subject(s). If you study the prerequisite subject(s) in the study period immediately prior to studying this subject, your result for the prerequisite subject(s) will not be finalised prior to the close of enrolment. In this situation, should you not complete your prerequisite subject(s) successfully you should not continue with your enrolment in this subject. If you are currently enrolled in the prerequisite subject(s) and believe you may not complete these all successfully, it is your responsibility to reschedule your study of this subject to give you time to re-attempt the prerequisite subject(s).
Additional requirements
- Software requirements - Access to a computer with reliable internet, and the capacity to use free software packages (with support from instructors) is essential in this subject.
- Other requirements - Teaching Arrangement: Weekly 2-hour lectorial, 3-hour practical, 8 times per semester
Study load
- 0.125 EFTSL
- This is in the range of 10 to 12 hours of study each week.
Equivalent full time study load (EFTSL) is one way to calculate your study load. One (1.0) EFTSL is equivalent to a full-time study load for one year.
Find out more information on Commonwealth Loans to understand what this means to your eligibility for financial support.
What to study next?
Once you’ve completed this subject it can be credited towards one of the following courses
Bachelor of Science (Geography and Environment)
UndergraduateTAS-SCG-DEG
Bachelor of Business and Bachelor of Science
UndergraduateTAS-BBS-DEG
Bachelor of Psychological Science and Bachelor of Science
UndergraduateTAS-PSC-DEG
Bachelor of Science (Sustainability)
UndergraduateTAS-SUS-DEG
Single subject FAQs
What’s a single subject?
Single subjects are the individual components that make up a degree. With Open Universities Australia, you’re able to study many of them as stand-alone subjects, including postgraduate single subjects, without having to commit to a degree.
Each of your subjects will be held over the course of a study term, and they’ll usually require 10 to 12 hours of study each week. Subjects are identified by a title and a code, for example, Developmental Psychology, PSY20007.
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If that degree allows entry via undergraduate subjects, there will be information about this under the Entry Requirements section. You will find a list of 2-4 open enrolment subjects you need to successfully complete to qualify for admission into that qualification.
Once you pass those subjects, you will satisfy the academic requirements for the degree, and you can apply for entry.
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