GEO4181 – Introduction to Natural Hazards

Changes in the course due to coronavirus

Autumn 2020 and Spring 2021 the exams of most courses at the MN Faculty will be conducted as digital home exams or oral exams, using the normal grading scale. The semester page for your course will be updated with any changes in the form of examination.

Please note that there may be changes in the form of examination for some courses taught Spring 2021. We aim to bring both the course description and the semester page of all courses up to date with correct information by 1 February 2021.

See general guidelines for examination at the MN Faculty autumn 2020.

Course content

This course introduces natural hazards, both globally and related to Scandinavian conditions. The course introduces basic concepts of describing, analysing and mitigating natural hazards and associated risk. There will be a focus on a range of different methods to address and better understand hazards, including computer laboratory experiments and numerical modelling of relevant processes.

Learning outcome

After the course, the students are expected to have the competence and/or abilities to:

• recognize and differentiate different types of natural hazards and their major driving factors,
• evaluate the principles of different methods to address natural hazards, such as statistical or modelling tools,
• work in groups and build up experiments to understand natural hazard processes,
• evaluate multi-hazards and address implications related to these events.

Admission to the course

The course admits a maximum of 15 students. If the number of applicants exceeds the course capacity, applicants will be ranked in the following order:

1. Students in the master’s programme in Geosciences, programme option Environmental geology and geohazards
2. Students in the master’s programme in Geosciences, other programme options
3. Master’s level exchange students and other master’s level students at the MN Faculty
4. New single course students on master’s level

Admission will be decided by drawing lots for applicants who are ranked equally.

Formal prerequisite knowledge

• MAT1100 – Calculus
• or MAT1001 – Mathematics 1 (discontinued)
• or GEO1040 – Introduction to programming with applications in geosciences (discontinued)
• or GEO-KJM1040 – Introduction to programming with applications in geosciences and in chemistry (discontinued)
• or INF1100 – Introduction to programming with scientific applications (continued)

and

• HMS0504 – Field Safety
• or MNHMS0015FS – Introduction to Field Safety (discontinued)

Recommended previous knowledge

It is recommended to have a bachelor degree in geosciences, physics or related topics.

Overlapping courses

• 10 credits overlap with GEO3034 – Geohazards.
• 10 credits overlap with GEO4034 – Geohazards.

Teaching

The course includes lectures and computer laboratory work, approx. 4 hours per week. There will be 2-6 days mandatory hours in experimental and numerical computer Laboratory.

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 Study administration, email address: studieinfo@geo.uio.no

Examination

All mandatory activities must be approved in order for the student to take the final exam.

Final exam consists of a written (3 hours)/oral (depending on no. of students) examination (c. 60%), a scientific report from computer laboratory work (c. 20%), and oral presentation of a case study (c. 20%).

Language of examination

The examination text is given in English, and you submit your response in 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.

Special examination arrangements, use of sources, explanations and appeals

See more about examinations at UiO