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ESC-30166 - Module Specification
School of Life Sciences
Faculty of Natural Sciences

For academic year: 2026/27 Last Updated: 17 March 2026

ESC-30166 - Quaternary Climate Change: from Ice Ages to a Warming World
Coordinator: Alix Cage Tel: +44 1782 7 33177
Lecture Time: See Timetable...
Level: Level 6
Credits: 15
Study Hours: 150
School Office: 01782 734414

Programme/Approved Electives for 2026/27

None

Available as a Free Standing Elective

No

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites

None

Barred Combinations

None

Description for 2026/27

The Earth’s climate and environment has been constantly changing throughout the history of the planet, and continuing change will have a serious impact on human activity. However, our understanding of how climate and the environment changes is incomplete, and thus our ability to predict and adapt to future change is limited. This module aims to examine the key issues and debates surrounding global climatic and environmental change throughout the Quaternary period. In particular, it aims to highlight the relationships between global environmental change and the characteristics of the Earth's surface processes and landscapes, and to recognise the contested and limited nature of knowledge in this very dynamic subject.

Aims
This module aims to examine the key issues and debates about global climate and environmental change. In particular, it aims to highlight the relationships between climatic and environmental change and the characteristics of the Earth's surface processes and landscapes, and to recognise the contested and limited nature of knowledge in this very dynamic subject.

Intended Learning Outcomes

critically evaluate the literature surrounding key issues and debates in global climatic and environmental change: 1,2
explain how past climate and environments are reconstructed using their knowledge of Quaternary Science methods: 2
select, analyse and interpret Quaternary Science data to produce a reconstruction of past environmental change: 2
critique the role of climate upon the Earth's physical landscape and processes: 1,2
appraise the role of humans and nature in past, modern and future climate scenarios: 1
debate the contested and limited nature of knowledge in the discipline of global environmental change: 1,2

Study hours

Active learning
35 hours of scheduled synchronous in situ sessions.
2 hours of additional drop in clinics.
33 hours of structure engagement with online resources and directed research.
Independent study:
82 hours of independent learning hours preparing for coursework assessments and independent study split between the two assessments

School Rules

None

Description of Module Assessment

1: Assignment weighted 50%
Conversation-style communication piece
A Conversation-style communication piece (~ 2,000 words) that explores key concepts of recent and future climate change and persuasively communicates them to a wider audience.

2: Report weighted 50%
Report in style of a journal manuscript (2500 words)
This assessment is a report in the form of a journal manuscript (~2,500 words comprising an abstract, introduction, methods, results, discussion, conclusion and reference list) which will address an aspect of Quaternary Science reconstruction (topic areas will be provided). Students will use geochronology and proxy data generated/presented during practical classes to produce a Quaternary Science reconstruction paper which will be underpinned by a thorough literature review and discussion/interpretation section. The report will require engagement with the literature and promote critical thinking through contextualisation of their data with other studies. The methods section will improve understanding of Quaternary Science techniques and the results section will engage the student in data analysis skills which will help address the identified data management/numeracy skill gaps within the Environment sector (NERC LWEC report, 2012).

The University undertakes a continuous review of its teaching and research provision to ensure programmes are of a high quality and changes may be made to modules where it is necessary and reasonable to do so. Please be aware that minor changes to modules, such as a change to an individual assessment, can occur up until enrolment, although we endeavour to give you as much notice as possible of any changes. Details about the circumstance in which changes are made to programmes can be found in the Student Agreement, available at: https://www.keele.ac.uk/legalgovernancecompliance/governance/actcharterstatutesordinancesandregulations/studenttermsconditions/

Last Updated: 17 March 2026