Program Overview

Program Overview

The University of Copenhagen offers a Master's program in Geography and Geoinformatics, with a focus on Numerical Modelling in Fluvial, Coastal, Estuarine, and Marine Environments.

Program Details

Course Description

The course aims to provide students with theoretical knowledge on detailed hydrodynamic and geomorphic processes related to the transport of sediment in fluvial and coastal environments. The course consists of two main parts:

• Calculation and numerical modelling of water flow, sediment transport, and morphological change in fluvial and estuarine environments using the DHI-MIKE HYDRO model complex.
• Calculation and numerical modeling of wave-driven flows, sediment transport, shoreline erosion, and cross-shore profile development in coastal environments, using the DHI-LITPACK model complex.

Learning Outcomes

• Knowledge:
  • Waves and currents in coastal environments, wave theories, unidirectional currents and discharge in rivers, sediment dynamics and sediment transport in coastal and fluvial environments, relationship between sediment transport gradients and morphological change.
• Skills:
  • Use numerical modelling to simulate hydrodynamics and sediment transport using the DHI modelling tools MIKE HYDRO and LITPACK.
  • Delimit, prepare, and accomplish solutions of fluvial problem complexes using MIKE HYDRO.
  • Account for the principles behind nearshore wave transformation and ability to calculate those transformations using MATLAB.
  • Account for nearshore processes derived from wave transformations.
  • Delimit, prepare, and accomplish solutions of coastal and marine problem complexes using LITPACK.
  • Critical model evaluation.
  • Necessary basic skills to use other models within the DHI model complex such as MIKE FLOOD and MIKE21.
• Competences:
  • Analyse, assess, and apply results, methods, theory, and data in connection with numerical modelling in the fluvial, coastal, estuarine, and marine environments.

Literature

Please see the course page for literature details.

Recommended Academic Qualifications

A BSc in Geography and Geoinformatics or equivalent is recommended.

Teaching and Learning Methods

The form of teaching is exercises combined with ad hoc lectures.

Workload

• Category:
  • Preparation: 136 hours
  • Project work: 35 hours
  • Theory exercises: 35 hours
  • Total: 206 hours

Exam

• Credit: 7.5 ECTS
• Type of assessment: Written assignment, during course, and oral examination, 20 minutes.
• The written assignment is prepared during the course and must be handed in prior to the exam week.
• The oral exam uses the written assignment as its point of departure.
• A combined grade is given after the oral exam.

Course Information

• Language: English
• Course code: NGEA09056U
• Credit: 7.5 ECTS
• Level: Full Degree Master
• Duration: 1 block
• Placement: Block 3
• Schedule: A
• Course capacity: 25
• Continuing and further education: Available

Contracting Department and Faculty

• Department: Department of Geoscience and Natural Resource Management
• Faculty: Faculty of Science

Course Coordinators and Lecturers

• Course Coordinators: Troels Aagaard
• Lecturers: Troels Aagaard, Verner B. Ernstsen, Aart Kroon

Study Board

• Study Board of Geosciences and Management