University of Canterbury

This course examines short-form prose storytelling with a focus on the short story. It covers a wide range of short story forms and structures. 

This course examines Indigenous literature which presents Indigenous creative production in Aotearoa in relation to Indigenous literatures around the globe. 

This course examines how and why volcanoes erupt and how to communicate this to diverse audiences. It explores local volcanoes on field trips, and  volcanoes in North Island NZ/Aotearoa and Iceland via virtual field trips. During the labs you will use microscopes, cooking, and explosions to describe volcanic deposits, understand lava viscosity, and explain volcanic hazards. 

This course examines nature and origin of structures produced by deformation in the Earth’s crust, and material properties of rocks that affect the way in which they respond, as well as practical geometric methods associated with deriving and representing the three dimensional form of structures commonly encountered in geological practice, and synthesis of tectonic settings. It also covers large-scale geometry and processes of plate tectonics, and topics in global geophysics linked to current observation and plate tectonic theory.

This course examines trees and their environment. A basic understanding of environmental and climatic effects on trees will underpin methods of species selection, growing and maintaining trees and site specific management.

This course examines field techniques applied to metamorphic, igneous and sedimentary rocks, and rock deformation structures. 

This course examines the physical processes involved with the formation and evolution of mountain glaciers and seasonal snow, including processes such as surface mass balance, dynamics and hydrology. 

This course examines the myriad and often conflicting ways that sex and sexuality have been represented throughout the history of Western cinema, with an emphasis upon Hollywood and American independent film. It begins with early representations of sex and bodies and consider the significant impact and legacy of the Motion Picture Production Code, a ‘morality code’ that was enforced in the United States from the mid-1930s to the 1960s. It then moves on to a diverse range of films and genres including comedy, horror, the musical, exploitation film and art film. It explores ideological, social, ethical and artistic debates within film studies, while also addressing some important subgenres, historical trends, and specific films and filmmakers. 

This course examines contemporary issues in developmental theory and research from the prenatal period to adulthood. Topics will include theories of development, biological, cognitive, language, social, emotional, and moral development, as well as attachment,
the development of the self, the family, and peer relationships.

This course examines how animals interact with each other and with their environment. It covers the control, development, adaptive significance and evolution of behavior.