ERTH20001 Dangerous Earth
University of Melbourne · Level 2 · 12.5 points · Runs in 2026: Semester 2.
- Final exam 37%: mostly coursework
- About 4 class hours a week
Is ERTH20001 hard?
ERTH20001: Easier. Makes it easier: Reviewers say it’s manageable (6 reviews), Reviewers say the workload is light.
What you learn
Earthquakes, floods, bushfires, cyclones and other natural hazards, and how to assess and reduce their risk.
After it you can
- Run a quantitative risk assessment in Excel
- Characterise a natural hazard
- Compare ways to plan for and reduce hazard risk
What you need first
None
What it leads to
Careers
Helps toward: Geologist, Meteorologist
How it’s assessed
Participation 30%, Assignments 33%, Final exam 37%
Student reviews and ratings
Summarised from 6 students on StudentVIP (2015–2025)
- Content and exam are widely seen as easy; an H1 is possible with modest effort.
- Pracs are repeatedly criticised for unclear instructions and marking; asking tutors and working with peers helps.
- Each disaster topic has a different lecturer, and quality varies between them.
A summary of public reviews, not scored here.
Taken this subject? Rate it anonymously (difficulty, workload, marking, would you recommend it) and leave a tip for next year's students. Rate ERTH20001
Quick answers
- When is ERTH20001 offered?
- Runs in 2026: Semester 2.
- What do I need before taking ERTH20001?
- No prerequisites.
- Does ERTH20001 have a final exam?
- Yes, the final exam is 37% of the mark. Assessment: Participation 30%, Assignments 33%, Final exam 37%.
- Is ERTH20001 hard?
- From 6 student reviews on StudentVIP: Content and exam are widely seen as easy; an H1 is possible with modest effort.
- What do students say about ERTH20001?
- Content and exam are widely seen as easy; an H1 is possible with modest effort. Pracs are repeatedly criticised for unclear instructions and marking; asking tutors and working with peers helps. Each disaster topic has a different lecturer, and quality varies between them.
- How many class hours a week does ERTH20001 have?
- 4 h a week in class
- Can I take ERTH20001 as breadth?
- Yes, for: Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Commerce, Bachelor of Design, Bachelor of Fine Arts (Acting), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Animation), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Dance), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Film and Television), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Music Theatre), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Production), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Screenwriting), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Theatre), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Visual Art), Bachelor of Music.
- What can I take after ERTH20001?
- 1 subjects need it first, for example GEOG30023.
- Can I rate ERTH20001?
- Yes. If you've taken it, rate it anonymously on this page (difficulty, workload, marking, would you recommend it) and leave a tip for next year's students. Averages show once 3 students have rated it; tips are checked before they appear.
Source: University of Melbourne Handbook 2026
Always confirm in the official Handbook.
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