Key issues in coastal dynamics 1

The "Major Issues in Coastal Dynamics" module takes place at the start of the university semester, during an integration seminar for the "Coastal Engineering and Integrated Coastal Dynamics" and "Water and Coastal" master's programs, usually held at an emblematic coastal location. At this event, organized around a different flagship theme in coastal sciences each year, an inaugural lecture is given on the definition of the coastline, and the typology of coastlines on land. This is followed by one or two lectures given by specialists on a topic chosen from current events in coastal science. Within a short space of time after the seminar, students are required to write, individually or in pairs, an analytical note on the agreed topic.

The main aim of the module is to reinforce skills in information synthesis and scientific writing. A secondary objective is to enable students to begin working together and exchanging ideas on a subject at the heart of the general objectives of the course, especially as this module is shared between 2 coastal courses with complementary sensibilities. In general, the subject covered is taken from one of the following themes: coastal development, innovative protection systems, sand resources, renewable marine energy, coastal architecture, technologies in the marine environment, water resources in the coastal environment. The subject is always related to societal issues.

The desire to work in coastal sciences.

Recommended prerequisites:

A minimum of general knowledge.

Training courses that include this module in their offering will endeavor to put in place a portfolio of knowledge/skills that will be carefully documented in this module.

These skills will be assessed in the form of a final knowledge test. Students will be assessed strictly on their ability to write a summary note on a topical issue at the heart of the integration seminar at the beginning of the semester.  

M1 "Coastal Engineering and Integrated Coastal Dynamics" masters students take part in an integration course at the beginning of the year, at an emblematic coastal location, over several days. They are joined from time to time by students from the M1 "Water & Coast" and M2 "Coastal Engineering and Coastal Dynamics" masters programs, for a one-day thematic seminar based on the inaugural course and a pair of specialist lectures. Each student, or pair of students, will receive personalized support in preparing their analysis notes.

The inaugural course covers the following topic: Definition of the concept of coastline. Classification of coastlines, typology (barrier, lido, berm, beach top, etc.), typical profiles (cliffs, sandy systems, estuaries, mangroves, reefs, etc.), worldwide distribution, state of health of coastlines, overall morphologies (spits, chains of spits, floating spits, crenellated bays, points, etc.). Notion of WWB to generalize the concept of coastline (and therefore the scope of this course and training) to many continental environments (epicontinental seas, large lakes, mega-lagunes, etc.). Illustrated examples of coastlines, WWB and Iwwb index.

The entire module, from its presentation to its evaluation, is carried out by