Postgraduate Course: Principles of Environmental Sustainability (PGGE11060)
Course Outline
| School | School of Geosciences |
College | College of Science and Engineering |
| Course type | Standard |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Credits | 20 |
| Home subject area | Postgraduate Courses (School of GeoSciences) |
Other subject area | None |
| Course website |
http://xweb.geos.ed.ac.uk/~sallen/pes/ |
Taught in Gaelic? | No |
| Course description | The course is intended for students from any discipline interested in gaining a broad and holistic understanding of sustainable development. It is particularly suitable for students wishing to work in government, local authorities, environmental consultancy, environmental NGOs or education.
The course is designed to explore the potential of 'sustainable development' to overcome the environmental and social challenges facing humanity in the 21st century. By examining key drivers such as population growth, market economics, technological innovation, consumption patterns and public attitudes, the course investigates the complex causes of current global concerns. The promise of sustainable development as a way forward is assessed by examining the application of its core principles. Those considered include: environmental protection; equity within and between generations; the precautionary principle; the polluter pays principle; public participation in governance; and policy integration. The variety of viewpoints on questions of sustainability is emphasised through the discussion of controversies and case studies. The course encourages a strongly interdisciplinary approach to the understanding of sustainable development and seeks to foster critical thinking and debate. For full information on the content of the course, see: http://xweb.geos.ed.ac.uk/~sallen/pes/ |
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
Students MUST have passed:
|
Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
| Additional Costs | None |
Course Delivery Information
|
| Delivery period: 2011/12 Semester 1, Available to all students (SV1)
|
WebCT enabled: Yes |
Quota: 60 |
| Location |
Activity |
Description |
Weeks |
Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
| King's Buildings | Lecture | | 1-11 | | | | | 09:00 - 13:00 |
| First Class |
Week 1, Friday, 09:00 - 13:00, Zone: King's Buildings. Room 4, Crew Building MSc Teaching Annexe |
| Exam Information |
| Exam Diet |
Paper Name |
Hours:Minutes |
|
|
| Main Exam Diet S1 (December) | Principles of Environmental Sustainability | 2:00 | | |
Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes
1. Enhanced understanding of the evolution of sustainable development and its contested meanings
2. Appreciation of the core principles of sustainable development
3. Increased capacity for critical assessment of arguments related to sustainability
4. Broader interdisciplinary perspective and greater ability to link different areas of knowledge
5. Wider and deeper engagement with relevant literatures |
Assessment Information
The course is assessed by coursework (50%) and examination (50%):
Coursework: 2000-word essay, a critique of part of Bjorn Lomborg's book 'The Skeptical Environmentalist' (50% of course mark). Students will be offered the opportunity to submit a draft outline for comment. Feedback on the draft will be provided at least two weeks before the deadline for the full essay.
Examination: students answer two one-hour essay questions, from a choice of five (each answer is worth 25% of course mark); examination to be held during semester 1 exam period (week 13 or week 14). |
Special Arrangements
| Anyone wishing to enrol students from outside the School of GeoSciences should make a specific arrangement with the Course Organiser (Simon Allen: simon.allen@ed.ac.uk; tel 0131 650 7215) as there is high demand for this course. |
Additional Information
| Academic description |
Not entered |
| Syllabus |
Not entered |
| Transferable skills |
Improved essay writing skills |
| Reading list |
Not entered |
| Study Abroad |
Not entered |
| Study Pattern |
Not entered |
| Keywords | sustainable development; environmental change; sustainable lifestyles |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Simon Allen
Tel: (0131 6)50 7215
Email: simon.allen@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Mrs Natasa Honeybone
Tel: (0131 6)50 9975
Email: natasa.honeybone@ed.ac.uk |
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© Copyright 2011 The University of Edinburgh - 16 January 2012 6:32 am
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