THE UNIVERSITY of EDINBURGH

DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2017/2018

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DRPS : Course Catalogue : School of Social and Political Science : Science, Technology and Innovation Studies

Undergraduate Course: Cases in Sustainable Development (SSPS10014)

Course Outline
SchoolSchool of Social and Political Science CollegeCollege of Humanities and Social Science
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 10 (Year 3 Undergraduate) AvailabilityNot available to visiting students
SCQF Credits20 ECTS Credits10
SummaryPlease note: This course is only for students on the MA Sustainable Development Degree.

This course allows students to critically reflect upon the ways sustainable development is varyingly understood and acted upon in Scotland. This course enables students to develop knowledge and understanding of key theoretical and conceptual approaches in the social sciences through the context of field settings. To investigate how sustainable development is understood and practised in the field, we will focus on five case studies linked to (a) sustainable societies, energy and climate change, (b) sustainable consumption, (c) environmentally sensitive agriculture, and (d) policy tools for sustainability
Course description Week 1: Introduction to the course: sustainable transitions?
Week 2: Case study skills
Week 3: Case 1
Week 4: Case 2
Week 5: Case reflection and discussion
FCL: Case 3 and 4
Week 6: Case reflection and discussion
Week 7: Case 5
Week 8: Case reflection and discussion + Policy brief workshop
Week 9: Group presentations
Week 10: Conclusions and final reflections
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements None
Additional Costs FROM 2013/2014 STUDENTS WILL BE REQUIRED TO COVER THE COST OF FIELD TRIPS.
Course Delivery Information
Academic year 2017/18, Not available to visiting students (SS1) Quota:  23
Course Start Semester 2
Timetable Timetable
Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) Total Hours: 200 ( Lecture Hours 22, Formative Assessment Hours 1, Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 173 )
Assessment (Further Info) Written Exam 0 %, Coursework 100 %, Practical Exam 0 %
Additional Information (Assessment) * 2500 word essay (50%)
* 1000 word non technical summary (for policy-makers) (30%)
*Presentation (20%)
Feedback Not entered
No Exam Information
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  1. To gain in-depth knowledge of different field settings in which sustainability is practiced and understood * To help students reflect upon and operationalize key theoretical and conceptual approaches to sustainable development in the context of field settings * To gain a critical appreciation of the multiple research sites for studying sustainable development and relevant methods for doing so * To develop communication and interactive skills for group work
  2. To help students reflect upon and operationalize key theoretical and conceptual approaches to sustainable development in the context of field settings
  3. To gain a critical appreciation of the multiple research sites for studying sustainable development and relevant methods for doing so
  4. To develop communication and interactive skills for group work
Reading List
General course reading:

Robert K. Yin, Case study research: design and methods Los Angeles, Calif. : Sage Publications, 2009

Bryman, Alan, Social research methods, Oxford University Press, 2008.

Scottish Government, Choosing our future: Scotland¿s sustainable development strategy: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2005/12/1493902/39032
Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills Not entered
Additional Class Delivery Information Please note that field trips will take place during weeks 4, 6 and 8. Week 6 will involve visits outside of Edinburgh, whereas weeks 4 and 8 will be within the Edinburgh vicinity.
KeywordsSustainable Development Cases
Contacts
Course organiserDr Eugenia Rodrigues
Tel: (0131 6)51 4751
Email: Eugenia.Rodrigues@ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMr Ewen Miller
Tel: (0131 6)50 3925
Email: Ewen.Miller@ed.ac.uk
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