THE UNIVERSITY of EDINBURGH

DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2021/2022

Information in the Degree Programme Tables may still be subject to change in response to Covid-19

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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 Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
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. Returning 4th year students and exchange students on the degree can take this course subject to the availability of places.

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 + Policy brief workshop
Week 6: Case 3
Week 7: Case 4
Week 8: Case reflection and discussion
Week 9: Case 5
Week 10: Case reflection and discussion + Final reflections

Note: this is an indicative course outline as fieldtrip arrangements may dictate a different plan.
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements None
Additional Costs FROM 2013/2014 STUDENTS MAY BE REQUIRED TO COVER THE COST OF FIELD TRIPS.
Course Delivery Information
Academic year 2021/22, Not available to visiting students (SS1) Quota:  39
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 (60%)
* 1000 word non technical summary (for policy-makers) (40%)

Feedback Not entered
No Exam Information
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  1. display in-depth knowledge of different field settings in which sustainability is practised and understood
  2. demonstrate a broad and integrated knowledge of undertaking project work in a variety of field settings
  3. show skills through data collection, analysis and interpretation so students are confident drawing on a range of sources in order to undertake social science research
  4. show a critical appreciation of the multiple research sites for studying sustainable development and relevant methods for doing so
  5. understand sustainability in practice, drawing on the theoretical and conceptual frameworks covered in the course and in the degree
Reading List
General course reading:

* Grin, John; Rotmans, Jan; Schot, Johan (2011) Transitions to Sustainable Development: New Directions in the Study of Long Term Transformative Change, London: Routledge
* Yin, Robert (1994) Case study research: design and methods. London: Sage.
* Flyvbjerg, B. (2006) 'Five Misunderstandings About Case-Study Research', Qualitative Inquiry, 12(2), 219-245.
* Benson, M. H., Craig, R, K (2014) ¿The End of Sustainability¿, Society and Natural Resources, 27:777¿782, DOI: 10.1080/08941920.2014.901467
* Lucas Seghezzo (2009) ¿The five dimensions of sustainability¿, Environmental Politics, 18:4, 539-556, DOI: 10.1080/09644010903063669
Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills Not entered
Additional Class Delivery Information Please note that fieldtrips will take place during Weeks 3, 4, 7, and Flexible Learning Week (between 5-6).
KeywordsSustainable Development,Case-study,Fieldtrips
Contacts
Course organiserDr Eugenia Rodrigues
Tel: (0131 6)51 4751
Email: Eugenia.Rodrigues@ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMiss Abby Gleave
Tel: (0131 6)51 1337
Email: abby.gleave@ed.ac.uk
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