Postgraduate Course: Case Studies in Sustainable Development (PGGE11192)
Course Outline
| School | School of Geosciences |
College | College of Science and Engineering |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | This course introduces the diverse range of approaches being used to achieve sustainable development. These include international governance, national institutions, economic instruments, environmental regulation, technological innovation, new policy initiatives and grassroots participation.
Due to space and resource limitations on the field trip, this course is only available to Environmental Sustainability MSc students (for whom it is a core course).
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| Course description |
The course considers various different scales for thinking about sustainable development, from global agreements to household practices and individual behaviour. Some of the key themes that run through the course are the inter-relation and balance between economic and environmental decision-making; the consequences of upstream and downstream interventions; the imposition or adoption of regulations and incentives for environmental change; power and control over decision-making; and the role of experts and trust in information.
The use of these approaches at different levels of governance in a range of key sectors is considered, mainly on a case study basis through lectures and fieldwork. The course encourages a strongly interdisciplinary approach to the understanding of sustainable development and seeks to foster critical thinking and debate.
Tailored training, and discussions with experts from science, policy and practice will explain the characteristics and importance of effectively communicating core messages. Students develop group projects and liaise with contacts at the Department of Social Responsibility and Sustainability (SRS). Project work will be presented in class and field questions from class and representatives from SRS.
At the end of Semester 2, students will attend a week-long residential field course to central Scotland and the Scottish Highlands and Islands. The field course provides the opportunity for students to experience sustainable development in practice and reflect on the range of initiatives taking place across a range of sectors in Scotland. Students will complete a series of blog posts to reflect on their experiences on the field course.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2024/25, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
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Quota: 0 |
| Course Start |
Semester 2 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 40,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
156 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Assessment details -
The course assessment consists of two elements: a group presentation (60%), and a series of reflective blog posts (40%):
1. A 15-minute group presentation, setting out findings of a group project on a topic chosen from a list suggested by the University's Department of Social Responsibility and Sustainability (SRS).
2. Reflective blogs or vlogs will be used to critically reflect on sustainable development in practice. Students are encouraged to draw parallels between the principles of environmental sustainability and the real-world examples of sustainability on the Isle of Eigg.
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| Feedback |
A variety of methods will be used to provide feedback throughout the course and on the assignments:
- The course organiser and tutors will provide verbal feedback on the group work during the scheduled project work times;
- Formative feedback will be provided on a 1-page outline of the 4-page issue brief (submission of an outline is optional).
- Lead contacts in SRS will provide feedback on outlines of group presentations;
- The marks for all assignments will be accompanied by written feedback to explain the marks awarded and make constructive suggestions for improvement.
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| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Have a good understanding of sustainability initiatives in a range a different topical policy areas
- Have knowledge of a range of relevant case studies
- Understand the diversity of challenges, in terms of sectors and scales of governance, necessary to achieve sustainable development
- Have developed transferable skills in synthesis and presentation of sustainable development issues and recommendations through succinct, targeted advice.
- Observe and critically reflect on sustainable development in practice across a range of sectors (internationally and in Scotland)
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Reading List
Tailored reading material will be made available in advance to prepare for each lecture. This usually consist of a mix of academic literature and more applied policy reports and websites. A distinction is made between essential and recommended reading.
In preparation for the course students are recommended to have read the introduction (pp: 1-6) from Beder (2006) from 'Environmental Principles and Policies: An Interdisciplinary Introduction'. It gives a brief overview of the principles that were covered in last semester's sustainability course, so might provide useful background for those students who did not attend. (this text is available on Learn).
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Keywords | case studies,sustainable development,sustainability,society,environment,transition |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Dan Van Der Horst
Tel: (0131 6)51 4467
Email: Dan.vanderHorst@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Mrs Lynn Taylor
Tel:
Email: Lynn.Taylor@ed.ac.uk |
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