Postgraduate Course: Futures Methods (fusion online) (EFIE11411)
Course Outline
| School | Edinburgh Futures Institute |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
| Course type | Online Distance Learning |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| SCQF Credits | 10 |
ECTS Credits | 5 |
| Summary | *EFI Shared Core Course*
Please Note:
This course is only available to students enrolled on one of Edinburgh Futures Institute's postgraduate programmes.
This course introduces students to the "transdisciplinary discipline" of futures studies, equipping them with practical skills to apply cutting-edge methods and tools across diverse fields. The course will assist students to identify and implement the methods best suited for their unique research questions and professional challenges. By providing insights into methodologies sought by corporate, government, and other organizations, the course aims to enhance graduates' abilities to tackle global challenges and improve their career prospects. |
| Course description |
The Futures Methods course provides an in-depth academic exploration of contemporary futures studies and foresight methods. Throughout the course, you'll engage with a comprehensive syllabus covering the investigation of change patterns over time, analyses of past trends, and imagination of future possibilities. The course will examine how people reason, imagine, and feel about the futures, contextualizing these insights within individual and cultural narratives. This course emphasises adaptability and strategic application, preparing you to address complex global challenges within the context of your own knowledge area and unique research question. You will gain knowledge of methodologies used by professionals in corporate, government, and other organisations and enhance your readiness for diverse career opportunities.
Through a structured approach, you will explore typologies of futures studies tools and methods, contrasting academic literature with practical foresight toolkits. You will engage with others in a dynamic learning experience that includes analysing illustrative case studies and participating in discussions that challenge conventional perspectives. The learning experience is designed to foster critical thinking, collaboration, and practical skill development, enhancing your readiness for diverse career opportunities. You'll participate in interactive seminars, workshops, and group projects, which will offer hands-on experience in applying these methods to your research questions and professional interests. By the end of the course, you'll have a practical guide to selecting and applying an evolving array of methods, enhancing your competency in futures studies and foresight.
Edinburgh Futures Institute (EFI) - Online Fusion Course Delivery Information:
The Edinburgh Futures Institute will teach this course in a way that enables online and on-campus students to study together. This approach (our 'fusion' teaching model) offers students flexible and inclusive ways to study, and the ability to choose whether to be on-campus or online at the level of the individual course. It also opens up ways for diverse groups of students to study together regardless of geographical location. To enable this, the course will use technologies to record and live-stream student and staff participation during their teaching and learning activities. Students should note that their interactions may be recorded and live-streamed. There will, however, be options to control whether or not your video and audio are enabled.
As part of your course, you will need access to a personal computing device. Unless otherwise stated activities will be web browser based and as a minimum we recommend a device with a physical keyboard and screen that can access the internet.
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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 2025/26, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
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Quota: None |
| Course Start |
Semester 1 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
100
(
Lecture Hours 5,
Supervised Practical/Workshop/Studio Hours 5,
Online Activities 7,
Formative Assessment Hours 2,
Summative Assessment Hours 2,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 2,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
77 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Feedback |
Throughout the course, students will receive both formative and summative feedback to support their learning and development.
Formative Feedback:
1) Tutorials and Workshops: Informal tutor and peer feedback will be integrated into workshops.
2) Class Discussions: Timetabled classes will include feedback sessions allowing students to refine their understanding through interactive discussions.
3) Activities: Each weekly class includes specific activities such as student reflection, Q&A sessions, and synchronous and asynchronous discussions. These highly interactive sessions provide opportunities for ongoing feedback.
4) Draft Submissions: Students can submit drafts of their group projects for short written feedback, guiding improvements before final submission.
Summative Feedback:
1) Group Projects: Detailed written feedback will be provided on final group reports, covering strengths, areas for improvement, and suggestions for further development.
2) Peer Assessment: Use of Web PA to offer peer feedback, promoting reflection on both group and individual contributions.
Feedback will be scheduled regularly throughout the course to ensure it supports learning progression and enhances students' ability to apply concepts practically. |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Critically evaluate a range of futures studies methods, demonstrating the ability to select appropriate tools for diverse research questions and contexts.
- Apply interdisciplinary approaches to integrate futures thinking with existing knowledge, enhancing problem-solving across complex global issues.
- Develop practical skills in using foresight techniques, enabling informed scenario planning and strategic decision-making.
- Communicate and collaborate effectively with peers and professionals, fostering innovation through interdisciplinary teamwork.
- Reflect on ethical implications of futures methodologies, ensuring responsible and sustainable applications in various sectors such as health, governance, economy, education, environment, and the creative industries.
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Reading List
Indicative Reading List:
Asian Development Bank (2020) Futures Thinking in Asia and the Pacific: Why foresight matters for policy makers. Asian Development Bank. https://www.adb.org/publications/futures-thinking-asia-pacific-policy-makers
Hichert, Tanja & Schultz, Wendy (2024) Futures Studies Methods: A typology and guide to research design. In: Roberto Poli (ed.), Handbook of Futures Studies (pp. 329-359).
Glen, Jerome & Gordon, Theodore (2009) Futures Research Methodology - Version 3.0. The Millenium Project.
Inayatullah, Sohail (2012) Futures Studies: Theories and Methods. In: There's a Future: Visions for a better world (pp. 37-65). BBVA Group.
Milojevic, Ivana (2021). Futures Fallacies. What they are and what we can do about them. Journal of Futures Studies 25,4(1-16).
UK Government (2024) The Futures Toolkit. UK Government Office for Science. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/66c4493f057d859c0e8fa778/futures-toolkit-edition-2.pdf
Selected articles in the following journals:
Compass: The Global Voice of Professional Futurists (magazine, non-peer reviewed)
European Journal of Futures Research
Foresight: The Journal of Futures Studies, Strategic Thinking and Policy
Futures: The Journal of Policy, Planning and Futures Studies
Futuribles: L'anticipation au service de l'action
Human Futures: A Publication of the World Futures Studies Federation (magazine, non-peer reviewed)
Journal of Futures Studies
On the Horizon: The International Journal of Learning Futures
Policy Futures in Education
Technological Forecasting and Social Change
World Futures Review: A Journal of Strategic Foresight
World Futures: The Journal of New Paradigm Research |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Students will develop key knowledge and skills through analysis of readings, case studies, and the application of futures methods (SCQF characteristic 1 and 2).
They will address complex global challenges by employing strategic foresight techniques, even in the absence of complete data (SCQF characteristic 3).
Students will enhance cognitive skills by generating innovative responses to real-world problems using futures methodologies (SCQF characteristic 4).
Working in interdisciplinary teams, they will cultivate communication, autonomy, accountability, and collaborative skills (SCQF characteristics 4 and 5).
Students will critique and refine their approaches, integrating diverse perspectives to shape thoughtful futures scenarios (SCQF characteristic 5). |
| Keywords | Futures Studies,Foresight,Futures Methods |
Contacts
| Course organiser | |
Course secretary | Miss Abby Gleave
Tel: (0131 6)51 1337
Email: abby.gleave@ed.ac.uk |
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