Introduction to Sustainable Development DUMF1076

  • Academic Session: 2024-25
  • School: School of Social and Environmental Sustainability
  • Credits: 20
  • Level: Level 1 (SCQF level 7)
  • Typically Offered: Semester 1
  • Available to Visiting Students: Yes
  • Collaborative Online International Learning: No

Short Description

This course introduces the foundational principles of sustainable development, sensitizing students to the contested nature of the concept. The course starts by contextualizing sustainable development debates from a historical perspective, before considering the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) framework, and subsequently examines a range of disciplinary perspectives on sustainable development from the social and environmental sciences. Given the interdependencies of environmental, social, and economic systems, the course emphasises the complexity of sustainable development challenges and explores their potential resolution through holistic 'systems thinking' approaches.

Timetable

1x 2 hours lecture and 1 x 1 hour seminar per week

Requirements of Entry

None

Excluded Courses

None

Co-requisites

None

Assessment

Essay (2000 words: 65%). (ILOs 1, 3 and 4)

 

Group oral presentation (35%, with weighting for both individual and group performance). (ILOs 2 and 3)

Course Aims

This course aims to equip students with the knowledge and analytical skills to assess sustainable development challenges and provide solutions. To develop a holistic perspective on sustainable development, students will learn about its contested nature and the interconnectedness of environmental, social, and economic systems. Through analyses of case studies and class debates around global issues, such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and inequalities, students will be encouraged to think critically about these issues and the challenges of solving them. This approach is designed to help students develop 'systems thinking' skills to succeed in their chosen careers and work in their local communities, instilling a commitment to sustainable practices.

Intended Learning Outcomes of Course

By the end of this course students will be able to:

 

1. Contextualize the concept of sustainable development from a historical perspective and outline the differing schools of thought that have defined the concept;

2. Critically analyse how sustainable development is applied with reference to specific case studies; 

3. Identify and explain the complex interactions between social, environmental, and economic systems;

4. Articulate their own stance on sustainable development through reflecting on their own practices.

Minimum Requirement for Award of Credits

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.