About this course
- Entry year: 2012/13
- Course code: F8NA1
- Applications: University
- Level: Postgraduate
- Department: Geography and Environmental Management
- Campus: Frenchay Campus
- Duration: 12 months full time; 24 - 36 months part time
- Delivery: Full time, part time, short courses
- Study Abroad: No
- Programme leader: Dr Sarah Hills
- Key fact: This new course focuses on one of the most challenging issues that companies and organisations face in sustainable development: effecting change in individual behaviours, business practice and wider society.
Introduction
For the first time in history there is a growing realisation that the planet we leave behind must be as good as, if not better, than the one we came into. This is what sustainable development is about: creating changes that reconcile the future well-being of people with those of the planet.
To be successful, sustainable development needs to be embedded in the DNA of society at every level:
- Governments: to take the lead on strategy, policy and subsequent implementation
- Businesses and organisations: to ensure sustainability is factored into every aspect of their operations, from the environmental and social impacts of product design, logistics, manufacturing and waste management, to communicating with shareholders, the workforce and consumers.
- Individuals: through the choices they make about every aspect of their lives from food to energy use, transport and the purchase of goods and services.
Why Study Sustainable Development in Practice at UWE
Choose UWE and you will:
- Work on live briefs and real world projects and have invaluable access to organisations and case studies we can offer through the network of organisations associated with UWE's Institute for Sustainability, Health and Environment (ISHE).
- Gain a qualification that employers such as Arup, Davis Langdon, Parsons, Brinckerhoff, the NHS, Bristol City Council, Cornwall Council, Business in the Community, Sustrans and Forum for the Future have all expressly welcomed and supported.
- Be one of the first to be able to offer the new approaches and skills that employers such as these have asked for to help them manage the risks and opportunities of the transition to a sustainable future.
- Gain practical skills and experience employers want through practice and work based learning.
- Benefit form the expertise and experience our multi-disciplinary team have gained in consultancy, policy and practice.
- Flexible learning - you can study either full time or part time. Modules can be taken as short courses.
- Study in a city that has a pro-sustainability culture. Bristol, the UK's green capital, which has the largest number of environmental organisations outside London, including Sustrans, The Soil Association, Forum for the Future and the Centre for Sustainable Energy. Bristol and the wider region is also part of the sustainable cities network which connects it to over 40 other leading cities world wide who are exploring and communicating sustainability projects.
Employers view
"The focus of the course on transforming individual behaviour, business practice and wider society will be absolutely crucial to effect change."
Lynne Ceeney, Director of Corporate Sustainability EuMENA, Parsons Brinckerhoff
Structure
Content
The structure and content follows extensive research with a range of potential employers as well as publications and policies from organisations including government. They told us they need graduates who have the knowledge, tools and competencies needed to be skillful, dynamic and innovative facilitators in pro-sustainability change in a variety of contexts and settings. The modules reflect this. They include:
Core modules
Sustainable Development: Principles and Practice
Explores the fundamental nature, causes and consequences of sustainable and unsustainable development. Practical exercises and projects will give you firsthand experience of putting key concepts, frameworks and tools for implementing sustainable development into practice.
Creating Sustainable Behaviour Change
Uses case studies and examples to explore a range of different theoretical and practical approaches to understanding and influencing pro-sustainable behaviour.
The sustainable Organisation: Vision into practice
Examines the vision of a sustainable business operating in a complex ecosystem and resource constraints and compares this with the reality of contemporary business. Case studies and project work provide insight into the knowledge and skills necessary to move an organisation towards sustainable strategies and operations.
Cultural Change: History and practice
Analyses a range of historically significant campaigns and social movements and their implications for pro-sustainability change. The assessment enables you to develop and evaluate a communication strategy to change cultural understanding, attitudes and behaviours.
Work based Learning
This module gives you the opportunity to undertake a reflective and relevant individual project. Part time students will be able to gain academic credit for workplace experience. Full time students will be able to undertake their project with one of our many professional partners.
Optional Modules
You will take 30 credits from the following change management options. Students will gear their learning and assessment towards pro sustainability change.
Leading Change
The module will benefit those who wish to develop their understanding and skills for leading pro-sustainability change.
Facilitation Skills
This module will develop your understanding of the knowledge, skills and competencies required in facilitating groups.
Interventions for Creativity and Change
This module explores the role and contribution of creative methods in organisational change management interventions.
Teaching and learning
Teaching is delivered through blended learning - a mix of taught sessions delivered on campus, guided online learning, independent study and work-based learning.
- Taught sessions: you will be taught by an interdisciplinary team with sustainability and change expertise in areas including sustainable development, behaviour change, business management, health and well-being, media and communications
- Guided learning: delivered through lectures, tutorials, seminars, workshops, visiting speakers, online resources and case studies. A lot of this is collaborative through group projects, peer assessment and virtual communities including blogs, online discussions and peer assisted learning.
- Independent study: you will be encouraged to challenge existing perspectives and apply creative thinking and knowledge to facilitate change.
- Work-based learning: over a 12 week period you will have the chance to apply your sustainability knowledge and skills through a project based in your own workplace or with one of our professional partners. Part-time students may also make use of their professional experience to gain credit by evidencing that their knowledge, expertise and intellectual acumen meet the required learning outcomes of the module.
- Assessment: project-based assessment, focusing on real world challenges will enable you to build up a valuable portfolio of work in pro sustainability change.
Part Time students can take between 24-36 months, starting your dissertation during the second year, and completing it in the third year if necessary. The taught part of the course will be delivered over two years. There is also the option to gain a Postgraduate Certificate (30 credits worth of learning) or a Postgraduate Diploma (60 credits of learning).
Academic support
Each course has a nominated academic Course Leader who is responsible for all students enrolled on that course. They will be able to support you with any academic issues you come across, as well as being a port of call for advice on other University matters.
Social support
The Postgraduate society provides an organised social aspect to the postgraduate experience. The society actively promotes and supports a social network for postgraduate students and to show them what Bristol and the surrounding area has to offer.
Technical support
IT Helpdesk, plus technicians to help you if you need to use any of our specialist computing workshops or the other labs in the Department. These include environmental services, environmental change, environmental physics, earth sciences and surveying technology.
Special Features
Study facilities
As one of the UK's most advanced and responsive universities, we make sure that you have the resources and support you need to help you gain your qualification.
Resources:
- 24/7 access to the Bolland Library, the largest in the South West and all the other specialist libraries
- Extensive range of computer suites, some of which are open 24 hours a day
- Resources for photography, digital imaging, filming and sound recording
- Specialist computing workshops and labs
- Remote study, online discussions and resources via Blackboard, our e-learning tool Support:
Careers/further study
70% of businesses surveyed by Business in the Community said that they expected the gap in sustainability knowledge and skills to become one of the most pressing challenges facing UK businesses in the next 5 years. 87% said that the ability to inspire change on sustainability in a broad range of people within and outside of the organisation was one of the key skills for employees at all levels.
"At Arup we have the technical skills to design low carbon built environments. However we are increasingly aware that, in order to achieve a significant and sustainable shift towards a low carbon economy, technical solutions need to be combined with an appreciation of risk management, behaviour change and communications. These are skills areas which will become increasingly important in the coming years."
Wayne Dyer, Associate Director, Arup
What can you do with your MSc from UWE?
This course has been specifically developed to address the gap in the market for postgraduate expertise in sustainable development. It aims to equip you to respond strategically and holistically to the challenge of creating pro-sustainability change in a wide variety of private and public sector businesses and organisations.
The MSc Sustainable Development in Practice offers the right blend of skills, knowledge and thinking to develop your career in a variety of ways:
- capitalise on the growing need for qualified professionals who can lead change in multi-national corporations, international organisations, national, regional and local governments and independent businesses
- plan and implement sustainable development with organisations involved in niche or specialist sectors such as business management, environmental management, project management, planning, transport, construction, waste and energy
- use it to help others directly through campaigning, development or aid work or
- become an advisor in bodies such as the United Nations, World Bank, European Union or the OCED
- set the agenda by working with government and government agencies to deliver the policy framework for change
- increase your knowledge and research skills by going on to a PhD or go into teaching to help the next generation to understand how to put sustainable development in practice
- set up your own consultancy and work on a portfolio of projects
Entry
Entry requirements
We normally require a good honours degree of 2.2 or above from a UK university or the equivalent from an international university. However, as employers have indicated that they also value experience gained from the workplace, your prior knowledge and skills may mean that we could consider you without conventional entry requirements. If you have at least two years experience in a professional or management capacity in a sustainability role or as an activist within an NGO or community organisation, please get in touch. You may also be asked to complete a pre-entry assessment to allow us to judge your motivation and skills for successful higher level study.
Fees
Full details of fees for this course can be found on our postgraduate fees pages.
For funding options, please see our funding and scholarships information.
How to apply
Please apply directly to the University using the link 'applying for this course' on this page. For information on the course you are welcome to contact the Programme Leader, Dr Sarah Hills.
For further information
Page last updated 14 December 2011