SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT APPLICATIONS - 2020/1

Module code: ENGM067

Module Overview

This module provides an introduction to Sustainable Development for students primarily concerned with industrial ecology, and a consolidation and deepening of understanding for students focusing on sustainable development and corporate environmental management, who also take the Foundations of Sustainable Development module.

Module provider

Centre for Environment & Sustainability

Module Leader

MORSE Stephen (CES)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 7

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Overall student workload

Independent Learning Hours: 110

Lecture Hours: 40

Module Availability

Semester 1

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

None

Module content

The module will cover the following topics:


  • Summary of foundational issues in SD: origins, Brundtland, I=PAT equation, SD strategies and contested ideas

  • Measuring sustainable development (indicators. Sustainable Livelihood Approach, remote sensing)

  • Sustainable production and consumption: SD in relation to Industrial Ecology, concept and practice of the Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) in fishery management

  • Case studies of SD challenges, policies and management in mining, production of  consumer goods, retailing, finance, health services

  • Case studies of SD and Sustainable Livelihood Approach in the Global South

  • Case study of SD communications: Natural England

  • Communication and leadership issues in management for SD

  • Issues in implementation of SD policies

  • Analysis of key texts and discussion of films offering case studies


Assessment pattern

Assessment type Unit of assessment Weighting
Coursework PRE-MODULE INDIVIDUAL CRITICAL REVIEW (MAXIMUM 1000 WORDS) OF A CORPORATE SUSTAINABILITY REPORT OR SIMILAR DOCUMENT FROM 25
Coursework POST-MODULE INDIVIDUAL WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT (MAXIMUM 3000 WORDS) 75

Alternative Assessment

Repeat of assignment with different subject from supplied list

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate

The pre- and post-module assignments are designed to build upon the topics covered in the module and give the students a chance to explore them in a context that they are especially interested in.

Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of:


  • Pre-module individual critical review (maximum 1000 words) of a corporate sustainability report or similar document from a public agency (25%)

  • Post-module individual written assignment (maximum 3000 words) from a supplied list of essay topics (75%)



Formative assessment and feedback

Feedback from the pre-module assignment will help students with their post-module assignment. Sessions at the start and end of the module will cover – in part – the module assignment. Students will submit their work via Surrey Learn.

Module aims

  • The module aims to raise awareness among students as to the meaning of sustainable development but in particular its application in a variety of contexts spanning the public, private and ‘Third' sectors. The emphasis is very much upon a critical analysis of practice rather than the theoretical and ethical basis for sustainable development (covered in the SD-Foundations module).

Learning outcomes

Attributes Developed
1 Understand the basic issues in implementing and managing sustainable development K
2 Understand challenges and emerging solutions in public and private sector organisations C
3 Understand issues in the integration of SD in national and local development policies and plans C
4 Engage in debates about the practical implementation and management of sustainable development policies and plans in business and governance T

Attributes Developed

C - Cognitive/analytical

K - Subject knowledge

T - Transferable skills

P - Professional/Practical skills

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to:

The module is designed to provide an introduction to sustainable development, including an awareness of some of the key issues in implementation being faced today. The module is very much geared towards application rather than theory. Hence a number of guest speakers from the public, private and ‘Third’ sectors are invited to talk about some of the key issues that they have faced making sustainability a reality in their own context.

The learning and teaching methods include:


  1. Pre course study involving the analysis of a sustainability report

  2. Lectures from module team and various guest lecturers from the public, private and ‘Third’ sectors.

  3. Group exercises

  4. Audio and video presentations

  5. Post course study linked to main assessment



Items 2, 3 and 4 = 35 hours contact time in one week (Monday to Friday)

Item 1 = 30 hours

Item 5 = 85 hours

 

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: ENGM067

Programmes this module appears in

Programme Semester Classification Qualifying conditions
Corporate Environmental Management MSc 1 Optional A weighted aggregate mark of 50% is required to pass the module
Environmental Strategy MSc 1 Compulsory A weighted aggregate mark of 50% is required to pass the module
Sustainable Development MSc 1 Compulsory A weighted aggregate mark of 50% is required to pass the module
Renewable Energy Systems Engineering MSc 1 Optional A weighted aggregate mark of 50% is required to pass the module

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2020/1 academic year.