Advanced Sustainable Development: Sustainability in Policy and Practice (014GA)

30 credits, Level 6

Autumn teaching

This module is led by a staff member who advises the UN on climate policy. In this module, you’ll learn about advanced sustainability concepts and how they shape real debates. You’ll also learn how to write policy briefs, which many careers rely on. The module explains that sustainability has no single definition or clear path. It asks you to reflect on how your values shape your view of sustainability. This reflection matters in international policy work. The module links these ideas to real-world practice and helps you build a strong base for your future career.

Teaching

33%: Lecture
67%: Practical (Fieldwork, Workshop)

Assessment

30%: Coursework (Presentation, Report)
70%: Written assessment (Essay)

Contact hours and workload

This module is approximately 300 hours of work. This breaks down into about 33 hours of contact time and about 267 hours of independent study. The University may make minor variations to the contact hours for operational reasons, including timetabling requirements.

We regularly review our modules to incorporate student feedback, staff expertise, as well as the latest research and teaching methodology. We鈥檙e planning to run these modules in the academic year 2026/27. However, there may be changes to these modules in response to feedback, staff availability, student demand or updates to our curriculum.

We鈥檒l make sure to let you know of any material changes to modules at the earliest opportunity.

Courses

This module is offered on the following courses: