The Sustainability Professional (MSc) | GGES6008

Module overview

The Sustainability Professional is a high-level skills practical module delivered in partnership with a range of contributors from local and regional environmental and sustainability consultancies and other organisations. This module aims to provide students with the skills, knowledge and expertise to pursue a career in this rapidly growing employment field. Students will be able to develop academic knowledge of the subject area, but also be able to gain practical experience of professional project work through working in partnership with internal and external experts on ‘real-life’ case studies on a weekly basis. The emphasis in this module is on professional skills development, problem-solving, and group exercises. Students are encouraged to participate in discussion and development of solutions as opposed to traditional lecture-based classes.

Students will complete a series of weekly case study exercises, to be included in a 'Professional Development Reflection and Analysis Report' as an individual submission. written up in the form of a summary analysis report to be submitted as a ‘Sustainability Portfolio’.

Students will work in groups to submit one full consultancy report as the primary assessment.

By the completion of the module, all students will have a sophisticated professional level understanding of this diverse field, experience of working with experienced on case study exercises in a professional capacity, and high number of professional skills to add to their CVs.

Students will complete a series of weekly case study exercises, to be written up in the form of a summary analysis report to be submitted as a ‘Sustainability Portfolio’. Students will work in MSc groups to submit one full consultancy report as the primary assessment. By the completion of the module, all students will have a sophisticated professional level understanding of this diverse field, experience of working with experienced on case study exercises in a professional capacity, and high number of professional skills to add to their CVs.

Aims and Objectives

Learning Outcomes

Transferable and Generic Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

Recognising and respecting the views and opinions of other team members.
Identifying individual and collective goals and responsibilities and performing in a manner appropriate to these roles.
Appreciating issues of sample selection, accuracy, precision and uncertainty during collection, recording and analysis of data in the field and laboratory.
Solving numerical problems using computer and non-computer-based techniques.
Identifying and working towards targets for personal, academic and career development.
Using the internet critically as a means of communication and a source of information.
Developing the skills necessary for self-managed and lifelong learning (eg working independently, time management and organisation skills).
Preparing, processing, interpreting and presenting data, using appropriate qualitative and quantitative techniques and packages including geographic information systems.
Communicating appropriately to a variety of audiences in written, verbal and graphical forms.
Receiving and responding to a variety of information sources (eg textual, numerical, verbal, graphical).
Evaluating performance as an individual and a team member.
Developing an adaptable and flexible approach to study and work.

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

The applicability of environmental science to the world of work.
The contribution of environmental science to debate on environmental issues and how knowledge of these forms the basis for informed concern about the Earth and its people.
Issues concerning the availability and sustainability of resources, for example, the different value sets relating to the Earth's resources as commodities and/or heritage.
The terminology, nomenclature and classification systems used in environmental science.
The contribution of environmental science to the development of knowledge of the world we live in.
The need for both a multi-disciplinary and an interdisciplinary approach in advancing knowledge and understanding of Earth systems, drawing, as appropriate, from the natural and the social sciences.

Subject Specific Practical Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

Collecting, recording and analysing data using appropriate techniques in the field and laboratory.
Undertaking field and laboratory investigations in a responsible and safe manner, paying due attention to risk assessment, rights of access, relevant health and safety regulations, and sensitivity to the impact of investigations
Planning, conducting, and reporting on environmental investigations, including the use of secondary data.
Referencing work in an appropriate manner.

Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

Applying knowledge and understanding to complex and multidimensional problems in familiar and unfamiliar contexts.
Recognising and using subject-specific theories, paradigms, concepts and principles.
Recognising the moral and ethical issues of investigations and appreciating the need for professional codes of conduct.
Analysing, synthesising and summarising information critically, including prior research.

Syllabus

Typical Weekly Timetable - depending on availability of external guest speakers

Weeks 1 & 2. Module introduction and Professional Skills development

Weeks 3 to 10. Sustainability and Environmental Management - external expert led group workshops

Week 11. CV and interviews workshops - tips for how to get a job and develop your sustainability career

Week 12. Assessment workshop and module summary

N.B. The workshop areas vary to respond to a new area of scientific and policy importance in the sustainability professional world, but will always focus on the learning outcomes of the module. The order of workshops will vary depending upon the availability of external speakers.

Typical Weekly Timetable - depending on availability of external guest speakers (All sessions will be a triple timetable slot)

Weeks 1 & 2. Module introduction and Professional Skills development

Weeks 3 to 10. Sustainability and Environmental Management - external expert led group workshops

Week 11. CV and interviews workshops - tips for how to get a job and develop your sustainability career

Week 12. Assessment workshop and module summary

Learning and Teaching

Teaching and learning methods

Lectures
Discussion and feedback sessions
Case study workshop
Student (consultancy group) presentations
Case study site visits

The module will be delivered by lecture and workshop sessions, with an emphasis on student discussion and group exercises. Students are required to participate in debates and workshops at all times. The lectures will be delivered by the module lead and external experts from a local or regional consultancy. The case-study workshops and student presentations are expert-led with continual feedback from the module lead.

Study time
Type	Hours
Independent Study	114
Teaching	36
Total study time	150

Assessment

Formative

This is how we’ll give you feedback as you are learning. It is not a formal test or exam.

Presentation (Case study)

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Breakdown
Method	Percentage contribution
Individual assignment	40%
Group report	60%

Referral

This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.

Breakdown
Method	Percentage contribution
Individual report	100%