Examination arrangement

Course content

This course introduces connections between the three different dimensions of sustainable transition (climate and environment, economy and social conditions), definitions of sustainability (for example planetary boundaries and the UN's sustainability goals) and challenges related to realizing the various goals. With a progressive interdisciplinary approach, the course highlights nuanced understandings and challenges linked to work with the sustainability goals locally, nationally and globally. The course will address topics such as e.g. different technologies and products' environmental impact, different sustainability models and calculations, social challenges such as poverty, equality, cultural diversity and democratic participation and participation in sustainable transition. In this way, the course provides an increased understanding of both the complexity of and connections between techno-economic, ecological and socio-cultural challenges.

Throughout the semester, the students are introduced to different perspectives on sustainability (for example planetary boundaries, the UN's sustainability goals) and current perspectives on these from technical and natural science and social sciences/humanities respectively. In addition there will be seminars and group work where the students work on a case/project that they develop themselves.

Learning outcome

Knowledge:

The candidate

• has knowledge about different definitions of sustainability, the connections between them, their challenges and paradoxes
• has knowledge about the connection between sustainable development, societal change and technological development/innovation
• has knowledge about written and oral dissemination of complex scientific information
• has knowledge about particular challenges the various sustainability goals raise to problem solving/innovation in interdisciplinary groups, in addition to the ability to conduct such collaborations

Skills:

The candidate

• can critically interpret information and results and do simple case studies
• is able to work on complex societal challenges
• can present analyses in an interesting, convincing and understandable way
• has interdisciplinary collaborative competence for contributing in an interdisciplinary process

General competence:

The candidate

• has a general understanding of the concept of sustainability
• has collaborative competence

Learning methods and activities

The course is taught together with KULT3025, but students who take KULT2025 have a smaller curriculum and a smaller project. Further information will be provided at the start of class.

The course consists of two parts: One half consists of lectures where the students are introduced to different professional perspectives. The second half consists of seminars based on specific issues and/or work with projects.

Compulsory attendance (75%).

Compulsory assignments

• Two mandatory exercises
• 75 % attendance

Further on evaluation

The final work is a project report based on group work, evaluated as pass or fail. The course has work requirements that must be approved in order to get an evaluation. These can be individual or collaborative work or presentations. If graded fail, the whole course must be taken again.

Recommended previous knowledge

Recommended for students in year two or three in their bachelor’s degree

Credit reductions