Sustainability

This module explores the complex field of resource security, from energy to food and beyond. With rising populations and cities expanding, resource management is more vital than ever. You will explore resource security through an interdiscplinary lens, touching on fields including planning, environmental, soil science and beyond, in an attempt to understand the complex nature of the topic.

This module lays for foundations for studying at master's level and involves exploring a range of topics, from communicating work to critical analysis of literature and other areas. There is a core focus within the module on personal development and getting ready to conduct independent research in the field. The module also allows you to understand about the complex ethics procedures and requirements at master's level, preparing you for the dissertation element of the course.

You will be taught using a series of integrated lectures and practical classes, which will use real world data in the area of sustainability. Extensive use of the Blackboard virtual learning environment for guided reading and for feedback provision from revision seminars and from private study time will be made. You will receive lectures to accompany the practical classes to ensure you understand the history, present and future of GIS and sensory remote analyses applied to the field of sustainability. The practical (computer) classes will train you to become competent in the use of GIS and remote sensing data processing software such as ArcGIS and freeware (e.g. QGIS) in the context of sustainability.

A combination of lectures, seminars and tutorial sessions is used to enhance your learning process. Lecture sessions allow the delivery of theoretical component, enabling you to gain fundamental knowledge of environmental pollution and remediation. Seminar sessions provide an opportunity for you to develop skills for presentation of environmental data. The tutorial sessions allow interaction between you and the lecturer and this will help you to solve problems encountered during the module delivery in a timely manner. In addition, there are time slots allocated to guided independent reading to allow you to develop self-taught skills. Topics from water and soil pollution, to techniques for environmental pollution investigation will be explored during this module.

This modules aims to provide an insight into and critical awareness of environmental, technical, economic and political factors influencing policies and mechanisms for the sustainable management of energy and environmental resources. The focus is to develop and enhance the cognitive capacity and professional skills required to formulate strategies for reconciling conflicts between development and environmental protection in the context of energy and resources management. Topics from air pollution to energy and wider resource problems will be explored, using a range of delivery methods from lectures to field trips and beyond.

This module explores the broad concept of sustainability: the terms development, contemporary and future uses. You will explore a range of topics in class, from urban sustainability to Just Sustainabilities, radical sustainability and other concepts, such as ecosystem services and beyond. Field trips to sustainability projects along with a series of guest speakers and hands-on workshops will enable you to experience topics discussed up close.

This module explores the role of planners and policy tools in enabling sustainability. We review best practice and how radical approaches have allowed cities to become more resilient. An example of this can be seen with Brighton and how planning policy there is being used to grow the local food movement. Workshops, lectures and practical classes, along with field trips and guest speakers, will be used to add to the discussions. Industry partners will also be heavily involved with this module, each of whom will bring a wealth of knowledge to the classroom discussions.

This module will prepare you for your dissertation by enabling you to design, plan and execute a programme of research and to analyse research results appropriately. It will provide opportunities for you to acquire essential research skills relevant to your discipline in both a field and laboratory setting. The experience in applying these skills will be invaluable in planning and undertaking your dissertation.

The module will utilise the knowledge and skills gained in the earlier part of the programme to develop a research project. The research project will fit within the subject area of the degree programme that the student is undertaking. Workshops will be delivered during the early part of the module to provide students with initial structured support. Students may have the opportunity to conduct the applied research within an organisation where appropriate. Students are encouraged to identify additional learning needs and complete training where necessary e.g. SPSS, NVivo, laboratory and field skills.