Sustainable Development BSc(Hons)

Why choose this course?

Our Sustainable Development course investigates the interactions of people and society with their environment and seeks sustainable solutions to solve complex management challenges. Sustainable Development students learn how to recognise and make sense of diverse global problems and contested sustainability issues. As well as evaluating current practices you explore alternative solutions that could be used to achieve good living standards without compromising the Earth's environment and resources. As business, authorities and regulators seek to 'green' their activities, Kingston University Sustainable Development graduates are ideally placed to enter the workplace and the course is offered as a three-year full-time degree programme and as a four-year degree including a sandwich placement for students who want to gain first-hand work experience in a related environment prior to graduating.

Kingston University course director Stuart Downward talks about the environmental and sustainable development programmes:

What will you study?

Initially you will study the Earth's physical environments, their development and their relationship to people and cultures. You will develop a diverse range of knowledge and practical skills that will allow you to analyse and understand these relationships and begin to apply these skills to solving increasingly complex sustainability challenges. You will investigate the political, economic and cultural influences on development processes and, through fieldwork and practical examples, you will test your knowledge on real-world examples in a range of geographical settings.

Please note that this is an indicative list of modules and is not intended as a definitive list. Those listed here may also be a mixture of core and optional modules.

Year 1

• Understanding the Environment

• Understanding the Environment

  This module aims to provide students with an understanding of the basic principles and processes that operate and cause change in environmental systems and show how this knowledge can be applied to sustainably manage environmental problems. The importance of a holistic, 'top-down' approach to problem solving will be introduced along with material on key underpinning scientific disciplines including environmental chemistry and genetics. Practical and fieldwork sessions are designed to develop observation and recording skills.

  
   
• Introduction of Human Geography
• Digital Earth and Spatial Analysis

• Digital Earth and Spatial Analysis

  Spatial analysis introduces and develops the fundamental geographical skills of data collection, analysis and presentation and the solving of spatial problems using GIS. It concerns data types, representations of reality and key spatial analysis techniques.

  
   
• Investigating the Earth and Environment

• Investigating the Earth and Environment

  The module introduces techniques of fieldwork and incorporates the core Level 4 field programme. Students are also introduced to a range of techniques and principles that form the basis of successful investigations in these subject areas. Also integrated here is the development of study skills through the tutorial system.

  
   

Year 2

• Sustainable Development Theory and Practice
• Ecology
• Land, Water and the Environment

• Land, Water and the Environment

  This module develops an understanding of the fundamental principles of soil science whereby the various soil properties and processes, including storage and transport of water in soil, are explained. This provides a good underpinning to developing an understanding of hydrology. Core principles of hydrology are explored both as theoretical physical science of hydrology and practical hydrological skills, which students gain through hands-on experience and investigations. This knowledge of soil and water sciences forms the essential base for introducing and explaining environmental pollution, including the impact of pollutants on environmental systems (soil, water, plants and air) and human health. It also discusses pollution mitigation and control strategies.

  
   
• Social and Cultural Geographies
• Global Capitalism
• Regional Studies in Sustainable Development
• Fieldwork and Project Design

Year 3

• Optional sandwich year

• Optional sandwich year

  The optional sandwich year provides an opportunity to gain first-hand experience of how chemistry is applied in an industrial situation. The industrial placement tutor will help you to find a placement.

  
   

Year 3/4

• Sustainable Development Research Project
• Challenge of Climate Change

• Challenge of Climate Change

  This module tackles the key issues relating to climate change in the three main subject areas of science, policy and society. It aims to provide students with an understanding of the key concepts and processes of climate change and the various ways in which societies can respond. Fieldwork sessions are designed to complement the lecture series and give further practical demonstration of policy and practice complexities.

  
   
• Land and Water Resources Management

• Land and Water Resources Management

  The module examines the relationship between land and water management, global challenges associated with the management of land and water, and sustainable options to seek their resolution. The module will develop an understanding and critical evaluation of these challenges from several perspectives, ie through the systematic investigation of land-use practices; the applications of soil science and linking practices to processes and patterns of land degradation; the interface between land management and water management; global concerns for water security; land use impacts on the wider environment, including climate, physical and socio-political drivers; plus an examination of the regional land-water management issues.

  
   
• Development Geography (including optional developing world fieldwork)
• Global Rural Geographies

• Global Rural Geographies

  This module aims to provide students with an understanding of contemporary debates relating to rural areas in both the developed and developing world. It examines the processes and patterns of contemporary change in rural regions and analyses the factors conditioning the restructuring of rural land use and rural economic, social and cultural systems across the world.

  
   
• Biodiversity and Conservation

• Biodiversity and Conservation

  This module examines the importance of historical and contemporary land use practices in shaping current biotic communities. Current issues in biodiversity and conservation are explored through a lecture and seminar programme. Fieldwork supports the lectures and assignments which are designed to introduce students to important aspects of practical conservation work, such as funding bids, species conservation strategies, and communicating to non-specialists/decision makers.

  
   
• GIS for People and the Environment
• Sustainable Urban Development