DN240 BSc Sustainability (STS1)

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The BSc in Sustainability is an innovative undergraduate degree that aims to equip its graduates with the interdisciplinary knowledge and skills to address sustainability challenges by combining environmental, social and economic perspectives. After a common first year, each student will retain an interdisciplinary perspective throughout their degree, but will elect to focus on:



Sustainability with Environmental Science OR Sustainability with Social Sciences, Policy and Law OR Sustainability with Business and Economics



The programme is based on the following principles:




  • Interdisciplinarity – in-depth knowledge within a core or focal discipline, complemented by a range of perspectives and skills from others. Specific modules and activities to foster an interdisciplinary approach and outlook.

  • Flexibility – capacity to choose between broad areas, core disciplines and combinations of modules.

  • Applicability and employability – grounding in the real-world application and uptake of new ideas, innovations and policies and the processes by which this occurs.

  • A global perspective – the programme reflects UCD’s global outlook and the need for international partnership in addressing global environmental challenges.


1 - articulate clear awareness and understanding of critical global sustainability challenges
2 - critically discuss evolving theory, concepts, policy and the ethics and values of sustainability
3 - apply a holistic, interdisciplinary and practical approach to sustainability
4 - demonstrate competence in a range of research and analytical methodologies
5 - deploy well-developed critical and intellectual skills in innovative and creative approaches to unfamiliar or dynamic contexts and problems
6 - exhibit the knowledge and skills needed to develop a career in sustainability and environmental management, including communication, project planning, project management and interdisciplinary teamwork skills
7 - become engaged, solution-focussed global citizens with capacity for lifelong learning
You may apply to study abroad for the Spring trimester of Stage 3.
The BSc Sustainability has a range of universities within and outside Europe that it currently partners with to offer students exchange opportunities.
Please visit the UCD Global Exchanges page here to find further information about the application process.

  • Sustainability with Environmental Sciences



An interdisciplinary education in Sustainability theory, policy and practice will equip you to work in areas such as renewables, clean technology management and energy efficiency, or advise industries on social and environmental strategies.

Many opportunities also exist in international organisations such as the UN, the European Environment Agency and the European Commission, government departments and state agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Parks and Wildlife Service and in local authorities and Non-Governmental Organisations.




  • Sustainability with Social Sciences, Policy & Law



Graduates from this degree subject will have highly developed analytical skills, methodological and research competency, flexibility and the ability to deal with complex problems requiring interdisciplinary solutions. These attributes are in significant demand in the public and private sectors. For example, corporate businesses, private consultancy firms, banking and education, as well as in civil society organisations, state agencies and transnational organisations such as the UNDP, European Commission, Environmental Protection Agency, and Teagasc.

Students will be well equipped to undertake further study at Masters and Doctoral levels in a range of disciplinary areas.




  • Sustainability with Business & Economics



An interdisciplinary education in Sustainability theory, policy and practice will equip you to work in areas such as renewables, clean technology management and energy efficiency within organisations, or advise industries on social and environmental strategies. Many opportunities also exist in global professional service firms and consultancy, and international organisations such as the UN, the European Environment Agency and the European Commission, government departments and state agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Parks and Wildlife Service and in local authorities and Non-Governmental Organisations.


Kirsten Southard
Programme Manager, BSc Sustainability
UCD Science Office
Room E1.09, O'Brien Centre for Science
Belfield, Dublin 4
Email: sustainability@ucd.ie
Stage 1

First Year is structured so that students are able to progress into one of three following majors in Second Year: Sustainability with Environmental Sciences; Sustainability with Social Sciences, Policy and Law; Sustainability with Business and Economics. Students are required to complete 55 credits of programme (core/option) modules. 9 modules (45 credits) of these are core modules, which are compulsory for all students. Students choose an elective module in the Spring trimester during the registration period in January, so you will not choose this in September. Students must register for GEOL10060 Intro to Earth Sciences in Autumn and STAT10050 Practical Statistics in Spring.

Module ID Module Title Trimester Credits
Stage 1 Core Modules
     
ACC10730 Business in Society Autumn 5
GEOG10140 Mapping a Sustainable World Autumn 5
SCI10010 Principles of Scientific Enquiry Autumn 5
SUST10010 Introduction to Sustainability Autumn 5
GEOL10060 Introduction to Earth Sciences Autumn and Spring (separate) 5
STAT10050 Practical Statistics Autumn and Spring (separate) 5
ECON10040 Economics and Sustainability Spring 5
ENVP10010 Environment Change & Policy Spring 5
SUST10020 Sustainability Challenges Spring 5
Stage 1 Core Modules
     
Stage 1 Options - A)MIN0OF:
Students with Leaving Cert. Chemistry grade H5/O1 or above are eligible to take CHEM10050 in Stage 1. Environmental Sciences specialisation students must take CHEM00010 Introductory Chemistry in Autumn of Stage 2 if they did not take Leaving Cert. Chemistry or if their LC Chemistry grade was less than H5/O1 before taking CHEM10050 in Spring of Stage 2. All Environmental Sciences specialisation students must take CHEM10050 by the end of Stage 2.
     
CHEM10050 Basis of Organic and Biological Chemistry Spring 5
Stage 1 Options - A)MIN0OF:
Students with Leaving Cert. Chemistry grade H5/O1 or above are eligible to take CHEM10050 in Stage 1. Environmental Sciences specialisation students must take CHEM00010 Introductory Chemistry in Autumn of Stage 2 if they did not take Leaving Cert. Chemistry or if their LC Chemistry grade was less than H5/O1 before taking CHEM10050 in Spring of Stage 2. All Environmental Sciences specialisation students must take CHEM10050 by the end of Stage 2.
     
Stage 1 Options - B)MIN0OF:
Students must take 55 credits of core and option modules in Stage 1.
     
BIOL00010 Fundamentals of Biology Autumn 5
BIOL10140 Life on Earth Autumn 5
PHYC10050 Astronomy & Space Science Autumn 5
ACC10060 Introduction to Accounting Autumn and Spring (separate) 5
BMGT10140 Business Plan Autumn and Spring (separate) 5
GEOL10050 Earth and Humanity Autumn and Spring (separate) 5
ACM10090 Climate Change:Causes & Consequences Spring 5
ARCH10150 Anthropology: an introduction Spring 5
BIOL10030 Cell and Plant Biology Spring 5
BIOL10110 Cell Biology & Genetics Spring 5
BSEN10020 How Sustainable is My Food? Spring 5
DSCY10060 Energy, Climate Change & Policy Spring 5
GEOG10080 Dynamic Earth Spring 5
GEOG10100 People, Places, Regions Spring 5
GEOL10030 Field Geology, Level 1 Spring 5
LAW10440 Law in Europe Spring 5
MATH10410 Mathematics & Science Education & Communication Spring 5
PHYC10200 Conceptual Physics Spring 5
Stage 1 Options - B)MIN0OF:
Students must take 55 credits of core and option modules in Stage 1.
     
Stage 1 Options - C)MIN0OF:
Students do not need to take a mathematics module. These are option modules for students who interested in maths. Students who achieved H3 or higher in LC Maths can take MATH10340 Linear Algebra in Mathematics and Physical Sciences (MPS). Students who achieved less than H3 can take MATH10290 Linear Algebra for Science. Only 1 of these options may be selected.
     
MATH10290 Linear Algebra for Science Spring 5
MATH10340 Linear Algebra in the Mathematical and Physical Sciences Spring 5
Stage 1 Options - C)MIN0OF:
Students do not need to take a mathematics module. These are option modules for students who interested in maths. Students who achieved H3 or higher in LC Maths can take MATH10340 Linear Algebra in Mathematics and Physical Sciences (MPS). Students who achieved less than H3 can take MATH10290 Linear Algebra for Science. Only 1 of these options may be selected.
     
Stage 1 Options - D)MIN0OF:
Students do not need to take a mathematics module. These are option modules for students who are interested in maths. Students who achieved H4 or higher in LC Maths can take MATH10350 Calculus (MPS). Students who achieved less than H4 in LC Maths can take MATH10310 Calculus for Science. Only 1 of these options may be selected.
     
MATH10310 Calculus for Science Autumn 5
MATH10350 Calculus in the Mathematical and Physical Sciences Autumn 5
Stage 1 Options - D)MIN0OF:
Students do not need to take a mathematics module. These are option modules for students who are interested in maths. Students who achieved H4 or higher in LC Maths can take MATH10350 Calculus (MPS). Students who achieved less than H4 in LC Maths can take MATH10310 Calculus for Science. Only 1 of these options may be selected.
     
See the UCD Assessment website for further details

Module Weighting Info  
  Award GPA
Programme Module Weightings Rule Description Description >= <=
BHSCI016 Stage 4 - 50.00%
Stage 3 - 50.00%
Standard Honours Award First Class Honours

3.68

4.20

Second Class Honours, Grade 1

3.08

3.67

Second Class Honours, Grade 2

2.48

3.07

Pass

2.00

2.47


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