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.

Graduates will enjoy careers as consultants, managers and advisers in large organisations and private businesses. An interdisciplinary education in sustainability theory, policy and practise 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.

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

Students are required to complete 50 credits of programme (core/option) modules. Students can choose 10 credits of elective modules. GEOG10140 must be taken if it was not taken in Stage 1.

Students are required to complete 50 credits of programme (core/option) modules. Students can choose 10 credits of elective modules.

Module ID	Module Title	Trimester	Credits
Stage 2 Core Modules
AESC10010	Land Use and the Environment	Autumn	5
GEOG20230	Intro: GIS for Sustainability	Autumn	5
GEOG20240	Sustainability: Research Tools	Autumn	5
DEV20130	Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals	Spring	5
ECON10010	Principles of Microeconomics	Spring	5
GEOL10040	Earth, Environment and Society	Spring	5
MKT10720	Marketing: An Introduction	Spring	5
SCI20040	Careers and innovation in sustainability	Spring	5
Stage 2 Core Modules
Stage 2 Options - A)2OF: Select 2 modules from the list below. GEOG10140 must be taken if it was not taken in Stage 1.
ARCH20510	Archaeology of Landscapes	Autumn	5
ARCH20600	Archaeological Science	Autumn	5
GEOG10140	Mapping a Sustainable World	Autumn	5
GEOG20040	Rivers, Estuaries and Coasts	Autumn	5
PHIL20440	Feminism & Gender Justice	Autumn	5
SOC20260	Quantitative Research Methods	Autumn	5
SPOL28160	Soc Pol Sustainable Wellbeing	Autumn	5
SSJ20140	Human Rights & Social Justice	Autumn	5
GEOG20060	Weather, Climate and Climate Change	Spring	5
GEOG20130	Cities in a Global World	Spring	5
POL20060	Law, Politics, and Human Rights	Spring	5
SOC20320	Qualitative Research Methods	Spring	5
SOC20330	Sociology of Peace, Conflict & Justice	Spring	5
Stage 2 Options - A)2OF: Select 2 modules from the list below. GEOG10140 must be taken if it was not taken in Stage 1.
Stage 3 Core Modules
ARCH20570	Cultural Heritage	Autumn	5
SCI30110	Sustainability Project	Autumn	5
ECON20160	Economics of the Environment	Spring	5
ENVB20050	Principles of Environmental Biology & Ecology	Spring	5
Stage 3 Core Modules
Stage 3 Options - A)2OF: Select 25 credits from the list below.
ARCH30170	Combat Archaeology	Autumn	5
ARCH30500	Experiment Archaeology & Ancient Technologies	Autumn	5
ECON30100	The Economics of Health and Health Policy	Autumn	5
ENVP30010	Environmental Management	Autumn	5
ENVP30030	Climate Policy and Politics	Autumn	5
GEOG30300	Social/Population Geography	Autumn	5
GEOG30370	River Catchment Management	Autumn	5
GEOG30820	Development Geographies	Autumn	5
GEOG30860	Environmental Assessment	Autumn	5
INRL30340	Internat. Political Economy	Autumn	10
INRL30350	International Justice	Autumn	10
LAW30440	Environmental Law and Policy	Autumn	5
PLAN30010	Transport, Environment & Sustainability	Autumn	5
POL30520	Environmental Politics and Policy	Autumn	5
POL30850	Citizen Pol. in Global South	Autumn	10
SOC30560	Global Inequalities	Autumn	5
ARCH30640	Archaeology of Collapse: Understanding crises and resilience in ancient societies	Spring	5
GEOG30890	Multi-media Methods for Social Sciences	Spring	5
GEOG30920	Environment and Sustainability	Spring	10
GEOG30940	Global Risks and Resilience	Spring	5
INRL30380	Politics of Peace & Conflict	Spring	10
SOC30350	Work and Social Stratification	Spring	5
SOC30470	Democracy & Civil Society	Spring	5
SPOL30220	Social Policy, Social Justice and the Environment	Spring	5
SPOL38270	Gender Inequality & Soc Pol	Spring	5
Stage 3 Options - A)2OF: Select 25 credits from the list below.

		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