BSc Sustainability with Environmental Sciences (STS2)

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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 challenge
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
8 - become engaged, solution-focussed global citizens with capacity for lifelong learning
9 - articulate clear awareness and understanding of critical global sustainability challenges
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
Stage 2

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

Stage 3

Students are required to complete 50 credits of programme (core/option) modules. Students can choose 10 credits of elective modules. Degree compliance: Students must ensure they have 100 credits from Level 2 and above, of which at least 40 credits must be Level 3 and above - its important to bear this in mind while choosing options and electives, as this will ensure you are eligible for graduation.

Module ID Module Title Trimester Credits
Stage 2 Core Modules
     
GEOG20230 Intro: GIS for Sustainability Autumn 5
SUST20010 Sustainability: Research Tools Autumn 5
GEOL10060 Introduction to Earth Sciences Autumn and Spring (separate) 5
ECON10010 Principles of Microeconomics Spring 5
ENVB20050 Principles of Environmental Biology & Ecology Spring 5
SUST20020 Careers, Communication and Innovation in Sustainability Spring 5
Stage 2 Core Modules
     
Stage 2 Options - A)MIN0OF:
Students who completed MATH10310 Calculus for Science or MATH10350 Calculus (MPS) in Stage 1 should not take MATH10230 in Stage 2.  They should instead select an additional module from the list of Options. For students who are interested in mathematics and have taken MATH10350 Calculus (MPS) and/or MATH10340 Linear Algebra 1 (MPS), there may be additional mathematics option modules available for you to take.  Please contact your Programme Manager if you wish to discuss this possibility (sustainability@ucd.ie).
     
MATH10230 Mathematics for Agriculture I Autumn 5
Stage 2 Options - A)MIN0OF:
Students who completed MATH10310 Calculus for Science or MATH10350 Calculus (MPS) in Stage 1 should not take MATH10230 in Stage 2.  They should instead select an additional module from the list of Options. For students who are interested in mathematics and have taken MATH10350 Calculus (MPS) and/or MATH10340 Linear Algebra 1 (MPS), there may be additional mathematics option modules available for you to take.  Please contact your Programme Manager if you wish to discuss this possibility (sustainability@ucd.ie).
     
Stage 2 Options - C)MIN0OF:
Students must take CHEM00010 if they did not take Leaving Certificate Chemistry or if their LC Chemistry grade was less than H5/O1. Students with LC Chemistry grade H5/O1 or above are not eligible to take CHEM00010. All Environmental Sciences specialisation students must take CHEM10050 by the end of Stage 2. CHEM20090 Chemistry for Biology must be taken in either Stage 2 or Stage 3.
     
CHEM00010 Introductory Chemistry Autumn 5
CHEM20090 Chemistry for Biology Autumn 5
CHEM10050 Basis of Organic and Biological Chemistry Spring 5
Stage 2 Options - C)MIN0OF:
Students must take CHEM00010 if they did not take Leaving Certificate Chemistry or if their LC Chemistry grade was less than H5/O1. Students with LC Chemistry grade H5/O1 or above are not eligible to take CHEM00010. All Environmental Sciences specialisation students must take CHEM10050 by the end of Stage 2. CHEM20090 Chemistry for Biology must be taken in either Stage 2 or Stage 3.
     
Stage 2 Options - D)MIN0OF:
Students must take GEOG10140 Mapping a Sustainable world, if not taken in stage 1. Students must also ensure that they have a total of 50 credits between core and option modules. The additional 10 credits are for electives.
     
AESC10010 Land Use and the Environment Autumn 5
BIOL10140 Life on Earth Autumn 5
COMP10290 Computation for Scientists Autumn 5
GEOG10140 Mapping a Sustainable World Autumn 5
GEOG20150 Quaternary Environmental Change Autumn 5
GEOL20180 Geoscience perspectives on the UN Sustainable Development Goals Autumn 5
ZOOL20020 Animal Behaviour Autumn 5
ZOOL30050 Diversity of Invertebrates Autumn 5
GEOL20110 Global Environmental Change Autumn and Spring (separate) 5
DSCY10060 Energy, Climate Change & Policy Spring 5
GEOG20060 Weather, Climate and Climate Change Spring 5
GEOL10040 Earth, Environment and Society Spring 5
GEOL20230 History of life on Earth Spring 5
Stage 2 Options - D)MIN0OF:
Students must take GEOG10140 Mapping a Sustainable world, if not taken in stage 1. Students must also ensure that they have a total of 50 credits between core and option modules. The additional 10 credits are for electives.
     
Stage 3 Core Modules
     
SOC30560 Global Inequalities Autumn 5
SUST30020 Sustainability in Action(SUST) Autumn 5
BIOL30030 Working with Biological Data Spring 5
ECON20160 Economics of the Environment Spring 5
ENVB20050 Principles of Environmental Biology & Ecology Spring 5
Stage 3 Core Modules
     
Stage 3 Options - B)MIN0OF:
All students must take CHEM20090 Chemistry for Biology in Stage 3 if they have not already taken it in Stage 2.
     
CHEM20090 Chemistry for Biology Autumn 5
Stage 3 Options - B)MIN0OF:
All students must take CHEM20090 Chemistry for Biology in Stage 3 if they have not already taken it in Stage 2.
     
Stage 3 Options - C)MIN0OF:
Students must ensure that they have a total of 50 credits between core and option modules. The additional 10 credits are for electives.
     
BSEN30240 Waste Management Autumn 5
BSEN30360 Life Cycle Assessment Autumn 5
ENVB30010 Systems Ecology Autumn 5
GEOG20040 Rivers, Estuaries and Coasts Autumn 5
GEOL20180 Geoscience perspectives on the UN Sustainable Development Goals Autumn 5
GEOL20200 Dynamic Earth Autumn 5
GEOL30040 Sedimentary Environments Autumn 5
STAT20110 Introduction to Probability Autumn 5
ZOOL20020 Animal Behaviour Autumn 5
ZOOL30050 Diversity of Invertebrates Autumn 5
BSEN30030 Air Pollution Spring 5
FOR20110 Forests, Climate and Carbon Spring 5
GEOL30340 Low Temperature Geochemistry Spring 5
GEOL30380 Geomaterials and Geoenergy Spring 5
ZOOL30020 Arthropoda Spring 5
ZOOL30060 Biogeography and Field Biology Spring 5
Stage 3 Options - C)MIN0OF:
Students must ensure that they have a total of 50 credits between core and option modules. The additional 10 credits are for electives.
     
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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