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 at least 50 credits of programme (core/option) modules. The additional 10 credits must be used for electives or option modules.

Students are required to complete at least 50 credits of programme (core/option) modules. The additional 10 credits must be used for electives or option modules. Students must ensure by the end of their degree that they have at least 100 credits from Level 2 and above, of which at least 40 credits must be Level 3 and above. It is important to bear this in mind while choosing options and/or electives in Stages 3 and 4.

Students are required to complete 60 credits of programme (core/option) modules. Students must ensure by the end of their degree that they have completed at least 100 credits from Level 2 and above, of which at least 40 credits must be Level 3 and above. It is important to bear this in mind while choosing option modules in Stage 4.

Students must take 1 module from the Business and Economics specialisation options. Students must also take 1 module from the Environmental Sciences specialisation options. 1 additional option module may be selected from any of the option lists from any of the 3 specialisations (Social Sciences, Policy and Law, Environmental Sciences or Business and Economics). The other option modules must be selected from Social Sciences, Policy and Law option modules.

Module ID	Module Title	Trimester	Credits
Stage 2 Core Modules
GEOG20230	Intro: GIS for Sustainability	Autumn	5
SUST20010	Sustainability: Research Tools	Autumn	5
ECON10010	Principles of Microeconomics	Spring	5
EDUC10220	Education for a sustainable future	Spring	5
SUST20020	Careers, Communication and Innovation in Sustainability	Spring	5
Stage 2 Core Modules
Stage 2 Options - A)1OF: All students must take either CHEM00010 or CHEM10050. Students must take CHEM00010 if they did not complete Leaving Cert Chemistry or if their LC Chemistry grade is lower than H5/O1. Students who achieved H5/O1 or higher in LC Chemistry should take CHEM10050. Students who completed CHEM00010 or CHEM10050 in Stage 1 should contact sustainability@ucd.ie to register for an additional option module.
CHEM00010	Introductory Chemistry	Autumn	5
CHEM10050	Basis of Organic and Biological Chemistry	Spring	5
Stage 2 Options - A)1OF: All students must take either CHEM00010 or CHEM10050. Students must take CHEM00010 if they did not complete Leaving Cert Chemistry or if their LC Chemistry grade is lower than H5/O1. Students who achieved H5/O1 or higher in LC Chemistry should take CHEM10050. Students who completed CHEM00010 or CHEM10050 in Stage 1 should contact sustainability@ucd.ie to register for an additional option module.
Stage 2 Options - B)MIN0OF: All students must take GEOG10140 Mapping a Sustainable World in Stage 2 if they have not already taken it in Stage 1.
GEOG10140	Mapping a Sustainable World	Autumn	5
Stage 2 Options - B)MIN0OF: All students must take GEOG10140 Mapping a Sustainable World in Stage 2 if they have not already taken it in Stage 1.
Stage 2 Options - C)MIN15CR: 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 must be used for electives or option modules.
AESC10010	Land Use and the Environment	Autumn	5
ARCH20510	Archaeology of Landscapes	Autumn	5
ARCH20570	Cultural Heritage	Autumn	5
CSOC10010	Introduction to Computational Social Science	Autumn	5
CSOC20010	Applied Computational Social Science	Autumn	5
SOC20260	Quantitative Research Methods	Autumn	5
SPOL28160	Enviro, Soc & Human Wellbeing	Autumn	5
DEV20130	Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals	Spring	5
GEOG20130	Cities in a Global World	Spring	5
SOC20320	Qualitative Research Methods	Spring	5
SOC20360	Sociology of the Environment	Spring	5
SSJ20140	Human Rights & Social Justice	Spring	5
Stage 2 Options - C)MIN15CR: 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 must be used for electives or option modules.
Stage 3 Core Modules
SUST30020	Sustainability in Action(SUST)	Autumn	5
ENVB20050	Principles of Environmental Biology & Ecology	Spring	5
MKT10720	Marketing: An Introduction	Spring	5
SPOL30220	Social Policy, Social Justice and the Environment	Spring	5
Stage 3 Core Modules
Stage 3 Options - A)MIN30CR: Students should ensure that they have a total of 50 credits between core and option modules. The additional 10 credits must be used for electives or option modules.
ENVP30010	Environmental Management	Autumn	5
GEOG30820	Development Geographies	Autumn	5
GEOG31100	Fortress Europe and the Global War on Migrants	Autumn	5
LAW30440	Environmental Law and Policy	Autumn	5
SOC20260	Quantitative Research Methods	Autumn	5
SOC30560	Global Inequalities	Autumn	5
SOC30740	Sociology of climate change	Autumn	5
SPOL28160	Enviro, Soc & Human Wellbeing	Autumn	5
SSCI30050	Digital Research Skills for the Social Sciences	Autumn	5
GEOG30940	Global Risks and Resilience	Spring	5
HRM30140	Climate Change & Business Sustainability	Spring	5
PHIL20240	Applied Ethics	Spring	5
SOC20330	Sociology of Peace, Conflict & Justice	Spring	5
SPOL38270	Gender Inequality & Soc Pol	Spring	5
Stage 3 Options - A)MIN30CR: Students should ensure that they have a total of 50 credits between core and option modules. The additional 10 credits must be used for electives or option modules.
Stage 4 Core Modules
ENVP30030	Climate Policy and Politics	Autumn	5
SUST40030	Interdisciplinary Project	Autumn	5
GEOG30840	The Urban Environment	Spring	5
Stage 4 Core Modules
Stage 4 Options - A)MIN0OF: Economics Core: Students must take this module if it has not been taken in Stage 3 or an approved equivalent taken on exchange. If in doubt, please contact sustainability@ucd.ie
ECON20160	Economics of the Environment	Spring	5
Stage 4 Options - A)MIN0OF: Economics Core: Students must take this module if it has not been taken in Stage 3 or an approved equivalent taken on exchange. If in doubt, please contact sustainability@ucd.ie
Stage 4 Options - B)MIN5CR: Students must take at least one module worth 5 credits from this option list. Students can choose to take two modules worth 5 credits each.
ECON20080	Economic Policy Analysis	Autumn	5
BMGT20050	Business Across Borders	Autumn and Spring (separate)	5
ECON20040	Statistics for Economists	Autumn and Spring (separate)	5
BMGT20080	Consulting with NGOs	Spring	5
BMGT20100	Developing Future Leaders	Spring	5
BMGT20130	Managing Business Ethics	Spring	5
BMGT20150	Sustainable Operations & Supply Chain Management	Spring	5
BMGT20160	Business and Social Enterprise	Spring	5
BMGT20210	Business and the European Union	Spring	5
ECON10020	Principles of Macroeconomics	Spring	5
ECON20060	Irish Economy	Spring	5
ECON20120	The Economics of the European Union: Institutions, Policies and Crises	Spring	5
ECON20130	Economic History: From the Middle Ages to the Second World War	Spring	5
ECON20180	Intermediate Microeconomics II	Spring	5
ECON30390	Experimental Economics: Lab Experiments	Spring	5
ECON30500	Field Experiments Social Sci	Spring	5
ECON30600	Economics of Climate Change	Spring	5
HRM30140	Climate Change & Business Sustainability	Spring	5
Stage 4 Options - B)MIN5CR: Students must take at least one module worth 5 credits from this option list. Students can choose to take two modules worth 5 credits each.
Stage 4 Options - C)MIN5CR: Students must take at least one module worth 5 credits from this option list. Students can choose to take two modules worth 5 credits each or one module worth 10 credits.
GEOG30860	Environmental Assessment	Autumn	5
GEOL40450	Environmental Geoscience	Autumn	5
GEOL20110	Global Environmental Change	Autumn and Spring (separate)	5
BSEN40110	Advanced Air Pollution	Spring	10
FOR20110	Forests, Climate and Carbon	Spring	5
Stage 4 Options - C)MIN5CR: Students must take at least one module worth 5 credits from this option list. Students can choose to take two modules worth 5 credits each or one module worth 10 credits.
Stage 4 Options - D)MIN25CR: Students must take 5 credits from the Business & Economics specialisation options. Students must take 5 credits from the Environmental Sciences specialisation options. Students can choose to take an additional 5 credits from either of these option lists; this means that students can choose to take two 5 credit modules or one 10 credit module from Business & Economics or Environmental Sciences option lists. The remainder of the 60 credits for Stage 4 must be must be made up of Social Sciences, Policy and Law option modules.
ENVP30010	Environmental Management	Autumn	5
GEOG30370	River Catchment Management	Autumn	5
GEOG30820	Development Geographies	Autumn	5
GEOG30860	Environmental Assessment	Autumn	5
LAW30470	International Human Rights Law	Autumn	5
PLAN30010	Transport, Environment & Sustainability	Autumn	5
ENVP40020	European Environmental Policy	Spring	5
GEOG30940	Global Risks and Resilience	Spring	5
GEOG40750	Reimagining Dublin: An Interdisciplinary Exploration in Urban Regeneration	Spring	5
LAW41090	Climate Change Law and Policy	Spring	10
SPOL38270	Gender Inequality & Soc Pol	Spring	5
SPOL40450	Evidence-Based Policy Making	Spring	10
SSJ20170	Space, Place & Social Change	Spring	5
SSJ38250	Social Justice Movements	Spring	10
Stage 4 Options - D)MIN25CR: Students must take 5 credits from the Business & Economics specialisation options. Students must take 5 credits from the Environmental Sciences specialisation options. Students can choose to take an additional 5 credits from either of these option lists; this means that students can choose to take two 5 credit modules or one 10 credit module from Business & Economics or Environmental Sciences option lists. The remainder of the 60 credits for Stage 4 must be must be made up of Social Sciences, Policy and Law option modules.

		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