Explore UCD

UCD Home >

SUST30020

Academic Year 2026/2027

Sustainability in Action(SUST) (SUST30020)

Subject:
Sustainability
College:
Social Sciences & Law
School:
Geography
Level:
3 (Degree)
Credits:
5
Module Coordinator:
Dr Shane Mc Guinness
Trimester:
Autumn
Mode of Delivery:
On Campus
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

This module provides the opportunity to undertake a 5-day residential field-trip to Copenhagen, one of the most sustainable and energy efficient cities in the world. It has the ambition of becoming the first carbon neutral capital by 2025 and is supported by environmentally sensitive transport modes, climate change defences, sustainable urban redevelopment, and efficient energy use tactics. Its planning process plays a more significant role than simply altering people s values. Copenhagen s approach to sustainability also mirrors the interdisciplinary style adopted in the BSc Sustainability. For example, Copenhagen uses an interdisciplinary approach to fund a defence towards climate change. According to its 2011 Climate Adaptation Plan, stakeholders in the process include the government, Copenhagen Energy, CPH City and Port Development and the Copenhagen Metro. The city s first step in 2011 was to pass on knowledge about climate proofing to the public and businesses. You will get the chance to explore the viability and relevance of such solutions to Ireland. Throughout the field trip we will interact with local experts, planners, policy makers and academics to investigate the skills required to turn knowing into doing.
The fieldtrip takes place in the week before Autumn term commences in early September 2023. It will be the students responsibility to arrive in Copenhagen independently for the start of the field work. There will be an additional cost associated with this module, which will not exceed EUR500.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

On completion of this module the learner will have;
* Applied learning from across the BSc Sustainability to an international, real-world context.
* Developed an awareness of the sustainability progress of a global city in Europe;
* Undertaken practical fieldwork methods including community surveys, mapping and consultation techniques on fieldwork.
* Critically assess sustainability challenges in Ireland in a comparative perspective;
* Enhanced independent research and critical fieldwork skills.
* Developed skills in digital communication of fieldwork findings.

Indicative Module Content:

This is a highly interactive module that is designed around fieldwork over 5 days in Copenhagen. Examples of learning include applying field work skills of community surveying, mapping and engagement in Copenhagen and delivering a digital communication report of key findings. Follow up group work in Weeks 1-5 will aim to produce a reflective essay and digital communication media of the learnings. Please direct all queries about this module to the Module Coordinator Assoc. Professor Ainhoa González.

UNESCO highlights a set of key competencies that support individuals in their development and support society in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UCD has adapted these competencies and is combining them with others to form a general framework of learning competencies. This module will help you develop the competencies below to the levels specified. 
Learning Competency Additional Information Level

Collaboration

 The ability to learn from others; to understand and respect the needs, perspectives and actions of others (empathy); to understand, relate to and be sensitive to others (empathic leadership); to deal with conflicts in a group; and to facilitate collaborative and participatory problem solving. Competent

Critical Thinking

 The ability to question norms, practices and opinions; to reflect on one’s own values, perceptions and actions. Proficient

Systems Thinking

 The ability to recognize and understand relationships; to analyse complex systems; to think of how systems are embedded within different domains and different scales; and to deal with uncertainty. Proficient

Strategic

 The ability to collectively develop and implement innovative actions that further sustainability at the local level and further afield. Proficient

Integrated Problem Solving

 The overarching ability to apply different problem-solving frameworks to complex sustainability problems and develop viable, inclusive and equitable solution options that promote sustainable development, integrating the competencies in this list. Proficient

Self-awareness

 The ability to reflect on one’s own role in the local community and (global) society; to continually evaluate and further motivate one’s actions; and to deal with one’s feelings and desires. Proficient

Normative

 The ability to understand and reflect on the norms and values that underlie one’s actions; and to negotiate values, principles, goals, and targets, in a context of conflicts of interest and trade-offs, uncertain knowledge and contradictions. Competent

Anticipatory

 The ability to understand and evaluate multiple scenarios for the future – possible, probable and desirable; to create one’s own visions for the future; to apply the precautionary principle; to assess the consequences of actions; and to deal with risks and changes. Proficient

Digital Literacy and Judgement

 The ability to access, evaluate, create and communicate information in digital environments; to engage critically, ethically and responsibly with digital technologies and digital information; to understand their opportunities, limitations, risks and impact on individual’s digital identities; and to exercise informed judgement in digital participation and decision-making. Proficient

AI Literacy & Agency

 The ability to understand, critically evaluate and responsibly engage with artificial intelligence; to recognise how AI systems are shaped by human values; to assess their ethical, social and environmental implications; and to exercise human judgement, agency and accountability in AI-related contexts. Competent

Wellbeing

 Wellbeing is having the resources and skills to meet life's challenges, including attributes such as personal development skills, resilience, stress management, strengths, lifestyle skills, nutrition, physical activity, sleep, alcohol/substance use, academic skills, time management, goal setting, interpersonal skills, group work, communication. Competent

The United Nations identified seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as core to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and UCD contributes in general to SDG 4 Quality Education. Further SDGs explored within this module if relevant are listed below. A scale of 1 - 5 indicates the extent to which the SDG is covered.


Goal Name Description Coverage

End poverty in all its forms everywhere 5

End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture 5

Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages 5

Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all 5

Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls 5

Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all 5

Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all 5

Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all 5

Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation 5

Reduce inequality within and among countries 5

Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable 5

Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns 5

Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts 5

Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development 5

Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss 5

Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels 5

Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development 5
 

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

10
Field Trip/External Visits

50
Autonomous Student Learning

40
Total

100

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
The module is based around the principles of problem-based learning and critical thinking. High level interactions with key personnel in Copenhagen will be used to hone student's skills in community interaction and participation.Students will undertake a number of different exercises in Copenhagen including community surveying, mapping and public engagement. Results from these exercises, along with your comprehensive field notes, will be recorded in a learning journal during the field-trip.
Building on the field work in Copenhagen, and working in groups, students will develop and design a digital presentation using either ArcGIS Story Map, You Tube Video or another digital medium to show case project outcomes.

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade Component repeat (in-module) Offered
Group Work Assignment: Building on your fieldwork in Copenhagen, and working in groups, you will design a digital presentation using ArcGIS StoryMap, YouTube, or another digital medium to showcase your project outcomes. Week 6 Graded Yes
50
 Yes
Reflective Assignment: A substantive report with field notes from Copenhagen presented with a view to reflecting on aspects that could be transferred/ developed in Ireland. Week 1 Graded Yes
50
 Yes

As part of UCD's student support, under the Additional Consideration policy, extensions may be available for the following assessments in the module: Assignment (including essay/poster), Portfolio, Reflective Assignment, Report(s), and Individual Project.


Carry forward of passed components
No
 

Resit In Terminal Exam
Spring No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, on an activity or draft prior to summative assessment
• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment
• Online automated feedback

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Feedback on the field journal will be given to the students individually and a combination of peer and academic feedback will be given on the essay, presentation and digital output.

Name Role
Dr Shane Mc Guinness Lecturer / Co-Lecturer

Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
Autumn Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 3 Fri 10:00 - 11:50
Autumn Lecture Offering 2 Week(s) - 3 Wed 10:00 - 10:50
Autumn Lecture Offering 2 Week(s) - 3 Wed 11:00 - 11:50
Print this page
Fill in the following details:
Enter the body of your query here.

From time to time UCD would like to send you further information that we feel, based on your enquiry, would be of interest to you.