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ESC-10097 - Module Specification
School of Geography, Geology and the Environment
Faculty of Natural Sciences

For academic year: 2024/25 Last Updated: 17 May 2024

ESC-10097 - Sustainability Policy and Practice
Coordinator: Mark Ashby
Lecture Time: See Timetable...
Level: Level 4
Credits: 15
Study Hours: 150
School Office: 01782 733615

Programme/Approved Electives for 2024/25

None

Available as a Free Standing Elective

No

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites

None

Barred Combinations

Not available to students who have taken ESC-00004 as a Foundation Year module.

Description for 2024/25

Organisations (e.g. businesses, charities, public sector bodies) now must operate in a world where society is increasingly aware of the consequences of resource use. Single-use plastics, our impact on climate change and the loss of biodiversity are just three of the global challenges shaping the economic and societal landscape of the future, driving resource efficiency and leading to innovative solutions. The Sustainable Policy and Practice module explores an organisation's environmental and social responsibilities by applying various management models such as Carbon Footprinting, Life Cycle Analysis and ISO standards. Students will gain a broad understanding of contemporary environmental issues and legislation. They will also investigate the role of media, campaigning and public choices in driving change. As a large organisation, Keele University provides the ideal case study, allowing students to research real-world sustainability challenges the university faces and propose recommendations for future changes.

Aims
This module aims to:
1. Highlight the benefits gained when organisations green their operations, the ways this can be achieved and the national and international legislation that must be adhered to whilst doing so;
2. Provide introductory training to students in environmental auditing, carbon literacy and carbon reduction methodologies;
3. Improve awareness of employment opportunities in the field of sustainability and explore future employment prospects;
4. Provide knowledge, understanding and skills to improve the environmental performance of their current and future employers.

Intended Learning Outcomes

Explain and assess the environmental and social sustainability responsibilities of organisations and the environmental and social impacts of different sectors and activities within organisations (e.g. energy, transport, waste): 1,2
Research the environmental and social impacts of an organisation's operations, place them in a sustainability context, and make recommendations for future improvements.: 1,2
Professionally communicate the results from research into the environmental and social impacts of an organisation's operations and make recommendations for future improvements.: 1
Critically reflect on their learning and the links between course material and their own lives.: 1,2
Explain how organisations can measure and monitor the environmental and social impacts of their activities and how they can use this to drive improvements in these areas.: 1,2
Explain the key national and international environmental legislation organisations must adhere to and how they achieve this. Students apply this knowledge when completing the workbook and group presentation assessments.: 1,2

Study hours

10 hours workshops
10 hours of scheduled group work and coursework support
60 hours workshop follow up and preparation
70 hours independent and group coursework preparation

School Rules

None

Description of Module Assessment

1: Group Project weighted 50%
Presentation of a sustainability project (in groups of approximately 5 students)
In groups, students will choose an aspect of Keele University operations and research how it can be made more environmentally and socially sustainable. They will then create and record a professional PowerPoint presentation that will be presented to environmental professionals from Keele University during a group session in week 12. Students must first introduce their presentation, show it to the class, and then answer questions on their sustainability proposals. The presentation should last five minutes (+/- 10%).

2: Workbook weighted 50%
Completion of short workbook exercises throughout the course
This assessment consists of workbook exercises based on different themes covered during lectures and independent reading. There are three workbooks and these are submitted together in a single Word document. The total word count across all three workbooks is 3,500 words (+/- 10%).

Please note that for the 2022/23 Academic Year programmes may be adapted to operate in accordance with a flexible, digital approach. This means that there may be some changes made to how modules are delivered and assessed. The latest information will be provided to you by your School in module handbooks. We endeavour to give you as much notice as possible of any changes and details about the circumstance in which changes are made to programmes can be found in the Student Agreement, available at: https://www.keele.ac.uk/student-terms-and-conditions/

Last Updated: 17 May 2024