Exploring the postgraduate ESD experience in UWE’s MSc Environmental Management

Barnes, Jo; Longhurst, James

Abstract

This paper will examine the ESD experience of postgraduate students taking the MSc Environmental Management at UWE, Bristol. It will do this through the lens provided by the Education for Sustainable Development guidance produced by the HEA and QAA in 2014. This guidance provides an outcomes-based framework where knowledge and understanding, skills and attributes are cross-referred to four core themes; global citizenship; environmental stewardship; social justice, ethics and wellbeing; and future-thinking. The 180 credit 1 year applied MSc provides a professionally focused academic experience. Its structure enables students to engage flexibly with a range of environmental themes, allows an individual to focus on particular areas of interest and study via a mode appropriate to their needs. Within a deliberately flexible framework how does a student engage with, appreciate and develop their ESD understanding, knowledge and skills? The paper explores how the ESD ambition is delivered through the MSc Environmental Management and in particular how post graduates can demonstrate an integrated sustainability knowledge and understanding, can identify and apply sustainability relevant skills and demonstrate attributes consistent with an ESD learning experience.

• Presentation Conference Type: Presentation / Talk
• Conference Name: Learning from the Sharp End. Implications for Sustainability in HE
• Start Date: Sep 6, 2015
• End Date: Sep 8, 2015
• Acceptance Date: Sep 1, 2015
• Publication Date: Sep 7, 2015
• Peer Reviewed: Not Peer Reviewed
• Keywords: ESD, postgraduate student experience, curriculum, MSc Environmental Management, UWE, Bristol
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/828484
• Publisher URL: https://sites.google.com/site/beyondesd/programme/abstracts/abstracts-for-monday-7-september-parallel-sessions-2-13-30-14-45
• Additional Information: Title of Conference or Conference Proceedings : Learning from the Sharp End. Implications for Sustainability in HE