Programme Specification


Date Specification Approved 10/08/2023
College College Life and Env Sci
School School of Geog Earth & Env Sci
Department Geography
Partner College and School
Collaborative Organisation and Form of Collaboration
Qualification and Programme Title B.Sc. Sustainability Full-time
Programme Code 894H
Delivery Location Dubai
Language of Study English
Length of Programme 3 Year(s)
Accreditations This programme has no outside accreditations
Aims of the Programme The long term sustainability of urban areas is one of the most pressing issues that the world faces today. As cities continually expand increasing pressure is put on their ability to sustain their populations, through interlocking issues such as climate change, health, social justice, energy security and futures and or mobility. While exploring climate change, and its mitigation, is a central theme of the programme its focus broadens out to encompass all of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals. Therefore, the programme is concerned with issues such as gender rights and good work within urban sustainability contexts. The programme is innovative as it explores science-based challenges, such as climate change, through a social science lens. Thus, students will gain a deep understanding of the results of sustainability facing laboratory work but the key skills to be developed are how this data can be translated to a wide range of non-scientific audiences and ultimately into meaningful policy change. The programme takes a holistic approach to sustainability issues as it demonstrates that challenges cannot be seen in isolation and that socio-political contexts are of vital importance. The programme also take a strong decolonial approach noting the imbalances that exist within urban sustainability between the global north and south.

Students will develop a wide range of skills which will transfer directly into their career, including the ability to work with large data sets, working with innovative sustainability solutions, working in diverse teams to develop real world solutions, amongst many others. The assessments are all authentic as they mainly focus on bringing together data, theory, literature and real world solutions. All second and third year modules will have an industry/government/non-government organisation partner. These groups will provide guest lectures, master classes, real world case studies and networking opportunities. All students will undertake a placement module with an organisation working on a living project, this will significantly develop transferable skills and insights into how sustainability issues are engaged with in real world situations. Key to the programme is the use of Dubai as a living laboratory. While the city is facing many pressing urban sustainability issues it is also emerging as a world leading centre for the development of solutions to them. Almost all modules will involve site visits in Dubai, engagement with local projects and discussions with different end users and communities.

There is increased demand for professionals with the ability to create, develop, and implement solutions to the many sustainability issues that urban societies must confront for a sustainable future. The BSc Urban Sustainability (Dubai) will provide the education needed to develop the skills and knowledge that an increasingly green-facing labour market is demanding. Graduates of the programme will be equipped to make immediate and significant contributions to the mitigation of sustainability problems as well as the formulation of adaptive policies and actions. These graduate cohorts would be well-positioned to go to lead activity in these key areas. With sustainability-facing roles are expanding rapidly across the region’s governments, enterprises and NGOs we envisage our graduates to drive genuine solutions to real world problems shortly after graduation.
Programme Outcomes
Students are expected to have Knowledge and Understanding of: Which will be gained through the following Teaching and Learning methods: and assessed using the following methods:
1. the key sustainability issues that cities are currently facing and their medium- and long-term trajectories
2. that the experience of sustainability problems is intersectional and is often dependent on location
3. the sustainable approaches that can be used to mitigate current problems and to provide long term solutions
4. the intersection of societal pressures and natural processes, and the relationship between resource use, governance, and global change
5. the technological approaches, and the power structures that enable them to solving a wide range of sustainability issues.
6. that sustainability problems in cities require holistic solutions which have to be translated to wide, and diverse, audiences.
Lectures, seminars, site visits, industry placement, field work, supervised individual project work

In this interdisciplinary programme, the combination of modules means that all learning and teaching methods relate to one or more of the programme outcomes, with many modules spanning several of the programme-level outcomes.
The overall aim is that assessment methods are authentic and engage with both real-world problems and Dubai as a living lab.

Each method of assessment is aimed at evaluating the level to which students have achieved one or more of the programme outcomes.

Assessment methods include essays, government style reports, field work reports and presentations. For each assessment there will numerous formative assessment opportunities
Students are expected to have attained the following Skills and other Attributes: Which will be gained through the following Teaching and Learning methods: and assessed using the following methods:
1. To establish and interpret the connections between diverse data types and topics
2. To analyse information across varying scales of space and time and to understand the imbalance of power that exist in this area
3. To plan, design and conduct investigations that seek to resolve problems, conducting these flexibly, critically, safely, and on time.
4. To work with and discuss interdisciplinary problems, and to be able to draw upon diverse information types and competing factors
5. To work effectively and efficiently, both individually and as one of a team.
6. To report and communicate results to a professional standard through a variety of media to diverse audiences.
Practical: 1. Demonstrate ability to plan and safely execute a programme of research work ethically and with risk appropriately mitigated
Practical: 2. Have a comprehensive understanding of techniques relevant to their own research.
Practical: 3. Use techniques to generate valuable data.
Practical: 4. Accurately record and analyse data and critically assess their validity in the context of knowledge.
Practical: 5. IT skills, including an appreciation of statistical and GIS packages
Transferable skills: 1. Ability to communicate ideas and information effectively in a written and verbal form
Transferable skills: 2. Ability to work as part of a team.
Transferable skills: 3. Use information technology effectively.
Transferable skills: 4. Effectively manage resources and time.
Transferable skills: 5. Ability to learn independently
Transferable skills: 6. Ability to exercise initiative and personal responsibility and to act autonomously.
Transferable skills: 7. Ability to be original in the application of knowledge and the solution of problems.
Transferable skills: 8. Ability to make sound decisions in complex and unpredictable situations.
Research and design skills are developed through field experiments, research and design projects.
Analytical and problem-solving skills are developed through lectures, problem solving classes.
Feedback is given to students on written work and oral presentations.

Practical skills.
1-4. Developed through compulsory safety training, field work and dissertation project work.
5-7. Developed through feedback on laboratory, field, research and computer project reports and presentations Practical skills are assessed through field and laboratory reports, project reports and oral presentations
Transferable skills.

1. Developed through feedback on written reports and oral presentations.
2. Introduced through management and field project.
3. Introduced through computer project.
4-8. Other skills are fostered throughout the course through its structure and delivery


 Analytical and problem-solving skills are assessed through unseen written examinations and coursework. Research and design skills are assessed by field work, research and design project reports and presentations.

Practical skills are assessed through field and laboratory reports, project reports and oral presentations

Transferable skills
1. Coursework/ project reports, presentations, oral examination.
2. Group management project reports.
3. Computer project report.
4-8 Dissertation