Sustainable development (interdisciplinary minor)
Description
Sustainable Development is a well-known concept, but what exactly does it mean? Sustainable Development is a form of development that preserves a sound ecological and social basis for society. This requires awareness of problems like climate change, loss of natural habitats, pollution and soil degradation. But Sustainable Development is also a platform for innovative ideas and practices of habitat development, ‘cradle-to-cradle’ designs for products and cities, corporate social responsibility and globalization and anti-globalization, in the Netherlands, in developing countries and worldwide.
This minor addresses all of these issues from a unique perspective, as it invites you to learn to tackle the problems by first analysing your own views and role regarding the sustainable development issues. You will then be confronted with a wide range of scientific views and solution strategies, which you will be asked to analyse critically. The programme will be taught by CML, but will feature contributions from many others at Leiden University and from society at large.
Why opt for the minor Sustainable Development?
It is a specially designed minor with courses that are closely coordinated
You will learn how the world’s major problems can be made manageable
You will work within both a local and a global context
The course uses modern teaching methods (debates, seminars, Facebook, e-learning)
The course combines academic and practical skills
You will receive extensive feedback from teachers and from your peers
Final attainment objectives for the minor Sustainable Development
After completing the minor Sustainable Development, you will be able to:
A. Describe the world as a complex system of cycles and processes, and explain how that affects sustainability challenges;
B. Use theory, factual knowledge and a system’s perspective to explain the drivers of sustainability challenges and how they interact with economy, culture and biodiversity;
C. Analyse complex sustainability problems using various methodologies, and use the results to propose well-founded and creative ideas for solutions;
D. Substantiate and defend statements and findings regarding sustainability challenges and proposed solutions to a broad audience, both verbally and in writing;
E. Identify how the knowledge and skills of your major programme can contribute to managing and solving sustainability challenges;
F. Recognise the value of the interdisciplinarity of the field of Sustainable Development by integrating different perspectives and sensitively interacting with people with different backgrounds.
Timetable
The minor is a full time programme lasting five months (5 September 2016 – 27 January 2017). Please be aware that it is an intensive programme with lectures and tutorial group sessions on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, with compulsory attendance. Tuesdays and Thursdays are reserved for independent studies, which does not mean that these are days off; you will need them to study the literature, do assignments and prepare presentations.
Admission requirements
The minor Sustainable Development is designed for 3rd year bachelors students from all degree programmes. Whether you are a language or chemistry student, a social scientist or an archeologist, the minor Sustainable Development is open and of interest to all.
Please note that we can accommodate a maximum of 60 students. Admission is based on the students’ qualifications + a first come, first served basis. All students are required to submit a motivation letter. Students of Leiden University are given priority over external students.
Registration
You can officially register for the minor Sustainable Development in uSis from 1 May until 1 August 2016.
Information on how to register for the minor in U-Sis can be found in this manual online.
Registration students TU Delft and Erasmus University Rotterdam
Participation in a minor at Leiden University is guaranteed for students from TU Delft and Erasmus Rotterdam. Please note, to join this easy registration process you can only register for the Minor from 1-31 May. After May, you can still register for the minor until 1 August, but then by following the registration process of ‘Other students’ (see below). Here you can find the application form.
Motivation letter
As a preparation for the minor in September we ask you to submit the following small assignment as soon as possbile after your registration in Usis. (no later than 1 August) Write a short motivation letter (about 500 words) in which you discuss the following questions:
Why do you want to follow this minor?
What is your study background, and how does this minor fit in (or not)?
What would you like to learn? (Do you have a specific interest for a topic (climate change, resource scarcity, etc.) or skills (writing papers, presentation, debate, etc.) that you would like to improve?)
How did you know about this minor (website, Facebook, via-via, directory, etc)
Send your motivation letter to the minor coordinator
We will try as much as possible to incorporate our input into our programme and class discussions. At the end of the course we will ask you to reread your motivation letter and reflect on what you have learned.
Registration for an elective (half minor) of 15 EC
Students who do not have the full 30 ECTS available can take the ‘Sustainable Development: Big Issues New Answers’ course as an elective. In Usis you will register for this course only (so not for the whole minor). You will need permission to do so from the exam board for your degree programme.
Other Students
In principle, the minor is also open to students of other universities and universities of professional education (HBO), provided that they are highly motivated to do so and show great commitment. If the number of applicants exceeds the number of places, participants will be selected on the basis of a letter of motivation and/or an intake interview.
You can register for the minor as follows:
Go to the webpage anders studeren and follow instructions.
The request form must be signed by the study advisor at the institute where the course is to take place. You must therefore first send this form (with all the necessary documents) to the following address:
CML
Universiteit Leiden
Tav Onderwijsbureau
Postbus 9518
2300 RA Leiden
We will then send it to the PLEXUS central administrative office.
After receiving your student number and ULCN account you can register for the minor in Usis in the same way as students from Leiden University (see above).
Please Note: Your registration can only be processed in time if you make sure you are in possession of all the documents required for your registration as a guest student as early as possible (by 1 August at the latest).
Since students of Leiden University are given priority, external applicants will have to wait until 1 August to know whether any places are available for external students.
You can also register your interest. We will then keep you informed of developments regarding the minor programme through a newsletter.
Further information and links
If you have any questions about the programme or registration process you can contact the minor coordinator, or tel: 071 527 1477.