Advertorial: London South Bank University

MSc Education for Sustainability
Fast-track – 1 year
Part-time – 2 years
Short Courses – Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

Exploring both environmental and development education in the context of education for sustainability (EfS), this course will enable you to investigate and expand the role that EfS can play in social, political and economic change with a view of a sustainable world. It will also help you develop a range of skills, including application of theory to practice, understanding and management of change, and holistic and critical thinking.

We have three modes of study and we welcome a rich diversity of students. So, no matter where you live, you can become part of a world-wide community of learning and practice.

Distance Learning allows you the flexibility to study at your own pace from any corner of the world. With the Fast Track Mode you can earn a Masters in just over a year via self-supported study at LSBU. Or you can choose our Short courses & Part-time Modes for greater flexibility in terms of pace and location of study.

100% coursework – no exams. All course materials, tutoring, assessment, etc are provided within the course fees.

What our students say…

Asitha, a recent MSc graduate from Sri Lanka, says:

As a civil engineering graduate with an MPhil, I was strongly science-oriented and environment-focused before embarking on the EfS Programme in order to ‘see’ the big picture of sustainability.
As I progressed, I was surprised to realise how narrow my sustainability vision had been. In July 2009 I earned an MSc with distinction while gaining much knowledge and important skills. The best gain is the ability to see beyond the boundaries of (modern) science. I also realised the sustainability potential of indigenous knowledges and worldviews and the importance of the local dimension for sustainability. The big picture of sustainability I had expected to ‘see’ is even bigger and perhaps it’s getting bigger.

Today, if someone asked me why they should enrol in the EfS programme at LSBU, I can give five good reasons.

The high quality of the programme and the expertise of the tutor team. In 2001 the EfS programme earned 23 out of 24 from the Quality Assessment Agency (QAA). The secret behind this quality success is the team of expert tutors, such as internationally renowned Dr Stephen Sterling, who are leading practitioners and researchers in the field. The fact that tutors have diverse backgrounds and research interests and that they come from other UK universities immensely contribute to the quality of the programme.

The study materials for each unit comprise a Study Guide (a written equivalent of one-to-one tutorial), a Reader (a thick collection of academic articles and other text) and supplementary materials (usually a book and a resource pack). They undergo continuous review and updating, falling in line with the latest developments in the field.
At enrolment, you are assigned a Personal Tutor who guides your overall progress while providing general support and guidance until graduation. For each Unit, a specialist Unit tutor provides tutorial support on the unit content. You can contact tutors by telephone, email, fax or letter, and they are helpful.

The choice and flexibility the programme offers.  The programme offers four qualifications: University Certificate, Postgraduate Certificate, Postgraduate Diploma and Masters of Science. Each of the eight units represents around 150 hours study time. There are three study modes to choose from: fast-track (self-supported study at LSBU), part-time (distance learning), or a mixture of both. If your circumstances change, you can change the mode.

Diversity reigns everywhere in the programme – be it tutor expertise/background, the course content or the students themselves. The course Reader of each unit comprises the work from a range of authors harbouring diagonally opposite ideologies. Coursework topics cater to every student’s expertise and interests.

Potential for skills development. The programme is designed to impart a range of transferable skills, such as effective communication proficiency, understanding and management of change, problem solving and strategic planning.

It particularly developed my capacity for holistic/critical thinking, which is essential to ‘see’ the big picture of sustainability.

Networking facilitation. In response to the 1992 Rio Earth Summit’s proclamation that education must play a key role in building a sustainable world, a group of environmental and development educators – ranging from the WWF to Oxfam – got together with LSBU and the result was this course, launched in 1994. Instead of being merely academic, the EfS programme actively engages with external stakeholders who strive for sustainability. Means employed in this regard include an annual conference, an e-Journal with free access (www.indicator.org.uk), publication of books and, most recently, as the initiator of the London Regional Centre of Expertise (RCE) on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD).

For more information visit www.lsbu.ac.uk/efs or email efs@lsbu.ac.uk