Sustainable Development - MA (Hons)

The University of Edinburgh

Sustainable development refers to the challenges involved in reducing global inequalities while also reducing threats to the planet's systems from industrialised production and consumption.But what sustainable development do we have today? What is its history, how has it developed this way, and what are its possible futures?The social sciences aim to offer insight into the underlying causes of the challenges of our time, including:* social* political* economic* technological* culturalUnderstanding the origin of these problems can help us adapt and transform, leading to a more sustainable future. This is especially important as we seek to expand environmental care in relation to:* climate stability* biodiversity* the renewal of natural resources**The goals of the programme**This multidisciplinary degree programme addresses sustainable development (as an interrelated global and local issue) to examine:* how societies organise social, economic and political activity* the social and environmental consequences of current ways of living* how societies relate to the natural world* the relationship between current and future generations* patterns of development* opportunities for social, political, economic and technological changeThroughout our programme, we address many different issues and concepts, including but not limited to:* social and environmental justice* sustainable consumption* economic structures* food systems* energy technologies and policies* governance and democracy**Programme benefits*** You can engage with sustainability issues from a variety of disciplinary perspectives, focusing on natural science, social science or a combination of the two. This allows you to choose the programme most relevant to you.* The University is ranked 13th overall for its environmental sustainability, with particularly high scores for sustainability education and renewable energy generated on campus.* The University has an outstanding record of world-leading research, and our teaching takes a wide range of approaches to sustainability, from across the natural and social sciences.

School of Social and Political Science