General provisions

The course is given in Master's Programme in Sustainable Management.

Entry requirements

A Bachelor's degree, equivalent to a Swedish Kandidatexamen, from an internationally recognised university. Proficiency in English.

Learning outcomes

After completion of the course, students shall be able to:

• understand theories and concepts of Sustainable Development, Global Change and Transformation - the emergence, diffusion and complexity of these concepts in different contexts,
• critically analyse the relationships between economic, environmental and social development and ethically reflect on current and future transformational processes towards sustainable development,
• describe and present how different conditions, values and worldviews may influence implementation of sustainability strategies and attitudes in organisations.

Content

Sustainability in management and business is a complex phenomenon, characterised by wicked problems that are deeply rooted in structures and attitudes, culture and industry. Organisations face challenges to address these issues where they are interdependent on both nature and society.

In this course we 'travel' together through the history of sustainable management. We will critically reflect on what it means to be a manager and a leader in the world today and how organisations can understand their role in society.

The course addresses the fundamentals of sustainability in business and explore the history of the discourse. We will critically reflect on different worldviews from philosophical perspectives. Furthermore, we study and problematise how organisations try to develop and implement sustainability strategies and management tools that are supposed to contribute to fulfilment of organisational and global sustainability goals. Can you really manage sustainability and what does your transformative world look like?

The theme concepts of the course are: paradigms, transformation and responsibility.

The main values underpinning the course are: critical thinking, anticipatory thinking and active participation.

Instruction

The course will include lectures but with special focus on seminars for co-creation of knowledge and meaningful discussions. The 'head-work' and 'heart-work' will both take place in groups and individually where students are expected to be active and responsible in their reading, writing, sharing and meaning-making.

The course is taught in English.

Assessment

The student will get one single grade, equivalent to 7,5 credits.

The examination takes place continuously through oral and written assignments, conducted individually and in groups.

The grade for the entire course is based on an assessment of all parts of the examination. Grading criteria are presented in the study guide that applies to the course section. The following grades will be used: pass with distinction (VG), pass (G), and fail (U). Examinations handed in late will not be assessed except under special circumstances. Any remaining supplemental work must be completed and handed in by the deadline specified in the study guide. Otherwise the entire course (all examinations included) must be retaken during subsequent course sections.

If there are special reasons for doing so, an examiner may make an exception from the method of assessment indicated and allow a student to be assessed by another method. An example of special reasons might be a certificate regarding special pedagogical support from the university's disability coordinator.

Uppsala University does not accept cheating or plagiarism. Suspected incidents of cheating or plagiarism are reported to the Vice-Chancellor, which may issue a formal warning to the student or suspend the student from studies for a certain period.

NOTE: Only completed courses can count toward a degree.

Other directives

​The course substitutes/overlaps Managing Sustainability 2FE978.