St Andrews University has produced its first graduates in sustainable development from a programme established in 2004 in response to local and international demands for expertise in this field.
One of only a few undergraduate courses focusing on the area of sustainable development in the UK and beyond, it has a unique structure with core interdisciplinary modules co-ordinated from the school of geography and geosciences but taught by staff from 11 schools across the university and combined with specialist modules on partner subjects of the student’s choice.
The degree looks at the enormous environmental and developmental challenges of the 21st century, and analyses alternative pathways offered by sustainable development to provide clean water, adequate sanitation, energy generation and supply, human health, food production and distribution, and safeguard biodiversity to meet the needs of future generations.
The graduating class of 23 students obtained a variety of specialisms in sustainable development including biology, management, geography, divinity and philosophy. They tailored coursework to reflect their interests in environmental management, business and corporate social responsibility, social justice and ethics, climate change and international development.
Among the variety of posts being taken up by the graduates are a role within an industrial organisation in Budapest, a business research post at AEA, and consultancy.
- www.st-andrews.ac.ukggcoursesugsustain_dev.shtml.
