Summary:
The MSc Environment and Sustainable Development course at the Bartlett's Development Planning Unit (DPU) reflects the increasing recognition that environmental concerns are closely linked to the way development theory and practice are conceived and applied. In this context, the concept of sustainable development (SD) has rapidly emerged as an approach similarly advocated and criticised by local and international organisations, broadly described as an envisioning strategy to save the earth for future generations.
A central concern of the course is to equip participants with a critical understanding of the SD theoretical debate and practice, unveiling the political, social and economic forces underlying environmental conflicts and exploring concrete approaches to address their causes. The course adopts an international comparative perspective, exploring the specific conditions for intervention in different contexts from all over the world.
The programme looks at conventional approaches in development planning, and the environmental conflicts generated by them, with specific reference to developing countries. It contrasts these approaches with the need for long-term environmental sustainability and social justice and examines concrete attempts to incorporate a deeper awareness of these goals into development policy making, planning and management.
Programme objectives:
By critically examining the theory and practice of environment and sustainable development at the international, national and urban levels in a variety of contexts, the programme seeks to provide participants with an understanding of the processes generating social and environmental change and with the skills and abilities to respond to such changes.
The course retains the DPU's long-standing preoccupation with planning for action. Its approach is critical, analytical and comparative so that it leads to discovery and exploration by participants.
