Postgraduate taught 

Environment, Culture & Communication (Dumfries campus) MLitt

Environmental Ethics and Behaviour Change DUMF5060

  • Academic Session: 2023-24
  • School: School of Interdisciplinary Studies
  • Credits: 20
  • Level: Level 5 (SCQF level 11)
  • Typically Offered: Semester 2
  • Available to Visiting Students: Yes

Short Description

This course introduces the philosophical, social, political and scientific issues of environmental ethics, environmental policy, technological choice, and the relationship between these and behaviour change. The intention is to provide essential background for an environmentally-oriented discipline; to sensitise students to the ethical dimensions of their subject and its professional practice; and, not least, to enable them to justify to their eventual colleagues and clients the importance and appropriateness of their activities. The course presumes no prior exposure to ethical questions.

Timetable

Mondays 10.00-12.00 (Glasgow)

Fridays 10.00-12.00 (Dumfries)

Excluded Courses

None

Co-requisites

None

Assessment

Summative Assessment

1. Short answer test: 25% [ILOs 1-4]

2. 3000-3500 word essay: 75% [ILOs 1-4]

Course Aims

The aims of this course are to:

1. Introduce students to ethical theory in general, and to the main theories of environmental ethics in particular.

 

2. Explore approaches to environmental behaviour change and assess their ethical implications.

 

3. Develop students' ability to apply environmental ethics theory to a range of applied issues (such as climate justice, technological fixes, behavioural interventions, corporate behaviours, and direct action).

 

4. Enable students to reflectively and critically apply the theory and principles of environmental ethics to their everyday, civic and professional practices.

Intended Learning Outcomes of Course

By the end of this course, students will be able to:


1. Explain and assess the fundamentals of the dominant ethical and environmental ethical theories, and the similarities and differences between them.

 

2. Explain the main approaches to environmental behaviour change and assess their ethical implications.

 

3. Critically apply the theory and principles of environmental ethics to a range of applied issues.

4. Reflectively and critically apply the theory and principles of environmental ethics to their everyday, civic and professional practices.

Minimum Requirement for Award of Credits

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components of the course's summative assessment and attend 75% of class meetings.