University home > Unit and programme catalogues in 2022/23 > Programme catalogue > Faculty of Social Sciences and Law > School of Sociology, Politics and International Studies > Society, Politics and Climate Change (MSc) > Specification
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Programme code | 9SPAI003T |
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Programme type | Postgraduate Taught Degree |
Programme director(s) |
Ashley Dodsworth
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Faculty | Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
School/department | School of Sociology, Politics and International Studies |
Teaching institution | University of Bristol |
Awarding institution | University of Bristol |
Mode of study | Full or Part Time |
Programme length |
1 years (full time)
2 years (part time) |
This section sets out why studying this programme is important, both in terms of inspiring you as an individual and in considering the challenges we face. It describes how this degree programme contributes to:
The main aims of this programme are to develop students’ knowledge of the interconnecting challenges shaping the climate crisis, while also developing their capacity to critically assess a combination of responses that offer the potential to deliver complex transformation at the interface of economy, ecology, and society. Alongside units dealing in debates and concepts relevant to discrete issue areas - such as: climate policy; disasters; consumption and production; environmental justice, and social movements – a further aim of the programme is to develop students’ academic proficiencies in research design and methods; synthesising and evaluating scholarly materials; analysing policy frameworks and initiatives; and imagining alternative futures based on interdisciplinary, complex understandings of system transformation. The programme aims to develop students’ intellectual abilities, by preparing them to construct arguments based on appropriate and balanced social-scientific evidence, and applying insights to deliver impact. Through group work - such as: the preparation of policy briefs; presentation of a range of research designs suitable for addressing research questions/problems pertaining to different aspects of the climate crisis - we aim to equip students with skills to analyse and present engaging and relevant evidence and solutions suitable to practical action in the public sphere.
This programme is explicit in its recognition of the University of Bristol’s educational priority to, ‘design, develop and deliver a ‘Bristol Futures’ curriculum that will ensure all students acquire the knowledge, skills and understanding needed to equip them for success within a rapidly changing world of work.’ Driven by the pedagogic innovation and enhancement emanating from the Bristol Institute of Learning of Teaching (BILT) the curriculum of this programme will be research-rich, intellectually challenging, and internationally relevant. The programme will also equip students with the necessary skills to enhance their employability namely: knowledge and intellectual abilities; engagement and influence; and personal effectiveness and wellbeing.
This programme provides state-of-the-art knowledge of the climate crisis. Graduates from the MSc in SPCC will not only be able to demonstrate a deep knowledge and understanding of the studied subject and ability to engage in future thinking, but they will also have a critical self-awareness of their role and capabilities as a climate concerned citizen. Being equipped with tools of critical analysis regarding the climate crisis will develop students’ personal effectiveness and wellbeing in relation to the impacts from, and responses to, a changing climate.. Throughout the programme, students will be encouraged to apply their knowledge and intellectual abilities to address the nexus of challenges central to the climate crisis. This will improve their decision making and practice capabilities for their future professional careers in a wide range of organisations.
The learning outcome statements shown below for your programme have been developed with reference to relevant national subject benchmarks (where they exist), national qualification descriptors (see the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications) and professional body requirements.
Teaching, learning and assessment strategies are listed to show how you will be able to achieve and demonstrate the learning outcomes.
This programme provides opportunities for you to develop and demonstrate knowledge and understanding, qualities, skills and other attributes in the following areas:
Programme Intended Learning Outcomes | Learning/teaching methods and strategies |
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For the dissertation projects, students will be allocated a supervisor within SPAIS who will hold regular supervision meetings during the dissertation project. Where the project is derived from stakeholder input, the supervisor will provide the detailed academic support for the project. |
Methods of assessment (formative and summative) | |
The methods selected are intended to be both iterative, progressing across the programme, and directly related to specific outcomes. The programme will integrate both formative and summative assessment throughout the programme, and detailed feedback will be delivered using both formal (written and/or recorded) and informal (verbal feedback sessions) means. Core knowledge will be assessed by a range of methods including:
Individual and group presentations to assess grasp of key concepts and debates (1 through 9) |
Programme Intended Learning Outcomes | Learning/teaching methods and strategies |
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Intellectual skill development is integrated into every unit.
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Methods of assessment (formative and summative) | |
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Programme Intended Learning Outcomes | Learning/teaching methods and strategies |
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There will be a clear focus on employability, through both subject specific expertise and transferable skills. The programme director will liaise regularly with the employment office to ensure that relevant skills are being targeted within the programmes. The Bristol Skills Framework is formative in this respect. The framework will be integrated across the programme, ensuring progressive development across Teaching Blocks.
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Methods of assessment (formative and summative) | |
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This section describes what is expected from you at each level of your programme. This illustrates increasing intellectual standards as you progress through the programme. These levels are mapped against the national level descriptors published by the Quality Assurance Agency.
Level M/7 - Postgraduate Certificate |
For a Postgraduate Certificate, students are required to complete the first term taught units in the programme. The structure of the degree programme has been designed to engage the student in a cumulative process of developing skills and knowledge through a sequence of complementary stages. In the first term, all Certificate, Diploma and Masters’ students develop foundational knowledge and understanding of the main subfields of human resource management and the future of work and their theoretical and conceptual frameworks; they develop general intellectual skills and attributes necessary for that knowledge and understanding; and are required to develop several practical skills. Postgraduate Certificate: At least 60 credits of which 45 or more must be at NQF Level 7. |
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Level M/7 - Postgraduate Diploma |
For a Postgraduate Diploma, students are required to complete all the taught units in the programme. In the second term, all Diploma and Masters’ students acquire a deeper knowledge and understanding of the main subfields of human resource management and the future of work and their theoretical and conceptual frameworks. These units explore more specialised topics that nevertheless build on the material learned in the first term. The intellectual and practical skills learned in the first term are also developed, applied and extended. Postgraduate Diploma: At least 120 credits of which 90 or more must be at NQF Level 7. |
Level M/7 - Postgraduate Masters |
The dissertation or applied extended project acts as the culmination of the student's progress through the degree programme, as she/he applies the appropriate technical, methodological and intellectual skills that have been developed to a piece of applied research or extended project devised in consultation and supervised by a staff advisor and located clearly within the field of human resource management and the future of work. |
For information on the admissions requirements for this programme please see details in the postgraduate prospectus at http://www.bristol.ac.uk/prospectus/postgraduate/ or contact the relevant academic department.
A core component of this programme is the dissertation – applied research project, where students will have three broad paths. The first (Mode A) is a traditional academic dissertation where the student, with the support of an academic supervisor, develops a research proposal and proceeds to research and write the project. This is the model used in other PGT programmes within SPAIS. The second and third models are stakeholder led projects. In Mode B academic stakeholders within Bristol propose a project thematic and provide direct advice on project design and implementation. Where possible, subject to workload calculations, the academic stakeholder will be the student’s dissertation supervisor. However, where this is not feasible, the student’s supervisor will meet with the stakeholder to agree upon broad approaches to the project. The final assessment of the dissertation will include input from the stakeholder to the supervisor, but the supervisor will retain the authority to provide the final grade and assessment. In Mode C, the projects will be stakeholder led, and will tend to be problem-based. The stakeholders will be external to the University. The University’s Professional Liaison Network (PLN) team has been provided administrative support as a component of the programme’s business plan to foster and sustain stakeholder partnerships. The particular nature of the individual projects will vary substantially, as will the extent to which the stakeholder is able to provide specific support during the research and writing of the problem-based dissertation. The programme coordinator will liaise regularly with the PLN team.
The University of Bristol MSc in Society, Politics and Climate Change is a distinctive programme that builds on the considerable strengths in the University on Climate Change. It is a theoretically sophisticated, and empirically grounded programme that emphasizes reflective learning. The result will be graduates who are ideally situated to become leaders in societal responses to the climate emergency. Linking to the Bristol Skills Framework, and the University of Bristol’s Education Strategy (2017-2023), will facilitate students finding relevant careers in the public, private, and not-for-profit sectors.
http://www.bristol.ac.uk/global-insecurities/working-groups/climate-emergency/'''
Unit Name | Unit Code | Credit Points | Status | |
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Climate Crisis and International Security | POLIM0052 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-2 |
Society, Politics and Climate Change | POLIM0055 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-1 |
Vulnerabilities, Capacities and Disasters | POLIM0058 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-1 |
Consumption, Environment and Sustainable Development | SOCIM0034 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-2 |
Dissertation - SPCC Applied Research Project | POLIM0056 | 60 | Mandatory | AYEAR |
One of the following two research methods units: | ||||
Introduction to Qualitative Research Methods in the Social Sciences | SOCIM0013 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 |
Chosen from SPAIS unit list – with a recommended list to be provided) | OPEN | 20 | Optional | |
180 |
The pass mark set by the University for any level 7(M) unit is 50 out of 100.
For detailed rules on progression please see the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes and the relevant faculty handbook.
All taught masters programmes, unless exempted by Senate, must allow the opportunity for students to exit from the programme with a postgraduate diploma or certificate.
To be awarded a postgraduate diploma, students must have successfully completed 120 credit points, of which 90 must be at level M/7.
To be awarded a postgraduate certificate, students must have successfully completed 60 credit points, of which 40 must be at level M/7.
An award with Merit or Distinction is permitted for postgraduate taught masters, diplomas and certificates, where these are specifically named entry-level qualifications. An award with Merit or Distinction is not permitted for exit awards where students are required to exit the programme on academic grounds but is permitted in designated programmes (as set out in the programme specification) where students choose to withdraw from the intended programme but otherwise achieve the necessary credit points for the exit award.
The classification of the award in relation to the final programme mark is as follows:
Award with Distinction*: at least 65 out of 100 for the taught component overall and, for masters awards, at least 70 out of 100 for the dissertation. **Faculties retain discretion to increase these thresholds.
Award with Merit*: at least 60 out of 100 for the taught component overall and, for masters awards, at least 60 out of 100 for the dissertation. Faculties retain discretion to increase these thresholds.
* The MA in Law has separate regulations for awarding distinction and merit.
** For the award of Distinction, the Faculty of Engineering requires at least 70 out of 100 for the taught component overall and, for masters awards, at least 70 out of 100 for the dissertation.
All taught masters programmes, unless exempted by Senate, must allow the opportunity for students to choose, or be required, to leave at the postgraduate diploma or certificate stage.
To be awarded a postgraduate diploma, students must have successfully completed 120 credit points, of which 90 must be at level M/7.
To be awarded a postgraduate certificate, students must have successfully completed 60 credit points, of which 40 must be at level M/7.
Unit Name | Unit Code | Credit Points | Status | |
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Society, Politics and Climate Change | POLIM0055 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-1 |
Vulnerabilities, Capacities and Disasters | POLIM0058 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-1 |
Consumption, Environment and Sustainable Development | SOCIM0034 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-2 |
60 |
Please note: This specification provides a concise summary of the main features of the programme and the learning outcomes that a typical student might reasonably be expected to achieve and demonstrate if he/she takes full advantage of the learning opportunities that are provided.
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