Earth Futures - Environments, Communities, Relationships

The Earth Futures - Environments, Communities, Relationships program of the University of Glasgow is an interdisciplinary program that bridges knowledge across the social and physical sciences. It aims to equip students with the expertise, experience and skills to tackle the environmental and societal challenges of sustainable development in the anthropocene.

Through a compulsory placement module, students will develop practical experience of working in social and environmental governance, activist and community sectors. This will be supported by research-led teaching covering key global challenges and ethical imperatives in sustainable community and environmental development.

Key facts

• Our School of Geographical and Earth Sciences is ranked amongst the top 10 in the UK, currently we are 6th (Complete University Guide).

• Geography at Glasgow is ranked 41st in the world (QS World Rankings).

• Our Human Geographers are 1st in the UK for research publications and 1st in the UK overall for internationally excellent and world-leading research.

• This program offers a compulsory work-placement that will expose you to scenarios where you must understand and communicate complex information, deal with change, handle relationships, manage projects, and work with vulnerable communities – providing a thorough grounding and springboard into a professional career.

• Glasgow is the base for a number of internationally and nationally significant NGOs and development charities, such as Oxfam, British Red Cross, Scottish Refugee Council, RSPB, Friends of the Earth and WaterAid, and a wide range of grassroots community initiatives.

• A specifically designed, truly interdisciplinary program lead by world-leading physical and social scientists within the School designed to address the complex challenges highlighted in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

• A curriculum that encompasses key global challenges and ethical imperatives in sustainable community and environmental development, designed to foster critical thinking and prepare students to forge new spaces, impacts and modes of communities that are less stressed and more caring.

• A series of carefully designed, well-paced, innovative continuous assessments, including writing professional reports, guided statistical modelling, vlogs and a funded, student-led conference to publicly showcase your work and develop your ability to manage budgets, organise events and communicate effectively.

• The program will provide access to the 1+3 pathway for PhD studies supported by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC).

• The School has an Athena Swan Silver Award, demonstrating the school’s commitment to supporting women in scientific studies and careers, and to improving the working environment for all.
• Career prospects
• The Earth Futures - Environments, Communities, Relationships program of the University of Glasgow is ‘challenge-led’ and interdisciplinary, equipping students with skills to work across sectors to address global emergencies. Students will gain the required knowledge, skills and experience to work in a range of positions in environmental and social sectors.
• Through the placement and integrated project work, aligned to specific graduate attributes, you will be well qualified for positions in:
• Environmental governance

• International non-governmental organisations

• Charities

• Corporate, social & environmental responsibility

Courses include:

• Interdisciplinary Approaches to Global Challenges

• Research Design, Ethics & Impact

• Qualitative Methods

• Principles of GIS

• Environmental Statistics