Course syllabus for Technology for a global sustainable society

Course syllabus adopted 2020-02-20 by Head of Programme (or corresponding).

Overview

  • Swedish nameTeknik för ett hållbart globalt samhälle
  • CodeTEK735
  • Credits7.5 Credits
  • OwnerTKITE
  • Education cycleFirst-cycle
  • Main field of studyEnergy and Environmental Systems and Technology
  • ThemeEnvironment 7.5 c
  • DepartmentTECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT AND ECONOMICS
  • GradingTH - Pass with distinction (5), Pass with credit (4), Pass (3), Fail

Course round 1

  • Teaching language Swedish
  • Application code 52116
  • Block schedule
  • Open for exchange studentsNo
  • Only students with the course round in the programme overview.

Credit distribution

0119 Project 3 c
Grading: TH		3 c
0219 Take-home examination 4.5 c
Grading: TH		4.5 c

In programmes

Examiner

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Eligibility

General entry requirements for bachelor's level (first cycle)
Applicants enrolled in a programme at Chalmers where the course is included in the study programme are exempted from fulfilling the requirements above.

Specific entry requirements

The same as for the programme that owns the course.
Applicants enrolled in a programme at Chalmers where the course is included in the study programme are exempted from fulfilling the requirements above.

Learning outcomes (after completion of the course the student should be able to)

- Explain the concept of sustainable development from different dimensions and perspectives.
- Explain causes of unsustainable development and applicable examples of conditions and trends in natural and societal systems. Example: population growth, affluence development, use of resources, consumption, economic driving forces/obstacles, lock-in effects, emissions, etc.
- Describe the relationships between IT, nature and society.
- Use methods and tools for simple analyses of environmental effects originating from the lifecycle of a product. 
- Use problem solving and critical and creative thinking in group in order to bring together aspects regarding IT development and IT use with social, ecological and economic aspects.
- Reflect on the own professional role and professional responsibility as well as the role as citizen in relation to sustainable development.
- Reflect on how facts differ from values, identify ethical dilemmas.
- Reflect on what makes factual claims reliable and how such claims can be used in reasonable ways to support arguments.

Content

- Principles of sustainable development
- The role of the IT engineer in a sustainable society
- Formulating a sustainable development project on the basis of principles for sustainability
- Historical perspectives on IT and sustainable development
- Current situation analysis
- Case studies of ongoing IT and sustainability projects
- Life Cycle Analysis
- The challenge of rebound effects.
- Methods for selection and execution of IT and sustainability projects

Organisation

The teaching is carried out through lectures in parallel with a project conducted in groups and is presented in writing and orally.
One part of the course focuses on theoretical principles in sustainable development and serves as the basis for the formulation of a vision for the project. This part is accounted for in an individual take-home exam submitted after the end of the course.
The second part of the course is a group project comprising the formulation of a sustainability vision, tools for analysing the current situation, developing and prioritising IT-based solutions to a sustainability challenge identified by the groups. The group project is accounted for in a written report and an oral presentation. 

Literature

Course literature will be announced on the course webpage.

Examination including compulsory elements

Group project presented in writing and orally (3hp). Individual take-home exam (4,5hp).
Grades: F, 3, 4, 5. 
Both parts must have been passed to pass the course.