Courses & Units
Change Agents for Sustainability KGA301
Introduction
Sustainability is one of the most complex and important challenges facing humanity today. In this final capstone unit for the Sustainability Major (or advanced third year units for students outside of the Major), you will apply knowledge and skills developed throughout your degree to complex sustainability challenges. In this unit you will identify opportunities for diverse groups of people in diverse places to transition towards sustainability. You will be guided by an interdisciplinary teaching team with expertise in life sciences, social sciences, and business. By applying environmental, economic, and social insights and tools related to social change, reflecting on the knowledge and value systems held by yourself and others, and working with peers to identify and design practical interventions to sustainability challenges in specific settings, you will advocate for practical responses to sustainability challenges to diverse audiences. You will explore diverse case studies from Tasmania and around the world and take account of Indigenous perspectives. The team-based problem solving, active citizenry, and targeted communication practiced in this unit will develop your capability to act as change agents for sustainability.
Summary
| Unit name | Change Agents for Sustainability |
|---|---|
| Unit code | KGA301 |
| Credit points | 12.5 |
| College/School | College of Sciences and Engineering School of Geography, Planning, and Spatial Sciences |
| Discipline | Tasmanian School of Business and Economics|Geography, Planning, and Spatial Sciences|Sociology and Criminology |
| Coordinator | Associate Professor Aidan Davison |
| Available as an elective? | Yes |
| Delivered By | University of Tasmania |
Availability
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Online | Semester 1 | Off-Campus | International | Domestic | |
Key
- On-campus
- Off-Campus
- International students
- Domestic students
Note
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Units are offered in attending mode unless otherwise indicated (that is attendance is required at the campus identified). A unit identified as offered by distance, that is there is no requirement for attendance, is identified with a nominal enrolment campus. A unit offered to both attending students and by distance from the same campus is identified as having both modes of study.
Key Dates
| Study Period | Start date | Census date | WW date | End date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Semester 1 | 26/2/2024 | 22/3/2024 | 15/4/2024 | 2/6/2024 |
* The Final WW Date is the final date from which you can withdraw from the unit without academic penalty, however you will still incur a financial liability (refer to How do I withdraw from a unit? for more information).
Unit census dates currently displaying for 2024 are indicative and subject to change. Finalised census dates for 2024 will be available from the 1st October 2023. Note census date cutoff is 11.59pm AEST (AEDT during October to March).
Learning Outcomes
- Analyse the roles, values, and perspectives of diverse change agents in sustainability transitions, drawing upon interdisciplinary approaches, diverse knowledge systems, and critical self-reflection
- Collaboratively design, plan and present an intervention to advance sustainability transitions in a specific social setting.
- Communicate persuasively and ethically as individuals and teams through diverse means and to diverse audiences as an advocate for sustainability transitions.
Fee Information
The 2024 Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) rates are still being finalised by the Government and we will update the domestic fee information as soon as we have more details.
Teaching
| Teaching Pattern | Online delivery 2023. Weekly pattern: 1 hour of MyLO material including video recordings + 2 hour online workshop (synchronous) each week. In addition there are up to 2 hours of required reading each week. |
|---|---|
| Assessment | Mapping a sustainability challenge (20%)|Discussion (30%)|Sustainability Transition Plan (50%) |
| Timetable | View the lecture timetable | View the full unit timetable |
Textbooks
| Required |
WEEK 1 Bennett, E et al. 2021. Patchwork Earth: navigating pathways to just, thriving, and sustainable futures. One Earth 4: 172-176. WEEK 2 Van Poech et al. 2017. An exploration of sustainability change agents as facilitators of nonformal learning: mapping a moving and intertwined landscape. Ecology & Society 22: 33. WEEK 3 Mintrom, M & Luetjens, J. 2017. Policy entrepreneurs and problem framing: The case of climate change. Environment and Planning C: Politics and Space 35(8): 1362-1377. WEEK 4 Lovell, H., 2004. Framing sustainable housing as a solution to climate change. Journal of Environmental Policy & Planning 6(1): 35-55 WEEK 5 Sparrow, J. 2019. The great acceleration. Overland 236. https://overland.org.au/previous-issues/issue-236/feature-the-great-acceleration/ WEEK 6 Myers, et al. 2013. Human health impacts of ecosystem alteration. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 110 (47): 18753-18760 WEEK 7 Leach, M et al. 2018. Equity and sustainability in the Anthropocene: a social–ecological systems perspective on their intertwined futures. Global Sustainability 1: e13, 1–13 WEEK 8 Avelino, F 2017. Power in sustainability transitions: analysing power and (dis)empowerment in transformative change |
Links | Booktopia textbook finder |
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The University reserves the right to amend or remove courses and unit availabilities, as appropriate.