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4. Sustainability

Course Fact File

Code	CK010
Duration	4 Years
Teaching Mode	Full-time
Qualifications	BSc (Hons)
NFQ Level	Level 8

Course Outline

Sustainability is the defining challenge - and opportunity - of our time. UCC’s new BSc Sustainability equips you with the knowledge and skills to create positive change — tackling climate change, biodiversity loss, and inequality while building fairer, circular and resilient societies.

This interdisciplinary degree gives you the tools to understand complex global challenges, work across disciplines, and put knowledge into action.

In your first year, you will study the fundamentals of sustainability including grand challenges such as energy, food, climate change, biodiversity loss and global development, and how these challenges relate to science, business, culture and society. 

In the following years, your studies will build on this core interdisciplinary foundation, with modules in sustainability in law, health, political economy, leadership, and transformative change.

From second year, you will also specialise in a disciplinary stream to develop deeper skills.

1. Sustainability, Science & Climate Action (Anchored in the College of Science, Engineering and Food Science): Develop scientific and technical expertise in environmental and climate science, ecology, data and computer science, and sustainable energy and food systems.
2. Sustainability, Society & Culture (Anchored in the College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences): Explore how history, language, culture and ethics shape our relationship with the planet, and how societies can respond creatively and justly to sustainability challenges.
3. Sustainable Business & Circular Economy (Anchored in the College of Business & Law): Learn how businesses and economies can transform to achieve sustainability — from circular production to responsible leadership, finance and ESG reporting.

 

Other opportunities include an international field trip and a study abroad or work placement opportunity – both in third year, and an applied capstone project in your final year.

You will also take elective modules from a broad choice of subjects from across the university throughout your degree,

Year 1 Modules

• SU1001: Sustainability in the context of planetary boundaries (10 credits)
• SU1002: Sustainability grand challenges: From local to global (10 credits)
• SU1003: Sustainability & Global Development (5 credits)
• SU1004: Ethics & Environmental Justice (5 credits)
• SU1005: Introduction to research and data analysis for sustainability (5 credits)
• SU1006: Sustainability and Climate Action: Fundamentals of Environmental and Climate Sciences (5 credits)
• SU1007: Sustainability, Society and Culture (5 credits)
• SU1008: Sustainable Business and Circular Economy (5 credits)

 

Students will also take 10 credits of electives.

Year 2 Modules

All students will take the following core modules:

• SU2001: Partnerships for Sustainability: Stakeholder Engagement Knowledge and Skills (10 credits)
• SU2002: Global Law and Sustainability (5 credits)
• SU2003: Health and sustainability/climate change
• SU2004: Work Integrated Learning: Placement Skills OR LL2108 Crossing Borders: Cultures and Societies

 

Sustainability, Science & Climate Action Stream:

• SU2031: Chemistry for Environmental Sustainability
• CS1068: Introductory Programming in Python
• SU2032: Sustainable Energy Systems
• BL1006: Habitats and ecosystems
• SU2033: Fundamentals of Microbiology & Ecology
• SU2034: Climate impacts and adaptation

 

Sustainability, Society & Culture Stream:

• SU2020: A History of Sustainability? People and Nature through Time
• SU2021 Irish Cultural Heritage and Sustainability
• GG3009 Environmental Geographies
• SU2022 Environmental Crime
• SU2023 Eco-criticism and Memory
• SU2024 Sustainable Heritage Project Management

 

Sustainable Business & Circular Economy Stream:

• BU2002 Responsible Leadership and Communications
• EC2119 Economic Data Collection and Presentation Skills
• FE2015 Sustainable International Business
• SU2040 The Circular Economy
• SU2041 Developing Critical Thinking Skills
• SU2042 Communications for sustainability

Students will also take elective modules worth 5 credits.

Year 3 Modules

All students will take the following core modules in Semester 1:

• SU3001Measuring and presenting sustainable development evidence (5 credits)
• SU3002 International Field Trip (5 credits)
• SU3003 Sustainability, Justice, Power & Political Economy (5 credits)

 During Semester 1, students will also take elective modules worth 5 credits.

 

Sustainability, Science & Climate Action Stream:

• SU3031 Macro- and Micro-ecology of sustainable ecosystems
• CS2213 Data Analytics for Digital Humanities

 

Sustainability, Society & Culture Stream:

• GG3010 Global urbanism: sustainable cities and communities
• SS2033 Critical Social Policy and Environmental Crisis

 

Sustainable Business & Circular Economy Stream:

• SU3040 Accounting & Finance for Sustainable Business
• SU3041Sustainable Food Systems

 

During Semester 2, all students undertake Study Abroad, or a Work Placement, or an independent research project, each worth 30 credits. 

Year 4 Modules

All students will take the following core modules:

• SU4001 Sustainability Capstone 1 (5 credits)
• SU4004 Sustainability Capstone 2 (10 credits)
• SU4005 Sustainability leadership competences (5 credits)
• SU4002 Catalysts and levers of transformative change
• SU4003 Sustainability: Ethical Futures

 

Sustainability, Science & Climate Action Stream:

• SU4031 Science and Sustainability; history, philosophy, perspectives and context
• SU4032 Sustainable Food Systems
• CE3012 Materials and Sustainability
• CE4024 Progressing Toward Sustainable Industry

 

Sustainability, Society & Culture Stream:

• SU4022 Sustainability, Transformation and Resilience Discourses in Literature and Culture
• SU4020 Planetary health, nature and psychological resilience-building
• SU4021 Re-imagining Democracy in a Climate Damaged World
• SU4023 Ecofeminism & Performance in Public Place

 

Sustainable Business & Circular Economy Stream:

• EC3156 Environmental Economics: The Problem of Climate Change
• FE4009 Co-operatives, Food and Rural Sustainability
• SU4040 Responsible Management for Sustainability
• SU4041 Decisions for Sustainable Business

Note: Modules are subject to change from year-to-year, including electives. Full details for new Sustainability modules will be published in Summer 2026 when the book of modules refreshes for the 2026/2027 academic year.

Course Practicalities

Study Abroad and Work Placement

In Year 3, you’ll choose between a Study Abroad experience or a Work Placement, both designed to give you real-world, international experience in sustainability.

 

Sustainability is a global challenge that demands international collaboration and understanding. Through the Study Abroad option, you can spend a semester or full academic year studying at one of UCC’s partner universities around the world, deepening your insight into how different cultures, regions and sectors are addressing sustainability. Through this option, you will expand your academic horizons, build global networks, experience new perspectives on sustainability, and develop intercultural skills valued by employers.

 

Students opting to study abroad will take a preparatory module - LL2108 Crossing Borders: Cultures and Societies – in semester 1 of Year 2. Students who wish to study in a non-English-speaking country use their electives to take language modules in Years 1 and 2.

 

Second Year students who wish to avail of this facility must meet minimum academic standards in their first and second year, and must apply and receive permission from the Programme Director.

 

Through the Work Placement option, you’ll spend six months (January–June) working with a sustainability-focused organisation, such as a company, NGO, research institute or government agency, applying your learning to real-world challenges while developing professional networks and transferable skills.

 

Note: SU3005 Independent Research Project is available for those students unable for verifiable reasons to undertake a Work Placement or Study Abroad.

Capstone Project

In your final year, you’ll complete a two-part Capstone Project, applying what you’ve learned to a real sustainability challenge drawn from local communities, industry, or policy. You’ll design and evaluate practical solutions, connecting local action to global change, and showcase your findings through reports, presentations or creative outputs.

Why Choose This Course

Our future depends on people who can think critically, work across disciplines and drive real change. At UCC, the BSc Sustainability equips you with the knowledge, skills, and mindset to become one of those people - ready to help shape a thriving, fair, and sustainable future for all.

Interdisciplinary and Hands-On

This is not a traditional degree: it’s an interdisciplinary education for a complex world. You’ll explore how science, society, culture, business and ethics intersect within sustainability, developing both the big-picture understanding and the practical tools needed to solve real-world problems.

Through projects, fieldwork, and community engagement, you’ll learn by doing — using UCC and Cork as a living laboratory for sustainability. You’ll gain core skills in research, communication, teamwork, systems thinking and leadership, while building technical knowledge in areas such as environmental science, policy, data analysis, circular economy and climate action.

A Global Leader in Sustainability

UCC is internationally recognised for its leadership in sustainability. We were the first university in the world to earn a Green Flag, and hold a Gold STARS rating for sustainability excellence.

Students benefit from cutting-edge research, innovative teaching, and strong links with local government, industry and community organisations.

Find out more about Sustainability across UCC’s teaching, research and practice.

Cork and UCC’s campus are testbeds for real-world sustainability solutions in energy, climate, food and communities. Cork itself is a vibrant, forward-looking city actively advancing climate adaptation, renewable energy, and sustainable urban development, an ideal setting to learn about sustainability in practice.

Did you know?

• UCC was the first university in the world to be awarded a Green Flag for sustainability.
• Cork is one of Europe’s 100 “Mission Cities” leading the transition to climate neutrality by 2030.
• Sustainability is so in demand that 90% of guidance counsellors surveyed said students would choose this degree .

 

Graduate attributes

Graduates of the BSc Sustainability will be:

• Independent and creative thinkers, able to analyse complex systems and propose solutions.
• Effective global citizens, understanding the ethical and cultural dimensions of sustainability.
• Digitally fluent communicators, confident in research, data analysis and outreach.
• Socially responsible leaders, capable of translating ideas into transformative action.

Career-ready graduates

Employers across all sectors need sustainability specialists who can integrate scientific, social and economic perspectives. Graduates of this programme will be ready to work in:

• Sustainability consulting & corporate responsibility (ESG)
• Climate and energy policy
• International development
• Community development, planning and environmental law
• Renewable energy & circular economy industries
• NGOs, local authorities & government agencies
• Research and further study (MSc/PhD pathways)

 

Opportunities for further study

 

The BSc Sustainability also provides a strong foundation for postgraduate study. Depending on your chosen stream, you’ll meet the entry requirements for a wide range of MSc and MA programmes in science, engineering, social sciences, business and the humanities, or continue to doctoral research (PhD) in your specialist area.

 

Please refer to the UCC postgraduate prospectus as a wide range of environmental postgraduate study options are available at both Masters and PhD level, for example:

-              Sociology of Sustainability & Global Challenges

-              Sustainability in Enterprise (Online)

-              Law LLM (Environmental & Natural Resources Law)

 

For examples of the type of research ongoing across UCC, see the Sustainability Institute.

 

Requirements

Leaving Certificate Entry Requirements

At least six subjects must be presented. Minimum grade H5 in two subjects and minimum grade O6/H7 in four other subjects. English
and Irish are a requirement for all programmes. 

Applicants will need to meet the following requirements:

English	Irish	Maths
O6/H7	O6/H7	O2/H6

EU/EFTA/UK Qualifications

EU/EFTA/UK applicants presenting an equivalent school-leaving qualification should review the EU/EFTA/UK Applicants page for information on equivalent grades and how to prove their level of English.

Mature Students

To compete through the mature entry route, applicants must be 23 years of age on or before 1 January of the application year and apply online via the CAO by 1 February. The application should include a statement of interest, and applicants may also be called for interview.

Leaving Certificate (or equivalent) Maths and/or a background in Science-related areas (e.g. a QQI FET Level 5 or 6 qualification) or comparable professional experience is desired, though well-qualified applicants with a track record of achievement in other areas will be considered.

Further information on applying as a mature student is available on the Mature Applicants and Mature Student Entry support pages. 

QQI FET Entry

Applicants who meet the required level of distinctions in required subjects can apply for entry to this course using specific QQI FET qualifications. Please review the Programme Requirements on our Information for QQI FET Applicants page for information on related QQI courses, and visit Access UCC’s QQI/FET Entry section for further support. 

Fees and Costs

How To Apply