Module manager: Alice Damiano
Email: A.Damiano@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semester 1 Jul to 31 Aug View Timetable
Year running 2024/25
GPA of 2.5 (US) or equivalent and enrolled at a university
This module is not approved as a discovery module
How do our decisions impact the environment? From the entrepreneur deciding where to develop a project, to the policy maker deciding how the resources of a country will be used, to the citizen deciding whether to buy a new shirt or go thrifting… our decisions have an impact on the environment. Economic ideas often influence these decisions: entrepreneurs might want to maximise profits, policy makers might want to get the best result with the minimum cost, citizens might want to get a good deal to satisfy their needs and desires. However, not all economic ideas are the same. In this module, we will look into Ecological Economics and other Heterodox perspectives, reflecting together on how these ideas affect the decisions we make, and what the consequent impact on the society and the environment is.
1. Acquiring awareness of the relationships between economic ideas and human behaviour towards the environment.
2. Familiarising with core concepts in Ecological Economics.
3. Critically comparing and contrasting Ecological Economics with Neoclassical and Environmental Economics.
4. Acquiring awareness of insights from Heterodox economic perspectives (e.g., Behavioural Economics, Decolonising perspectives) and of how they can influence human behaviour towards the environment.
5. Applying concepts from Ecological and other Heterodox economic perspectives to real case studies.
These objectives will be met through:
1. Lectures in which the concepts will be introduced
2. Seminars with:
a. Interactive activities (e.g., group discussions, games) in which students will reflect on the concepts, apply concepts to real case studies, and make links between the concepts and their diverse cultural backgrounds
b. Activities in which students give each other, and receive from the teacher, formative feedback on the individual presentation they are preparing (see point 5 of this list)
3. A field trip in which students will be given information on a local case study and invited to reflect on how the concepts seen in class can be related to the case study
4. Individual study
5. Two individual assessments:
a. An individual presentation (max 5 minutes, max 1 slide)
b. An individual reflection writing piece (max 800 words)
On successful completion of the module, students will have demonstrated achievement of the following learning outcomes relevant to the subject:
1. Understanding the relationship between economic ideas and human impact on the society and the environment
2. Understanding the core concepts of Ecological Economics
3. Understanding key conceptual differences between Ecological, Environmental, and Neoclassical Economics
4. Understanding the rationale of other schools of thought in Heterodox Economics (Behavioural Economics, Decolonising perspectives in Economics) beside Ecological Economics
5. the impact of economic ideas on environmental social issues
On successful completion of the module, students will have demonstrated the following skills learning outcomes:
6. Presentation skills [Academic skills]
7. Communication [Work ready skills]
8. Reflection [Academic skills]
9. Cultural/diversity awareness [Work ready skills]
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fieldwork | 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Fieldwork | 1 | 10 | 10 |
| Lecture | 8 | 1.5 | 12 |
| Seminar | 8 | 1.5 | 12 |
| Independent online learning hours | 15 | ||
| Private study hours | 43 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 42 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 100 | ||
During some of the seminars, students will work in groups (or potentially not in groups, depending on the class size) discussing their ideas for their individual presentations. During these discussions, students will give feedback to each other and receive formative feedback from the teacher.
Students will be invited to send an email to the teacher on their ideas for their piece of reflective writing, and the teacher will provide feedback on those ideas.
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Presentation | Individual presentation (max 1 slide, max 5 minutes) | 40 |
| Coursework | 800-word reflection piece | 60 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 100 | |
Individual presentation: Students will prepare individually an oral presentation that has a time limit of 5 minutes and can be supported by 1 PowerPoint slide. In this presentation, the student will consider the concepts seen in class and apply them to a case study of their choice. The case study can be based in the town where the field trip takes place, or it can be a case study of their choice. In case of students with issues speaking in public (e.g., anxiety), the student can alternatively send me a slide and a text of maximum 650 words. Reflective writing piece: Students will prepare individually a piece of reflective writing with a word limit of 800 words. In this piece of writing, they are required to discuss and reflect on the relationship between economic ideas and human impact on the society and the environment, including reflections based on what they have learnt attending a Summer School module with a culturally diverse class. For both the Individual presentation and the Reflective writing piece, students will be provided with information and supporting resources (e.g., resources from the University Library, other resources available on the University website, or resources prepared ad hoc). For the reflective writing piece, students will also be provided with a couple of examplars.
The reading list is available from the Library website
Last updated: 1/24/2025
Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team