Certificate In Sustainable Practice Summer School

Certificate In Sustainable Practice Summer School

The Summer School in Sustainable Practice is an exciting extra-curricular initiative, which aims to enable both undergraduate and post-graduate Essex students to gain understanding and experience of the theory and practice of environmental sustainability. This Summer School is jointly run by the Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies and the Centre for the Environment and Society.

There is a lot of fragmented information about climate change and environmental crisis in the news and public debate, as well as lots of myths and misunderstandings about what sustainability means and entails. This summer school is an opportunity for you to get to grips with these important issues in a grounded, holistic way and to increase your ecological/sustainability literacy. At the same time, the summer school will look great on your CV. It’s a stimulating and enjoyable way for you to enhance your citizenship, employability and social skills and work with students from different disciplines. Understanding the logic of sustainability and how to act for sustainability is relevant to everyone and all careers!

The Summer School is open to undergraduates and post-graduates from all departments in the University (including final year students). There are 20 places this year. In addition to attending the morning sessions, participants are expected to undertake about 1 hour of preparation each day (these will usually be short reading, writing, or online research assignments). Applicants are welcomed from all disciplines, and with different levels of knowledge and experience. You don’t need to know anything about sustainability to enrol; this is your chance to learn! If you already have some relevant knowledge and experience, the Summer School provides an opportunity to share and discuss ideas with participants from different disciplinary backgrounds and to deepen your understanding.

Overview of Key Information 

• 2-week intensive Summer School (10 x 3.5 hour sessions)
• Open to all Essex UG and PG students
• Cost: Free!
• Pre-requisites: none
• Timetable: 9.30am-1pm Monday - Friday, June 10th - 21st 2019 (except on field trip days when sessions may end later)
• Application requirements: application letter, 2-page CV, plus a short interview with the Certificate Coordinator
• Application deadline: As soon as possible!
• Any student who completes the Summer School will receive a Certificate in Sustainable Practice.  Additionally, you can include the Summer School on your Higher Education Achievement Record (HEAR) and if you are a second year it also can count 50 points towards the Big Essex Award. Note: it carries zero modular credits.

Application Process

Anyone who would like to enrol on the Summer School should send an application letter and two-page CV to sssp@essex.ac.uk as soon as possible.  In your application letter please address the following points: 

• Why you would like to enrol on the summer school?

• Do you have any knowledge/experience relating to environmental issues and the theory/practice of sustainability?

• Which area of sustainable practice—biodiversity, energy, food, transport— interests you most and why?

To learn more about sustainable development education at the University of Essex visit the sustainability section of our website.