BSc (Hons) Sustainable Rural Development

What is special about this course?

UCAS code: D453

The Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) reviewed this course and made the following comment:

"In addition to their academic knowledge, students acquire a detailed level of professional competence across a range of development skills required within rural communities. Students are encouraged to develop their cognitive generic and transferable skills, including the use of appropriate information technologies. The course also fosters a range of attributes relevant to the world beyond higher education, which will promote students' abilities to engage in lifelong learning, to consider ethics and values, and to contribute to the wider community."

This course looks at the ever-changing needs, policies and practices involved in the sustainable development of rural communities.

The degree is professionally accredited by the Institute of Economic Development, with whom you will gain professional membership on graduation from the course.

You can study fully online from anywhere in the UK - at home, work or a UHI college or learning centre. You’ll have excellent support from your tutors and classmates via online discussion groups, email, telephone and/or Skype.

You will also attend two residential weekends each year where you’ll have the chance to meet up with other students on the course and learn from professionals in the industry. The funded residential weekends take place across the Highlands and Islands.

Features

Training in local economic and community development
Accredited by Institution of Economic Development
Residential study weekends
Examines sustainability and how it applies in rural areas
Relevant to continuing professional development (CPD)
Online programme can be studied from home
Fully-funded, sponsored places

Entry requirements

Three Highers at grade C or two A Levels at grade C

Access route

Access to Sustainability Studies

Course contacts

Michael M Smith, BA (Hons), MSc, Lews Castle College UHI
+44 (0)1851 770407

You can study this course at

Study mode

Online distributed learning for flexible part-time and full-time study and individual selected CPD modules

This course is available

January and
September

Year 1

Introduction to Sustainable Rural Development
Introduction to Global Environmental Issues
Social Geography of the Highlands and Islands
Introduction to social policy
Environmental biology
Principles of Ecology
Economics and the State
Attracting and Applying for External Funding
Environment & Heritage Interpretation
Interpreting Data
Personal Effectiveness

Year 2

Permaculture
Environmental Conservation
Local Economic Development
Introduction to GIS
Empowering Communities
Development: Policy & Theory
Project and Financial Management for Community Initiatives
Urban-Rural Divide
Interpreting Risk
Marine & Coastal Management
Social History of the Highlands & Islands

Year 3

Tourism & the Environment
Globalisation & Sustainable Development
SEA & EIA
The Hydrogen Economy
Climate Change & Resource Use
Research Management Skills
Research Project
Literature Review
Entrepreneurship
Science Innovation in Industry

Year 4

Honours Dissertation
Sustainable Energy & Waste Minimisation
Environmental Ethics
Social Enterprise & the New Economy
Capital Project Planning
Engaging with external agencies
Science & Society
European Political Economy
Planning Theory & Practice
Landscape Ecology

Fees

The following fees apply for undergraduate students domiciled in the United Kingdom and European Union.

Full time (8 x 15 credit modules per year) – per annum	£1820
Structured part time (4 x 15 credit modules per year) – per annum	£644
Unstructured part time (per 15 credit module)	£161

The following fees apply for undergraduate students not domiciled in the United Kingdom and European Union.

Full time (two semesters - 8 x 15 credit modules per year) – per annum	£8125
Per 15 credit module	£1016

Fees are payable in advance each academic year unless otherwise agreed.

Different fees apply for students who commenced their studies prior to academic year 2006/07. Details are available on request.

Depending on circumstances, financial support is available to cover the cost of tuition fees and, in some instances, other costs. See the money matters section for more information.

See our fees for students domiciled in other countries.

Funding

External scholarships and financial support may be available. Contact the relevant UHI partner college for more information.

Career prospects

Government departments and agencies
Local authorities European and economic development departments
Community enterprises and energy groups
Community land initiatives
Natural and rural heritage organisations
Voluntary sector development posts

Further study opportunities

Further postgraduate studies such as MSc Managing Sustainable Rural Development

Sustainable Rural Development

The BSc (Hons) Sustainable Rural Development has been designed by a UHI academic team in consultation with industry to meet the needs of rural communities now and in the future. Sustainable rural development is a fast-changing, multi-disciplinary subject with policy and practice implications in all societies, rural or urban.

Course content and delivery

You can study online in a range of subject areas. Key themes incorporated within the programme and its modules relate to sustainability issues, local economic and community development and environmental actions, in response to climate change in the rural context. This online degree programme allows students to develop their own knowledge in a targeted and flexible manner, studying during the day or in the evenings, part-time or full time at a distance. Subject areas examined range from renewable energy, sustainability issues and climate change to permaculture, social policy, local economic and community development, tourism and the hydrogen economy.

Continuing Professional Development and Schools HE Taster Modules

Sustainable rural development is a fast-changing, multi-disciplinary subject with policy and practice implications in all societies, rural or urban. You can study on-line in a range of subject areas of relevance to continuing professional development. This flexibility allows those in employment to study and update their skills in particular areas of interest. For those in 5th and 6th year in school there are particular ‘taster’ modules that can be studied to give those intending to enter in to Higher Education a good introduction to the level they will be studying at in the near future.

Apply

If you are applying for this course AND:

You are in secondary school
OR
You are applying to multiple universities, then you must apply through the University and Colleges Admission Service (UCAS). UHI UCAS code H49. Please indicate where at UHI you would like to study.

If you are not a school leaver and wish to apply for degree courses at UHI, you can apply online (new window) or Download and print an application form (PDF, new window).

Information line

If you need assistance, email or call the information line 0845 272 360