Program Overview

---

BA (Hons) in Sustainability Management – Full-time

Overview

Sustainability as a perpetual topic, has become an integral part of today’s business operations and management, and the recent rise in public awareness about the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030 has cultivated a strong level of interest in the subject.

The BA (Hons) in Sustainability Management programme aims to provide learners with the knowledge, skills, and mindset necessary to address global sustainability challenges, as well as creating and maintaining sustainable operations in the public, commercial and not-for-profit sectors. Moreover, the decision to align the curriculum of this proposed BA (Hons) in Sustainability Management programme with the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is rooted in the recognition of the urgent need to address global sustainability challenges. By integrating the SDGs into our curriculum, we aim to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the interconnected nature of sustainability issues and empower them to contribute meaningfully to achieving the SDGs.

This interdisciplinary approach allows students to explore the social, environmental, and economic dimensions of sustainability and develop the knowledge, skills, and mindset required to tackle complex problems. By aligning with the SDGs, we ensure that our graduates are equipped with the necessary tools to make a positive impact in areas such as poverty eradication, climate action, sustainable cities, responsible consumption, and many more. We believe that by integrating the SDGs into our curriculum, we can foster a generation of sustainability professionals who are capable of driving transformative change and shaping a more sustainable and equitable future.

The Sustainability Management programme objectives are to:

• Equip learners with an understanding of the theory and principles underlying sustainability development and sustainability management in a business context.
• Advance in learners an appropriate expertise in the major aspects of sustainability, and an awareness of core disciplines.
• Develop a range of key interpersonal skills, characteristics, and attitudes to learners to work professionally, individually and in a team.
• Cultivate in learners a range of key skills, personal qualities, and attitudes essential to support progression to a career in business or to further academic study.
• Develop a learner's capacity to organise diverse information, arguments, and conclusions and present them in a clear coherent way.
• Relate sustainability principles, concepts theories and frameworks to a wide range of business and industry settings.
• Understand the various functions of sustainability management and demonstrate this awareness by producing a multi-faceted and innovative business strategy.
• Enable learners to apply their learning in their professional lives reflecting their professional and personal development.

Entry Requirements

To be considered for admission, applicants must meet the following minimum requirements:

• Leaving Certificate - a minimum of 2 H5s and 4 O6/H7, to include Mathematics and English or another language.
• A full FETAC/QQI award at Level 5 on the NFQ which includes a Distinction grade in at least three modules. FETAC/QQI Level 5 awards will be accepted in any discipline.
• GCSE - a minimum of four passes at grade C to include Mathematics and English or another language, plus two A-level passes at grade C or higher.
• BTEC - a minimum of a BTEC National Diploma in a cognate area.
• Language proficiency - International applicants whose first language is not English and who have not previously undertaken previous study taught through English, must provide evidence of proficiency in English language equivalent to B2+ or above on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFRL). This must be evidenced through a recognised English Language test such as IELTS, Cambridge Certificate or DBS English assessment. Test certificates should be dated within the last two years to be considered valid.
• Mathematical proficiency - a minimum of O6/H7 in Mathematics in the Leaving Certificate or equivalent.

Mature Applicants

All EU nationals aged 23 years before the 1st of January in the year of application are classified as ‘mature applicants’. Mature learners can apply directly to the college and will be assessed based on age, work experience and educational attainment as outlined in the DBS Quality Assurance Handbook (QAH).

Course Content

The BA (Hons) in Sustainability Management programme comprises of 3 levels. Students should complete this course in 3 years full-time. This programme has the following content:

Year 1

• Core Modules:
  • Business Context and Organisation
  • Marketing Essentials
  • Economics and the World of Business
  • Sustainability 101
  • SDGs Literacy
  • Applied Sustainability Project 1

Year 2

• Core Modules:
  • Management
  • Project Feasibility
  • Business Ethics and Research Practice
  • Digital Business Solutions
  • Sustainable Marketing Practices
  • Sustainable Business
  • International Economics
  • Sustainability Regulation and Compliance
  • Applied Sustainability Project 2

Year 3

• Core Modules:
  • Green Finance
  • Strategic Management
  • Human Resource Management
  • Leadership in Sustainable Enterprises
  • Supply Chain Sustainability
  • Environmental Protection and Eco-social Policies
  • Business and Society
  • Applied Sustainability Project 3

Teaching and Assessment

Lectures are the primary method of delivery and are supported by tutorials, guest lecturers and interactive sessions for discussion of material and some self-directed learning. Learners benefit from blended learning and industry speaker visits.

Assessment is by way of a varied series of individual, group, and project work, both continuous and summative assessment strategies are used across the three years. Students can expect a wide range of assessment formats, including but not limited to individual essays, project documents, group work, multiple-choice questions, and individual and group presentations.

A variety of modalities of assessment are used to include both analysis of case studies and real-world examples, continuous assessment, project work, working in teams with group assessment, assessment on an individual basis and personal reflection on their learning. These assessment methods allow the learner to demonstrate achievement of both the module and the programme learning outcomes.

Awarding Body and NFQ Level

This programme has been validated and approved by the Irish state agency, QQI (Quality and Qualifications Ireland). The programme is positioned at Level 8 on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ), a framework for the development, recognition and award of qualifications in Ireland. The programme is listed on the Irish Register of Qualifications.

Career Opportunities

The sustainability-related job market in Ireland and across Europe has witnessed significant growth and diversification in recent years. As the EU increasingly prioritises sustainability and moves forward to mitigate climate change, the demand for professionals in sustainability-related fields has surged across various sectors, such as renewable energy, sustainable transport, sustainable agriculture, waste management, circular economy, sustainable finance, corporate sustainability, ESG analysis, and sustainable urban planning, among others.

Advanced roles in this evolving field will often require experience in the sector in addition to the qualification, but this programme lays the groundwork for roles such as:

• Environmental Sustainability Coordinator
• Student Sustainability Coordinator
• ESG Project Manager
• Environmental Educator
• Internal Sustainability Advisor
• Sustainability Engagement Coordinator

Fees

The fees for a Full-time BA (Hons) in Sustainability Management are €6,060 per annum for EU students.

Next Steps

Before making an application please ensure you are aware of all our entry requirements.

School Leaver Applicants

Application for first year full-time programmes in the college is through the CAO System.

Mature Applicants

If you are over 23 years of age on the 1st of January in the year of admission and do not meet the minimum entry requirements, you may apply as a Mature Student. Mature students should apply directly to the Admissions Office at Dublin Business School.

Transfer Students

Students holding a relevant Certificate, Diploma or other relevant third level qualification may qualify for entry to the second or third year of degree programme. Transfer applications to the second or third year full-time programmes are to be made directly to the college. Students should send copies of their examination transcripts and other relevant documentation along with their application form to the Admissions Office at Dublin Business School.

EU Citizens

A European (EU) Application is one made by a person:

(a) who is permanently a resident in one of the member states of the European Union and/or
(b) who will have received full-time second level education, for three of the five years immediately before the date of proposed admission, in member states.

Non-EU Applicants

Non-EU applicants should contact directly the International Admissions Office at Dublin Business School.