Entry requirements

Bachelor's degree, consisting of 180 credits +

English 6 from Swedish secondary school or equivalent

or

English level 2 from Swedish secondary school or equivalent.

Main field

KSLOA Leadership and Organization

Progression level in relation to degree requirements

The course is included in the main area Leadership and Organisation at advanced level of 91-120 credits.

Course contents

The course Sustainable Development: Individual, Organisational and Network Perspectives examines sustainable development through three interconnected perspectives: individual, organisational, and inter-organisational/network. Using a systems approach, the course explores how these perspectives interact in shaping sustainability work in contemporary organisational and societal contexts. The course addresses economic, social, and environmental dimensions of sustainability, and introduces equality as an important aspect of how sustainability is understood and practised across levels and contexts.

The course introduces central concepts related to individual and group dynamics, organisational learning, and inter-organisational cooperation and collaboration, and applies them to sustainability challenges faced by organisations and networks. Attention is given to how sustainability issues can be understood and assessed from these three perspectives, both separately and in relation to one another.

Particular emphasis is placed on the dynamic relations between individuals, organisations, and networks in processes of sustainable development. The course examines how participation, collaboration, responsibility, and equality may influence opportunities and constraints for sustainability work in practice.

The course is based on student-centred learning through lectures, seminars, group work, and case-based activities in which students actively connect theoretical perspectives to practical sustainability challenges. The course also introduces AI as a support for searching, structuring, and critically discussing material and cases, with attention to its possibilities, limitations, and ethical use in academic work and organisational practice.

Learning outcomes

After completing the course, the student will be able to:

1. Describe and explain central concepts and perspectives related to sustainable development at the individual, organisational, and inter-organisational/network levels.
2. Analyse how the three perspectives interact in sustainability work, including how participation, equality, and responsibility influence opportunities and constraints for sustainable development.
3. Critically assess sustainability challenges and possible approaches from a systems perspective, drawing on research on individual and group dynamics, organisational learning, and inter-organisational cooperation and collaboration.
4. Apply theoretical perspectives to empirical cases in order to examine sustainable development in organisations and networks, and use AI-based support critically and ethically where relevant.
5. Reflect on the roles of leaders, managers, and project managers, as well as on their own assumptions and potential role in relation to sustainable development in academic and professional contexts.

Learning activities

The tuition will be carried out through lectures, and student-centred learning activities such as seminars, and case-based work, both individually and in groups.

Assessment

Student work is assessed based on two forms of evaluation:

Theory seminars account for 3,5 credits. The seminars are evaluated on a pass/fail basis based on preparation, active participation, and the student’s ability to discuss and relate theoretical perspectives to the course themes. Students are expected to demonstrate knowledge corresponding to learning outcomes 1, 2 and 3.

An individual written paper accounts for 4 credits. In the paper, students are expected to integrate the three perspectives of the course — individual, organisational, and inter-organisational/network — and apply them to a sustainability issue, case, or empirical example. The paper is assessed in relation to learning outcomes 2, 3, 4 and 5. Grading scale: A–E, U.

All learning outcomes are individually assessed.

To pass the course, all examinations must receive a passing grade of A–E or G. The course grade is determined by the grade on the individual written paper.

Course literature

Articles and other material will be provided electronically

Course evaluation

Malmö University provides students who participate in, or who have completed a course, with the opportunity to express their opinions and describe their experiences of the course by completing a course evaluation administered by the University. The University will compile and summarise the results of course evaluations. The University will also inform participants of the results and any decisions relating to measures taken in response to the course evaluations. The results will be made available to the students (HF 1:14).

Interim rules

If a course is no longer offered, or has undergone significant changes, the students must be offered two opportunities for re-examination based on the syllabus that applied at the time of registration, for a period of one year after the changes have been implemented.

Additional information

If a student has a Learning support decision, the examiner has the right to provide the student with an adapted test, or to allow the student to take the exam in a different format.