Master's Degree in Degrowth: Ecology, Economics and Policy

Contents

The first term will consist of theoretical/foundational courses on degrowth, environmental justice, alternative economics and political ecology.

The second term will provide specialized courses on the commons, on methodological tools such as Q-methodology, analysis of social metabolism, multi-criteria evaluation, alongside professional development courses, such as courses on how to set-up a new economy initiative, how to run a social or environmental justice campaign, how to write for the media, and how to engage policy-making on the local level.

The third term will consist of the final project. It will be conducted individually or in groups. The final project can be the result of scientific research or of something non academic like producing a documentary, writing an article for a newspaper, preparing a business plan for a social enterprise, or organizing a campaign for an NGO.

We strive to include a decolonial perspective in the master though it is important to note that most of the teachers are researchers from, and trained in, Europe and the Global North.

Itinerary

To obtain the master can follow two options:

- Registering the master

- Registering at each of the modules that make up the master, and finally, the final project.

Related programmes

Course in Degrowth and the Pluriverse
Course in Economics of Degrowth
Course in Fundamentals of Degrowth
Course in Living without Growth
Course in Policies and Politics for Degrowth
Course in Seminars on Society, Economy and Degrowth

Specific skills

- The program focuses on theoretical, methodological and also practical and professional skills which will give capacity:
- To work with key concepts in political ecology, degrowth and alternative economics; such as the theory of common goods, social metabolism, care, alternatives to development, dematerialization, the frontiers of extraction of resources or the gross domestic product.
- To apply different methodological tools, both qualitative and quantitative, for the rigorous analysis of environmental and social problems to carry out participatory research and action-research projects.
- To be able to identify research needs, formulate research questions and identify the methodological tools and information necessary to carry out action research.
- Know how to identify needs and plan steps to establish a demand or campaign against a polluting agency or company.
- To identify gaps and start a non-profit or cooperative business that meets real human needs and creates social value.
- To carry out a communication campaign using social networks and capacity to approach journalists and communicate complex research.

Transferable skills

- Communicate knowledge and research to specialized and non-specialized audiences.
- Work in a team within the same field of knowledge as well as in an interdisciplinary context, and develop attitudes and skills for participation and collaboration in a research team and organizations.
- Write different types of texts; from academic papers to policy reports, press, blogs or consulting.
- Use group dynamics and other group facilitation skills to facilitate participatory processes, meetings and presentations.
- Learn how to work in groups and to deliver team-based reports, essays and larger pieces of work.
- Learn how to work on new online platforms that can foment work in a collaborative and distant environment.

Title obtained

Lifelong Learning Master's Degree in Degrowth: Ecology, Economics and Policy