Description of the nine modules of the University of Bern Master’s in Sustainability Transformations, including focal points for key sustainability competencies as well as disciplinary competencies
| Module | Description | Focal point |
|---|---|---|
| Science of Sustainability – Understanding Transformation (SoS) | Develops systems thinking by analysing complex interactions and feedback loops and identifying systemic impacts of transformations. Students distinguish key actors and their roles, in addition to entry and leverage points | Systems thinking |
| Desirable Futures (DF) | Fosters futures thinking by enabling students to anticipate sustainability scenarios, craft science-based visions and integrate temporal dimensions into planning. Students develop foresight and strategic planning skills to bridge target and transformation knowledge | Futures thinking |
| Science for Sustainability – Current Discourses on Sustainability Transformations (SfS) | Strengthens disciplinary competence by critically analysing sustainability crises, identifying distinct crisis phenomena and distinguishing observable symptoms from underlying root causes embedded in social and economic structures | Disciplinary competencies |
| Methods for Sustainability Transformations (MST) | Equips students with methodological tools for sustainability research, including scenario-building, target concept development and situation analysis. Emphasizes ethical and normative considerations in research design and reinforces the integration of disciplinary knowledge in problem-solving | Disciplinary competencies |
| Personal Development and Complementary Studies (PersDev) | Fosters intra-personal competence by cultivating self-awareness, self-regulation and resilience-oriented self-care. Students learn strategies for well-being and long-term engagement in their professional and personal roles | Intra-personal competence |
| Managing Transformations – Serious Games (SG) | Strengthens strategies-thinking by guiding students in designing sustainability projects through serious games. Students iteratively test and refine interventions in a failure safe space, address systemic barriers, assess feasibility and potential impacts and manage project portfolios and interdisciplinary teams | Strategic thinking |
| Pathways for Transformations (PfT) | Enhances implementation competence by applying transdisciplinary approaches to sustainability strategies. Students learn to advise decision-makers, plan interventions and navigate stakeholder dynamics | Implementation competence |
| Navigating the Science-Policy-Society Interface (SPS) | Develops inter-personal competence through stakeholder engagement, communication, evidence-informed deliberation and cross-sector collaboration strategies. Students gain expertise in policy processes and interdisciplinary decision-making | Inter-personal competence |
| Master’s Colloquium and Thesis (Thesis) | Strengthens integration competence through independent research on sustainability challenges. Students apply problem-solving skills needed for tackling “wicked problems” characterized by uncertainty and complexity, develop actionable and equitable solutions and critically reflect on the research process | Integration competence |
| Module | Description | Focal point |
|---|---|---|
| Science of Sustainability – Understanding Transformation ( | Develops systems thinking by analysing complex interactions and feedback loops and identifying systemic impacts of transformations. Students distinguish key actors and their roles, in addition to entry and leverage points | Systems thinking |
| Desirable Futures ( | Fosters futures thinking by enabling students to anticipate sustainability scenarios, craft science-based visions and integrate temporal dimensions into planning. Students develop foresight and strategic planning skills to bridge target and transformation knowledge | Futures thinking |
| Science for Sustainability – Current Discourses on Sustainability Transformations ( | Strengthens disciplinary competence by critically analysing sustainability crises, identifying distinct crisis phenomena and distinguishing observable symptoms from underlying root causes embedded in social and economic structures | Disciplinary competencies |
| Methods for Sustainability Transformations ( | Equips students with methodological tools for sustainability research, including scenario-building, target concept development and situation analysis. Emphasizes ethical and normative considerations in research design and reinforces the integration of disciplinary knowledge in problem-solving | Disciplinary competencies |
| Personal Development and Complementary Studies ( | Fosters intra-personal competence by cultivating self-awareness, self-regulation and resilience-oriented self-care. Students learn strategies for well-being and long-term engagement in their professional and personal roles | Intra-personal competence |
| Managing Transformations – Serious Games ( | Strengthens strategies-thinking by guiding students in designing sustainability projects through serious games. Students iteratively test and refine interventions in a failure safe space, address systemic barriers, assess feasibility and potential impacts and manage project portfolios and interdisciplinary teams | Strategic thinking |
| Pathways for Transformations ( | Enhances implementation competence by applying transdisciplinary approaches to sustainability strategies. Students learn to advise decision-makers, plan interventions and navigate stakeholder dynamics | Implementation competence |
| Navigating the Science-Policy-Society Interface ( | Develops inter-personal competence through stakeholder engagement, communication, evidence-informed deliberation and cross-sector collaboration strategies. Students gain expertise in policy processes and interdisciplinary decision-making | Inter-personal competence |
| Master’s Colloquium and Thesis ( | Strengthens integration competence through independent research on sustainability challenges. Students apply problem-solving skills needed for tackling “wicked problems” characterized by uncertainty and complexity, develop actionable and equitable solutions and critically reflect on the research process | Integration competence |
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