IF0ST: Sustainable Thinking

Module code: IF0ST

Module provider: Global Academy

Credits: 20

ECTS credits: 10

Level: F

When you’ll be taught: Double Presentation: Semester 1 / 2

Module convenor: Ms Siti Nur Zahara Hamzah, email: s.hamzah@reading.edu.my

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2026/7

Available to visiting students: No

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 26 March 2026

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This module represents an introduction to sustainability from an interdisciplinary perspective which examines sustainability viewed through historical and societal lenses. Students will learn terminology, theories and concepts to effectively communicate across disciplines and on various topics of sustainability. The course aims to inspire a mindset of awareness, critical thinking, curiosity, and collaboration across disciplines through the lens of current sustainability challenges.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:

1. Explain the multidimensional systemic nature of sustainability.                                            
2. Analyse sustainability challenges from social, economic, and environmental perspectives.
3. Identify and present possible solutions for a sustainable world on different scales.    

Module content

• Introduction: Why should each discipline should know about sustainability development and goals? (e.g. UN SDGs, SDG Roadmap for Malaysia, Singapore Green Plan, ASEAN SDG Indicators).
• Water: Availability and sustainable management of water resources.            
• Energy and Climate Change: Sustainable and reliable sources, mitigation of climate change and policy instruments.
• Pollution: Air, plastic, light, noise.                                                
• Poverty and equality: How to measure it, how widespread it is, how to eradicate it.          
• Responsible Consumption and Production: Waste reduction.   
• Sustainable cities: The role of big cities in sustainability development. What is a sustainable city?
• Food system: Sustainability and global food security.                                  
• National and International Institutional Agreements (COP, Green plans etc)             
• Planetary boundaries, Earth system feedback and tipping points: Staying in control of our planet and its systems.
• What can we do as individuals?

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

Lectures and seminars. The lectures will cover all the basic learning materials. Seminars use a flipped classroom model where students are required to complete readings to actively participate in learning activities, which facilitates their engagement and learning.

Weekly drop-in hours for individual assistance as required.

In addition to the hours listed below, you will be required to complete an additional 40 hours of study, taking the total number of study hours to 240 for this module. This is to comply with the Malaysian Quality Agency (MQA).

This module is taught twice to two different cohorts of students - first in Semester 1 and then repeated in Semester 2. The study hours are listed for the first iteration of teaching in Semester 1, and these same study hours are repeated for the second iteration of teaching in Semester 2.

Study hours

At least 70 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each calendar day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three calendar days;
• where the piece of work is submitted up to three calendar days after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in you Individual Learning Plan), the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three calendar days after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three calendar days after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three calendar days of the deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three calendar days after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

Where a piece of work is submitted late after a deadline which has been revised owing to an extension granted through the Assessment Adjustments policy and process (self-certified or otherwise), it will be subject to the maximum penalty (i.e., considered to be more than three calendar days late). This will also apply when such an extension is used in conjunction with a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Reassessment

Additional costs