6 ECTS credits
152 h study time

Offer 1 with catalog number 4021209FNR for all students in the 2nd semester at a (F) Master - specialised level.

Semester
2nd semester
Enrollment based on exam contract
Impossible
Grading method
Grading (scale from 0 to 20)
Can retake in second session
Yes
Taught in
English
Faculty
Faculty of Social Sciences & SolvayBusinessSchool
Department
Business Technology and Operations
Educational team
Cathy Macharis (course titular)
Ganiyat Temidayo Saliu
Activities and contact hours
26 contact hours Seminar, Exercises or Practicals
126 contact hours Independent or External Form of Study
Course Content

In the course Decision Support for Sustainability, students will learn tools, models and supportive methodologies that enable to elicitate new ideas, evaluate options and ensure the monitoring of sustainable scenarios.

Typical methods we see in this course are:

  • Life Cycle Analysis (LCA)
  • External cost calculations
  • Total Cost of Ownership & Social cost benefit analysis
  • Multi Criteria & MAMCA
  • Impact Assessment
  • Co-creation & Ideation
  • Foresight
  • System Thinking and Dynamics
  • Embodied Experiential
  • Policy Monitoring
  • Community Capitals

Course material
Digital course material (Required) : Knowledge clips with corresponding slides, notes and additional documentation, Canvas
Digital course material (Recommended) : Additional background papers and book chapters, Canvas
Additional info

The course is designed as a ‘flipped classroom’. The theory is provided through knowledge clips and/or other material on Canvas and covers the context and the methods. Students are expected to watch the clips before the on-campus workshops, where the theory is put into practice through exercises, group work, debate, etc.

Learning Outcomes

Leerresultaten

The student understands the basic principles of sustainability and recognizes the possibilities of deploying quantitative and qualitative research methods that enable decision support for relevant stakeholders in order to improve sustainability. They get a toolbox to be used and learn which method is best suitable for which sustainable challenges. They also learn the limitations and pitfalls of each method.

Identificatie en toepassing

The student is able to identify the appropriateness of using a particular decision support methodology on real world problems, The student can apply the method to the problem and knows the strenghts and weaknesses of each method.

Teamwork

The student is able to contribute in a team with other students to solve problems during class exercises and is also able to work together in groups from two to four students during the task preparation.

Presentatievaardigheden

The student is able to individually present the outcomes of a critical analysis

Grading

The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
Written Exam determines 100% of the final mark.

Within the Written Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:

  • Written Exam with a relative weight of 50 which comprises 50% of the final mark.
  • Assignment with a relative weight of 50 which comprises 50% of the final mark.

Additional info regarding evaluation

Both assessment forms (that is, the written exam and assignment) are required to pass this course and you should have at least a10/20 on both assesment forms to pass the course. For the second session, students have to redo the part(s) that they did not pass in the first session.

AI Usage Policy for the written assignment:

In this course, students are permitted to use artificial intelligence (AI) tools for spelling and grammar correction to enhance the clarity and coherence of their writing. Additionally, AI can be used for other tasks, but it should always be mentioned in a very transparant way, how it has been used. Students must ensure that all submitted work reflects their own thoughts and reflection, maintaining academic integrity and the authenticity of their individual contributions.

Allowed unsatisfactory mark
The supplementary Teaching and Examination Regulations of your faculty stipulate whether an allowed unsatisfactory mark for this programme unit is permitted.

Academic context

This offer is part of the following study plans:
Master of Educational Sciences: Standaard traject (only offered in Dutch)
Master of Business Engineering: Standaard traject (only offered in Dutch)
Master of Business Economics: Standaard traject (only offered in Dutch)
Master of Urban Studies: Standard track
Master of Biology: Ecology and Biodiversity
Master of Biomedical Engineering: Profile Radiation Physics
Master of Biomedical Engineering: Profile Biomechanics and Biomaterials
Master of Biomedical Engineering: Profile Sensors and Medical Devices
Master of Biomedical Engineering: Profile Neuro-Engineering
Master of Biomedical Engineering: Standaard traject
Master of Biomedical Engineering: Profile Artificial intelligence and Digital Health
Master of Educational Sciences: Standaard traject
Master of Teaching in Economics: standaard traject (90 ECTS, Etterbeek) (only offered in Dutch)
Master of Sustainable Land Management: Urban Land Engineering
Master of Sustainable Land Management: Abridged Program AR UrbLandEng