Dartington Trust

MA Engaged Ecology

It is precisely at this time of global upheaval that we want you to come to Dartington Trust to share with us the ways in which you are moved to live and act differently. With a focus on interactive, experiential and participatory learning, Dartington Trust offers the practical skills and strategic thinking required to face the ecological, economic and social challenges of the 21st Century bringing together the leading thinkers, activists and practitioners internationally, to deliver a unique brand of small group learning experiences. Dartington Trust has an enviable reputation for cutting-edge learning. 

This programme offers you the option to start your studies in either April or January.

Course details

  • Year 1

  • Core modules

    • Engaging with Ecology (SCH5527)

      This foundational module aims to provoke in students a greater understanding of our dire ecological predicament, its urgency and its historical and philosophical origins. Building on different practices of paying attention to and engaging with the world about us, it introduces critical terms and maps out key developments in ecological thought from various transdisciplinary perspectives. 

    • Living Together (SCH5528)

      This module examines the social and ecological implications of living together and asks what it means to belong in community. It seeks to understand how communities at once include and exclude, through the often invisible exercise of power. It considers the implications of extending the definition of community to include the more-than-human and investigates the role of structure and ritual in maintaining community. 

  • Final year

  • Core modules

    • Making Connections (SCH5501)

      This module examines making practices as primary ways in which humans engage with the world at large. Students will experiment with a variety of practices, where possible performing every step of production from first principles to finished product, so as to explore, and reflect upon the many ways in which making entangles us with the world. Informed by theory, students will consider aesthetics, craft, materials, place and the role, if any, of the sacred.

    • The Ecological Self (SCH5503)

      This module considers the significance of the self in creating, maintaining or resolving the ecological crisis. It critiques Western notions of the self and experiments with and evaluates practices that may engender a more ecological self. In the light of theories of change and the post-activist critique, it then asks students to reflect on how they might best go on to act as ecological selves in service of a just world.

    • Dissertation/Project (SCH5575)

      This module provides students with the opportunity to undertake a major, sustained, critical and evaluative piece of research, and to present the results in the form of a written dissertation. Students will explore and respond to the theoretical and practical understanding they have acquired, applying it to a particular research question.

The modules shown for this course or programme are those being studied by current students, or expected new modules. Modules are subject to change depending on year of entry.

Entry requirements

UK/EU

A relevant degree with honours or an equivalent professional qualification. Other qualifications accompanied by substantial experience in an appropriate field may also be considered. Non-standard applications will be considered on a case by case basis.

International

Please view the country specific pages for further information regarding the equivalency of your degree. International applicants will be required to provide evidence of their English language ability, for example by achieving an IELTS score of 6.5 overall (with a minimum of 5.5 in each element) or equivalent, see our English language requirements. Pre-sessional English language courses are available if you do not meet these requirements.

We welcome applicants with international qualifications. To view other accepted qualifications please refer to our tariff glossary.

Scholarships

Scholarships are available for postgraduate taught programmes. Tell me more about scholarships and bursaries.

Fees, costs and funding
As this course is delivered by one of our partner colleges, please contact the college directly for information on fees and funding.

How to apply

For further information and to apply for this course, please contact the college's admissions team directly using the contact details below. 

Our partnership with Dartington Trust
The University of Plymouth has developed partnerships with institutions around the world with the sole purpose of making higher education more accessible to those people who need something just a little different.

Our Academic Partnerships enable students to enrol for a degree at a partnership institution closer to home, or engage in distance learning – even when they’re in the middle of the ocean. They are there for those people looking to return to education, or enhance their professional development. Full- or part-time; foundation degree to masters-level – we cater for a huge variety of needs and aspirations.

Many of our partners offer specialist degrees, unique facilities, and smaller class sizes at a competitive price. And as a student of two institutions, you get the best of both worlds; a supportive learning environment as part of a close-knit community, and a university-level qualification awarded by the University of Plymouth. You’ll enjoy not only the facilities and services your partnership institution provides, but also all of the additional support and resources you need from us, and you’ll automatically become a member of our Students’ Union, too.

We are continuing to grow the number of partner institutions and expand our academic community to new locations around the UK and overseas. Why not visit the Academic Partnerships page on our website for a full list of partners and for more details on studying with us?

One of our partners delivers this particular course – so please visit their website for full course details, entry requirements, tuition fees and information on what student life is like there. 

Open days

Partner college open days

This course is run at one of our partner colleges. Open days are held at the college and more details of these can be found on the college website. You'll find contact details below, on this page.

University of Plymouth open days

You are also very welcome to attend a University of Plymouth open day, to get a flavour of the courses you can progress to from a partner college. There will however be limited information on this specific course and college.

Studying with Dartington Trust

Study with some of the biggest international names in social, economic and ecological thinking for the 21st century. Experience our radical blend of traditional and reflective learning in a communal living and working environment.
 
Schumacher College