Sustainability topics in our courses
The University of Tartu offers a selection of courses related to sustainable development goals and traineeship opportunities to help students enhance their future skills to solve complex problems. For the conditions of taking a specific course, read the course information in SIS or contact the teaching staff member in charge of the course. Note that most courses are taught in Estonian.
General approaches
The course provides students with thorough knowledge helping to understand long-term ecological, economic and socially sustainable development through a critical and systems thinking approach. The course covers the principles, indicators and impacts of sustainable development and ways of assessing sustainable development in different systems and at different levels, and develops problem-solving skills through leadership.
Teaching staff in charge: Melanie Kay Smith
Course code: P2PC.00.511
Volume: 5 ECTS
This course aims to provide knowledge on the three aspects of sustainability: economic, social and ecological, and their reciprocal effects.
Teaching staff in charge: Kati Orru
Course code: SVUH.00.127
Volume: 6 ECTS
The course aims to introduce the current degrowth paradigm and social organisation through theoretical and practical approaches and stimulate the skills to lead discussions on the topic.
Teaching staff in charge: Madis Vasser
Course code: SVSV.00.010
Volume: 6 ECTS
The course aims to give an up-to-date overview of global change, including the climate and biodiversity crises. The course focuses on the connections between large-scale environmental change, the natural environment and people. An important focus is on the impact of global change on the functioning of the natural environment and ecosystems and the ecosystem services they provide. The course develops general competences such as searching for scientific information and writing texts, critical thinking, teamwork, problem-solving and oral and written expression in Estonian.
Teaching staff in charge: Aveliina Helm
Course code: LTOM.01.012
Volume: 4 ECTS
The course encourages the development of an ecological world-view and the formation of environmentally friendly behavioural patterns while promoting the cultivation of climate literacy.
Teaching staff in charge: Piia Post
Course code: LTFY.05.008
Volume: 3 ECTS
The goal of the course is provide an overview of the Deep Transitions framework which explains the formation, maturation and crisis of industrial societies through long-term co-evolution of socio-technical systems.
Teaching staff in charge: Laur Kanger
Course code: SVUH.00.290
Volume: 3 ECTS
The aim of the course is to combine well-known laws of natural, social and humanitarian sciences, so that the listener will have a comprehensive understanding about the nature and society in the perspective of evolution and the ecological worldview.
Teaching staff in charge: Kristjan Zobel
Course code: LTOM.01.013
Volume: 2 ECTS
Culture
The course aims to introduce the theoretical grounds of ecosemiotics, their applications, and key authors. It provides an overview of the development of environmentalist thinking in the West and a chance to discuss several modern understandings of man's place in the ecosystem.
Teaching staff in charge: Riin Magnus
Course code: FLSE.00.275
Volume: 6 ECTS
The course aims to provide knowledge on the environmental crisis, its cultural causes, effects and mitigation by discussing essential texts in environmental humanities.
Teaching staff in charge: Timo Maran
Course code: FLSE.00.340
Volume: 3 ECTS
The course describes the key concepts and approaches of Christian thought on environmental problems.
Teaching staff in charge: Andrei Shishkov
Course code: HVUS.00.011
Volume: 3 ECTS
The course aims to broaden students' general knowledge of the environment and provide practical skills for organising cultural events in an environmentally friendly way.
Teaching staff in charge: Jana Reidla
Course code: HVKU.03.043
Volume: 3 ECTS
The course aims to introduce links between sustainable development and culture management and discuss the best practices for reducing culture's footprint.
Teaching staff in charge: Jorma Sarv
Course code: HVVK.00.018
Volume: 3 ECTS
The course aims to cover a broad spectrum of the arts in their relation to the ecological crisis, and their role and function in rendering sensible, representing, articulating, and confronting the ecological crisis in its various aspects.
Teaching staff in charge: Jaak Tomberg
Course code: HVKU.05.035
Volume: 3 ECTS
The course gives a systematic overview of the basics of ecology, the ecosemiotic paradigm, and relations between culture and nature. Populations, ecosystems, societies and cultural phenomena are treated as semiotic and communicative webs by emphasising their structure, dynamics and interrelations. Semiotic aspects of environmental problems are analysed.
Teaching staff in charge: Timo Maran
Course code: FLSE.00.069
Volume: 3 ECTS
The aim of the course is to analyze the ecological crisis, the spiritual roots of its formation and the possibilities of overcoming it in the context of Orthodox theology.
Teaching staff in charge: Priit Rohtmets
Course code: HVUS.00.024
Volume: 3 ECTS
This course focuses on the conceptualisation and application of cultural heritage in diverse geographic, socio-cultural and economic contexts, paying particular attention to the sphere of intangible cultural heritage. The roles of cultural heritage in local, national and international cultural policy and economics are discussed with regard to different needs and resources in different parts of the world.
Teaching staff in charge: Siarhiej Makerevich
Course code: HVKU.03.014
Volume: 6 ECTS
The aim of the course is to acquire skills for using Umwelt theory and other bio/ecosemiotic methods of semiotic modeling in creative culture (literature, art, cultural criticism). The course gives a cooperation experience with biologists, artists, and writers in doing creative projects based on semiotic knowledge.
Teaching staff in charge: Timo Maran
Course code: FLSE.00.331
Volume: 6 ECTS
Natural environment
The course aims to make students think about global trends and options to influence them and help them see the relations between natural and socio-economic processes.
Teaching staff in charge: Tõnu Oja
Course code: LOOM.02.001
Volume: 3 ECTS
The course gives a systematic overview of the basics of ecology, the ecosemiotic paradigm, and relations between culture and nature. Populations, ecosystems, societies and cultural phenomena are treated as semiotic and communicative webs by emphasising their structure, dynamics and interrelations. Semiotic aspects of environmental problems are analysed.
Teaching staff in charge: Timo Maran
Course code: FLSE.00.069
Volume: 3 ECTS
The course aims to give an overview of the main natural resources, their spatial distribution, and how they can be used to ensure sustainable development.
Teaching staff in charge: Ain Kull
Course code: LOOM.02.122
Volume: 4 ECTS
The course aims to introduce the theoretical framework, process and assessment methods of environmental, strategic and social impact assessment as well as to develop the skills to analyse the quality of environmental impact statements.
Teaching staff in charge: Alar Noorvee
Course code: LOOM.02.164
Volume: 3 ECTS
The course provides an introduction to both nature conservation and environmental protection. On the nature conservation side, an overview is provided of its history and organisation in Estonia and the world, about the protection of habitats and species, nature conservation in urban areas, etc. On the environmental side, an introduction to global environmental agreements, relevant institutions, environmental policies and regulations is provided.
Teaching staff in charge: Anneli Palo
Course code: LOOM.02.140
Volume: 3 ECTS
The course aims to give an up-to-date overview of global change, including the climate and biodiversity crises. The course focuses on the connections between large-scale environmental change, the natural environment and people. An important focus is on the impact of global change on the functioning of the natural environment and ecosystems and the ecosystem services they provide. The course develops general competences such as searching for scientific information and writing texts, critical thinking, teamwork, problem-solving and oral and written expression in Estonian.
Teaching staff in charge: Aveliina Helm
Course code: LTOM.00.008
Volume: 3 ECTS
The course provides an overview of the chemical processes in the environment and introduces the problems of the spread of pollutants in water, air and soil. The course introduces general and known pollutants in the environment, calculates the concentrations of substances in equilibrium processes and discusses the impact of the results on the state of the environment. In addition, global environmental issues, modern pollutants and water treatment methods are introduced.
Teaching staff in charge: Siiri Velling
Course code: LOKT.04.004
Volume: 3 ECTS
The aim of the course is to familiarise students with the role of blue-green infrastructures (BGI-s) in the urban environment. To give students an overview about how to adapt and find solutions for mitigation of climate change, stormwater, and flood risk problems. To introduce BGI-s through their different types, benefits and disadvantages, principles, applications, and successful policies. To show, with successful examples, how to incorporate BGI-s into climate adaptation plans and strategies and what factors make BGI-s an ideal part of these strategies.
Teaching staff in charge: Margit Kõiv-Vainik
Course code: LTOM.02.051
Volume: 4 ECTS
The course aims to advance the understanding of urban sustainability concepts in the context of global change, under pressing social and environmental challenges. The course combines knowledge from different disciplines to build a strong interdisciplinary approach that helps to understand, consider, and govern the challenges of urban areas in the 21st century. The course tackles concepts and practices of sustainable urban development, targeting climatic, ecological, environmental, social, cultural, health-related, and behavioural factors, investigating the impact of urban systems and living environments on individuals and vice versa. The course focuses on novel principles and applications of sustainable urban design and spatial planning that link social and ecological systems in cities and combine socioeconomic aspects with climate change mitigation and adaptation, sustainable resource use, improvement of ecosystem services (including biodiversity) and application of nature-based solutions.
Teaching staff in charge: Age Poom
Course code: LTOM.02.066
Volume: 6 ECTS
The objective of the course is to give general overview on various microbial technologies for treatment of polluted water, air and soil. Also treatment technologies for organic wastes, and production of energy by microbially mediated processes and biomining are covered.
Teaching staff in charge: Anne Menert
Course code: LTMR.03.008
Volume: 6 ECTS
The aim of this course is to give an overview of development, production, use and application of genetically modified organisms (including GMO bacteria, plants, fish and mammals), evaluation of the potential risks arising out of activities involving the use of genetically modified organisms and legislation that applies to the use of genetically modified organisms.
Teaching staff in charge: Sulev Kuuse
Course code: LTMR.03.009
Volume: 6 ECTS
The goal of the course is to provide an overview of different microbial based technologies for productions of chemicals, pharmaceuticals and food products. The course will provide an outline of the basics in food safety and risk assessment of genetically modified organisms. Environmental biotechnology (production of biofuels, bioelectrochemical systems, biorefinery concept) and application of microbial-based technologies in agriculture will be covered. The course will handle the application of new emerging molecular methods in industrial and applied microbiology.
Teaching staff in charge: Jaak Truu
Course code: LTMR.03.006
Volume: 6 ECTS
Objective of the course is to give a detail overview and practical experience in different fields of climatology: synoptic climatology, agricultural meteorology and climatology, climate modelling, climatological data analysis and global climate change.
Teaching staff in charge: Mait Sepp
Course code: LTOM.02.062
Volume: 6 ECTS
Society and politics
The course aims to provide an overview of global population trends and their relationship to urban development and planning.
Teaching staff in charge: Tiit Tammaru
Course code: LTOM.02.030
Volume: 6 ECTS
The course gives an overview of the European Green Deal, its contents and targets, the use of resources in ensuring sustainability and the green transition and climate neutrality.
Teaching staff in charge: Alar Rosentau
Course code: LTOM.00.016
Volume: 3 ECTS
The course aims to provide insight into global processes and their impact on the sustainable development of communities.
Teaching staff in charge: Kati Orru
Course code: SVUH.00.121
Volume: 6 ECTS
The course aims to provide knowledge of contemporary theories and methods of community service and development, the processes that have influenced the formation of communities in Estonia, as well as the skills to use this knowledge to develop social resilience within communities.
Teaching staff in charge: Dagmar Narusson
Course code: SVUH.00.196
Volume: 6 ECTS
The main aim of the course is to introduce the options and actions for limiting the scope and impact of climate change in the world, with a special emphasis on the policies and actions of the European Union.
Teaching staff in charge: Peep Mardiste
Course code: SVJS.00.056
Volume: 6 ECTS
The course is not just a legal overview of human rights which are analysed from international relations perspective. In addition to introducing legal framework of main international treaties concerning human rights, the history of human rights will be covered during the course. The roles of main international organisations, both governmental and non-governmental, will be analysed in protecting human rights.
Teaching staff in charge: David Ilmar Lepasaar Beecher
Course code: SHRG.00.010
Volume: 6 ECTS
The objective of the course is to provide knowledge of the classification of issues in environmental law and the skills to find appropriate legislation to address environmental problems in practice.
Teaching staff in charge: Heli Einberg
Course code: SVPC.00.073
Volume: 4 ECTS
The aim of the course is to enhance students' ability to initiate solutions to ecological problems, to offer experence in goal setting and teamwork. The course helps students to understand the opportunities and cooperation needs of their discipline in solving ecological problems.
Teaching staff in charge: Maie Kiisel
Course code: LTOM.00.014
Volume: 3 ECTS
The aim of the course is to develop skills to analyse and plan for social systemic change by using transition theoretical framework and to create a future vision for a socio-technical system.
Teaching staff in charge: Margit Keller
Course code: SVUH.00.177
Volume: 6 ECTS
This course is designed to provide a comprehensive understanding of how green transition is governed in Europe. By focusing on the EU's changing energy and climate policy, and the drivers of those policies, the course shows how the politics, policies and polity of the EU are the result of visionary ideas and power-play on the one hand, and functional necessities and global developments on the other hand. The course also aims to improve students' understanding of social science research methods, however, focusing on those elements that are most relevant for policy practice. As such, the course will be relevant to political science students focusing of the EU, international relations and regional studies, as well as would-be policy makers.
Teaching staff in charge: Edgars Elhmanis
Course code: SVJS.00.075
Volume: 6 ECTS
The purpose of this course is to acquaint students with the growing body of scholarship-across multiple disciplines-that analyses the politics of immigration. The first section of the course provides an overview of economic, political and cultural theories of immigration. The second section surveys immigration policies and political outcomes across industrialised countries. The final section analyses various topics in the study of migration in more detail. While debates on immigration are often shrill and polarising, we will not delve these depths. Rather, we will scrutinise theories, hypotheses and evidence rather than attack one another.
Teaching staff in charge: Kristina Kallas
Course code: P2EC.00.210
Volume: 6 ECTS
Health care
The course aims to
1) equip learners from the field of health and related disciplines with knowledge about the key concepts of global health,
2) introduce the key project design concepts for developing interventions aimed at strengthening health systems,
3) compare the global burden of disease and inequities in health in relation to social and environmental determinants of health.
Teaching staff in charge: Mikk Jürisson
Course code: MVPT.04.005
Volume: 3 ECTS
The objective on the course is to develop knowledge about the importance of sustainable development goals, the state of Estonians' public health and future health challenges, as well as the relationship between the environment and health.
Teaching staff in charge: Hans Orru
Course code: MVPT.00.006
Volume: 3 ECTS
The aim of the course is to raise awareness of mental health and to develop the skills necessary to cope with one's own mental health.
Teaching staff in charge: Anne Tullus
Course code: SVPH.00.072
Volume: 1 ECTS
Economy
Students get first-hand knowledge of waste management. The course is structured in a way to target waste reduction and processing, material use, bio-processing, energy use and storage. Attention is paid to the idea of a waste-free society and the criteria for abolishing the waste concept. Water and gas monitoring at landfill sites are explored. The purpose of the course is to make the student understand the unbiased reasons for the development of waste management, become familiar with waste management technologies and be able to plan waste management, incl. to recycle different types of waste.
Teaching staff in charge: Andres Jäärats
Course code: SVPC.00.069
Volume: 3 ECTS
The course aims to give an overview of the green economy and its potential role in solving global environmental problems. In addition, learners get basic entrepreneurial skills and are introduced to work opportunities in the private and public sectors.
Teaching staff in charge: Virve Sõber
Course code: LTOM.04.014
Volume: 6 ECTS
The course aims to introduce the current degrowth paradigm and social organisation through theoretical and practical approaches and stimulate the skills to lead discussions on the topic.
Teaching staff in charge: Madis Vasser
Course code: SVSV.00.010
Volume: 6 ECTS
The course analyses the principles of the circular economy, introduces the accompanying legislation, gives an overview of the planning and implementation of environmental technological processes of organisations based on the concept of sustainable development. The basics of the organisation's environmental management related to the renovation of existing technologies and the introduction of new modern technologies in the production and service spheres are discussed.
Teaching staff in charge: Siiri Velling
Course code: LTKT.04.003
Volume: 4 ECTS
The aim of the course is to enhance students' ability to initiate solutions to ecological problems, to offer experence in goal setting and teamwork. The course helps students to understand the opportunities and cooperation needs of their discipline in solving ecological problems.
Teaching staff in charge: Maie Kiisel
Course code: LTOM.00.014
Volume: 3 ECTS
The course aims to provide a general overview of sustainable business and management models and provide the skills to identify, analyse and (re)design processes for the sustainability of natural and social environment.
Teaching staff in charge: Arvi Kuura
Course code: SVPC.00.079
Volume: 3 ECTS
The course develops competencies of transdisciplinary sustainable destination management. The course provides an overview of how the current processes in the world can be directed so that all parties benefit and the environment does not suffer.
Teaching staff in charge: Alastair Maclean Morrison
Course code: SVPC.02.079
Volume: 4 ECTS
The goal of the course is to provide an overview of different microbial based technologies for productions of chemicals, pharmaceuticals and food products. The course will provide an outline of the basics in food safety and risk assessment of genetically modified organisms. Environmental biotechnology (production of biofuels, bioelectrochemical systems, biorefinery concept) and application of microbial-based technologies in agriculture will be covered. The course will handle the application of new emerging molecular methods in industrial and applied microbiology.
Teaching staff in charge: Jaak Truu
Course code: LTMR.03.006
Volume: 6 ECTS
Education
The overall aim of the course is to develop an understanding of the multifaceted concept of education for sustainable development and how its principles can be integrated into the learning process.
Teaching staff in charge: Aigi Kikas
Course code: HTOS.02.194
Volume: 3 ECTS
This course will cover influential factors of contemporary environment on children's social and emotional development and connection with study goals of preschool curriculum. Students will learn Estonian legalisation connected to children. Through practical activities and works, students will learn basic and necessary methods and activities in order to develop children's social skills and values. Students will learn the content, goals and basic methods and resources of media education. Students will also analyse activities of media games through practical activities and will create new games and activities in order to increase children's media awareness, and develop social skills and values.
Teaching staff in charge: Tiina Peterson
Course code: SHHI.02.024
Volume: 3 ECTS
Aim of the course is to enable students across all disciplines of the university to obtain an overview of the working principles and effect of digital technologies. Lectures shall explain the foundations in a simple manner and by using examples. After completion of the course the students can better plan their further studies and life-long learning paths, as well as understand the effect of digital transformation and new opportunities in their own disciplines.
Teaching staff in charge: Jaak Vilo
Course code: LTAT.00.020
Volume: 6 ECTS
The course gives the participants an overview of the major digital developments around us and advances participants' specific digital skills needed both for everyday life as well as for career advancement.
Teaching staff in charge: Kristiina Tõnnisson
Course code: SVJS.00.083
Volume: 6 ECTS
Student projects
The UT has set a goal to develop the creativity, enterprising spirit, critical thinking as well as the cooperation, self-management, digital and other future skills of our students. To put these skills into practice, we offer students the chance to get involved in shaping the university and society through practical projects.
