SES6020 Sustainability Studies: An Overview
The Complete Exam Bible · Semester 1, 2026/27SES6020 Overview
- The Education University of Hong Kong
- Semester 1, 2026/27
- Postgraduate course
- Closed-book written examination
- Three credit points
What this course asks you to do
SES6020 introduces sustainability principles and contrasts sustainability with sustainable development while connecting both to environmental science, technology and classroom-relevant issues.
- Assessment The written examination carries half of the course grade, the individual project thirty per cent, and two one-page tasks ten per cent each.
- Exam format Prepare definitions, short responses, long questions and essay answers for a two-hour closed-book paper without electronic aids.
- Core method Define the system boundary, trace evidence through its pathway, compare feasible alternatives and state the condition that could change the judgement.
- Project focus Narrow a broad sustainability issue to one decision, one affected setting and an actor able to implement the strategy.
How SES6020 is assessed
| Component | Weight | Format |
|---|---|---|
| Field visit reflection journal | 10% | One A4 page, about 300 words, focused on either field visit |
| Topic proposal for individual study project | 10% | One A4 page topic proposal |
| Individual study project | 30% | Approximately 1,200 to 1,500 words on a selected sustainability issue |
| Written examination | 50% | Two-hour closed-book written examination |
The official outline publishes four components totalling 100%. It also states that late work submitted with prior approval may be lowered by up to one full grade on a case-by-case basis, while late work without prior approval and non-submission receive a fail grade. No component is labelled as a hurdle in the available materials.
Assessment structure
The widths reproduce the four published assessment weights and total 100%.
Current SES6020 dates
| Date | Item | Control |
|---|---|---|
| 18 September 2026 | Topic proposal | Published in the official course outline. |
| 4 December 2026 | Field visit reflection journal | Published in the official course outline. |
| 9 December 2026 | Written examination | Published in the later Moodle examination notice. |
| 11 December 2026 | Individual study project | Published in the official course outline. |
Dates are as published in the official course outline and later Moodle examination notice for Semester 1, 2026-2027. Confirm exact deadlines and submission settings in the live LMS.
What SES6020 covers
Eight chapters follow the published teaching sequence from sustainability concepts and environmental science through field evidence, ecosystem pressure, pollution control, development perspectives, agreements and measurement.
Sustainability and Sustainable Development
enduring conditions, development pathways, system boundaries and intergenerational testsSeparate condition from pathway
Sustainability describes whether a system, practice or resource relationship can continue without destroying the conditions that support it.
- Condition versus pathway
- Renewal and carrying capacity
- Intergenerational need
- Context and values
- System boundaries
- Efficiency limits
Systems, Worldviews and Sustainability Models
intersecting and nested systems, environmental constraints and protected objectsRead geometry as an argument
Intersecting circles treat environmental, social and economic concerns as equal interests whose overlap marks a solution. Nested models turn an outer system into a constraint on everything inside it.
- Intersecting systems
- Nested constraints
- Compensation and limits
- Anthropocentrism
- Biocentrism
- Ecocentrism
Environmental Science and Health Evidence
source pathways, exposure, causal claims, transfer limits and proportionate controlsPreserve the evidence chain
Environmental presence does not by itself establish exposure or health effect. The chapter follows source and chemical form through pathway, exposure, dose, response and decision.
- Source and chemical form
- Exposure pathways
- Dose and response
- Association and mechanism
- Transfer conditions
- Precaution and proportion
Long Valley: Field Evidence and Land Use
bounded observation, habitat function, alternatives, mitigation and monitoringTurn observation into a planning claim
The Long Valley materials connect ecological value, farming history, development pressure and management. A field visit yields observations bounded by route, weather, season and time.
- Bounded observation
- Habitat function
- Ecological value
- Alternatives and avoidance
- Mitigation sequence
- Monitoring triggers
Ecosystem Pressure, Water and Waste
demand drivers, scarcity mechanisms, waste boundaries, exposure and feedbackTrace pressure beyond the total
Population, production and consumption affect sustainability through demand per person, distribution, technology and the location of residual harm.
- Demand drivers
- Scarcity mechanisms
- Water allocation
- Waste boundaries
- Energy recovery
- Feedback and prevention
Pollution Control and Remediation
prevention, source capture, remediation, residual material and monitoring triggersLocate the intervention
Pollution control prevents or reduces a release, while remediation addresses contamination already present.
- Source and pathway
- Protected receptor
- Prevention hierarchy
- Source capture
- Legacy remediation
- Residual management
Development Perspectives and Agreements
wellbeing, differentiated capacity, international commitments and domestic implementationSeparate growth from development
Economic output can support human wellbeing but does not define it. The chapter asks how growth changes health, education, security, environmental conditions and distribution.
- Growth and wellbeing
- Distribution of gains
- Shared principles
- Differentiated capacity
- Domestic instruments
- Review and accountability
Measuring Sustainability and Building Solutions
indicator boundaries, baselines, distribution, project analysis and strategy evaluationPut indicators inside decisions
A useful indicator has a system boundary, baseline, direction and consequence for action.
- Indicator boundaries
- Baselines and thresholds
- Stock and flow
- Distribution checks
- Project focus
- Strategy evaluation
The published learning outcomes move beyond recall: critically examine sustainable development, understand scientific and technological foundations, relate environmental concerns to economic, social and political conditions, and propose solutions through problem solving and creative thought. This guide follows those verbs.
Every chapter begins with a system or relationship, tests evidence and ends with a decision.
How the sequence develops
The opening chapters establish definitions, system models and worldviews. Environmental science then supplies a disciplined route from source and pathway to exposure, response and control. The Long Valley chapter turns field observation into bounded evidence for a land-use decision.
Water, waste and ecosystem pressure show why totals and citywide averages can conceal drivers and unequal exposure. Pollution control follows material through prevention, capture, treatment and residual disposal.
The final chapters connect development and international commitments to domestic capacity, then use measurement to build the assessed individual project.
How to prepare for the final
The published examination notice fixes a two-hour closed-book written paper with short questions, definitions, long questions and essay-type questions.
Each question carries five to fifteen marks; the total remains stated as fifty to sixty marks to be confirmed. Prepare adaptable answer structures rather than assuming a section count. For every topic, practise one precise definition, one comparison, one evidence chain and one conditional judgement.
The closing chapter shows how answer depth should expand with the mark allocation.
Evidence and authorship
Assessment facts follow the official outline and the later Moodle examination notice. Practice scenarios in this guide are independently authored and do not reproduce University assessment stems. The captured folder contains no past examination paper, sample paper or examination solution.
Where later teaching topics are present only in the official schedule, the guide stays within the published synopsis, learning outcomes, assessment guidance and topic labels instead of attributing theories the source does not supply.
Worked example · free
Turn a broad sustainability issue into a decision
- 3Name the decision, setting and actor.
- 3Specify the evidence and alternatives.
- 4Give an evaluation trigger for the strategy.
Key terms
- Sustainability
- The capacity of a system or resource relationship to continue without destroying the conditions on which it depends.
- Sustainable Development
- A process of social change that integrates environmental considerations into economic, institutional and everyday decisions.
- System Boundary
- The stated limit deciding which inputs, outputs, people, places and time periods an analysis includes.
- Carrying Capacity
- The level of use or population that supporting ecological systems can maintain without losing their ability to renew.
- Anthropocentrism
- A worldview that evaluates environmental choices primarily through human interests and wellbeing.
- Biocentrism
- A worldview that gives living beings value beyond their usefulness to people.
- Ecocentrism
- A worldview that treats ecosystem integrity and relationships as the central protected object.
- Exposure Pathway
- The route by which an environmental hazard moves from its source to a person, organism or ecosystem.
- Mitigation
- Action that reduces residual harm after avoidance and minimisation have been considered.
- Remediation
- Treatment or management of contamination already present in an environmental medium.
- Counterfactual
- The credible alternative outcome used to judge what an intervention actually changes.
- Indicator
- A defined measure used with a boundary and baseline to show whether a condition is moving toward a stated goal.
SES6020 FAQ
How is the course assessed?
Four published components total one hundred per cent. The field visit reflection journal and topic proposal carry ten per cent each, the individual study project carries thirty per cent, and the written examination carries fifty per cent. The outline also publishes submission dates and a serious late-work consequence, so check the live Moodle settings before submitting.
What is the final examination format?
The later Moodle notice fixes a two-hour closed-book written examination with no computer, notes, external aids, calculator or electronic devices. It lists short questions, definitions, long questions and essay-type questions. Each question carries five to fifteen marks, while the total remains stated as fifty to sixty marks to be confirmed.
What is the difference between sustainability and sustainable development?
Sustainability names the enduring condition: a system or resource relationship can continue without consuming what supports it. Sustainable development names a pathway of deliberate social change that integrates environmental considerations with economic and institutional decisions. A strong answer identifies the protected object, limiting condition, distribution and time horizon rather than treating the terms as synonyms.
How should I write the field visit reflection?
Select one bounded observation rather than listing the itinerary. Record the conditions under which it was made, connect it to habitat function or another course concept, state what it cannot establish, and explain how it changes a planning judgement. First-person experience becomes analytical only when the warrant between the observation and conclusion is explicit.
How do I narrow the individual study project?
Turn the broad issue into one decision in a named setting with an actor able to implement the recommendation. Define the system boundary, identify two genuinely different alternatives, select evidence that can distinguish them, and give the preferred strategy an indicator and correction trigger. This structure aligns with the published guidance and rubric categories.
Does the course provide past papers?
No past examination paper, sample paper or examination solution appears in the captured course folder. This guide therefore models original questions on the published question families and mark range without implying access to a University paper. Prepare flexible definitions, comparisons, evidence chains and essays instead of guessing a fixed section pattern.
What happens if assessed work is late?
The official outline states that late work submitted with prior lecturer approval may be lowered by up to one full grade on a case-by-case basis. Students without prior approval receive a fail grade for late submission or non-submission. Contact the course team before the deadline and follow the current Moodle submission setting.
Can generative AI be used in assessment?
The outline says generative AI may be used in some or all assessment tasks, while instructors will provide the specific restrictions, acknowledgement rules and any reflective-report requirement during the first lesson and in relevant briefs. General permission is not a substitute for the current task instructions, so document permitted use and follow the brief exactly.
Questions students ask in each SES6020 chapter
- Are sustainability and sustainable development synonyms?
- No. Sustainability names an enduring condition, while sustainable development names a process for changing society within environmental constraints. They overlap, but the distinction changes whether the answer evaluates a state or a route. Chapter 01 · Sustainability and Sustainable Development
- What is wrong with the three-circle model?
- It clarifies overlaps but can imply that gains in one domain compensate for any loss in another. It organises consequences without identifying non-substitutable thresholds, which must be supplied by evidence and judgement. Chapter 02 · Systems, Worldviews and Sustainability Models
- Does detecting a contaminant prove a health effect?
- No. Detection establishes presence within the sampled boundary. A health claim also needs a pathway, exposure or dose and evidence linking that exposure to response, with the affected population and uncertainty stated. Chapter 03 · Environmental Science and Health Evidence
- Can one field visit prove low ecological value?
- No. A visit records conditions at one time and route. Ecological value needs repeated observation, habitat information and attention to seasonal or daily variation before persistent use or absence can be inferred. Chapter 04 · Long Valley: Field Evidence and Land Use
- Does equal rainfall mean equal water availability?
- No. Storage, treatment, leakage, affordability, allocation and service reliability can create very different accessible supply under the same rainfall. Diagnose the scarcity mechanism before selecting a remedy. Chapter 05 · Ecosystem Pressure, Water and Waste
- How do pollution control and remediation differ?
- Control prevents or reduces ongoing release, while remediation treats contamination already present. A site may need both because cleanup fails if the source continues and source control leaves the legacy burden in place. Chapter 06 · Pollution Control and Remediation
- Is economic growth the same as development?
- No. Growth measures expansion of output or wealth. Development asks whether that expansion improves wellbeing, capability, environmental conditions and distribution, so an aggregate increase cannot settle the substantive claim. Chapter 07 · Development Perspectives and Agreements
- What makes a sustainability indicator useful?
- State the condition, system boundary, baseline, direction and decision consequence. A measure can be accurate yet unhelpful when it changes for unrelated reasons or hides displacement and distribution. Chapter 08 · Measuring Sustainability and Building Solutions
How to study for the exam
Use three passes. First, write the core distinction for each chapter from memory and add the boundary that prevents the two terms from collapsing. Second, redraw the chapter's evidence or decision chain, then attach one original example to every arrow. Third, practise the same topic at five, ten and fifteen marks: define and apply, compare with evidence, then judge with a counterargument and review condition.
Keep a separate page for the individual project containing the decision, actor, system boundary, alternatives, indicators and correction trigger. In the final week, reproduce the eight chapter methods without notes and check every claim verb, because overstatement often sits in one word such as proves, solves or sustainable. Confirm the live examination venue and any update to the provisional total on Moodle.
