This new Global Challenges undergraduate degrees have been designed with disrupters in mind – people who aren’t afraid to ask questions and to pull in knowledge from across disciplines to get to the root of the planetary problems we face.

Within the core spine of this Global Challenges degree, students will take an in-depth look at issues such as climate change, sustainable development, migration, terrorism, inequality and poverty and how they affect the world we live in, the Planetary Health pathway will also introduce students to the impact human activity has on the earth systems and in turn affects our health.

Students will explore questions about the environmental challenges current and future populations face as they learn to analyse and manage issues alongside the Brunel experts teaching this course.

Planetary health is a global concern. The impact of human activity must be addressed and managed so that we do not continue to damage our ecology and ultimately ourselves. As part of the Planetary Health Alliance, Brunel University London works alongside 70 dedicated universities, NGOs, government entities and research institutes who are committed to making advances in this area. This means that the knowledge students gain during their studies will come directly from the most up-to-date sources.

As part of this course students will look at the connections between changes in the environment and health outcomes. For example, how the environment has caused certain wildlife species to become extinct, or how the use of pesticides in the cultivation of fruits and vegetables may have physical or mental health risks.

Students will also explore some of the technologies and political and economic strategies employed in healing the planet, such as the reduction of greenhouse gasses by avoiding the use of damaging household products, to saving energy around the home.

Throughout the course students will build their ability to work in teams as they pick up skills in project management, presenting and team pitches. A third year Enterprise Project will help to bring all these skills together as students work on a group project with a real organisation.

Students have the option to apply for an internship at the end of their first year and can take a one-year placement between years two and three, giving them valuable work experience and a step ahead for their career when they graduate.

 

Graduates of the new Global Challenges course will be inquisitive and analytical with a large amount of knowledge that could change the world, as they’ll have learnt how to assess contrasting sets of data and different arguments to form their own ideas and opinions.