Students learning outdoors

Climate breakdown affects all sectors of societies and economies and cannot be addressed through the lens of one subject. BA (Hons) Sustainable Futures: Arts, Ecology and Systems Change has optional pathways to allow you to shape your own learning journey. From the arts to agroecology, from neuroscience to new approaches to economics..

BA (Hons) Sustainable Futures: Arts, Ecology and Systems Change is an interdisciplinary programme combining a grounding in theories of change, creative practice based on artistic methods, ecological thinking, political economy and sociotechnical systems. Our programme invites you to develop the ‘futures-making skills’ necessary for making sense of a rapidly changing world: critical thinking, creativity, communication, collaboration, and compassion. 

The foundation of the BA is learning how to learn about the natural world and human societies in order to become an agent of change. You will gain the ability to communicate and collaborate with peers in order to imagine – and deliver – fundamental changes to current systems.

In partnership with Cardiff Metropolitan University.

Website
https://blackmountainscollege.uk/study/higher-education/

Tuition Time - 3 days per week, 9.30am - 2.30pm from September to the end of May

Course Length - 3 years

Minimum Age - 18 years (no maximum age)

Entry Requirements - We have an open admissions policy designed to encourage the widest possible access and participation for those who would like to enter higher education. Admission is based on portfolios and interviews, not grades alone. We look for potential to make change happen, rather than prior achievement.

Cost - £9250 per year, funded via Student Finance

 

The BA (Hons) Sustainable Futures degree combines cutting-edge climate science, environmental studies and history, and ecological principles with critical thinking, creative practice, and systems change to empower students to address complex environmental and social challenges. Modules prepare participants to address real-world problems, while opportunities for research and collaboration with partners provide practical insights into the sector.

Build expertise in ecology, politics, philosophy, and economics while solving real-world challenges through practical projects. Create sustainable, equitable futures whilst learning in a living landscape! Graduate with practical skills and professional experience for a world reshaped by climate change. 

 

COURSE STRUCTURE:

Year 1: How can we learn in a changing world?

Explore Earth systems, climate science, human behaviour and creative practice. Reflect on the past to understand how to create meaningful change, then imagine sustainable futures within planetary limits. Experiment with art and its role in driving social and environmental transformation.

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Year 2: How can we address some of the world’s most urgent challenges?

Apply design thinking and collaborate on creative projects tackling real-world problems. Choose your pathway from:

- Agroecology: Discover regenerative farming and food system transformation.

- Sociotechnical Systems: Explore future technologies and their societal impacts.

- Creative Practice for Future Generations: Use art to inspire social change.

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Year 3: Devise your own question to structure your studies and your engagement with real-world challenges.

Design your own research project, engage with real-world case studies, and gain work experience to prepare for your future.

 

Apply now for 2025 directly via our website!

Arts-Ecology-and-Systems-Change-Black-Mountains-College-Prospectus.pdf10.68 MB

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Agroecology is a holistic and integrated approach that simultaneously applies ecological and social concepts and principles to the design and management of sustainable agriculture and food systems. Definition from FAO.

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Sustainability

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Black Mountains College

A unique college in and around the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park, Wales, to create a future where nature and humans thrive. BMC focuses on the challenge of our times: how to build a fair and just society within safe planetary boundaries. We believe in education that empowers people to build resilience in the face of the climate and ecological crisis. Our approach is built on rethinking traditional learning to foster the skills, creativity, and systems thinking needed for a more sustainable future. Our countryside-based campus is a living classroom, with access to biodiverse landscapes that inspire and challenge our students to connect deeply with nature.