University of Sussex

This course teaches the art and craft of screenwriting. Students undertake a thorough investigation of plot structure and develop a sophisticated understanding of character development and theme, as well as consider other screenwriting concepts including subtext, scene design, and cinematic juxtaposition. The practical dimension of the course involve each student each writing a script for an 8-10 minute short film. Through guided writing exercises and in-class viewings, students work through a script development process that guides them from their initial conception to the completion of a fully revised script.

Explore the social, political, economic, and cultural elements that explain global health disparities. The course introduces the concepts of globalization and global health, illustrate the global burden of disease, and by doing so, deepen understanding of the inequities and inequalities between and within countries and why we think they exist. The main global health stakeholders and ´global health´ governance and explore diverse science paradigms that have dominated the way we analyze and comprehend the process of being healthy and ill, as well as how we approach global health issues. Review concepts such as determinants of health vs determination of health (a Latin-American theoretical construct), decolonialism and equitable discourses in global health. The course is delivered by global health experts at BSMS and our independent consultant Maria Cristina Quevedo-Gomez.

In this course, learn about fundamental principles in cell and molecular biology. Extending to workshops in R, you’ll cultivate essential research skills. Learn about advanced techniques such as CRISPR and qPCR through laboratory sessions. Participate in journal clubs and collaborative student presentations, refining critical employability skills. Enjoy lectures on contemporary research topics such as RNA vaccines in oncology and ethical considerations in AI, delivered by industry experts. With interactive teaching and learning approaches, industry visits, workshops, seminars, and active learning methodologies, this course gives students an employability-focused, current research-led course.

This summer course covers current topics in ecology and conservation. In addition to lectures and workshops, there is an emphasis on learning through field classes, some of which will take place in the South Downs National Park adjacent to the University of Sussex campus. Have the opportunity for experiential learning on ecology and conservation, presented by practicing scientists using their own research projects as examples.  Participants learn survey and identification skills through field trips and develop an understanding of conservation/applied ecology in relation to real world problems in such diverse areas as coastal conservation, rewilding and/or biodiversity monitoring in arthropods and vertebrates. This module assumes a basic level of biological/ecological knowledge, such as that provided by a Biology A-Level or first-year undergraduate instruction. 

This course looks at the industrial, technological, and cultural changes in serial television and explore the themes, narratives, and aesthetics of contemporary long-form television. Students are introduced to key conceptual approaches to serial television as an artform and a production practice, examining seriality and long-form storytelling; notions of complexity; discourses of quality, taste, and cultural value; questions of authorship; innovations in visual style and sound design; the rise of streaming services such as Netflix; new viewing practices and habits (such as "binge-viewing"); and issues of gender equality and ethnic diversity on- and off-screen.

This course explores microsociological theories of the self, social identity, and social interaction, drawing particularly on Symbolic Interactionism and Goffman's dramaturgical theory. It shows how the ostensibly private world of individual selfhood is created and shaped by social processes, culture, and interaction order.

Students explore major formal, historical, and theoretical questions posed by the novel, including key ideas in narrative theory, the relationship between the novel and modernity and why the novel is often viewed as a central form for representing social life.

This course provides students with an understanding of factors that determine how industries are organized. It presents various theoretical models, whether and how these are supported by empirical evidence, and stylized facts. Concepts and tools employed in microeconomic theory and game theory are used to analyze how firms behave within industries and how industries are structured.

This course provides an in-depth understanding of how sustainability intersects with consumer engagement and business strategies. It's perfect for anyone intrigued by sustainable business practices, consumer behavior, and their impact on our environment. Throughout the course, delve into key topics such as sustainable consumption, green marketing, circular economy, ethical consumer behavior, and corporate social responsibility. Also explore how digital technology influences and enables sustainable practices. The course uses collaborative activities to stimulate critical discussions around sustainability issues in modern businesses. Analyze an organization's strategy for incorporating sustainability into their consumer engagement initiatives and explore the complexities that arise in the interplay between consumers, businesses, and the environment. Additionally, have the opportunity to participate in business simulations focusing on sustainability, which enhances practical understanding of creating and implementing consumer engagement strategies centered around sustainability. In essence, this course offers a comprehensive exploration of sustainability in the business context, equipping you with the tools to engage consumers effectively and ethically in a world increasingly focused on sustainable practices.

This course provides an overview of what has changed (and what has not) in British society and culture since the early nineteenth century. It does not attempt to be comprehensive, but rather uses historical debates to provide a context to questions which remain highly pertinent in Britain today.  Why does Britain, uniquely in Europe, still have a monarchy?  Why is social class still such an important aspect of how the British see themselves? Why have statues of nineteenth-century imperial figures become a source of such violent controversy since the emergence of the BLM? In what ways has ‘Brexit’ revealed Britain’s difficulty to confront its national decline over the last hundred years?  How might movements for racial and social justice in contemporary Britain work within a specific British radical paradigm?  All these questions can only be answered if we address the last two centuries of British history, confronting the longer-term patterns of continuity and change which are still playing out in a nation which struggles to confront both its past and its present. Specific topics covered include: aristocracy and monarchy since 1800; nineteenth and twentieth century movements for social change; advocates and critics of the British empire; explanations for British ‘decline’ in the twentieth century; gender and sexuality, 1800-1914; youth and popular culture since the 1930s.