University of London, Royal Holloway

This course provides an introduction into the study of eco-criticism and environmental literatures. Students examine a range of literary and theoretical texts towards an understanding of the development and current issues in this growing interdisciplinary area of study. It examines topics such as the representation of landscape, pastoral, the social production of space, pollution, climate change, nature/anti-nature writing and recent work on interspecies relations. Examples for discussion are drawn from a range of genres that include fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and film.

This course introduces a wide range of repertories within the history of music. It stimulates students to relate features of musical compositions and performances to their wider historical contexts and gives students a fundamental knowledge of specific musical cultures. It provides students with opportunities to develop skills in research and information retrieval and in critical reading of primary and secondary literature, to receive formative feedback on those skills, and to build a foundation for higher-level study. 

This course explores the central developments in modern philosophy occurring between the foundation of modern empiricism and rationalism by Locke and Descartes in the 17th century, and the emergence of Kant’s philosophical system in the late 18th century. 

The course begins with a brief introduction to the marine environment and oceanography. Following on from this a number of topical subjects are used to illustrate recent developments in the field of marine ecology. The biodiversity and biogeography in the marine environment are illustrated with reference to selected habitats, namely coral reefs and the deep ocean. The biology of the deep ocean, in particular the biology of mid-water and hydrothermal vent communities, includes consideration of technological advances in deep ocean exploration. This theme is developed further in lectures on tracking studies, behavior, and conservation of marine megafauna, e.g. sharks, sea birds, and marine mammals. The topical issues of marine pollution (including plastics pollution), ocean acidification and global climate change is considered with respect to effects on marine biodiversity. 

This course develops students' advanced writing skills for academic attainment and employability. Students are introduced to key forms of writing from a variety of professional contexts. An initial focus on the academic essay enables students to develop writing from more familiar experience. Contrasting the academic essay with a variety of journalistic forms equips students with skills in writing to specific guidelines and briefs and craft their written voice. A project involving designing and promoting a virtual exhibition introduces students to the writing skills needed in heritage professions and group work. Real life writing and editing tasks introduced by industry professionals from the world of publishing provides students with practical experience to share with potential employers. Students are also introduced to the requirements of pitches, policy briefs, and the work of writing in the legal professions. 

This course introduces a range of advanced and current topics in evolutionary ecology with a strong focus on studies using vertebrate systems. Evolutionary ecologists investigate the interactions between and within species, and, for example, consider the evolutionary effects of competitors, mutualists, predators, prey, and pathogens. Lectures and assigned readings provide a foundation in evolutionary ecology and a sampling of specific topics (i.e., Life-History Theory, evolutionary medicine, phenotypic plasticity, ecological speciation, and the evolution of sex). 

This course addresses key developments in contemporary digital culture. It focuses on how still and moving images, and art and visual culture in general change with the triumph of big data analytics and artificial intelligence. The course is structured around concepts key to such developments, such as the user and viewer, body and affect, (social) platform and metrics, interface and interaction, city and infrastructure, ecology and nature. 
 

The course introduces the students to the concept of sustainable energy and the main renewable energy resources. Those covered in the course are geothermal, hydro, wind, solar, and marine energy, the emphasis being on geothermal energy. The current and potential use of these energy resources for producing electricity and space heating are discussed, with application to the UK where appropriate. The focus is on current and future use of these resources, as well as on quantitative aspects and understanding some of the relevant physics. The module covers the basic concepts of energy science, including conservation of energy, basic thermodynamic concepts, energy efficiency, and related topics presented at an elementary (easily understood) level. An emphasis is on the ideal combination between geothermal energy (which is a steady source – always there) and other but non-steady renewable sources (e.g., solar and wind energy).

This course explores the concepts of diversity and inclusion in organizations, through identities of gender, race and ethnicity, disability, class, and sexuality. We explore, through case studies and in-class discussion, different management strategies for diversity and inclusion, in different contexts around the world, and critically explore their pros and cons. This course provides the theories, toolkits, and practical examples needed to manage for a diverse and inclusive organization in the 21st century.