Master's Degree in Political Ecology. Degrowth and Environmental Justice

This is the first Master of its kind, and one of the first in the world in the flourishing field of Political Ecology. The Master builds on a successful 7-year series of international Summer Schools on Environmental Justice and Degrowth, two ongoing European Research Council projects on global environmental justice – see the Atlas of Environmental conflicts (https://ejatlas.org/) – and on urban environmental justice (http://www.bcnuej.org/). ICTA coordinated also ENTITLE, a post-graduate training network in political ecology funded by the EU. Our program was developed by R&D (Research and Degrowth) in alliance with ICTA (the Institute for Environmental Studies and Technology) and benefits from several top researchers that are currently working at both institutes.
We live in an era of growing inequalities, poverty and environmental disasters. Environmental and social problems are interrelated. Environmental problems have political causes and political solutions – they are a matter of power and inequality. Addressing these deeply rooted issues calls for system change – our program offers the knowledge and tools for thinking and bringing forward such change. We aspire to train the next generation of environmental justice activists, engaged civil servants, and entrepreneurs of the new cooperative economy – those who will put in action the best ideas for creating a society that is fair, enjoyable and ecologically sustainable.
In our Master program, you will get theoretical classes from top scholars in the fields of environmental conflicts, urban gentrification, ecological economics and governance of the commons. You will be trained in using methods to conduct qualitative and quantitative analysis of complex problems – such as multi-criteria evaluation, surveys, Q-methodology, and material flow analysis. And you will be taught by practitioners who are experts in their fields, how to set-up a new economy initiative, how to run a social or environmental justice campaign, how to write for the media, and how to engage policy-making on the local level.
Our program benefits from the fact that it takes place in Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia, a city and country at the forefront of experimentation with the commons, social justice and alternative economies. We collaborate closely with the municipality of Barcelona and several of the civil groups and cooperatives active in the city and metropolitan region. The students of our program will have the opportunity to develop their theses in such organizations, enmeshing their work in the vibrant progressive culture of the city.
Our pedagogy is based on group learning. You will be asked to read and write academic texts, as well as learn through field visits and conversations with local people engaged in grassroots alternatives. You will learn how to work in groups, and you will develop most of your assignments and your final project in groups.
Our program is taught at the highest academic level, by researchers who are all professors or holders of PhD – all of them active in publishing top quality research. As such it is suitable for students who have a Bachelor’s degree, and also for students who already have another Master (or even a PhD) and want to switch to a research career and a PhD (or post-doc) on political ecology, environmental justice or degrowth. Students who already have a Master (or PhD) and want to proceed to a PhD (or post-doc) might also benefit by the option of taking selected modules of our program, as necessary for their needs, instead of the full Master program.

Career opportunities

Our masters is addressed for young people who want to work in:

- The Social and Solidarity Economy
- Public Administration
- Environmental Justice Organizations
- Think Tanks
- Professional Consultancies

This Master does not lead to a PhD. It is a professional program, a “Master Propio”, meaning a Master granted by our University. Within Spain (and most of Europe), “Master Propios” are recognized by the private sector, but do not make you eligible for entering a PhD program in Spain (this might not be the case in other countries though where a master’s is not a requirement for entering a PhD program).

Internships

Students are welcome to look for institutions of their interest and be autonomous in the choice, provided that the mission and activities of these institutions are in line with those of the masters. During the first term we will also provide a list of institutions interested in accepting students in practicums. Research and Degrowth is one among them.
Depending on the case and the institution, a specific project that the student will carry out might be already defined; in other cases, it might be developed together between the student, the module coordinator and the institution. Some of the teachers of the professional skills module might offer the possibility to do a practicum in the organization they work for (i.e. ENT consulting, ODG, Barcelona Activa, Greenpeace)

Scholarships and financial aid

Every year we strive to offer up to two full scholarships (or 4 half scholarships) covering the tuition fee. The criteria to assign the scholarships are the following:

- Be an activist
- Affected by a socio-environmental conflict
- People from low-middle income countries will be prioritised

In order to apply for a scholarship you must apply to the programme during the Second Admission Period and be accepted (from May 21st to July 21st 2021). Once you receive the Notice of Admission you then have to submit the following documents to coordinacio.master.political.ecology@uab.cat:

- Letter explaining the need for a scholarship
- 2 letters of reference confirming you meet one or all the requirements referred to above and the need for a scholarship.

Please note that these scholarships cover the tuition fee, but do not include daily expenditures or living costs.

Chek all the information in the page for UAB financial aids, grants and calls.

Coordinating centres

Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología Ambientales

Collaborating centres

Associació del Punt d’Interacció de Collserola
Associació Recerca i Decreixement Barcelona
Can Decreix

Contact

Valentina Lomanto