About the master
What to expect?
A transdisciplinary program
What does it mean and how does it work?
A transdisciplinary program is a problem-centered program, aiming at integrating knowledge from multiple disciplines and using co-creating knowledge approach by integrating different stakeholders and communities in the process.
We strongly believe that climate crisis calls for complex solutions. Therefore, there is the need for a deep understanding of this phenomenon. Social, economic, political factors are intertwining along the process of understanding how we ended up here and what are we to do in order to prevent future generations from sharing the same (or even deeper) crisis. The main features of transdisciplinary approach are that are problem centered, transgresses different areas of science and has a collaborative approach beyond academia.
Transdisciplinary approach implies knowledge from all across science (humanities, natural and social). Without mastering all of these domains, we need to have a basic vocabulary and a minimum understanding of the phenomenon from all these fields of knowledge. What is more, climate crisis requires system knowledge, which is incomplete without involving different stakeholders (public administration, politicians, NGOs, corporate individuals, citizens). It requires dialogue and co-creation of knowledge with communities both affected and with complementary expertise.
University of Bucharest proposes three different transdisciplinary master programs centered on climate crisis. Faculty of Philosophy coordinates the program Environmental Humanities, Faculty of Biology coordinates the program Nature-Centred Approach to Sustainability and we, Faculty of Sociology and Social Work, are coordinating the master Cross-Disciplinary Perspectives on Socio-Ecological Transformations. These master programs meet in first semester to provide a highly transdisciplinary content, as to offer the opportunity for a community of students to be formed. The rest of the program will follow mainly their field of research.
For the master that we are coordinating, we are offering classes developed by four different faculties within University of Bucharest (our Faculty, Sociology and Social Work, Faculty of Administration and Bussines, Faculty of Political Science and Faculty of Journalism and Communication Studies).
the practicalities of this master
Some (unasked) questions and their answers
What are the classes that our program offers?
You can find details on the classes offered (including syllabi for each of the classes) on our faculty website (here). The first semester is dedicated to developing a trandisciplinary understanding of climate crisis, therefore you are going to participate in classes that explain this phenomenon from the point of view of natural science, humanities and social sciences. The classes are introductory, therefore there is no need for prior in-depth knowledge.
If there are classes offered by several faculties, where are you going to study?
For the first semester you are going to have all your classes in the same building. For the rest of the semesters you are going to join each of the faculties that are offering the classes. The schedule will be designed in such a way that you will not have to switch buildings in the same day (all the faculties have their buildings in central areas of Bucharest, with easy access by public transportation). This is a great opportunity to experience students' life and organizational cultures from all the faculties involved in the program.
What job perspectives does this master have?
Climate crisis is generating more and more need of expertise in all sort of fields. There is a huge pressure towards responsibility and public policies aiming at both adjustment of the communities to the current situation and actions to build better future(s) for the next generations. Therefore, there is a high need of expertise within governmental agencies (regional, european, national and local). The General City Hall, for example, named this year an officer for climate neutrality as a reminder of the fact that this is an urgent need for the local community to respond cu climate crisis. Another area in which your future expertise is needed is within corporations that have corporate social responsibility departments. In order to enhance and improve their work, there is a constant need of employees that have an in-depth understanding of the phenomenon of climate crisis and all its social, economic and politic implications. You can also work within non-governmental organizations, in order to advocate for public policies in the area of climate crisis or to support local communities to participate in the process of designing public policies relevant to the quality of air, just transition, access to clean water, etc.
Which is the Faculty that you will graduate if there are several faculties involved?
If you join the master that is built on social science perspective on climate crisis (Cross-Disciplinary Perspective on Socio-Ecological Transformations) you need to participate in the admission process from our Faculty (Sociology and Social Work) and you will graduate within this Faculty.
If the program is in English, all the classes will be in English?
Yes. The whole content discussed, read, taught will be in English. What is more, the essay that you will submit for your admission in the program, the oral exam and your final dissertation - all these will be in English. There is no need to certify your level in English with diplomas/certificates, but you need to pass the oral examination in English.
How will the students develop their skills of working with and in communities?
In the first semester we are offering a special course dedicated to methods and tools of co-creating knowledge with communities. Bearing in mind that we will develop partnerships with relevant stakeholders, we are going to work alongside different actors in order to develop a dissertation that is closely related to a problem identified by these stakeholders and that will respond to practical issues associated with climate crisis.
did we convince you?