¹ú²úÄÚÉä

Summer School: Social Sciences

Engage with some of the world’s most urgent topics from various perspectives.

Tackle the big issues facing people and planet

Consider global challenges from social, political, cultural, economic and geographical angles in our Social Sciences Summer School.

You’ll address everything from climate change to human rights in our dynamic and interactive modules.

Summer School sessions

Gain hands-on skills in labs, work closely with expert instructors and make the most of your summer with travel.

2026 options include:

• session one – Monday 29 June-Friday 17 July
• session two – Monday 20 July-Friday 7 August
• session one and two – Monday 29 June-Friday 7 August.

Email summer@sussex.ac.uk if you have any questions about the Summer School.

Read Gabriella’s Summer School story.

---

Modules you can study

Select from the following modules:

Session One

• Climate Justice

  Undergraduate Summer School – Climate Justice

  Dr Will Lock introduces what you’ll explore in Climate Justice at the Summer School.

  • Video transcript

    [Man talks to camera]

    Hi, I’m Dr Will Lock. I’m an Assistant Professor in International Development and Anthropology here at the ¹ú²úÄÚÉä.

    I’m one of the teaching team on our amazing Summer School module in Climate Justice.

    On the module, you’ll get to draw on our expertise in Development, Sustainability and Social Justice and learn about all sorts of topics, from Climate Finance through to Carbon Offsets and into the interesting world of Extractivism.

    You’ll be studying for three weeks alongside other students passionate about climate change, and we’ll be working collaboratively and developing practical skills as well as public communication skills.

    Finally, you’ll be doing all of this in the background of our amazing ¹ú²úÄÚÉä campus, which is within the South Downs National Park and the Living Coast Biosphere Reserve. And we’ll be having our lessons inside and outside of the classroom to explore some of that, as well as our amazing, vibrant city of Brighton.

    So whether you’re a seasoned climate activist looking to add depth to your understanding of the climate crisis, or you’re someone who’s never thought about climate research before and just wants to dip your toe in and understand a bit more, we hope you’ll join us on the Climate Justice Summer School module.

    Get in touch if you have any questions at all.

    [End card: fade out of blue, green and purple colours with the ¹ú²úÄÚÉä logo]

  Module code: IS448

  This module will introduce you to the concept of climate justice through the world-leading sustainability research being done at the ¹ú²úÄÚÉä. Climate justice brings a focus on social equity and historical responsibility to understandings of climate change. It recognises that climate change exacerbates existing inequalities, and has a disproportionately high impact on those who are least responsible for causing the problem.

  You will explore questions of extractivism, climate responsibility, finance and funding, ecosystem uncertainty and activism through a series of lectures, case studies, seminars and workshops. Together, we will learn about the colonial roots of contemporary environmental justice conflicts and the range of responses proposed to the climate crisis, while working in groups to discuss, design and propose alternatives.

  The module is both solutions-focused and interactive, and you will have the chance to work in groups throughout as you reflect collectively on how you would address particular challenges. Teaching will be conducted both inside and outside of the classroom, with workshops taking place in the landscape of the Brighton & Lewes Downs Biosphere Reserve and South Downs National Park.

  Your assessments will encourage you to engage proactively in practical examples of climate justice and develop your public communication skills. You will work on a short group-produced presentation, podcast or video to explore a debate or an example of local activism, and the final assessment will be a blog designed to enhance public understanding of climate justice.

  The ¹ú²úÄÚÉä is ranked first in the world for Development Studies (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2023) and joint first in the UK for Education for Sustainable Development (People and Planet 22/23). These rankings reflect the range of sustainability research and dynamic teaching across the Sussex campus that you will be a part of. The module is ideal for those with a humanities or social science background, whether that be Geography, Politics, Anthropology, Sociology, International Relations, Law, or anyone with an interest in looking at the climate crisis through a critical lens.

  Learning outcomes:

  • demonstrate a critical understanding of climate justice and the politics and processes that underpin responses to climate change

  • analyse cases of environmental injustice in a range of geographical contexts

  • design and develop creative, team-based responses to climate justice challenges to achieve common goals

  • demonstrate good writing skills that showcase an ability to be reflexive and to engage with academic, activist and policy literature.

  Teaching method: Lectures and workshops
  Assessment: 70% blog, 30% group project
  Contact hours: 42 hours
  Credits: 15 Sussex Credits
  Level: 4

  Interested in studying with us for six weeks over the summer? Climate Justice pairs well with Ecology and Conservation: Current Topics and offers a broad approach to the study of climate. Read Gabriella’s Summer School story to find out more.

Read our top tips for choosing your modules. You can also find out about our teaching structure, assessment process and how your credits transfer back to your home institution.

---

You might also be interested in:

• fees and costs
• entry requirements
• how to apply.