EN0LFC: Learning for Change: Academic Skills and Sustainable Development

Module code: EN0LFC

Module provider: English Literature; School of Humanities

Credits: 40

Level: F

When you’ll be taught: Semester 1 / 2

Module convenor: Miss Maria Kinch, email: maria.kinch@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2026/7

Available to visiting students: No

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 17 April 2026

Overview

Module aims and purpose

The purpose of the module is to provide you with the opportunity to develop transferable skills through the experience of an interdisciplinary curriculum that explores the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).  This will facilitate your ability to combine knowledge from academia and global issues to explore and reflect on some complex societal challenges.

The module aims to inspire your interest in, and awareness of, global societal issues from a diversity of perspectives and contexts, while developing your academic resilience, graduate attributes and personal strengths through an interdisciplinary perspective.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:

1. Use an evidence-based approach to analyse societal issues and their potential solutions. 
2. Use digital tools appropriately to access and present information in a suitable academic format. 
3. Explain ideas clearly and coherently, both verbally and in written work
4. Reflect on learning experiences to identify strategies for solving problems and improving personal capabilities.

Module content

The module content will be structured around 3 of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals:

- Good Health and Wellbeing

- Climate Action

- Reduced Inequalities

You will explore what these goals can mean in relation to your discipline, helping you to see how your subject connects to important contemporary challenges.

You will build core academic skills that will provide a solid basis for the rest of your University study, including confidence in oral communication, research skills and reflective skills.

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

The teaching and learning approaches will encourage your interest and curiosity in the subject discipline while developing your academic skills and preparing you for teaching and learning methods used at undergraduate study. Using a scaffolding approach to teaching and learning, you will develop an appreciation of the multidisciplinary perspectives of the SDGs alongside developing skills for successful undergraduate study and an awareness of interdisciplinary subject knowledge.  

There will be an active and guided approach to learning while allowing you to develop your independent study skills. The module will be delivered through in-person lectures and seminars.

Study hours

At least 66 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each calendar day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three calendar days;
• where the piece of work is submitted up to three calendar days after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in you Individual Learning Plan), the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three calendar days after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three calendar days after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three calendar days of the deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three calendar days after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

Where a piece of work is submitted late after a deadline which has been revised owing to an extension granted through the Assessment Adjustments policy and process (self-certified or otherwise), it will be subject to the maximum penalty (i.e., considered to be more than three calendar days late). This will also apply when such an extension is used in conjunction with a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: /cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Formative assessment will be small online assessments which allow students to understand their own progress.

Reassessment

Additional costs