Holistic Science

Holistic Science advocates a participatory science of qualities, values and interactions which underpins an ecological world view. Western scientific method is dominated by specialisation in disciplines and by ‘reductionism’ — the idea that natural phenomena can be explained and understood in terms of their smallest parts. The MSc in Holistic Science explores new transdisciplinary methodologies that go beyond reductionism in understanding whole systems.

This approach is more capable than traditional science of relating to the problems of environmental degradation, collapsing communities and spiritual decline that face humanity today.

Programme Structure

The MSc is made up of a total of 180 credits. 60 of these are achieved through the three Core Modules and 20 credits from each of the two Short Courses. The remaining 80 credits are gained from the final Dissertation.

Core Courses

Science with Qualities: New Scientific Methodologies. This module explores the philosophy and methodologies of an expanded science that values qualities as much as quantities. This new approach cultivates intuition, sensory experience and ethics as well as rational thought as a way of understanding and interacting with the natural world.

The Living Earth: Gaia, Complexity and Chaos Theories. In this module, students work with the concept of emergent self-organisation to understand how the health and well-being of individual organisms, biotic communities and entire ecosystems contribute to the health of Gaia: planet Earth as an integrated whole.

Applied Holistic Science: Social Ecology, Design and Planning. Holistic science can contribute to the understanding of human affairs and to the development of an ecologically, culturally, economically and socially sustainable society. This module seeks to translate the theory of holistic science into a vision of a sustainable future.

Short Courses

MSc in Holistic Science students take two short courses, usually from a choice of three. As these courses are available to professionals and interested and active individuals, this is an excellent opportunity for students to engage with these specialist areas in a holistic way.

Current choices are:

• Science Meets Spirit: The search for meaning
• The Economics of Happiness
• After Copenhagen: Opportunities and challenges

Research & Dissertation

In the Dissertation module, students have the chance to apply their knowledge of holistic science and its methodologies to a real research problem. In the past, students have chosen to explore the applications of holistic science to a wide range of disciplines including education, agriculture, economics, design, biology, medicine, and landscape assessment.

As a new type of masters degree which encourages novel approaches to scientific investigation, students' holistic investigations for the Dissertation often result in different outcomes to traditional styles of research and reporting. The Dissertation can involve the use of alternative creative formats such as personal narrative, artwork and experiential material alongside those normally used in scientific writing in order to integrate intuitive insights and feelings that arise during the course of the work. Students are encouraged to blend the analytic-synthetic and the narrative-experiential as extensions and complements of each other in a coherent, holistic manner.