Moving towards a sustainable society is an immensely complex challenge that can often feel overwhelming and difficult to act upon. In this course, students will learn what drives sustainable product development on a societal and systemic level but will also engage personally in a design project to address the sustainability challenges related to consumer products in a local and real-world context.
General information
In this course, students will learn how to develop sustainable products and systems through design. Blending theory and practice, the course will cover key concepts related to sustainability, sustainable product development, circular economy, and design for sustainable behavior, which will then be applied to a design challenge. Working in interdisciplinary teams, students will combine their knowledge to design, develop, and prototype sustainable solutions for real products. Students will analyze a specific consumer product, their sustainability performance, and will learn how to apply Sustainable Product Development (SPD) methods to their case.
The course is largely action-based and engages directly with industry, involving actors in product manufacturing and resource management. Through field visits, case studies, a design project, and a final exhibition, the course offers a dynamic learning environment to understand both the theoretical and practical implications of sustainable product development, and a unique opportunity for students from different programs to learn and work together on real-world challenges.
Prerequisites
We invite enrolled students across all master’s and PhD programs at Chalmers who are interested in learning how to design for sustainability transitions, which includes from products to product value chains. As per policy of Tracks, alumni and professionals are also encouraged to apply. A background in areas such as design, product development, production, software development, industrial ecology, economy & management is desired but not necessary. Teams are required to be interdisciplinary, consisting of at least 2 disciplines. Teams are required to have diverse academic backgrounds. As a project-based course, physical presence at the campus is mandatory. Therefore, the course cannot be taken on distance.
How to apply
Apply to all Tracks courses at universityadmissions.se / antagning.se. Search for the course by using the course code TRA500. Read more on how to apply.
Please add a 1-page motivational letter outlining your reasons for applying, a sustainability challenge related to a consumer product you would like to address, and how you see that the course would contribute to your education and career.
Details
Teachers: Sophie I. Hallstedt, Giliam Dokter, Pauline Leonard
Course dates: Study period 3, 2026
Credits: 7.5
Level: A
Course code: TRA500
Application period: 11–28 November 2025