In this challenge run project course may the students possibility to analyse and handle complex and intractable sustainability problems in collaboration with the surrounding society. The students learn to identify and analyse needs, challenges and goal conflicts and to design interventions that intend to achieve change in project form. The projects will be based on sustainability-related problems that stakeholder in the surrounding society have formulated. In the course students also evaluate interventions to ensure they favour the society in general, organisations, individuals, other species and whole ecosystems locally as well as global, in the short and long term . The students will also be given tools to lead trans-disciplinary co-creative processes where also transformative learning can identify and develop. The projects are reported both orally and in writing.
DM2803 Transformative Change in Complex Systems, Project Course 15.0 credits

Information per course offering
Information for Autumn 2025 Start 25 Aug 2025 programme students
- Course location
KTH Campus
- Duration
- 25 Aug 2025 - 12 Jan 2026
- Periods
- P1 (7.5 hp), P2 (7.5 hp)
- Pace of study
50%
- Application code
51496
- Form of study
Normal Daytime
- Language of instruction
English
- Course memo
- Course memo is not published
- Number of places
Places are not limited
- Target group
Open for all programs from year 3, and for students admitted to a master's program, provided that the course can be included in the program.
- Planned modular schedule
- No information inserted
- Schedule
- Schedule is not published
- Part of programme
Contact
Course syllabus as PDF
Please note: all information from the Course syllabus is available on this page in an accessible format.
Course syllabus DM2803 (Autumn 2025–)Content and learning outcomes
Course contents
Intended learning outcomes
After passing the course, the student should be able to
- identify and analyse needs, challenges, and goal conflicts within the scope of a given complex societal challenge
- give an account of their own contribution to transformative change in complex systems given limited information and by using inter- and trans-disciplinary co-creative processes
- give an account of their own contribution to their own and others' transformative learning
- evaluate the need for and develop the key competencies that are required for a sustainable adaptation
- evaluate interventions aiming to achieve change in complex systems in relation to what favours the society, humans, other species and ecosystems locally as well as globally in the short and long term
- provide arguments for which interventions are needed and which are not
in order to
- be able to respond to and handle intractable problems in challenge-driven projects
- be able to encourage and lead change in a world that is increasingly characterised by volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity.
Literature and preparations
Specific prerequisites
Knowledge in management of complex change processes, 7.5 credits, equivalent to completed course DM2800.
Knowledge in sustainability, 6 credits, equivalent to completed course DM2573/AL1504/AL1523.
Recommended prerequisites
Knowledge of complex change processes is necessary. Those who, at the start of the course, have not completed 7,5 credits corresponding to DM2800 must read DM2800 in parallel with DM2803, see under additional regulations in the syllabus.
Literature
Examination and completion
If the course is discontinued, students may request to be examined during the following two academic years.
Grading scale
Examination
- DEL1 - Active participation, 3.0 credits, grading scale: P, F
- INL1 - Hand-in assignment, 2.0 credits, grading scale: P, F
- PRO1 - Project work, 10.0 credits, grading scale: P, F
Based on recommendation from KTH’s coordinator for disabilities, the examiner will decide how to adapt an examination for students with documented disability.
The examiner may apply another examination format when re-examining individual students.
Examiner
Ethical approach
- All members of a group are responsible for the group's work.
- In any assessment, every student shall honestly disclose any help received and sources used.
- In an oral assessment, every student shall be able to present and answer questions about the entire assignment and solution.
Further information
Course room in Canvas
Offered by
Main field of study
Education cycle
Supplementary information
In this course, the EECS code of honor applies, see:
http://www.kth.se/en/eecs/utbildning/hederskodex
Additional regulations
Students that at the beginning of the course have not completed DM2800 or equivalent must read DM2800 in parallel with DM2803.