Program Overview

Introduction to the Environment and Sustainable Development MSc

The Environment and Sustainable Development MSc is designed to equip students with the knowledge, skills, and capacities to become ethical and impactful change makers who can challenge mainstream approaches to development, strengthen strategic pathways for environmental justice, and promote long-term sustainability.

Course Overview

This course adopts an interdisciplinary approach, integrating feminist political ecology, environmental justice, and systems thinking to foster inclusive sustainability in the Global South. It focuses on the urban and peri-urban areas of the Global South, developing the knowledge, skills, and capacities of professionals to address socio-environmental challenges and work towards more equitable and sustainable urban futures.

Entry Requirements

• The normal minimum qualifications are an upper second-class Bachelor's degree in a relevant subject from a UK university or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard.
• A demonstrated interest in the subject matter of the programme is required.
• A minimum of six months of work experience is also recommended.
• Candidates who do not meet the above requirements may be considered if they can demonstrate substantial relevant senior-level professional experience and an ability to engage academically with the subject matter of the programme.

English Language Requirements

The English language level for this course is Level 2. UCL Pre-Master's and Pre-sessional English courses are available for international students aiming to study for a postgraduate degree at UCL.

Tuition Fees

• UK students: Ł21,500 (full-time), Ł10,750 (part-time)
• International students: Ł35,400 (full-time), Ł17,700 (part-time)
• The programme is also available on a modular (flexible) basis.

Duration and Study Mode

• The course can be taken full-time over one calendar year, part-time over two calendar years, or on a flexible basis over two to five calendar years.

Course Structure

Full-Time

• In Terms 1 and 2, students take compulsory modules (90 credits) that provide theoretical and methodological foundations in environmental planning, sustainability, environmental justice, urbanisation, and development.
• The remaining 30 credits come from optional modules, allowing students to tailor their studies to their interests.
• In Term 3 and over the summer, students focus on their dissertation, an independent research project supported by a dedicated dissertation tutor.

Part-Time

• The course is delivered over two years, with taught modules in Years 1 and 2, and the dissertation in Year 2.

Flexible

• The course is delivered over two to five years, with students structuring their core and optional modules as desired, noting that the practice module and dissertation must be taken in the final years of study.

Modules

• Compulsory modules include:
  • The Political Ecology of Environmental Change
  • Urban Environmental Planning and Management in Development
  • Environment and Sustainable Development in Practice
  • Development and Planning Dissertation
• Optional modules cover a wide range of topics, including:
  • Managing the City Economy
  • Adapting Cities to Climate Change in the Global South
  • Sustainable Infrastructure and Services in Development
  • Food and the City
  • The City and its Relations: Context, Institutions, and Actors in Urban Development Planning

Fieldwork

• In Term 3, students participate in an overseas practice engagement, an immersive fieldwork experience in a Global South context.
• Preparation begins in Term 1 with a desktop study to build analytical, diagnostic, and communication skills.
• The fieldwork involves working with partners to collect data, refine strategies, share findings, and produce practical outputs.

Accessibility

• The department endeavours to make reasonable adjustments for students with disabilities.
• Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble.

Fees and Funding

• Additional costs include a fee deposit and personal expenses during the overseas practice engagement.
• Funding opportunities are available, including the Bartlett Promise Scholarship and the UCLFAA MSc Environment and Sustainable Development Scholarship.

Careers and Employability

• Graduates of the Environment and Sustainable Development MSc work across public, private, and non-governmental sectors, influencing environmental policy and planning.
• The course provides practical skills in strategic planning, participatory action research, policy analysis, and communication, developed through hands-on work with partners.
• Alumni have taken up key positions as policy advisors, analysts, planners, programme coordinators, environmental specialists, researchers, project managers, and sustainability consultants in various organisations worldwide.