Sustainable Cities MSc

Key Information

Delivery mode: In person Study mode: Full time Duration: One year full-time, September to September Credit value (UK/ECTS equivalent): UK 180/ECTS 90 Application status: Open Start date: September 2025

Programme Description

This Sustainable Cities Master's links to the Urban Futures research group, focusing on ongoing research about the way that urban knowledge might produce more socially and environmentally sustainable cities. You'll be able to follow your own interests in social or environmental sustainability by choosing from a range of optional interdisciplinary modules across the Geography Department and beyond. And if you opt to join our environmental internship programme, you'll get the chance to supplement your academic prowess with real-life urban policy experience. You'll take an international view of cities while being taught in London, which acts as the perfect urban laboratory for the world. You'll build your awareness of the historical context and global contemporary ideas and practices relating to sustainable cities, while also studying how London's distinctive post-colonial geographies require particular policy adaptations. You'll get to examine the key challenges of implementing policies that promote sustainable urbanism, and 'learn by doing'. You'll join Sustainable Cities MSc graduates who have gone on to work in sustainability consultancy organisations, local authorities around the world, NGOs focused on urban issues, and private-sector urban development companies. With this Sustainable Cities MSc, you’ll get an advanced understanding of contemporary debates about sustainable cities, with a specific focus on the human and physical processes shaping urban ecologies and environments. You’ll learn from a combination of pure and applied research methods from human and physical geography.

Base Campuses

• Strand Campus: Located on the north bank of the River Thames, the Strand Campus houses King's College London's arts and sciences faculties.
• Waterloo Campus: Waterloo campus is home of the Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing & Midwifery and facilities for other faculties

Regulating Bodies

King's is regulated by the Office for Students

Entry Requirements

UK Applicants

• Standard requirements: A minimum 2:1 undergraduate Bachelor’s (honours) degree
• Programme-Specific Requirements: Bachelor's degree with 2:1 honours. Candidates who do not achieve a 2:1 but have professional or voluntary experience will also be considered.

International Applicants

• Equivalent International qualifications: Select a country to view equivalent qualifications
• English language requirements: English language band B

Selection Process

• Applications must be made online using King’s online application portal apply.kcl.ac.uk and a non-refundable application fee of £85 applies.
• Please note that as part of the evaluation process of your application you may be required to undertake a Skype interview.

Personal Statement and Supporting Information

• Supporting document: Please provide a writing sample of around 500 words, answering the following questions.
  • Why you are applying for this specific programme, and how does it fit in with your future plans? (max 250 words)
  • How does your experience and education make you a suitable candidate for this programme? (max 250 words)
• Previous Academic Study: A copy (or copies) of your official academic transcript(s), showing the subjects studied and marks obtained.
• References: One academic reference is required. A professional reference will be accepted if you have completed your qualifications over five years ago.

Teaching Methods

• Lectures
• Seminars
• Independent Study

Assessment

• Coursework
• Written Examinations
• Practical Examinations
• Oral Presentations
• Examinations
• Dissertation

Structure

• Programmes are divided into modules. You will take modules totalling 180-190 credits as outlined below.
• Required modules:
  • Dissertation (60 Credits)
  • Governing the Sustainable City (15 credits)
  • Practising Social Research (15 Credits) OR Environmental Data Analysis (15 credits)
  • Liveable Cities – The London Lab (15 credits)
  • Understanding the Sustainable City (15 credits)
• Optional modules:
  • Climate: Science and Society (15 credits)
  • Environment, Livelihoods and Development in the 'South' (15 credits)
  • GIS and Spatial Data Science (15 Credits)
  • Sustainability in Practice (15 credits)
  • Urban Futures and Social Justice (15 credits)
  • Tourism and Development (15 credits)
  • Understanding Human Mobility (15 Credits)

Employability

• On completion of the Sustainable Cities MSc programme, you will have attained a range of knowledge and skills, such as effective communication, data analysis, urban planning, that will allow you to excel in a wide range of careers.
• Graduates from this programme have gone onto careers in international organisations, agencies, consultancies, national and city governments, charities, research organisations, in addition to many earning PhDs to become leading experts in their fields.

Tuition Fees

• UK: Full time: £14,500 per year (2025/26)
• International: Full time: £31,600 per year (2025/26)

Deposit

• If you receive an offer for this programme, you will be required to pay a non-refundable deposit to secure your place.
• The Home deposit is £500. The International deposit is £2000.

Additional Costs

• Books if you choose to buy your own copies.
• Clothing for optional course related events and competitions.
• Library fees and fines.
• Personal photocopies.
• Printing course handouts.
• Society membership fees.
• Stationery.
• Travel costs for travel around London and between campuses.
• Graduation costs.
• Some modules include the option to undertake other short day-trip fieldwork. These fieldwork options will enhance the modules, but they are not assessed as part of the module. The additional costs for short day-trip fieldwork would typically not exceed £50 per year.
• Costs may be incurred for dissertation work if fieldwork and/or laboratory materials are needed for the chosen study topic, but such work is not mandatory and would not impact academic success if an alternative approach to dissertation research is taken.