Program Overview

Master's Degree in Sustainability Science and Technology

The master's degree in Sustainability Science and Technology aims to provide advanced and interdisciplinary education that facilitates the understanding of interactions between society, the economy, and the natural environment, as well as the scientific and technical options and trends that enable the major challenges of sustainable development in current socio-environmental systems to be addressed.

General Details

• Duration and start date: 2 academic years, 120 ECTS credits, starting in September
• Timetable and delivery: Mornings, face-to-face
• Fees and grants: Approximate fees for the master's degree (excluding other costs): 2,324 (5,400 for non-EU residents)
• Language of instruction: Check the language of instruction for each subject in the course guide in the curriculum
• Official degree: Recorded in the Ministry of Education's degree register

Admission

• General requirements: Academic requirements for admission to master's degrees
• Places: 40
• Pre-enrolment: Pre-enrolment for this master's degree is currently closed
• Enrolment: How to enrol
• Legalisation of foreign documents: All documents issued in non-EU countries must be legalised and bear the corresponding apostille

Curriculum

First Semester

• Fundamentals of Applied Statistics and Sustainability and Development Measurement (5 credits)
• Fundamentals of Economics, Environmental Economics, and Ecological Economics (5 credits)
• Fundamentals of Engineering, Sustainability, and Development (5 credits)
• Fundamentals of Geosciences and Geographic Information Systems (5 credits)
• Fundamentals of Mathematical and Systemic Sustainability Modelling (5 credits)
• Fundamentals of Social Sciences and Approaches to Socio-Environmental Conflicts (5 credits)

Second Semester

• Fundamentals of Ethics, Business, and Innovation (5 credits)
• Fundamentals of Sustainable Management and Environmental Management Systems (5 credits)
• Social and Transdisciplinary Research (5 credits)
• Biodiversity and Socio-Ecological Systems (5 credits)
• Climate Change Mitigation Policies (5 credits)
• Integral Management of Urban and Ecological Water Cycles (5 credits)
• Socio-Environmental Data Processing (5 credits)
• Sustainable Design of Products and Services (5 credits)
• Sustainable Management of Energy Resources and Need for a New Energy Model (5 credits)
• Urban Metabolism and Ecological Urbanism (5 credits)

Third Semester

• Complex and Socio-Environmental Networks (5 credits)
• Construction and Building Construction Engineering and Technologies (5 credits)
• Decarbonisation and Climate Resilience Strategies (5 credits)
• Energy Economics and Sustainable Energy Systems (5 credits)
• Industrial Ecology (5 credits)
• Information and Communication Technologies (5 credits)
• International Cooperation and Development (5 credits)
• Regional and Transport Infrastructure Metabolism (5 credits)
• Research-Action Workshop on Sustainability Science and Technologies (5 credits)
• Urban and Regional Development (5 credits)

Fourth Semester

• Master's Thesis (30 credits)

Professional Opportunities

The course prepares graduates to take up positions related to the design and management of sustainable processes and projects; socio-environmental management, consulting, and engineering; and the formulation and evaluation of sustainability policies and strategies developed in public and private research centres, non-governmental organisations, and companies and public organisations (national and international) related to spatial planning, the environment, and sustainable development.

Competencies

Generic Competencies

• Capacity for innovation and entrepreneurship
• Sustainability and social commitment
• Knowledge of a foreign language (preferably English)
• Teamwork and proper use of information resources

Specific Competencies

• Evaluate sustainability policies and strategies, considering environmental, social, and economic impacts
• Manage socio-environmental conflicts and plan sustainable urban territories
• Analyse climate change and its causes, impacts, and governance, and design strategies for fair decarbonisation
• Apply mathematical modelling, GIS, and ICT in the sustainable management of resources
• Optimise infrastructure, energy, and transport by minimising their environmental impact
• Design and implement sustainable projects that are aligned with international regulations and strategies

Double-Degree Agreements

• Master's degree in Sustainability Science and Technology + Master's degree in Sustainable Intervention in the Built Environment (MISMeC)

Quality Accreditation

Check the degree's main quality indicators in the University Studies in Catalonia portal of the Catalan University Quality Assurance Agency. Find information on topics such as degree evaluation results, student satisfaction, and graduate employment data.

Organisation: Academic Calendar and Regulations

• UPC school: University Research Institute for Sustainability Science and Technology (ISUPC)
• Academic coordinator: Olga Alcaraz Sendra
• Academic calendar: General academic calendar for bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees courses
• Academic regulations: Academic regulations for master's degree courses at the UPC