University of Surrey MSc Sustainable Development in Practice | OnlineUniversity of Surrey MSc Sustainable Development in Practice | OnlineUniversity of Surrey MSc Sustainable Development in Practice | Online

Experience a global overview of today’s existential challenge: the need to build a new social, economic and institutional system that guarantees long-term wellbeing for all. If you’re ready to find proactive solutions to solve the world’s sustainability challenges today, this course is for you.

The course takes a systems-driven and innovation-led approach, with a strong focus on policy implementation in government, business and society.

The course consists of 180 credits and is divided into 10 fully autonomous credit-bearing modules, delivered through a “carousel” approach across six terms. All modules are worth 15 credits, except the final Review Essay, which is worth 30 credits.

• Institutions and Governance for Sustainable Development

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  Students will engage with a general overview of key concepts, structures and theoretical debates in this field and with global governance and how intergovernmental organizations (IGOs) work, including a historical overview of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) from Annan’s Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the 2030 Agenda, as a means of building knowledge. Students will then delve into specific SDGs, grouped thematically, in terms of human, societal and economic development, inequalities and sustainability, and climate action, as well as capacity development, inter-agency coordination and stakeholder engagement.

  Students will delve into the world of policy development and policy analysis. In doing so, students will combine interdisciplinary knowledge and insights to think critically about the social, political and economic ramifications of the SDGs, bridging the international environment with domestic politics and nuances.

  Students will also be given the opportunity to engage in their assignments with a comparative study of the SDGs and apply their knowledge in an authentic assessment in the form of a scenario-based simulation exercise. This will allow students to develop five key areas: employability, global and cultural capabilities, digital capabilities, sustainability, and resourcefulness and resilience.

• Environment and Society

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  This module provides an up-to-date overview of contemporary issues and debates about the relationship between the environment and society. The module will enable students from a wide range of academic backgrounds to explore current environmental issues and possible futures. Students will gain the skills to understand how and why contemporary society is locked into a wide range of unsustainable practices and explore the risks, challenges and benefits of transitioning to a globalised low-carbon world. It covers topics such as the social and political drivers which have led to a high-carbon society, social consequences of environmental change and routes to a sustainable transition.

• Measuring Sustainability in Practice (macro and micro)

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  This module focuses on exploring different frameworks for measuring prosperity, sustainability and their critique on a national as well as organisational level. Students will develop an understanding of sustainable development, green economy and circularity and explore their applications in practice. The module enables students to interpret basic quantitative information about global sustainability and apply this information towards explaining and evaluating policy design from macroeconomic and microeconomic perspectives.

• Business Solutions for Sustainability

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  This module provides students with insight into the issues which a business has to manage if it is to remain a going concern. It explores the tension that arises between profit and delivering the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) while adhering to environment, society and corporate governance (ESG). The module also examines the additional risk management which is associated with embedding sustainability into a business.

  The module will enable students to forensically evaluate the contribution of ethics, governance and risk management to responsible management in existing companies in different industry sectors. This will facilitate students experiencing the decision making that is involved when integrating sustainability and responsible management into business.
  The module uses recent examples of business which are examples of sustainability as well as companies that compromise sustainability for profit and responsible management. The module uses a number of case studies to illustrate the importance of SDGs, ESG and responsible management.

• Behavioural Change Solutions

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  Human behaviour is at the heart of all 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals. Achieving good health and wellbeing, for example, requires that people adopt behaviours that have a positive impact on their physical and mental health, such as eating a healthy diet or taking regular physical activity. Responsible consumption and production requires that people consume resources carefully. Some goals, such as no poverty and gender equality, necessitate changes in the behaviour of governments and policymakers responsible for creating and implementing policy. Achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals requires an understanding of why people act as they do, and how to change behaviour in ways that support sustainability.

  This module will provide students with a cutting-edge understanding of core theories and concepts within behaviour change science, and the skills and methods needed to translate and reflect on the translation of behavioural science into real-world contemporary sustainability contexts. Students will be introduced to a range of different theoretical and practical approaches that can be used to understand and address many sustainability and sustainable development problems facing global citizens. The module covers both theories and concepts that underpin modern understandings of human behaviour and behaviour change, and the methods for systematically developing and evaluating behaviour change initiatives. The module supports employability by helping students to think systematically and critically about the application of behavioural science theories, concepts, methods and skills in different contemporary sustainable development domains.

• Circular Economy Solutions

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  This module provides students with the principles of the circular economy and gives them hands-on experience to develop circular economy-based projects and assess their economic feasibility. Students will work on real-life projects to convert waste to useful materials/products/energy. Students will also consider both technical aspects and business models in their design. Students will then evaluate the economic feasibility using techno-economy analysis (TEA). Thus, students will develop creativity, problem-solving and teamwork skills throughout the module.

  The circular economy (CE) module will be delivered through a combination of recorded lectures followed by online self-assessment for each section. Initially, the basic concepts (covering linear vs circular economy, roles, regulations, socio-economic implications), will be introduced. The key elements of this module are the case studies of CE across different sectors (mining, food, chemicals, manufacturing) to provide students with understanding of the rationales and step-by-step approach to generate CE. Through the case studies, students will also gain the capability to identify challenges of generating CE from a range of resources (e.g. biomass, electronic, plastic, domestic waste).

  After this, students will work on personalised projects to consolidate and showcase their competencies. Each student will work on one project. However, group projects can be set up if considered necessary. The project will require generating CE in their workplaces based on identified waste/resources. To guide students in completing the project, it is divided into four milestones i.e. problem statement, project case, business plan, and environmental impact assessment. As a medium of assistance, Teams channels will be created for each student (or each group) through which the supervisors (module leader or teaching staff) will be able to see the progress, advise the students and provide feedback. The integrative nature of the project will allow students to generate the CE and evaluate its impacts on the economy, society and the environment.

• Nature Based Solutions

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  Nature-based solutions are advocated as a more sustainable way of managing environments or environmental systems and have been implemented today in a variety of settings from cities to rural and coastal areas to address urgent societal challenges (e.g., climate change, water security, air pollution, wastewater treatment, food security or natural disasters) effectively and adaptively, while simultaneously providing co-benefits and improving resilience.

  Through a series of recorded lectures, seminars and captured contents, this module will provide students with an introduction to the scientific principles and practice of nature-based solutions, their implementation criteria and role in different modern contexts, with particular emphasis on sustainability and policies.

  The module explores different environments (air, water, coastal, rural, and urban) through case studies and literature ensuring students are aware of the multidisciplinary nature of NbS. Students will critically assess, compare, and determine the feasibility of different published case studies where NbS have been successfully implemented.

• Sustainable Food Solutions

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  As our global population reaches and extends beyond the eight billion mark, we must consider sustainable food solutions in the face of the global climate and biodiversity crisis. This module explores the history of global farming and food production and considers the importance of agriculture in livelihoods, economic growth and prosperity. This module is aimed/appropriate for students with varied educational backgrounds, and uses a transdisciplinary approach to exploring the core concepts, technology, policy and challenges of sustainable food production. The module builds upon the basic concepts of sustainable development, equipping students with a change-maker mindset required to find solutions to transform our global food system to meet the needs of an ever-changing world.

• Sustainability Marketing and Communication

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  The module provides a grounding in the role of marketing and communications to promote sustainable change in both organisations and consumers. It reviews the role of marketing in promoting sustainability, and summarises the historical context and evolution of sustainability in marketing. This module delves into the societal expectations for ethical claims, both to consumers and stakeholders, including sustainability reporting frameworks. It reviews the evidence on consumer behaviour and sustainable purchasing, and how this informs strategic, sustainable marketing planning.

  Students will consider opportunities for green product, service and experience development and pricing decisions for sustainable products. This module considers the upstream and downstream distribution channels for sustainable products, including business-to-business marketing and sustainable supply chain management. It culminates with a review of communication and messaging opportunities, such as techniques for crafting effective messages for sustainability, transparency and authenticity in communication, and addressing greenwashing and building trust.

• Energy Policy Solutions

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  This module provides an exploration of the past, present and future energy supply and demand infrastructure. It provides insights into policy and public engagement aimed at reaching greenhouse gas reduction targets and tackling climate change. This is a practical module aimed at a wide range of students, especially those interested in transdisciplinary, people-focused energy transitions and climate change policy. It is focused on policy issues rather than theoretical arguments.

  Students will gain a grounding in energy systems, the energy policy landscape and gain a critical perspective on how to reach energy emissions reduction goals with the help of the UK as a case study example. The module is of particular interest to those aiming to work in shaping energy policy at the regional, national or global level.

• Review Essay

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  The final output of the MSc will be a “Review Essay”, in which students need to demonstrate that they have acquired the necessary skills to summarise the scientific and policy debate on a topic of choice (to be agreed upon with the relevant supervisor). The “Review Essay” needs to be clearly linked to one or more case studies.

Become a leader in sustainability

Explore how our online MSc Sustainable Development in Practice course can prepare you to implement impactful sustainability policies and advance your career. Learn more today.

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After you graduate, you will be equipped to become a sustainability practitioner, leader and problem-solver in the public, private or third sector. The course’s emphasis on practical solutions, UN processes and ESG applications can prepare you for a variety of international job opportunities.

Get ready to influence policy, change behaviours, develop nature-based solutions, achieve operational compliance with environmental regulations and – most importantly – implement innovative solutions that achieve long-term wellbeing for current and future generations.

Stand out in your field with sustainability expertise and help develop transformative solutions. Request information about our course today.