Sustainability and Business MSc

If you have a positive vision of the future, want to lead innovation and do business better – either across a large organisation or through your own startup – then our Sustainability and Business Masters degree is ideal for you.

Uniquely based outside of a business school, we are preparing you, the next generation of innovators, to think, develop and reinvent sustainable enterprises in an increasingly challenging world.

Learn what shapes the relationships between business, environment and society, and how individuals and organisations can address social and environmental problems by means of creating and developing new businesses and innovation.

You will develop specialist skills to meet the growing need for sustainable entrepreneurship and innovation. Although large corporations are more visible, real innovation in sustainability is emerging and being driven by new businesses.

Practical skills – like developing ideas and plans for new sustainable ventures, pitching to investors and acting as a change agent within large organisations – give you experience of genuine business challenges faced in the real-world.

This course is co-delivered by the Sustainability Research Institute within the School of Earth and Environment and the Leeds University Business School’s Centre for Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Studies, and during your studies you may have the chance to learn directly from award-winning academics, professionals in government, large corporations, stakeholders and entrepreneurs.

Course highlights

• Leading in the field for over 10 years, you will be taught by academics from the Sustainability Research Institute – one of the largest academic groups of sustainability experts in the world.

• Uniquely based outside a business school – you will focus on how sustainability leads business practice. You will use key interdisciplinary research methods and approaches that relate to environmental management and corporate social responsibility.

• Be taught by members of Business and Organisations for Sustainable Societies (BOSS), a leading research group in business and sustainability.

• Study modules taught by the Leeds University Business School through the Centre for Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Studies.

• Join a truly global School – think beyond Leeds and gain a wider perspective by studying alongside students and academics from across the world.

• Opportunities for engagement with industry partners and field visits to businesses and enterprises in the Leeds city region.

Programme team

The Programme Leader, Dr Rory Padfield, is an interdisciplinary social scientist whose research focuses on themes such as supply chain and natural resource governance, sustainable consumption and production, and corporate sustainability across and between different scales of business organisations. He is also co-leader of the Business and Organisations for Sustainable Societies research group.

The wider programme team is made up of researchers and academics who work within the Business and Organisations for Sustainable Societies (BOSS) research group in the Sustainability Research Institute, as well as members of staff from the Leeds University Business School’s Centre for Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Studies. This allows you to learn about the same themes but from two unique perspectives.

Active research environment

The School of Earth and Environment is home to five world-leading research institutes, which are at the heart of our active research environment – working to tackle the planet’s most pressing environmental challenges. Throughout your degree you will be taught by experts who are leaders in their fields, and be directly engaged with their cutting-edge research.

The Business and Organisations for Sustainable Societies (BOSS) group is a transdisciplinary team of researchers, who are focused on critically evaluating the role of businesses and organisations and how they can incorporate sustainability in their systems, including their activities and throughout their supply chains.

Industry links

We have strong links with industry and during your studies you may have the chance to learn directly from award-winning academics, professionals in government, large corporations, stakeholders and entrepreneurs.

Online taster courses

Our Environmental Challenges collection is a five-part series of free online courses, delivered via FutureLearn. Ideal for current undergraduate students or mid-career professionals considering a Masters degree, this series explores how environmental management policies are developed and the challenges surrounding their formulation.

The course is split into three semesters if you study on a 12 month full-time basis. In the first two terms you will take lectures and seminars, followed by approximately four months of individual work leading to the submission of a dissertation in late August.

You will consider different aspects of sustainability, while a wide range of optional modules allow you tailor your study to fit your interests and career plans.

Semester one

Through lectures and seminars you will be introduced to the foundational concepts and theory both in sustainability and business. You will also begin to understand how to bridge the gap between the two, through a specialist module.

Studying research methodologies will provide the building blocks of key skills, techniques and tools which you will then go on to apply to real-world examples in semester two and in your own dissertation project.

Semester two

In semester two you will begin to apply the theoretical and foundational knowledge that you were taught in semester one. You will learn through case studies and real-world experiences and will study themes such as sustainable business models, theories of responsible business and organisational change.

Semester three

Everything you have learnt over the course of semesters one and two will be brought together in an individual dissertation research project.

Part-time study

The course runs for 24 months on a part-time basis, with each year split into three semesters. You will take two modules in each semester, followed by individual work leading to the submission of a dissertation in semester three of your final year.

Want to find out more about your modules?

Take a look at the Sustainability and Business module descriptions for more detail on what you will study.

Course structure

The list shown below represents typical modules/components studied and may change from time to time. Read more in our Terms and conditions.

For more information and a full list of typical modules available on this course, please read Sustainability and Business MSc Full Time in the course catalogue

For more information and a full list of typical modules available on this course, please read Sustainability and Business MSc Part Time in the course catalogue

Modules

Year 1

Learning and teaching

You will learn through a variety of teaching methods to help you develop both generic and subject-specific skills.

This includes lectures, real case studies, practical workshops, computer lab sessions, project work (individual and groupwork) and a written dissertation. There may also be research seminars from external speakers.

Practical exercises focus around real-world scenarios and case studies to produce optimal solutions including familiarisation with state-of-the-art technical approaches, software and the regulatory regimes that companies and public sector organisations operate within.

The research-intensive environment of our School ensures that your course material is both up-to-date and research led.

You will also learn the scientific and rational principles lying behind the practical approaches used in the world outside academia, so that your skills keep pace with changes in technology or the regulatory environment.

You will be assigned a personal tutor, who will maintain contact with you throughout the year and offer pastoral guidance. They will help you to settle into the university and clarify any procedures, as well as helping you prepare for employment on graduation. You will also receive administrative support from SEE’s dedicated Student Education Support office.

Our Virtual Learning Environment will help to support your studies: it’s a central place where you can find all the information and resources for the School, your programme and modules.

You can also benefit from support to develop your academic skills, within the curriculum and through online resources, workshops, one-to-one appointments and drop-in sessions.

On this course you’ll be taught by our expert academics, from lecturers through to professors. You may also be taught by industry professionals with years of experience, as well as trained postgraduate researchers, connecting you to some of the brightest minds on campus.

Assessment

You will be assessed through a variety of ways including both written and oral assignments and exams.

Entry requirements

A bachelor degree with a 2:1 (hons) in a natural, environmental, physical, management or social science subject.

Applicants with a 2.2 will be considered on a case by case basis where applicants can demonstrate relevant work experience or aptitude in a related specialist field. Graduates from other disciplines and those with professional experience in the sector will also be considered.

We accept a range of international equivalent qualifications. For more information please contact the Admissions Team.

English language requirements

IELTS 6.5 overall, with no less than 6.0 in any component. For other English qualifications, read English language equivalent qualifications.

Improve your English

International students who do not meet the English language requirements for this programme may be able to study our postgraduate pre-sessional English course, to help improve your English language level.

This pre-sessional course is designed with a progression route to your degree programme and you’ll learn academic English in the context of your subject area. To find out more, read Language for Science (6 weeks) and Language for Science: General Science (10 weeks). 

We are now offering online pre-sessionals alongside our on-campus pre-sessionals.  To find out more, read Online Academic English pre-sessional (10 weeks) and Online Academic English pre-sessional (6 weeks).

Read about differences between our online and on-campus summer pre-sessionals.

If you need to study for longer than 10 weeks, read more about our postgraduate pre-sessional English course.

How to apply

Application deadlines

Applicants are encouraged to apply as early as possible.

Due to competition for places and the volume of applications received, the deadlines for International and UK applicants have been brought forward as follows;

26 August 2022 – UK applicants

15 July 2022 – International applicants

Apply (Full time)

Apply (Part time)

This link takes you to information on applying for taught programmes and to the University's online application system.

If you're unsure about the application process, contact the admissions team for help.

Read about visas, immigration and other information in International students. We recommend that international students apply as early as possible to ensure that they have time to apply for their visa.

Admissions policy

University of Leeds Taught Admissions Policy 2023

Fees

• UK: £11,750 (total)
• International: £24,750 (total)

Read more about paying fees and charges.

For fees information for international taught postgraduate students, read Masters fees.

Part-time fees
Fees for part-time courses are normally calculated based on the number of credits you study in a year compared to the equivalent full-time course. For example, if you study half the course credits in a year, you will pay half the full-time course fees for that year.

Additional cost information

Because we recognise the value of field experience the school heavily subsidises or covers the transport and accommodation costs for all compulsory taught field courses.

We hope to run our fieldwork activities as planned for the 22/23 academic year, but it might not be possible due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We are continually reviewing the situation and will communicate any decisions to applicants and offer holders at the earliest possible opportunity.

There may be additional costs related to your course or programme of study, or related to being a student at the University of Leeds. Read more about additional costs.

Scholarships and financial support

If you have the talent and drive, we want you to be able to study with us, whatever your financial circumstances. There may be help for students in the form of loans and non-repayable grants from the University and from the government.  Find out more at Masters funding overview.

A degree from Leeds and the experience you'll gain here will give you the edge to find the career you want. Your course will give you the experience and knowledge that employers are looking for to help you secure a job.

University of Leeds students are among the top 5 most targeted by top employers according to The Graduate Market 2022, High Fliers’ Research.

We have a strong commitment to enhancing student employability and have our own dedicated school Employability Officer. We offer extra support and activities to help you stand out in your chosen field and achieve your career goals.

You will learn the skills to pursue careers both in business and in other sectors of the economy, such as government or non-governmental organisations.

This Masters could also help you enhance your current sustainability credentials, returning to your jobs with new skills and understanding.

Recent graduates work for local government or NGOs, or undertake internships. While others are now working for consultancy companies. You could pursue a research career and continue on to a PhD or pursue sustainability or CSR jobs.

We have a strong commitment to enhancing student employability and have our own dedicated school Employability Officer. We offer extra support and activities to help you stand out in your chosen field and achieve your career goals.

Graduates have gone on to a wide variety of careers in sustainability, including areas such as:

• Sustainable Procurement Officer, Leeds City Council

• Environmental training officer, Carlsberg Tetley

• Environmental consultant, Young White Green consultants

• Energy operating company, working on environmental legislation and advising different sites on how to comply

• Research Analyst, Suzlon Energy Ltd India

• Leading the US strategy for 2degrees network - a collaboration platform for sustainable professionals

• ICICI Bank India, Project Finance with interest in funding renewable energy investments

• PhD study.

Read profiles of our alumni to find out more about where some of our graduates are working.

Further study

Many of our graduates have secured positions on PhD programmes in the UK and internationally. The Sustainability Research Institute hosts a wide range of PhD programmes, offering opportunities for students graduating from this MSc course.

Careers support

At Leeds we help you to prepare for your future from day one. Our Leeds for Life initiative is designed to help you develop and demonstrate the skills and experience you need for when you graduate. We will help you to access opportunities across the University and record your key achievements so you are able to articulate them clearly and confidently.

You’ll have access to the wide range of careers resources and support from your Careers Service. You’ll have the chance to attend industry presentations, book appointments with qualified careers consultants and take part in employability workshops and webinars. Our careers fairs provide further opportunities to explore your career options with some of the UKs leading employers.

You will also have full access to the University’s Careers Centre, which is one of the largest in the country.

There are also plenty of exciting ways you can volunteer during your time at Leeds. Find out more at the Leeds University Union website.