Sustainability and Consultancy MSc

Our Sustainability and Consultancy Masters degree offers a grounding in the broad range of sustainability topics beyond just environmental issues - from project development to corporate sustainability strategy. It will also develop the professional skills you will need to practice in the field of sustainability consultancy.

Sustainability is an integrated issue across our teaching, rather than separating the environmental, economic and social elements.

Specialist modules are delivered by academic staff, practising consultants and other practitioners, giving you exposure to real-life, international case studies with a good understanding of contemporary management techniques and solutions.

This course aligns closely with the challenges of sustainability and the skills that employers say they need to tackle those challenges, with a strong emphasis on project skills.

Course highlights

• In the first semester you can choose an optional two day field course to East Yorkshire where you will get to see firsthand the practical aspects of sustainability. You will also learn about issues affecting sustainable economic development and environmental management in a developed world context.

• A major component of this Masters is that you will manage a consultancy project, which is usually in the form of a placement with a professional organisation. This experience plays a key role in your personal and professional development.

• This is an approved Institute for Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA) course and is widely recognised by employers as a real benefit for anyone in a role with environmental responsibility.

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Accreditation

This course is accredited by IEMA, the professional body for everyone working in environment and sustainability. This course entitles you to student membership for the duration of the course and on successful completion you qualify for GradIEMA.

Graduate membership is a launchpad for future leaders within environment and sustainability and offers a range of benefits to support you throughout your career. You can then “Fast track” to Practitioner Membership.

The course is split into three semesters.

Semester one

You will take lectures and seminars which lay the theoretical foundation needed for you to gain an in-depth understanding of sustainability topics.

Semester two

You will focus on you applying this knowledge through case studies and on practical professional skills development.

Throughout the year, you can also take part in personal development workshops and activities including networking with project hosts, helping you secure a successful research project for semester three.

Semester three

The focus switches to individual work, where you will deliver a project usually as an industry placement of around 10 weeks, where you will carry out some discreet analysis. The University will help you to find a placement, and for many of our students this has led to a job after graduating.

You will then present the progression you have made in your project around the end of June, and submit your final dissertation in late August.

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 Consultancy MSc in the course catalogue

Modules

Year 1

Learning and teaching

You will learn through a variety of methods including lectures, practical workshops, computer lab sessions, research seminars, field trips and project work.

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

You'll 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.

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. And through individual and group work.

Entry requirements

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

This course is ideal if you have enthusiasm for environmental debate and concern over the future sustainability of human and environmental systems. You are also likely to benefit from this course if you have a background in other disciplines with relevant work experience in the fields of environment and/or development.

Applicants with a 2:2, or equivalent, will be considered on a case by case basis where applicants can demonstrate relevant work experience or aptitude in a relevant 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). 

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.

31 July 2021 – International applicants

10 September 2021 – UK applicants

Apply

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

Faculty of Environment Taught Admissions Policy 2021

Fees

• UK: £10,750 (total)
• International: £24,500 (total)

Read more about paying fees and charges.

Brexit 
Visit our Brexit page for the latest information on the effect of the UK's exit from the EU on current students and applicants to the University.

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

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 21/22 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.

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:

• environmental consultancy and planning

• corporate sustainability and corporate social responsibility

• sustainability strategy

• environmental and social impact assessments and project financing

• environmental management

• carbon reduction and energy management

• stakeholder management and engagement

• policy development

• project management

• sustainability assessment.

Recent graduates have secured positions within the public, private and NGO sectors including:

• Consultants: Aecom, CH2M Hill, ERM, KPMG, Jacobs, JBA Consulting, Mott MacDonald, RPS, WYG

• Other private sector: Arla, E.ON UK, FIRA International, Sodexo, Total

• NGOs: 2degrees, Carbon Trust, CIWEM.

Our alumni are currently working in many parts of the world including Canada, Germany, India, Sweden, Trinidad and Tobago, UAE, UK and USA.

Careers support

We encourage you to prepare for your career from day one. That’s one of the reasons Leeds graduates are so sought after by employers.

The Careers Centre and staff in your faculty provide a range of help and advice to help you plan your career and make well-informed decisions along the way, even after you graduate. Find out more at the Careers website.

We have successful and productive links with many partners with different perspectives on sustainability and consultancy. During your studies, you may come into contact with our network of industrial partners through teaching, personal development workshops and whilst undertaking your final consultancy project.

External partners include consultancy providers such as ADAS, Aecom, ERM, Jacobs, Mott MacDonald and URS in the multidisciplinary and environmental consulting fields, as well as other consultancy providers with management and wider sustainability portfolios such as Sodexo, Business in the Community and BDO.

We also work closely, on both research projects and teaching, with consultancy clients from the private sector (e.g. Arla, Hallmark, Marks & Spencer) and public sector (e.g. Leeds City Council, Environment Agency).

Our industrial partners consistently report that the combination of academic rigour, professional skills development and project management experience inherent in this degree, ensures that you will have the combination of skills and knowledge to be effective straight away.

As a result, you will be seen as ‘work ready’, with fresh ideas and innovative ways of working in their chosen careers.

The strong relationship with businesses and other influential organisations in the field of sustainability means that, through your consultancy project, you will be able to contribute to transforming business to prepare for a more sustainable future.