Sustainable Cities MSc

Course overview

Cities across the world are facing huge sustainability challenges. While mayors and city councils pledge ‘zero carbon cities’ by 2040, a serious skills shortage means a new generation of sustainability leaders is needed.

Our Sustainable Cities MSc tackles this skills shortage by equipping you with the knowledge and tools necessary to become an urban sustainability leader. On this programme you'll experience urban sustainability first hand, blending concepts and theories with real-world problems and solutions.

You'll learn about energy systems, transport networks, housing provision, urban ecosystems and food. Using applied cases, you'll discover how these systems can be transformed to produce better economic, environmental, and social outcomes, meaning you’ll be fully equipped to pursue careers in city government, consultancy, NGOs and beyond.

Throughout your course, there’ll be input from across several of our Schools – all of which conduct internationally excellent research that addresses and challenges global environmental issues, ensuring you’ll be learning the most topical and up-to-date information in this field.

Why study at Leeds:

• Graduate with an MSc from a university that takes an active role in sustainability throughout our campus and beyond.
• Learn the latest innovations in sustainability through our globally-renowned research which feeds directly into this course and gives you the opportunity to interact with academics who are actively working on solving major global issues.
• Advance your skills and understanding in critical areas sought after in industry, learning how cities work sustainably, with particular focus on energy, sustainable housing, mobility and urban ecosystems.
• Experience expert theoretical and practical teaching, delivered by academics and researchers from across the School of Earth and Environment, School of Geography and the Institute for Transport Studies whose specialisms are closely matched to the content of the modules on this course.

Join our online taster courses

Our five-part series of courses will show you how environmental management policies are developed and help you understand the challenges surrounding their formulation.

View this video on Youku.

Course details

Our Sustainable Cities MSc is very much driven by the problems that exist within city systems, and the problems that they each face. The course blends the core concepts of sustainability and urbanism with applied, problem-based learning.

Your core modules will focus on the very systems that need transforming to create a sustainable city, such as: energy systems, housing, mobility, urban ecosystems and food. Throughout the course you'll study just one module at a time, allowing you the space to think and properly focus as you go into depth on each topic.

You'll progress through a seven-module structure, completing one module at a time. You'll complete the learning, activities and assessment for each module before the next begins. This way your MSc allows you to focus on one subject at a time, building into the big picture of urban sustainability by the end of the degree.

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 Sustainable Cities MSc in the course catalogue

Compulsory modules

Cities and Sustainability – 30 credits

Purposefully designed as an intense, fun and challenging experience this module will introduce you to critical debates in sustainability, cities and urban systems as well as demonstrate a variety of approaches and applications in terms of sustainability and potential systems changes in cities.

Research and Skills for Urban Sustainability – 30 credits

Gain a grounding in epistemology and research methods that teach the skills needed for change-focused research in urban sustainability.

City Systems: Energy – 15 credits

Diagnose and solve real-world urban problems using new data analysis and action research techniques, as well as critically analyse the social, environmental and economic impacts of key urban systems and how they’re evaluated.

City Systems: Sustainable Housing – 15 credits

Understand the challenges facing urban housing systems and how to make system transformations for sustainability. You’ll be presented with a design challenge to construct affordable, low impact community housing neighbourhoods.

City Systems: Mobility – 15 credits

This module will equip you with the knowledge and analytical skills needed to critically engage with debates and practice on assessing and planning urban mobility systems.

City Systems: Urban Ecosystems – 15 credits

Learn what constitutes an ecosystems and how the discipline of urban ecology has developed to study ecosystems within and between cities. You’ll learn to identify the benefits that urban ecosystems provide to society and the city specific issues raised in debates on the natural world, urban greening, urban green spaces and urban green infrastructure.

Sustainability Research Project – 60 credits

You'll undertake a research project, which is one of the most satisfying elements of this course. It allows you to apply what you’ve learned to a piece of research focusing on a real-world problem, and it can be used to explore and develop your specific interests.

This module will develop your independent research capacity within the field of sustainable cities. The research project will build on all previous learning to produce an original piece of research centred on a live urban problem identified by yourself and supported by an academic supervisor.

Examples of project topics include:

• Linking up energy and transport systems with a project on electric vehicles in the city.
• Undertaking public ‘visioning’ exercises for major sustainability developments.
• Creating a mixed low-carbon housing development, by analysing alternative ownership and construction approaches.
• Creating fuel forests in the city, linking urban parks with biomass production.
• Developing city and regional climate change strategies around key systems.

Learning and teaching

Our groundbreaking research feeds directly into teaching and you'll have regular contact with staff who are at the forefront of their disciplines through lectures, seminars, tutorials, small group work and project meetings.

Independent study is also important to the programme, as you develop your problem-solving and research skills as well as your subject knowledge. You'll also have opportunities to work with industry and professional contacts.

You'll 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 upon graduation.

Active research environment

Our globally-renowned research informs the content of our Sustainable Cities MSc and gives you the opportunity to interact with academics who are at the forefront of major global issues.

You'll be taught by academics whose expertise and knowledge are closely matched to the content of the modules on the course. This course draws on our expertise in a range of fields such as critical approaches to urban development , energy use and low carbon societies, self-repairing cities, transport issues, social justice, cities, citizenship and sustainable urban mobility planning.

Programme team

The wider programme team is made up of academics and researchers from across the School of Earth and Environment, School of Geography and the Institute for Transport Studies.

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.

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'll be assessed using a range of techniques including essays and presentations, with further assessment of problem-based learning sets. The problems set will be drawn directly from real-world challenges facing cities and are excellent preparation for professional practice.

You'll have the opportunity to choose how to tackle assessments yourself; whether that be through the creation of a website, a presentation or more traditional methods.

Applying

Entry requirements

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

We welcome students, from a range of disciplines, who want to engage in new thinking around sustainable cities. You are highly likely to benefit from this MSc if you have a background, interest or a qualification in: geography, town planning, earth and environment, architecture, sustainability, engineering, business and management, sociology, politics or public administration.

Applicants with any of the following will be considered on a case-by-case basis:

• A bachelor degree with a 2:2 (hons) in one of the above subjects where applicants can demonstrate significant relevant work experience in a relevant specialist field.
• Professional qualifications and relevant experience.

International

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 also offer online pre-sessionals alongside our on-campus pre-sessionals. Find out more about our six week online pre-sessional.

You can also study pre-sessionals for longer periods – read about our postgraduate pre-sessional English courses.

How to apply

Application deadlines

Please read our How to Apply page for full details, including application deadlines and what to include with your application.

Applicants are encouraged to apply as early as possible.

30 June 2025 – International applicants

12 September 2025 – UK applicants

Click below to access the University’s online application system and find out more about the application process.

If you're still 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 Admissions Policy 2025

This course is taught by

School of Earth and Environment
School of Geography
Institute for Transport Studies

Contact us

School of Earth and Environment Postgraduate Admissions Team

Email: apply-masters@see.leeds.ac.uk
Telephone:

Fees

UK: £14,500 (Total)

International: £31,500 (Total)

Read more about paying fees and charges.

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

Additional cost information

Standard travel and accommodation costs associated with compulsory field trips are covered by the University. However, you must pay for some subsistence, incidental or personal expenses such as suitable clothing, footwear and any related visa costs associated with overseas travel.

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 on our living costs and budgeting page.

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.

Career opportunities

Almost every organisation of any size now has a net zero strategy, and they need people to deliver that. That's why the demand for qualified specialists in this field is only going to grow, with a large scope of exciting career opportunities available.

This course will give you the practical skills needed to pursue a career in city or urban governance and planning, infrastructure and sustainability consulting, policy analysis and development, environmental and urban consultancy, corporate social responsibility, environmental management and management systems, sustainability NGOs or PhD study.

Plus, University of Leeds students are among the top 5 most targeted by top employers according to The Graduate Market 2024, High Fliers Research, meaning our graduates are highly sought after by some of the most reputable companies in the field. We offer extra support and activities to help you stand out in your chosen field and achieve your career goals.

Here’s a snapshot into some of the job positions and organisations previous graduates in sustainability-related MScs have secured:

• Procurement Operations Coordinator, South Pole
• Sustainability Programme Lead, Pierce County
• Sustainability Consultant, ARUP
• Energy and Sustainability Specialist, Bulb
• Industry Consultation Manager, Network Rail
• Energy Research Analyst, N-ERGY Power Solutions
• Sustainability Project Manager, City of York Council
• Sustainability and Climate Change Consultant, WSP Global

Careers support

At Leeds, we help you to prepare for your future from day one — that’s one of the reasons Leeds graduates are so sought after by employers. The University's Careers Service is one of the largest in the country, providing a wide range of resources to ensure you are prepared to take your next steps after graduation and get you where you want to be.

• Dedicated Employability Officer — gain quality advice, guidance and information to help you choose a career path. From CV and cover letter writing to supporting you with job applications, our School’s dedicated Employability Officer is on hand to help maximise your capabilities through a process of personal development and career planning.
• Employability and networking events — we run a full range of events, including careers fairs and industry talks in specialist areas and across broader industries, with employers who are actively recruiting for roles, giving you the opportunity to network and engage with industry sponsors. 
• Employability skills training – to support your transition to the workplace, we embed training in a range of key transferable skills valued by employers such as research and data analysis in all our programmes.
• MyCareer system — on your course and after you graduate you’ll have access to a dedicated careers portal where you can book appointments with our team, get information on careers and see job vacancies and upcoming events.
• Opportunities at Leeds — there are plenty of exciting opportunities offered by our Leeds University Union, including volunteering and over 300 clubs and societies to get involved in.

Find out more about careers support.