Sustainability MSc

Our Sustainability MSc will empower you with the knowledge, skills, and critical thinking tools to lead the way to a more sustainable future in business, government, and society.

With this MSc Sustainability, you’ll develop leading-edge knowledge of the key sustainability challenges we face and the scientific and policy issues that underlie them. During the course you’ll develop your understanding of the role of complex environmental, economic, and social systems and acquire the tools and methods to investigate them. This new knowledge and your skills will enable you to help create a more sustainable future. Key topics include Sustainability concepts, system resilience, tools and methods for sustainability, and sustainability leadership for individuals and organisations.

This sustainability masters degree is delivered in partnership with the Eden Project in Cornwall and the Global Sustainability Institute (GSI) at ARU. This collaboration brings together sustainability expertise in theory and practise. The GSI delivers teaching by academics at a world-leading research institute, committed to developing practical solutions to complex global issues. The Eden Learning team deliver first-hand experience from a world-renowned visitor attraction and educational centre, an innovative vision built from the ground up, with sustainability at its core. You’ll explore the latest academic studies as well as practical application of the theory from a sustainable business model, with additional insight from a host of expert guest speakers.

As part of the MSc Sustainability, you will undertake a 200-hour work placement which is a fantastic opportunity to put your developing skills into practice, promoting sustainable change in a real-world environment. We will help you arrange a suitable work placement, if you do not already have one, and support you in the workplace.

Towards the end of the course, you’ll undertake your own piece of research, a Major Project on a sustainability topic of your choice. This is a great opportunity to produce a piece of work focused on an element of sustainability that you’re particularly interested in or passionate about.

Our online sustainability course is open to graduates from all disciplines and attracts students with backgrounds in the arts, science, health, finance, and business. The course is also designed for students of all ages and cultural backgrounds.

Modules

Introduction to Sustainability and Systems

Sets the scene for the rest of the course. And addresses the questions; 'What is sustainability?', 'What are its components?' and 'Why is it so important?' The importance of a systems-based approach to addressing sustainability and its epistemology will be discussed and you will examine a range of current concepts and models of sustainability (including 'circular economy', 'five capitals', 'natural step', 'one planet living' etc.) and their usefulness in increasing our resilience to environmental, social, and economic change.

Methods and Tools for Complex Systems

Sustainability challenges are characterised by their complexity and uncertainty. They are often described as ‘wicked’ meaning they have no single or permanent solution. In this module you will be supported in developing methodologies, tools and techniques to address this complexity and uncertainty while creating practical ways to positively address these challenges. This module also acknowledges that many sustainability challenges also have a temporal aspect. In this module you’ll also develop future thinking skills allowing you to consider potential futures through the exploration of trends and drivers of change. You’ll apply your new knowledge and skills to a specific sustainability ‘challenge’, assessing its various current and future factors and agents to create a practical proposal for positive change.

Leading System Change

In this module you will focus on the growing business case for sustainability and examine the role of leadership, purpose, innovation, and culture to create an organisation which 'does business better'. You will examine The Eden Project itself as a social enterprise, to help you understand its characteristics, culture and ethos and you will assess the transferability of some of key principles to other organisations in Cornwall and internationally. You will also have the opportunity to develop your own plan for a social enterprise.

Working Towards Change

This module is linked with a 200-hour work placement where you will undertake practical and supported work-based learning. Your work placement will combine your knowledge and understanding of sustainability with the practicalities and compromises of an organisation, as well as your requirements for personal learning and development. You will gain an insight into the challenges and opportunities of learning and driving change and critically analyse your own strengths and weaknesses through a programme of reflective learning and feedback. During your placement you will also be developing a range of work-based skills, recognised as vital by employers.

Masters Project

During your final research project, you will choose an independent research topic from an area of expertise within the Global Sustainability Institute and Anglia Ruskin University (subject to availability of suitable supervision) and will conduct a significant research project in that area which may involve a literature review, data collection, analysis, and a write-up. The final piece of work should be equivalent to a maximum of 12,500 words.

Assessment

You’ll be assessed through reports, essays, presentations, outline plans and designs, and your dissertation.

Our Sustainability MSc is studied 100% online.

You are required to attend five one-week compulsory online residentials between 12-4pm (GMT), with additional work undertaken around these times.

The residentials for 2022/23 Academic year are as follows:

Trimester 1

• 26-30 September 2022
• 24-28 October 2022
• 21-25 November 2022

Trimester 2

• 13-17 February 2023
• 13-17 March 2023

The remainder of your online study for this course is fully flexible. We do also encourage attendance at webcasts to ask questions and be involved as and when these take place. Group work is an important part of the course and students can work together to agree on suitable times depending on their time zones.

You’ll study through Canvas, our world-class online Learning Management System (LMS), which can be accessed from your phone, pc or tablet at home or on the move. Canvas provides instant access to study materials, forums, and support from tutors and classmates, as well as enabling easy submission of your assignments.

On successful completion of your studies, you’ll be invited to attend a graduation ceremony on campus. If attending the ceremony in person is not possible then we’ll arrange to have your certificate sent to you.

When our students graduate, they take up a wide variety of careers. Some use their prior experience and return to the business or sector they were familiar with, working with their new sustainability perspective to change it from the inside. Others use the MSc as an opportunity to start a new career or as the bridge to a change in career, becoming sustainability professionals in businesses, charities, governments, and education. Some of our graduates use the MSc to set up or grow their own sustainable business or as a stepping stone to PhD research.

To help you land your dream job, our Employability Service will work with you throughout your time at ARU and after you graduate.

We offer:

• careers advice, including one-to-one online and telephone appointments with our experienced advisers
• help with your CV, job searches, applications and interview preparation
• an online portal packed with useful careers resources
• our Employability Programme, which helps you hone the skills employers say they want in graduates.

• You’ll need a First degree at 2.1 or above. Prospective students with non-standard entry qualifications are advised to discuss their personal position with the course tutor before applying. The University may require submission of appropriate documentary evidence before any application is considered. The diversity of the student group is an important part of the learning process and is a reflection of the wide scope of the subject material.
• If English is not your first language you will be expected to demonstrate a certificated level of proficiency of at least IELTS 6.5 (Academic level) or equivalent English Language qualification, as recognised by Anglia Ruskin University.
• As a distance learner, you'll also need a suitable computer with internet connection, together with sufficient IT competence to make effective use our online learning management system (LMS) with high-speed internet and email.

Fees

The full tuition fee for this course is £9,500.

The tuition fees you pay each year will be between £4,750 and £9,500 depending on how long you take to complete the course. You can choose to study our Sustainability MSc in either 1 or 2 years.

Accredited Prior Learning may reduce the tuition fees. This will be confirmed once your application has been submitted.

Funding

Your course can be fully funded by the Postgraduate Student Loans now available (subject to eligibility).

We offer payment by instalments, so you can spread the cost of studying with us.

For military students: You can use your ELCs towards this course. Anglia Ruskin University is a recognised ELCAS provider (number 1007). Please contact your Learning Centre for details of ELC, eligibility and how to apply.

For more information on how you fund your studies please see our funding page.

Ensuring that we conduct our lives in a sustainable way is more important than ever before to ensure that we protect our planet. The MSc Sustainability at ARU will give you the chance to learn from leaders in the field of sustainability.

At ARU we have also teamed up with the Eden Project so that as a sustainability masters degree student, you will have the chance to learn from the experts at the world’s leading sustainability visitor and education attraction, and make influential contacts that will benefit your career moving forwards.

Our lecturers are experts in their field and will be on hand to guide you through this course and kick off your new career. Our team works with the Global Sustainability Institute to ensure that our expertise keeps up with important changes in sustainability so that we can confidently provide you with the most up to date teaching.

Undertaking an MSc Sustainability will give you the knowledge that you’re preparing to make a social and environmental difference in the world, gaining the skills you need to make a significant impact on the future of our planet.

The modules in this course are designed to give you an in-depth understanding of the issues surrounding sustainability.

You will learn the importance of a systems-based approach to addressing sustainability and discover how these systems can help to increase our reliance to the variety of changes, such as economic and environmental, that are affecting everyone across the world.

You will also gain an understanding of the ways that we can increase our resilience through the study of specific case studies and the research that has already been conducted by the Global Sustainability Institute.

By undertaking the modules on our MSc Sustainably, delivered by leaders in the field, as well as making use of your chance to collaborate with the Eden Project and the Global Sustainability Institute, you’ll gain clear insight into the contemporary issues affecting our planet, and prepare yourself to embark on positive change.

At Anglia Ruskin University, we pride ourselves in the delivery of a high standard of online learning, working hard to ensure that you reach your goals and have the tools you need to embark on the career of your dreams.

To make your learning as easy and convenient as possible, you’ll study through our Learning Management System, Canvas. It is designed to allow you to access your resources and keep in contact with both your peers and tutors, wherever you are in the world with an internet connection. This sustainability course also offers a five week online residential which will present you with a greater opportunity to interact and learn from the peers on your course and gain insight into different sustainability perspectives.

At ARU, we care about your future employability, so to offer you the support you need to land your dream job, we have a detailed careers advice programme, available to all of our students, to ensure you have the skills and confidence for your next career move.

Due to the ever-changing world that we live in, as well as the growing threat of climate change, sustainability is becoming an increasingly important issue for companies of all industries and sizes. They are having to work harder than they ever have before to prove their sustainability credentials. This means that sustainability experts are in high demand, both as consultants for smaller firms, and in house advisors at larger companies.

Our MSc Sustainably gives you the option to tailor your studies to your own location in the world, meaning that you’ll be better placed to secure a career close to home if you so wish. This will perfectly place you to support both national and local projects that not only benefit your local community, but in turn have a positive impact on the global stage.

The relationships you build with your peers on this online sustainability course, along with the connection you make with experts at the Eden Project and Global Sustainability Institute, will aid in your networking as your career grows.

An online sustainability course is ideal for students who aren’t able to return to the traditional campus setting due to their other commitments but still wish to further their education. With the exception of the compulsory online residentials, which need to be undertaken at specific times, you’ll be able to study on a schedule that suits your individual needs as a student.

As a postgraduate degree, you will need to have earned an undergraduate degree of at least a 2:1, however if you have a non-standard education and still wish to embark on this course, get in contact with us and we will be able to advise you further.

Our MSc Suitability is ideal for those passionate students who want to create a positive change in the world and protect our planet for future generations.