Viewing course details for 2025-26 year of entry

How to apply

Code: PGD110
Start: September 2025
Fees: £10,700 (UK) £17,100 (INT)
Duration: 1 year full-time, 2 years part-time
Course Leader: Dr Christophe Viavattene
Study mode: On campus, Online
Location: Hendon campus
School / Department: Faculty of Science and Technology

Why study Sustainability and Environmental Management MSc at Middlesex University?

Sustainability is a growing field requiring highly-educated professionals able to tackle global environmental issues and urgent policy agenda. If you wish to act and embrace the challenge of “Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”, this course is for you.

Our master's degree in Sustainability and Environmental Management offers you the opportunity to:

Gain critical knowledge in sustainability literacy and environmental sciences
Develop interdisciplinary and problem-solving skills to tackle a range of environmental issues
Evaluate and assess environmental issues, management practices and policies at a range of scales
Develop a career in sustainability and environmental management
Study alongside students from a range of cultural backgrounds offering you the chance to learn in an international arena and share ideas on a global scale
Explore and specialise in a range of disciplines such as Geography, Environmental Sciences, Ecology, Business studies.

Course highlights

Teaching and learning strategies based on constructivism, collaborative and inquiry-based learning
Options modules provides opportunities for specialisation including work professional experiences
Accreditation: Institution of Environmental Sciences (IES)
Teaching by specialist staff including practitioners and researchers from our research centres and their networks (Flood Hazard Research Centre, Centre for Entrepreneurship and Economic Development Research, Urban Pollution Research Centre)
Opportunities to engage with outreach activities (e.g. air pollution monitoring, flood risk management, urban greening) and our MU Action integrating theme “Sustainability of Communities and the Environment”.

The UN Sustainable Development Goals, together with the Paris Agreement, the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity and the UN-Habitat Programme call for urgent actions and positive societal tipping points in order to address two environmental issues: climate and biodiversity crises. Needs for support and expertise for government, authorities, businesses and NGOs aiming at becoming socially and environmentally responsible are rapidly increasing in this dynamic context.

This programme prepares students for roles in sustainability and environmental management. It instils a deep understanding of interconnected elements associated with the challenge of environmental management while meeting human needs and green economic recovery.

About your course

What will you study on the Sustainability and Environmental Management MSc?

Key principles and concepts of sustainable development and environmental management and how these relate to current and future environmental, economic and social changes
The role of institutions, organisations and other stakeholders in managing and regulating the human impacts on the environment from the local to the global scale
Framework and methodologies commonly used to assess and manage environmental aspects
Theories and practices used in sustainable decision making process
A wide range of research methodologies associated with the design and conduct of research project in the field of sustainability and environmental management.

What you will gain?

You will be able to:

Select appropriate competencies, theories and framework to evaluate and develop innovative responses to environmental issues and sustainable development challenges
Analyse complex systems using interdisciplinary approach
Critically evaluate qualitative and quantitative data and environmental assessment techniques and methodologies
Effectively learn both independently and collaboratively with a critical mind
Communicate effectively complex sustainable development issues and strategies to different audiences
Develop, plan and carry out task and research projects
Reflect on professional practice, including consideration of ethical, societal and financial issues.

Modules

The module aims at to examining examine population growth, climate change and biodiversity crisis as drivers of contemporary changes to global environments, within the concept of sustainable development. This module seeks to explore the complexity of sustainability in a project-based learning case study subject to environmental challenges.

This module aims to provide the students with knowledge and skills to facilitate an informed complex decision-making process in the area of sustainability.

This module aims to provide students with an in-depth understanding of environmental governance and the central theoretical approaches on which its principles are based.

This module aims to provide graduate students with relevant qualitative and quantitative research methods to carry out a MSc research project including exposure to data analysis software packages (e.g. Minitab, SPSS, Excel, Geographic Information System, Nvivo).

This module aims to provide an opportunity for the student to develop original and independent research investigations aimed at integrating theoretical knowledge and technical expertise to investigate a research problem in the field of sustainability and environmental sciences.

This module aims to provide critical insight into the role of environmental management within corporate responsibility, corporate sustainability and sustainable business. The module will provide knowledge and critical insight into sustainability practices of pollution prevention.

This module enables students to formalise and integrate professional experience in the field of sustainability and environmental management. It aims to link academic learning to a professional organisation.

This module provides students with an in-depth understanding of the new forms of enterprise and innovation needed to address pressing challenges around societal and environmental health and wellbeing in the 21st century.

This module provides an overview of the concepts and principles associated with conservation science.

For more information about this course, please download the Sustainability and Environmental Management MSc (PDF).

Optional modules: If we have insufficient numbers of students interested in an optional module, or there are staffing changes which affect the teaching, it may not be offered. We will advise you at the earliest time that the programme team make the decision not to run the module, and help you choose an alternative.

Register your interest

How is Sustainability and Environmental Management MSc taught?

Students gain knowledge and understanding through attendance in lectures, seminars; through a variety of directed and self-directed learning activities e.g. group projects, case study analysis, field visits, student presentations. Students learn cognitive skills through seminar discussions, group project work, the preparation of coursework and the dissertation.

Workshops, seminars and field visits will explore the interface between theory and practice. During these activities, students will learn self-criticism through group tutorials and individual feedback on coursework and project as well as post-session activities including reflection entries.

Data collection exercises, presentation preparations and project development will provide opportunities for peer and self-appraisal.

Electronic resources will be used to enhance student learning experiences. Students will be directed to explore a diverse range of learning materials such as e-books, reading lists and free online resources.

Assessment

Students’ knowledge, understanding and skills are assessed by written essays, reports, presentations, case study analysis, reflection papers that focus on key principles, concepts and relating theory to practice. The dissertation assesses the student’s grasp of a narrow field of inquiry and of research methodology.

Your timetable will be built around on campus sessions using our professional facilities. We’ll use technology to enhance all of your learning and give you access to online resources to use in your own time.

The table below gives you an idea of what learning looks like across a typical week. Some weeks are different due to how we schedule classes and arrange on campus sessions.

You'll receive full information on your teaching before you start your course.

Learning	Hours per week
On campus	12

This learning will focus on active and experiential sessions that are both:

Led by your tutors including seminars, lab sessions and demonstrations We'll schedule all of this for you
Student-led by you and other students, like small group work and presentations.

Support

You have a strong support network available to you to make sure you develop all the necessary academic skills you need to do well on your course.

Our support services will be delivered online and on campus and you have access to a range of different resources so you can get the help you need, whether you’re studying at home or have the opportunity to come to campus.

You have access to one to one and group sessions for personal learning and academic support from our library and IT teams, and our network of learning experts.

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Student support

We offer lots of support to help you while you're studying including financial advice, wellbeing, mental health, and disability support.

Additional needs

We'll support you if you have additional needs such as sensory impairment or dyslexia. And if you want to find out whether Middlesex is the right place for you before you apply, get in touch with our Disability and Dyslexia team.

Wellness

Our specialist teams will support your mental health. We have free individual counselling sessions, workshops, support groups and useful guides.

Work while you study

Our Middlesex Unitemps branch will help you find work that fits around uni and your other commitments. We have hundreds of student jobs on campus that pay the London Living Wage and above. Visit the Middlesex Unitemps page.

Careers

How can the Sustainability and Environmental Management MSc support your career?

On completion of this MSc there is the capability of continuing study to PhD level or pursue a further academic career in higher education in the UK. Employment levels are high for graduates of the programme. Graduates have successfully found employment in the business sector, consultancies, government ministries, non-governmental organisations (local and international) in addition to education. Example of sectors: water resource, pollution, disaster management, built environment, transports, conservation, economic development.

Qualifications

We welcome applications from graduates with a 2:2 honours degree, or equivalent qualification, in an appropriate subject. We also consider candidates with other relevant qualifications and individuals with a minimum of three years' work experience.

Those without formal qualifications need to demonstrate relevant work experience and the ability to study at postgraduate level.

If you have relevant qualifications or work experience, academic credit may be awarded towards your Middlesex University programme of study.

We welcome students from the UK and all over the world. Join students from over 122 countries and discover why so many international students call our campus home:

Quality teaching with top facilities plus flexible online learning
Welcoming north London campus that's only 30 minutes from central London
Work placements and networking with top London employers
Award-winning career support to get you where you want to go after university.

Qualifications

We accept a wide range of international qualifications. Find out more about the accepted qualifications on your country's support page. If you are unsure of the suitability of your qualifications or would like help with your application, please contact your nearest international office.

English language

You will need to meet our English language requirements. And, don’t worry If you don't meet our minimum English language requirements, as we offer a Pre-sessional English course.

Visas

To study with us in the UK, you might need a Student visa. Please check to see if this applies to you.

Applications for postgraduate study should be made directly to the university.

Visit our postgraduate application page for further information and to apply.

Interviews

You will not be required to interview for this course.

Fees and funding

The fees below are for the 2025/26 academic year.

UK students¹

Full-time students: £10,700
Part-time students: £71 per credit
Part-time students: £35 per dissertation credit

International students²

Full-time students: £17,100
Part-time students: £114 per credit
Part-time students: £57 per dissertation credit

Additional costs:

The following course-related costs are included in the fees:

All printing and copying required for your study
Self-service laptops available for loan for a maximum of 24 hours
Audio-visual equipment available for loan, including digital stills cameras, digital video recorders, digital audio recorders

Scholarships and bursaries

As an undergraduate alumnus continuing postgraduate studies at Middlesex, you are eligible for an alumni award worth 20% off your fees.

Fees disclaimers

1. UK fees: The university reserves the right to increase undergraduate tuition fees in line with changes to legislation, regulation and any government guidance or decisions. The tuition fees for part-time UK study are subject to annual review and we reserve the right to increase the fees each academic year by no more than the level of inflation.

2. International fees: Tuition fees are subject to annual review and we reserve the right to increase the fees each academic year by no more than the level of inflation.

Any annual increase in tuition fees as provided for above will be notified to students at the earliest opportunity in advance of the academic year to which any applicable inflationary rise may apply.

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Next steps

We’ll carefully manage any future changes to courses, or the support and other services available to you, if these are necessary because of things like changes to government health and safety advice, or any changes to the law.

Any decisions will be taken in line with both external advice and the University’s Regulations which include information on this.

Our priority will always be to maintain academic standards and quality so that your learning outcomes are not affected by any adjustments that we may have to make.

At all times we’ll aim to keep you well informed of how we may need to respond to changing circumstances, and about support that we’ll provide to you.

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