Sustainable Cities MSc

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

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

Some elements of teaching are delivered in non-traditional routes through short intensive courses.

We take a ‘systems’ approach to teaching sustainable cities, you will learn about energy systems, transport networks, housing provision, urban ecosystems and food. Using applied cases you will discover how these systems can be transformed to produce better economic, environmental, and social outcomes. This course will see students graduate into city government, consultancy, NGO’s and beyond.

The course is delivered in a friendly, challenging and globally competitive Environment faculty where you will have access to cutting edge research, teaching and collaborative learning opportunities.

Course highlights

• We teach the key systems that make up sustainable cities; you will graduate with strong academic and practical knowledge.

• Modules are taught one at a time, using problem based learning. You will have time to think and work on real world problems.

• You will be part of a team. We take a residential field trip to the Centre for Alternative Technologies in Wales. Here we work together on practical issues of sustainability and get to know our colleagues for the year.

• Focus on one assessment at a time, allowing you to go into depth on a particular topic and choose your own assessment method.

• You will have a personal leadership plan tailored to their strengths and development needs. This is delivered in parallel to the ‘systems’ content and builds your leadership confidence.

• This MSc has partnered with The Oasis School of Human Relations, who will deliver skill-based training in collaborative leadership. Our partner will also deliver Whole Person Learning, a form of transformative learning that enables people to bring more of themselves to their lives, work and communities.

Our world-leading 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 will 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 Programme Leader, Dr Stephen Hall, focuses much of his research in the links between low carbon innovation, economics, energy, climate change and society. His work has been incorporated into national energy policy, used by the Infrastructure Commission, and adopted by the International Energy Agency.

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.

Active research environment

Our world-leading 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 will 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.

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.

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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 a grounding in 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 will 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 will progress through a seven module structure, completing one module at a time. You will 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.

You will also 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.

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 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.

Want to find out more about your modules?

Take a look at the Sustainable Cities 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 Sustainable Cities MSc in the course catalogue

Modules

Year 1

Learning and teaching

Our ground-breaking research feeds directly into teaching, and you will 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 will also have opportunities to work with industry and professional contacts.

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

You will 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.

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 qualification in: geography, town planning, earth and environment, architecture, sustainability, engineering, business and management, sociology, politics or public administration.

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 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). 

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.

29 July 2022 – International applicants

9 September 2022 – 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

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.

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.

Almost every organisation of any size now has a net zero strategy, and they need people to deliver that. Graduates from this course will be able to contribute to that.

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 NGO’s, or PhD study.

University of Leeds students are among the top 5 most targeted by top employers according to The Graduate Market 2022, High Fliers’ Research. We offer extra support and activities to help you stand out in your chosen field and achieve your career goals.

Career paths that graduates have followed: Possible career paths include:

• infrastructure and sustainability consulting

• environmental and urban consultancy

• city or urban governance and planning

• policy analysis and development

• corporate social responsibility

• environmental management and management systems

• sustainability NGO's

• 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 Faculty of Environment hosts a wide range of PhD programmes, offering opportunities for students graduating from this MSc course.

Careers support

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.

The University of Leeds is in the top five most targeted universities in the UK by graduate recruiters, according to High Fliers’ The Graduate Market in 2021 report.

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.