MSc Environmental Science for Sustainability
London, United Kingdom
DURATION
1 up to 2 Years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time, Part time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
09 Mar 2025*
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2025
TUITION FEES
GBP 31,600 / per year **
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* first application deadline
** International students | UK students: £14,500 per year
Key Summary
Introduction
Our MSc Environmental Science for Sustainability is a skills-based programme that focuses on giving you the practical and technical skills that are widely used by the environmental science and sustainability sectors. The teaching covers the theoretical background to environmental science, environmental impact assessment, cost benefit analysis as well as practical training in computer, field and laboratory technical skills for the collection, analysis and interpretation of environmental data to evaluate environmental change.
Throughout the programme, you will learn to monitor and model the impact of environmental processes and change on environmental sustainability across land, water, atmosphere and biosphere.
You will develop practical and analytical skills that can be readily applied to monitoring, modelling and mapping of environmental data and for understanding and better managing environmental problems associated with a range of human activities.
This programme will enable you to learn skills that are actively sought by employers as environmental science training is now critical to ensure environmental sustainability across all industries. You will also get the opportunity to tailor your studies to your career and/or research interests.
This programme offers a blended approach to delivery and can be taken in-person or remotely (with a 2-week visit to London for the field and laboratory intensive), making use of interactive digital technologies to enhance learning. You can choose to study full-time (one year) or part-time (2 years) meaning the programme is suitable for graduates ready to start their career or those already in work seeking to further develop their understanding and skills.
Key benefits
- Enjoy a leading programme from a world class university that is highly practical providing training in laboratory skills, computer analytical skills and field skills.
- Establish a cutting edge understanding of the environmental science needed to evaluate environmental sustainability and change critically to consider appropriate solutions and their societal and business implications.
- Learn quantitative research skills including Geographical Information Systems (GIS), remote sensing, modelling and monitoring depending on module selection, applied to environmental sustainability.
- Take part in a flexible and blended approach to learning enabling you to fit the programme around other commitments and maximises the use of class time for critical engagement, discussion and reflection.
- Develop independent critical judgment in identifying, analysing and solving problems at an advanced level guidance by world-leading academics and practitioners.
- Complement technical skills with highly employable skills developed in communication, data analysis and interpretation, evidence-based decision making, practical problem-solving, leadership, and teamwork.
- Learn sustainability science in a sustainable way - King's College London is fully divested from all fossil fuel investment, the Department of Geography has been awarded gold status by the National Union of Students (NUS) Green Impact scheme for its commitment to sustainability, and the Geography Lab also being awarded Gold in the Laboratory Efficiency Assessment Framework (LEAF).
- An optional Internship module helps students take their first steps towards employment in a relevant vocational field.
Admissions
Curriculum
Structure
Programmes are divided into modules. You will take modules totalling 180-190 credits as outlined below.
Required modules
Programmes are divided into modules. You will take modules totalling 180-190 credits as outlined below. You are required to take the following modules:
- Dissertation (60 Credits)
- Environmental Field and Lab Techniques for Sustainability (15 credits)
- Environmental Science for Sustainability (15 credits)
- Environmental Data Analysis (15 credits)
- Research Design and Project Management (15 credits)
Optional modules
In addition, you are required to take 45-60 credits of the following prescribed modules.
Prescribed List of Options Specific to this Programme, which may typically include:
- Earth Observation and Remote Sensing for Sustainability (15 Credits)
- GIS and Spatial Data Science (15 Credits)
- Modelling Environmental Change (15 credits)
- Risk Analysis: Science and Applications (15 credits) [Note that this module cannot be taken as an online-only module].
Optional Modules:
If electing to take only 45 credits of the prescribed modules, you are required to take 15-30 credits of optional modules. Note: other optional modules are not provided as online modules so students studying via the blended route will need to take all modules from the prescribed list. Other possibly suitable modules for fully on campus students may typically include:
- Internship (Environment and Society) (15 credits)
- Any other Level 7 (Masters) modules offered in the Geography Department that are not subject to exclusion criteria (e.g. prerequisite modules or restricted to a specific Masters’ programme).
- Up to 20 credits of Level 7 modules from any KCL Departments or Institutes outside of Geography with permission of the module director and the corresponding department.
Part-Time Students
Part-time students are advised to take 75-90 credits of taught modules in their first year, including Environmental Science for Sustainability (15 credits) and Environmental Data Analysis (15 credits), thereby allowing enough time to focus on the Dissertation in their second year. The module Research Design and Project Management should be taken in the second year.
Program Tuition Fee
Career Opportunities
Employability
Graduates from the Environmental Science for Sustainability programme are well suited to secured careers in local government, the private sector, national and international environmental and development NGOs, as well as in public or private research institutions. Skills developed could be applied to careers in environmental management, in regulatory, compliance or consulting settings. Future careers could see you in the field of environmental sustainability in environmental and social governance units of private sector organisations. You could also be moving on to doctoral research in a broad range of environmental science-related topics.
Our ever-popular Internship module, which has been running for over 20 years, helps master’s students take their first steps towards employment, offering opportunities to undertake a period of work with an organisation broadly related to their programme of study. The internship not only provides valuable career enhancing opportunities but also counts towards their degrees. In 2023-24, over 100 students worked with 60 different organisations across a range of sectors including: international agencies; local councils and national government departments; companies in the for-profit and not-for-profit sector, research institutes and charities. As well as UK organisations, partners also included throughout Europe and more broadly.