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Sustainable Development

MSc

Duration
Start date
Location

Suitable for applications.

Please note: We are no longer able to accept applications from international students for the September 2024 intake of this course. You are welcome to apply for the January 2025 intake. Home students can still apply for September 2024.

Overview

This programme is designed to develop leaders with a deep understanding of sustainable development ideas, institutions, policies and networks - and the necessary critical thinking skills to inform policy and create long term impact.

It is designed and delivered by a team with a cutting-edge research and policy advisory track record, who are passionate about sustainable development.

Choosing this programme means joining the Division of Peace Studies and International Development at the University of Bradford - the largest university centre of its kind in the world.

Upon graduation you’ll be part of a worldwide network of alumni, many of whom have gone on to leadership roles in international organisations.

The programme offers excellent opportunities for applied policy research and work on real world issues, and developing team-working and leadership skills through curricular and extra-curricular activities in a vibrant division.

Entry requirements

A typical application would include an undergraduate Degree (2.2 honours or above) UK system or comparative result if outside UK. We also give serious consideration to applicants with non-traditional backgrounds and take relevant work experience into consideration.

Applications are welcome from students with non-standard qualifications or mature students (those over 21 years of age on entry) with significant relevant experience.

If you have prior certificated learning or professional experience which may be equivalent to parts of this programme, the University has procedures to evaluate this learning in order to provide you with exemptions from specified modules contained within the curriculum.

English language requirements

IELTS at 6.0 or the equivalent.

If you do not meet the IELTS requirement, and you have a UKVI approved IELTS, you can take a University of Bradford pre-sessional English course. See the Language Centre for more details. For further information on English Language requirements please see the dedicated international entry requirements page.

What you will study

All module information is for 2023 entry, and is subject to change.

Placement Year

You can choose to include an internship as part of your course, in which case you will study over 15 months rather than a year. To do this, you should initially register for the one-year programme and then transfer to the 15 month programme when you have secured a placement, any time up until the middle of Semester 2.

The internship / placement further enhances the development of professional experience and practical skills during your Masters programme, integrating practitioner community engagement with your academic studies.

This element is student-centred and student-led, and therefore the initiative for identifying and applying for internships is driven by you. Academic staff can facilitate and support the identification of suitable opportunities with leads and suggestions, help with the writing of applications, and provide supporting letters of reference. They provide customised preparatory training before, and mentoring support during, the placement or internship.

The internship / placement can be taken with an organisation anywhere in the world. You'll need to detail your proposed activities and receive approval before the opportunity is finalised.

Once the internship / placement is complete you'll return to the programme, submit a completion report summarising key learning points, and then undertake your Masters dissertation. Students often use their placement period and experience to inform and shape their dissertation.

Learning and assessment

In addition to lectures, seminars and classroom and virtual learning tool-based learning, there will be small group activities, both assessed and unassessed (formative), which give you the opportunity to develop and reinforce collaborative learning skills.

The programme is intended to:

  • develop your knowledge and comprehensive understanding of concepts, theories and frameworks of sustainable development and their application in policy and practice
  • develop your skills to analyse, synthesise and critique current and emerging research and practice and critically appraise evidence using insights at the forefront of the discipline and practice
  • advance your knowledge and understanding of skills and techniques to develop innovative ideas and originality in the application of knowledge in relation to sustainable development policy and practice for your own research and advanced scholarship
  • develop your skills to formulate and independently investigate a complex issue related to sustainable development by developing appropriate research questions and critically evaluating evidence to answer such questions and communicating your findings at an advanced level
  • develop your autonomous learning skills for lifelong learning to become even better at being an independent learner and critical and creative thinker
  • further develop your skills in communicating complex ideas and issues to different groups of stakeholders
  • equip you with the knowledge and skills to become a reflective and critical practitioner and work as an effective team member in culturally diverse groups and teams

Official programme specification

Fees, finance and scholarships

Tuition fee 2024

  • Home: £7,938
  • International: £20,468

Additional costs

There may be additional costs that you may incur as a student. Though these are not essential to your programme of study you need to be aware of them as a student of the University. A list of the sort of costs you might expect can be found on our fees and finance section.

Financial support

See our fees and financial support section.

Scholarships

Every year we award numerous non-repayable scholarships to UK, EU and international students on the basis of academic excellence, personal circumstances or economic hardship. For full details, visit our scholarships section.

Career prospects

This programme is designed to boost career opportunities for those seeking to work in and develop future leaders of local, national, and international organisations and in corporate sector in relation to corporate social responsibility.  The programme develops a wide range of skills and deeper understanding of sustainable development issues which can help create an edge for the graduates to apply their knowledge and policy analysis skills in a variety of settings.

Career support

The University is committed to helping students develop and enhance employability and this is an integral part of many programmes. Specialist support is available throughout the course from Career and Employability Services including help to find part-time work while studying, placements, vacation work and graduate vacancies. Students are encouraged to access this support at an early stage and to use the extensive resources on the Careers website.

Discussing options with specialist advisers helps to clarify plans through exploring options and refining skills of job-hunting. In most of our programmes there is direct input by Career Development Advisers into the curriculum or through specially arranged workshops.

Study support

You will be allocated a Personal Academic Tutor (PAT) at the start of your studies.

Students with disabilities or special educational needs or requiring adjustments complete a Learner Support Profile (LSP) and these form the basis for support on a case to case basis.

PATs and module lecturers will be able to access the LSP and use this information to tailor support to individual students.

The programme leader and the programme team will arrange small group and one-to-one meetings as per the needs of individual students.

Module lecturers welcome formal as well as informal feedback, and will be able to offer appointments for specific module related or assessment related discussions.

Research

All the modules are research-led.

The Division of Peace Studies and International Development has a long established reputation for advanced international policy research, diplomacy and engagement.

Several members of the Division have built research track records in aspects of economic inequality, natural resource governance, peace-building, conflict analysis and project and strategic planning and capacity building and are often involved in advocacy and policy analysis work for international, governmental and non-governmental organisations on these issues.

We currently collaborate with:

  • national and local government agencies in the UK
  • EU institutions and European governments
  • UN agencies, the African Development Bank, and the Caribbean Development Bank
  • bilateral lenders and donors such as AusAid, DFID and the China Development Bank
  • international NGOs such as the Aga Khan Foundation
This is the current course information. Modules and course details may change, subject to the University's programme approval, monitoring and review procedures. The University reserves the right to alter or withdraw courses, services and facilities as described on our website without notice and to amend Ordinances, Regulations, fees and charges at any time. Students should enquire as to the up-to-date position when applying for their course of study.