Subject guides / Sustainability Science

Sustainability Science

Also appears in programme titles as: Sustainable Development · Sustainability and Management

102 programmes mapped across 25 countriesScholarship compatibility checkedVerified Jul 2026 against official sources

What a sustainability science degree actually is

Sustainability science is the integrative discipline — the study of how environmental, economic and social systems interact, and how to steer them. It is the broadest entry on our climate shelf: where climate governance follows negotiations and climate finance follows capital, this field takes the whole system as its unit.

The map runs from the movement's European heartland (Lund's LUMES, one of the oldest and most international sustainability MScs; Utrecht's four-track Sustainable Development) to St Andrews' one-year UK entry and Oxford's enterprise-flavoured SEE (shared with the climate finance map).

What you study — and the bar to entry

Systems thinking and sustainability theory, environmental and resource science, governance and transitions studies, plus methods from both social and natural sciences — the deliberate breadth is the product. Entry is generous across first degrees; the two-year programmes (Lund, Utrecht) expect you to specialise by thesis, the one-year ones (St Andrews) to arrive knowing your angle.

Where it leads

Sustainability teams in companies and consultancies, environment ministries and agencies, international organisations and NGOs, and research or PhD tracks. The honest caveat: breadth is a two-edged sword in hiring — graduates who paired the degree with a concrete specialism (a sector, a method, a region) place fastest.

ESG AnalystSustainability Consultant

Who it suits — and who it does not

A good fit if you are…

  • Early-career generalists who want the full systems map before specialising
  • Professionals in single-issue environmental roles broadening to strategy
  • Applicants who thrive in deliberately international cohorts — LUMES is famous for exactly this

Probably not the right degree if…

  • Those who already know their specialism — the focused guides (climate finance, energy, conservation) serve them better
  • Applicants wanting technical certification: this is synthesis, not engineering
  • Anyone impatient with theory — transitions frameworks are core reading

Where to study it: the programme map

Five verified programmes: the European two-year classics (Lund LUMES, Utrecht), St Andrews' one-year MSc, Oxford SEE and Wageningen's climate row (both shared with neighbouring maps).

UniversityOfficial programme titleLengthTuition (intl)Experience
Aarhus UniversityDenmarkMSc in Sustainable Heritage Management24 mo——
American University of SharjahUnited Arab EmiratesMaster of Science in Environmental Sustainability and Management———
BOKU University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences ViennaAustriaMaster Programme Environmental Science - Soil, Water, Biodiversity (ENVEURO)24 mo——
BOKU University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences ViennaAustriaMaster Programme Climate Change and Societal Transformation24 mo——
Chalmers University of TechnologySwedenIndustrial Ecology, MSc24 mo——
Chinese University of Hong KongHong KongMaster of Science in Sustainable Urban Planning———
Columbia UniversityUnited StatesMPA in Environmental Science and Policy12 mo——
Columbia UniversityUnited StatesMS in Climate24 mo——
Duke UniversityUnited StatesMaster of Environmental Management24 mo——
EPFLSwitzerlandMaster in Environmental Sciences and Engineering———
EPFLSwitzerlandMaster in Sustainable Management and Technology———
ESADE (Ramon Llull University)SpainMaster in Sustainability Management———
ESCP Business SchoolFranceMSc in International Sustainability Management24 mo——
ETH ZurichSwitzerlandMaster in Environmental Sciences24 mo——
George Washington UniversityUnited StatesMA in Environmental and Sustainability Policy24 mo——
Ghent UniversityBelgiumMaster of Science in Environmental Science and Technology24 mo——
HEC ParisFranceMaster in Sustainability and Social Innovation—EUR 35,500—
Hamad Bin Khalifa UniversityQatarMaster of Science in Sustainable Environment24 mo——
Hong Kong University of Science and TechnologyHong KongMSc in Environmental Science, Management and Sustainability—HKD 180,000—
ISCTE University Institute of LisbonPortugalMaster Degree in Development Studies———
KTH Royal Institute of TechnologySwedenMSc Sustainable Technology24 mo——
KU LeuvenBelgiumMaster of Sustainable Development24 mo——
Kyoto UniversityJapanMaster's Program in Environmental Management (International Environmental Management Program)24 mo——
Kyoto UniversityJapanEast Asia Sustainable Economic Development Studies Program24 mo——
LMU MunichGermanyEnvironment and Society (M.A.)———
Linkoping UniversitySwedenEcology and Sustainable Development, Master's Programme24 mo——
Linkoping UniversitySwedenScience for Sustainable Development, Master's Programme24 mo——
Lund UniversitySwedenEnvironmental Studies and Sustainability Science (LUMES) - Master of Science Programme24 mo——
Lund UniversitySwedenEnvironmental Studies and Sustainability Science (LUMES) MSc24 moSEK 300,000—
Massey UniversityNew ZealandMaster of Sustainable Development Goals18 mo——
Massey UniversityNew ZealandMaster of Environmental Management18 mo——
Maynooth UniversityIrelandMSc Climate Change12 mo——
Monash UniversityAustraliaMaster of Environment and Sustainability———
Nanyang Technological UniversitySingaporeMaster of Science in Environmental Sustainability Science12 mo——
National University of SingaporeSingaporeMaster of Science in Sustainable Healthcare12 mo——
National University of SingaporeSingaporeMaster of Science (Environmental Management)—SGD 51,500—
Norwegian University of Life SciencesNorwayMSc in Applied Economics and Sustainability24 mo——
Norwegian University of Life SciencesNorwayMSc in International Environmental Studies24 mo——
Norwegian University of Life SciencesNorwayMSc in Agroecology (Sustainable Food Systems)24 mo——
Norwegian University of Science and TechnologyNorwayMSc in Industrial Ecology24 mo——
Norwegian University of Science and TechnologyNorwayMSc in Global Relations and Sustainable Development24 mo——
OsloMet - Oslo Metropolitan UniversityNorwayMaster in Nordic Social Policy and Global Sustainable Development24 mo——
Roskilde UniversityDenmarkMSc in Environmental Science24 mo——
Stockholm UniversitySwedenInternational Master's Programme in Environmental Social Science24 mo——
Stockholm UniversitySwedenMaster's Programme in Globalization, Environment and Social Change24 mo——
Swedish University of Agricultural SciencesSwedenFood and Landscape - Master's Programme24 mo——
Swedish University of Agricultural SciencesSwedenAgroecology - Master's Programme24 mo——
Swedish University of Agricultural SciencesSwedenEnvironmental Economics and Management - Master's Programme24 mo——
Technical University of MunichGermanyEnvironmental Engineering (M.Sc.)———
Technical University of MunichGermanySustainable Resource Management (M.Sc.)———
Trinity College DublinIrelandMSc Environmental Sciences12 mo——
Tsinghua UniversityChinaMaster of Public Policy for Sustainable Development Goals (MPP-SDG)———
UCLouvainBelgiumInterdisciplinary Advanced Master in Science and Management of the Environment and Sustainable Development———
UNSW SydneyAustraliaMaster of Environmental Management———
Universidad Carlos III de MadridSpainMaster in Sustainable Development and Global Governance———
University College CorkIrelandMSc Sustainability in Enterprise———
University College DublinIrelandMSc Sustainable Development12 mo——
University of AdelaideAustraliaMaster of Environmental Policy and Management24 mo——
University of AucklandNew ZealandMaster of Environmental Management18 moNZD 55,484/yr—
University of AucklandNew ZealandMaster of Environmental Science18 moNZD 55,484/yr—
University of BaselSwitzerlandMaster of Science in Sustainable Development———
University of BergenNorwayMaster's in Sustainability24 mo——
University of BernSwitzerlandMaster of Science in Climate Sciences24 mo——
University of BernSwitzerlandMaster in Sustainability Transformations24 mo——
University of CopenhagenDenmarkMSc in Global Development24 mo——
University of CopenhagenDenmarkMSc in Climate Change24 mo——
University of Eastern FinlandFinlandMaster's Degree Programme in Sustainability Business Leadership24 mo——
University of GenevaSwitzerlandMaster of Science in Environmental Sciences (MUSE)24 mo——
University of GenevaSwitzerlandMaster in Standardization, Social Regulation and Sustainable Development———
University of GenevaSwitzerlandMaster in Sustainable Societies and Social Change———
University of GrazAustriaEnvironmental Systems Sciences / Climate Change and Transformation Science, Master's Programme24 mo——
University of GrazAustriaSustainable Urban and Regional Development, Master's Programme24 mo——
University of GrazAustriaEnvironmental Systems Sciences / Sustainability and Innovation Management, Master's Programme24 mo——
University of GöttingenGermanySustainable International Agriculture (M.Sc.)24 mo——
University of Hong KongHong KongMaster of Science in Urban Planning———
University of Hong KongHong KongMaster of Social Sciences in Sustainability Leadership and Governance (MSLG)——Preference for candidates with 2+ years of related work experience (not required)
University of JyvaskylaFinlandMaster's Degree Programme in Corporate Environmental Management24 mo——
University of LausanneSwitzerlandMaster of Science in Environmental Sciences———
University of LausanneSwitzerlandMaster in Sustainable Management and Technology———
University of MelbourneAustraliaMaster of Environment———
University of MichiganUnited StatesMaster of Science (Environment and Sustainability)24 mo——
University of OxfordUnited KingdomMSc in Sustainability, Enterprise and the Environment12 mo——
University of PaduaItalyEnvironmental Sustainability and Education24 mo——
University of QueenslandAustraliaMaster of Environmental Management———
University of St AndrewsUnited KingdomGlobal Sustainable Development MSc12 moGBP 31,450—
University of St. GallenSwitzerlandMaster in Global Sustainability Management (GSM)———
University of SydneyAustraliaMaster of Sustainability———
University of TokyoJapanGraduate Program in Sustainability Science - Global Leadership Initiative (GPSS-GLI), Master of Sustainability Science24 mo——
University of WaterlooCanadaMaster of Environmental Studies (MES) in Sustainability Management———
University of ZurichSwitzerlandMaster Global Futures: Development, Sustainability, Social Justice———
Université PSLFranceMaster Sustainability Science———
Université Paris-SaclayFranceMaster Sustainability Science———
Université de MontréalCanadaMaîtrise en environnement et développement durable———
Uppsala UniversitySwedenMaster's Programme in Sustainable Development24 mo——
Utrecht UniversityNetherlandsMSc Sustainable Development24 moEUR 25,306/yr—
Victoria University of WellingtonNew ZealandMaster of Environmental Studies———
Victoria University of WellingtonNew ZealandMaster of Climate Change Science and Policy———
WU Vienna University of Economics and BusinessAustriaMaster's Programme in Socio-Ecological Economics and Policy24 mo——
Wageningen University & ResearchNetherlandsMSc Climate Studies24 mo——
Yale UniversityUnited StatesMaster of Environmental Science24 mo——
Yale UniversityUnited StatesMaster of Environmental Management24 mo——
École PolytechniqueFranceMSc&T Environmental Engineering and Sustainability Management24 mo——

Every row verified against the official programme page; oldest verification 15 Jul 2026. Nothing here is a paid placement.

Application strategy and funding routes

Lund (SEK 300,000 total, Swedish Institute scholarships apply) and Utrecht (€25,306/year) are the two-year European builds with the deepest alumni networks in the field. St Andrews (£31,450) is the Chevening-compatible one-year route. In essays, name the system you would change — "sustainability" as an abstract commitment is the weakest pitch in this catalogue; a sector plus a mechanism is the strongest.

Which scholarship funds which programme

Computed from each scheme's published rules (destination, level, course length) — not a guarantee; list-based schemes still require checking the official list.

Chevening ScholarshipCommonly chosen by applicants
  • Aarhus University — study destination outside the scheme
  • American University of Sharjah — study destination outside the scheme
  • BOKU University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna — study destination outside the scheme
  • BOKU University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna — study destination outside the scheme
  • Chalmers University of Technology — study destination outside the scheme
  • Chinese University of Hong Kong — study destination outside the scheme
  • Columbia University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Columbia University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Duke University — study destination outside the scheme
  • EPFL — study destination outside the scheme
  • EPFL — study destination outside the scheme
  • ESADE (Ramon Llull University) — study destination outside the scheme
  • ESCP Business School — study destination outside the scheme
  • ETH Zurich — study destination outside the scheme
  • George Washington University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Ghent University — study destination outside the scheme
  • HEC Paris — study destination outside the scheme
  • Hamad Bin Khalifa University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Hong Kong University of Science and Technology — study destination outside the scheme
  • ISCTE University Institute of Lisbon — study destination outside the scheme
  • KTH Royal Institute of Technology — study destination outside the scheme
  • KU Leuven — study destination outside the scheme
  • Kyoto University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Kyoto University — study destination outside the scheme
  • LMU Munich — study destination outside the scheme
  • Linkoping University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Linkoping University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Lund University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Lund University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Massey University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Massey University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Maynooth University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Monash University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Nanyang Technological University — study destination outside the scheme
  • National University of Singapore — study destination outside the scheme
  • National University of Singapore — study destination outside the scheme
  • Norwegian University of Life Sciences — study destination outside the scheme
  • Norwegian University of Life Sciences — study destination outside the scheme
  • Norwegian University of Life Sciences — study destination outside the scheme
  • Norwegian University of Science and Technology — study destination outside the scheme
  • Norwegian University of Science and Technology — study destination outside the scheme
  • OsloMet - Oslo Metropolitan University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Roskilde University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Stockholm University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Stockholm University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences — study destination outside the scheme
  • Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences — study destination outside the scheme
  • Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences — study destination outside the scheme
  • Technical University of Munich — study destination outside the scheme
  • Technical University of Munich — study destination outside the scheme
  • Trinity College Dublin — study destination outside the scheme
  • Tsinghua University — study destination outside the scheme
  • UCLouvain — study destination outside the scheme
  • UNSW Sydney — study destination outside the scheme
  • Universidad Carlos III de Madrid — study destination outside the scheme
  • University College Cork — study destination outside the scheme
  • University College Dublin — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Adelaide — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Auckland — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Auckland — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Basel — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Bergen — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Bern — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Bern — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Copenhagen — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Copenhagen — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Eastern Finland — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Geneva — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Geneva — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Geneva — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Graz — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Graz — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Graz — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Göttingen — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Hong Kong — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Hong Kong — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Jyvaskyla — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Lausanne — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Lausanne — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Melbourne — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Michigan — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Oxford
  • University of Padua — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Queensland — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of St Andrews
  • University of St. Gallen — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Sydney — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Tokyo — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Waterloo — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Zurich — study destination outside the scheme
  • Université PSL — study destination outside the scheme
  • Université Paris-Saclay — study destination outside the scheme
  • Université de Montréal — study destination outside the scheme
  • Uppsala University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Utrecht University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Victoria University of Wellington — study destination outside the scheme
  • Victoria University of Wellington — study destination outside the scheme
  • WU Vienna University of Economics and Business — study destination outside the scheme
  • Wageningen University & Research — study destination outside the scheme
  • Yale University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Yale University — study destination outside the scheme
  • École Polytechnique — study destination outside the scheme
See if you qualifyDeadlines
Swedish Institute Scholarship for Global ProfessionalsCommonly chosen by applicants
  • Aarhus University — study destination outside the scheme
  • American University of Sharjah — study destination outside the scheme
  • BOKU University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna — study destination outside the scheme
  • BOKU University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna — study destination outside the scheme
  • Chalmers University of Technology
  • Chinese University of Hong Kong — study destination outside the scheme
  • Columbia University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Columbia University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Duke University — study destination outside the scheme
  • EPFL — study destination outside the scheme
  • EPFL — study destination outside the scheme
  • ESADE (Ramon Llull University) — study destination outside the scheme
  • ESCP Business School — study destination outside the scheme
  • ETH Zurich — study destination outside the scheme
  • George Washington University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Ghent University — study destination outside the scheme
  • HEC Paris — study destination outside the scheme
  • Hamad Bin Khalifa University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Hong Kong University of Science and Technology — study destination outside the scheme
  • ISCTE University Institute of Lisbon — study destination outside the scheme
  • KTH Royal Institute of Technology
  • KU Leuven — study destination outside the scheme
  • Kyoto University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Kyoto University — study destination outside the scheme
  • LMU Munich — study destination outside the scheme
  • Linkoping University
  • Linkoping University
  • Lund University
  • Lund University
  • Massey University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Massey University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Maynooth University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Monash University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Nanyang Technological University — study destination outside the scheme
  • National University of Singapore — study destination outside the scheme
  • National University of Singapore — study destination outside the scheme
  • Norwegian University of Life Sciences — study destination outside the scheme
  • Norwegian University of Life Sciences — study destination outside the scheme
  • Norwegian University of Life Sciences — study destination outside the scheme
  • Norwegian University of Science and Technology — study destination outside the scheme
  • Norwegian University of Science and Technology — study destination outside the scheme
  • OsloMet - Oslo Metropolitan University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Roskilde University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Stockholm University
  • Stockholm University
  • Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
  • Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
  • Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
  • Technical University of Munich — study destination outside the scheme
  • Technical University of Munich — study destination outside the scheme
  • Trinity College Dublin — study destination outside the scheme
  • Tsinghua University — study destination outside the scheme
  • UCLouvain — study destination outside the scheme
  • UNSW Sydney — study destination outside the scheme
  • Universidad Carlos III de Madrid — study destination outside the scheme
  • University College Cork — study destination outside the scheme
  • University College Dublin — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Adelaide — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Auckland — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Auckland — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Basel — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Bergen — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Bern — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Bern — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Copenhagen — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Copenhagen — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Eastern Finland — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Geneva — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Geneva — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Geneva — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Graz — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Graz — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Graz — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Göttingen — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Hong Kong — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Hong Kong — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Jyvaskyla — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Lausanne — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Lausanne — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Melbourne — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Michigan — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Oxford — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Padua — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Queensland — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of St Andrews — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of St. Gallen — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Sydney — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Tokyo — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Waterloo — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Zurich — study destination outside the scheme
  • Université PSL — study destination outside the scheme
  • Université Paris-Saclay — study destination outside the scheme
  • Université de Montréal — study destination outside the scheme
  • Uppsala University
  • Utrecht University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Victoria University of Wellington — study destination outside the scheme
  • Victoria University of Wellington — study destination outside the scheme
  • WU Vienna University of Economics and Business — study destination outside the scheme
  • Wageningen University & Research — study destination outside the scheme
  • Yale University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Yale University — study destination outside the scheme
  • École Polytechnique — study destination outside the scheme
Deadlines

Frequently asked questions

Sustainability science vs environmental policy vs climate governance?

This field is the systems umbrella; environmental policy is the state-instruments specialism; climate governance the negotiations-and-institutions one. If you can already name your lever, go to the specialist guide.

Is LUMES worth its reputation?

Its currency is the network: three decades of alumni across agencies and NGOs worldwide, and a cohort built to be international. Academically it is strong but not unique — the network is what you cannot get elsewhere.

Which scholarships apply?

Swedish Institute for Lund; Holland/Orange Knowledge for Utrecht; Chevening/Commonwealth for St Andrews. The two-year formats exclude Chevening — plan accordingly.

Related fields

Agricultural TechnologyBiodiversity ConservationCarbon ManagementCircular EconomyClimate FinanceClimate GovernanceDisaster Risk ManagementEnergy TransitionEnvironmental PolicyFood SecurityOcean SustainabilityRenewable Energy EngineeringWater Resources Management

Sources

Official programme pages (linked per row above) · official scholarship rules and participating-programme lists · university admission regulations. Every data row records its source URL and verification date; stale rows are re-checked or removed.

Global Study Prep is independent and not affiliated with any university or scholarship programme. Programme details change — always confirm on the official page before applying.

Sustainability Science Masters: Programmes, Careers & Scholarships | Global Study Prep