Two semi spheres connected together as one planet. Left part covered by trees , the right an urban landscape

Environmental Futures MSc

1 year full-time, 2 years part-time

How do we understand and respond to the critical environmental challenges facing us all? These challenges increasingly demand new ways of thinking, grounded in cutting-edge research, to enable us to move forward into more equitable and sustainable futures. This course will provide you with critical understandings of these multiple, intersecting challenges and the nature and politics of potential solutions.

Environmental Futures MSc, 1 year full-time, 2 years part-time

How do we understand and respond to the critical environmental challenges facing us all? These challenges increasingly demand new ways of thinking, grounded in cutting-edge research, to enable us to move forward into more equitable and sustainable futures. This course will provide you with critical understandings of these multiple, intersecting challenges and the nature and politics of potential solutions.

Course information

UK fee £9,550

International fee £19,700

Taught by School of Geography, Geology and the Environment

Course description

Course description

Contemporary environmental challenges - from climate change to plastics pollution, deforestation, habitat and species loss, pandemics and growing environmental injustices - affect us all across diverse scales, cultures and geographies. They increasingly demand new ways of thinking, grounded in cutting-edge research, to enable us to move forward into more equitable and sustainable futures.

This course was created in response to this need. It brings together internationally recognised research groups and scholars from the School of Geography, Geology and the Environment to provide you with a critical appreciation of these multiple, intersecting challenges and the nature and politics of potential solutions.

Through a range of core and optional modules, you will engage with:

  • contemporary human geography thinking around environmental challenges, knowledges and futures
  • the emergent, interdisciplinary concept of the Anthropocene and its applications
  • contemporary and paleo-climatic and earth systems modelling
  • and the pernicious challenge of pollutants e.g. plastics in the environment.

You will have the opportunity to develop skills in GIS, Earth Observation and Remote Sensing, as well as a range of creative geographical methods, and in the real world application of these tools to the management of diverse environmental challenges. You will gain high-level skills in research design and implementation through an individual dissertation, and you will gain a firm grounding in ethics and the development of equitable research partnerships.

Our teaching is research-led: it reflects the passion and commitment of staff across our interdisciplinary School. We aim to produce graduates who not only share our passion for equitable, environmentally sustainable futures, but who have the skills and knowledge to help bring these about.

Entry requirements

Entry requirements

2:2 degree (or equivalent) in a relevant subject. Non-standard qualification or professional experience in a relevant area may be considered.

English Language Requirements

IELTS 6.5 or equivalent, with at least 6.0 in each component score. If your first language is not English, you may need to provide evidence of your English language ability. If you do not yet meet our requirements, our English Language Teaching Unit (ELTU) offers a range of courses to help you to improve your English to the necessary standard.

International Qualifications

Find your country in this list to check equivalent qualifications, scholarships and additional requirements.

Countries list

Fees and funding

Fees and funding

UK Students

Starting in September 2025

  • MSc: £9,550
  • MSc with Industry: £9,550

An additional fee of £3,520 will be charged if a placement is secured.

If you are resident outside the UK and the Republic of Ireland, you will need to pay a deposit of £3,000 to secure your place. This will be subtracted from your total tuition fee.

Find out more about scholarships and funding.

Did you know you can apply for a Government Postgraduate Loan? Find out if you’re eligible.

International Students

Starting in September 2025

  • MSc: £19,700
  • MSc with Industry: £19,700

An additional fee of £3,520 will be charged if a placement is secured.

You will need to pay a deposit of £3,000 to secure your place. This will be subtracted from your total tuition fee.

Find out more about scholarships and funding.

Careers and employability

Careers and employability

This course is designed to train students from a range of academic backgrounds in contemporary critical debates and challenges which shape our environmental futures. It will equip students with fresh perspectives and ways of seeing and responding to these challenges, through its inter and multi-disciplinary approach. It aims to produce graduates capable of undertaking insightful, ethical research on these issues, drawing on a range of tools and methods, and of contributing professionally in pertinent fields.  This course will thus provide you with a range of subject specific and transferable skills pertinent to careers in research, academia and a range of public sector, consultancy, NGO and other applications.

Our Careers and Employability Service is here to support you, with advice on interviews, CVs, work experience, volunteering and more. From Freshers’ Week to Graduation and beyond, they are here to help you reach your professional goals.

Related courses

Course structure

Core modules

Core modules

Plus your Dissertation

Modules shown represent choices available to current students. The range of modules available and the content of any individual module may change in future years.

Option modules

Option modules

Choose one option module from:

Then choose two option modules from:

Modules shown represent choices available to current students. The range of modules available and the content of any individual module may change in future years.

'With Industry' option

'With Industry' option

Studying a 'with industry' masters degree is the perfect way for you to enhance your career prospects and deepen your understanding of your specific area of expertise. By experiencing real-world scenarios and applying your skills and knowledge to business challenges, you will gain a unique insight into how your studies can be utilised in industry. This will not only showcase your abilities to future employers, but will also enhance your studies when you return to University to complete your programme.

Please note that the 'With Industry' degree has a higher fee than the regular MSc.

The 'With Industry' option is not available if you take the course part-time.

Modules shown represent choices available to current students. The range of modules available and the content of any individual module may change in future years.

Teaching and learning

Teaching includes lectures, seminars, self-paced learning, directed reading and practicals. Assessment is through diverse forms of coursework (essays, presentations, reports, briefings) and exams. Your dissertation will be assessed separately.

Key dates

September 2025 start

  • Application deadline: 8 September 2025 (Please note if you require a visa to study you will be required to submit your course application by 25 July 2025)
  • Deposit payment deadline: 8 August 2025
  • CAS request deadline: 5 September 2025
  • 70% tuition payment deadline: 5 September 2025

Apply now

Course Qualification Duration Attendance Start Dates Availability
Course Environmental Futures Qualification MSc Duration 1 year Attendance Full-time Start Dates September each year Availability Apply Now
Course Environmental Futures with Industry Qualification MSc Duration 2 years Attendance Full-time Start Dates September each year Availability Apply Now
Course Environmental Futures Qualification MSc Duration 2 years Attendance Part-time Start Dates September each year Availability Apply Now
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