Global Environment, Politics and Society MSc

This programme is available on a full-time basis over one year or on a part-time basis over two years.

Teaching methods include:

• seminars
• group work
• lectures
• presentations
• guided independent study

You will be assessed through:

• coursework
• seminar assessment
• presentations

Courses

You will complete six courses over Semesters 1 and 2, including

• the core course ‘Global Environment: Key Issues’ in Semester 1
• your choice of one (or more) of four additional courses in Semester 2
• four other courses of your choice

Dissertation

You will complete a dissertation in Semester 3, investigating a topic of your choice in depth under the supervision of an academic member of staff.

You can complete either:

• a standard research dissertation

or

• a placement-based dissertation

Placement-based dissertation

The placement-based dissertation option aims to offer you the opportunity to work on your dissertation within the context of a workplace of your choosing, subject to Programme Director and Placement Adviser approval.

The placement will generally consists of eight weeks of research with a host organisation in the UK or overseas, from our network of contacts which includes:

• NGOs and charities
• social enterprises
• think-tanks
• government bodies

Your placement can be completed either in-person, remotely, or in a hybrid format. You will have the option to arrange your own placement, subject to university approval.

Please note that a placement-based dissertation is not guaranteed as part of this programme and will be assigned based on competitive applications during Semester 1.

Find out more about the placement-based dissertation option:

• SPS placement-based dissertation

Find out more about compulsory and optional courses

We link to the latest information available. Please note that this may be for a previous academic year and should be considered indicative.

You will:

• develop a critical understanding of the key concepts, actors and dynamics characterising global environmental problems and solutions
• engage critically with different disciplinary and theoretical perspectives on environmental issues
• assess competing claims and make informed judgements about current global environmental problems
• develop your ability to present, in written and verbal form, coherent, balanced arguments
• use a range of research skills to plan and execute a significant project of research on a major global environmental challenge

You will graduate with an advanced, multidisciplinary understanding of the major contemporary environmental challenges facing the world, and the different disciplinary and theoretical perspectives (from politics, international relations, ethics and sociology) used to explain them.

You will also have gained the knowledge and skills necessary to assess competing claims and make informed judgements about current global environmental problems and possible solutions.

Such knowledge and skills are sought after by a wide range of public and private employers in the fields of environmental policy, consultancy and advocacy.

Graduates of our this programme have gone on to further PhD study, or to work as professionals with:

• local, national, and international government organisations
• environmental non-governmental organisations (NGOs)
• independent research organisations
• universities
• private industries
• consultancy groups

These entry requirements are for the 2025/26 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2026/27 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2025.

A UK 2:1 honours degree or its international equivalent in social science, humanities or environmental science, or relevant work experience in the environmental field.

Students from China

This degree is Band C.

• Postgraduate entry requirements for students from China

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

• Entry requirements by country

English language requirements

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency which will enable you to succeed in your studies.

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

• IELTS Academic: total 7.0 with at least 6.0 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
• TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 100 with at least 20 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
• C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 185 with at least 169 in each component.
• Trinity ISE: ISE III with passes in all four components.
• PTE Academic: total 73 with at least 59 in each component. We do not accept PTE Academic Online.
• Oxford ELLT: 8 overall with at least 6 in each component.

Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS, TOEFL, Trinity ISE or PTE, in which case it must be no more than two years old.

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:

• UKVI list of majority English speaking countries

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries (non-MESC).

• Approved universities in non-MESC

If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old at the beginning of your programme of study.

Find out more about our language requirements:

• English language requirements

Tuition fees

Funding for postgraduate study is different to undergraduate study, and many students need to combine funding sources to pay for their studies.

Most students use a combination of the following funding to pay their tuition fees and living costs:

• borrowing money
  • taking out a loan
  • family support
• personal savings
• income from work
• employer sponsorship
• scholarships

Explore sources of funding for postgraduate study

UK government postgraduate loans

If you live in the UK, you may be able to apply for a postgraduate loan from one of the UK’s governments.

The type and amount of financial support you are eligible for will depend on:

• your programme
• the duration of your studies
• your tuition fee status

Programmes studied on a part-time intermittent basis are not eligible.

• UK government and other external funding

Other funding opportunities

Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:

• Search for funding