Postgraduate Open Evening 5 March

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Postgraduate Open Evening 5 March

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You are viewing entry year 2025/26.

How will we tackle ongoing global challenges? Join our MSc programme – Global Sustainable Development.

Despite progress in many aspects of global development over recent decades, about 735 million people experienced hunger in 2022, an increase of 122 million since 2019. Degradation of our natural resources – land, water, forests, and biodiversity – continues at alarming rates. These challenges are exacerbated by climate change and violent conflicts in many parts of the world. Tackling these challenges and ensuring a better future will require sustainable development and Transformative Change (TC) – change that is disruptive, systemic, occurs at relatively large scales, and involves a reconfiguration of technology, economy, institutions, and society.

Our Global Sustainable Development MSc will provide you with an in-depth understanding of Development Studies theory and practice, including different conceptions of human, societal and environmental changes. Drawing on real-world-lessons from various domains (economic, environmental, social, and institutional), sectors (agri-food, energy, education, and financial services) and contexts (developing and developed countries), you will develop the capacity to critically discuss, analyse, and evaluate sustainable development and TC. You will develop hands-on skills in sustainable development design and planning, project management, research, and impact evaluation methods, and familiarity with systems modelling and relevant software. The MSc will enhance your communication, networking, and community-engagement skills.

We received Gold in the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2023. This recognises our outstanding performance in student experience and outcomes.

Location

Medway Campus

Duration

  • 1 years full-time
  • 2 years part-time

Start month

September

Home /international fees 2025/26

£11,325 /£17,975

What you should know about this course

  • This MSc course is run by the Natural Resources Institute – a specialist organisation with a focus on development-related research, teaching, consultancy, and community engagement
  • Receive personalised teaching from a team of world-leading researchers and development practitioners with experience of working with the World Bank, UN, CGIAR, NGOs, etc
  • NRI’s extensive global networks & ongoing research projects in 30+ countries will provide you with opportunities for practitioner-based learning
  • You will receive one-to-one care and mentoring and be part of a vibrant and diverse postgraduate student community
  • Course content is focused not only on what the world’s sustainable development challenges and potential solutions are, but also on ‘how to make changes happen’.

What you will study

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Course information is currently unavailable for this programme. Please contact course-info@gre.ac.uk for more information.

About the course team

At NRI, we maintain professional high standards and place the student experience at the heart of everything we do. Over 80 of our academics publish work in leading international journals, with 22 professors involved in research leadership. Many of our staff have become Fellows, Senior Fellows and Principal Fellows of the Higher Education Academy.

The course leader is  Dr Md Mofakkarul Islam.

Come and meet us

We are offering virtual events so that you can still experience how Greenwich could be the right university for you.

Next Open Days

Got a question?

To find out more about our Open Days and Campus Tours or if you need any assistance, please email opendays@gre.ac.uk.

Entry requirements

If you are

An undergraduate (honours) degree at 2.2, or above, in Development Studies, Geography, Environmental Studies, Agriculture, Economics, Social Sciences, Business Studies or a relevant subject.

Applicants who do not have the above may be considered on a case-by-case basis provided they possess appropriate work experience. In such cases, applicants will need to submit a portfolio of evidence and participate in an interview.

For more information, use our contact form or call us on 020 8331 9000.

You can also read our admissions policy.

The University of Greenwich accepts a broad range of international qualifications for admission to our courses. If you cannot find your country on this list, please contact international@gre.ac.uk.

Choose your country:

Available to overseas students?

Yes

Can I use Prior Learning?

Find out more on our Recognition of Prior Learning pages.

How you will learn

Teaching

This course is taught by lectures, seminars, visits and fieldworks, IT/computer lab sessions, supervised research, and guided studies. You also take an independent research project. This gives you the opportunity to carry out original research in a well-equipped department, supported by staff with diverse interests and experience.

Class sizes

We limit class sizes to enhance the learning experience. The average class size on this course is around 10 students per year. Class size depends on your choice of optional modules.

Independent learning

Our courses are designed to give you the space for exploratory and independent study. You'll work towards individual and group assignments and undertake the preparation/follow-up work associated with lectures, seminars, integrative assignments and IT/computer lab sessions.

A research skills module will shape your approach to independent learning, especially for your research project.

We encourage students to take advantage of a range of related extra-curricular opportunities. The faculty hosts regular seminars from NRI staff and external visitors on a range of diverse topics.

Overall workload

If you are studying full-time, you should expect the workload to be similar to a full-time job. For part-time students, this will reduce in proportion with the number of courses you are studying.

Assessment

Students will be assessed through a variety of methods, such as:

  • Assignments based on problem solving and analytical tasks
  • Essays, reports and presentations (oral, podcasts, videos, etc.)
  • A final dissertation which is required to achieve the MSc.

Feedback summary

University policy is to give feedback on assignments within 15 working days of the coursework submission date.

Examination results will be available within 28 days.

Dates and timetables

Each academic year runs from September to June.

Full teaching timetables are not usually available until term has started. For any queries, please call 020 8331 9000.

Fees and funding

Your time at university should be enjoyable, rewarding, and free of unnecessary stress. Planning your finances before you come to university can help to reduce financial concerns. We can offer advice on living costs and budgeting, as well as on awards, allowances and loans.

Cohort Full time Part time Distance learning
Home £11,325 £1,887 per 30 credits N/A
International £17,975 £2,996 per 30 credits N/A

Accommodation costs

Whether you choose to live in halls of residence or rent privately, we can help you find what you're looking for. University accommodation is available from £126.35 per person per week (bills included), depending on your location and preferences. If you require more space or facilities, these options are available at a slightly higher cost.

Accommodation pages

Funding your study

There is a range of financial support options available to support your studies, including the Aspire@Greenwich award for study resources that many full-time students will receive.

EU students may be eligible for a bursary to support their study. View our EU bursary to find out more.

Discover more about grants, student loans, bursaries and scholarships. We also provide advice and support on budgeting, money management and financial hardship.

Financial support

Careers and placements

What sort of careers do graduates pursue?

Our interdisciplinary MSc will make you employment ready for opportunities in government and NGOs worldwide, as managers, policy makers and researchers who can analyse, facilitate, plan, and lead transformative change towards sustainable development.

Do you provide employability services?

We have a team dedicated to enhancing student employment outcomes. This includes an Employer Partnerships Manager, who works with companies to provide placement and employment opportunities.

Our team will also help you understand the jobs market, produce effective CVs, and prepare for a graduate job and placement applications in your final year.

More about Careers.

Support and advice

Academic skills and study support

We allocate you a personal tutor, who you meet soon after you join the department. Their role is to support your personal and academic development and act as your point of contact for queries or problems.

Support from the department

We help new students over the first few weeks with our faculty and department induction. This covers the first week of term 1 (September) and term 2 (January).

We'll also help you discover the academic and social landscape at Medway Campus.

Accommodation information

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Apply now

If you are a UK student or have settled/pre-settled status (EU) and you want to study full-time then you apply through the Universities and Colleges Admission Service (UCAS).

If you are a UK student or have settled/pre-settled status (EU) and you want to study part-time then you can apply directly via our online application form.

If you are from outside the UK, you can apply via UCAS, directly via our online application form or via one of our in-country representatives. If you require a student visa, you cannot study part-time at undergraduate level.