Programme Structure

This Master’s programme is a two year programme yielding 120 credits. Each year (60 credits) of the programme consists of four ten-week periods. A credit is a student workload-based unit, set at a European level and representing a 28-hour student workload.

The programme comprises both a compulsory and an elective elements and allows you to choose from four different tracks in which to broaden your knowledge of, for example, theoretical, research and intervention methods:

• Energy and Resources (E&R), where the focus is on sustainable use of energy and materials, and the approach is based on natural sciences.
• Global Change and Ecosystems (GCE), where the focus is on sustainable use of land and water, and the approach is based on natural sciences.
• Environmental Governance (EG), where the focus is on steering the social changes required to achieve an environmentally accountable society, and the perspective is rooted in social sciences.
• International Development (ID), where the focus is on sustainability issues and living conditions in the global south, and the approach is based on social sciences.

First year
The first year consists of:

• Two compulsory modules for all Sustainable Development students
• The discipline-specific modules that are compulsory in your chosen track.

Second year
The second year consists of at least:

• The compulsory ‘Transdisciplinary Case Study’ module
• A research project and Master’s thesis
• An optional module.

You can earn an extra 15 credits by choosing one of the following options:

• Extension of your thesis
• Publication of your research
• Extra electives adding up to 15 credits.

Final research assignment and internship
The final research project is an important part of the Master’s programme and culminates in a Master’s thesis, on which you will also have to give two oral presentations.

This element of the programme will account for 30 or 45 credits: i.e. at least half of your second Master’s year.