Sustainable Development

The Sustainable Development program at Utrecht University is aimed at students who want to contribute to the design of the solutions needed to achieve an environmentally and socially accountable society. In this program, you will learn how to analyse the processes associated with change and will consider the short and long term management of these processes on local and global levels. 

The Sustainable Development program at Utrecht University is suitable for candidates who want to study and solve societal sustainability issues from a multidisciplinary perspective.

Key facts

• The program is of particular interest to students who are willing to broaden their perspectives through collaboration and interaction with students who bring to theprogram knowledge of other natural and social science disciplines.
• Specialise in one of four tracks
• Following admission to this Master's programyou can choose one of four specialisation tracks based on your interests in the field. As well as working in your chosen track, you will work in research teams with fellow students from the other tracks.
• Tracks

• Energy and Materials-The transition to the sustainable use of energy and materials

• Environmental Change and Ecosystems-The suitable use of land and water

• Earth System Governance-Governing the social changes needed for an environmentally accountable society

• International Development-Sustainable development and living in the Global South
• Sustainable developmentresearch
• Our program is closely affiliated with the Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development,which is part of Utrecht University. The institute conducts research on a wide range of issues related to sustainable development.
• The cause and effect chains linking economic activities, ecological values and innovation serves as the point of departure for much of the research. Ourresearch and teaching staffare active members of international networks and are at the forefront of their field.
• Career Prospects
• The world needs people with comprehensive knowledge of environmental challenges.In this Master's program you will become familiar with analytical and practical research skills, as well as strategies for intervention.
• This combination prepares you for a PhD program or an academic-level position at consultancies, at research institutes, in government, in business or at NGOs.Our graduates work as first-class researchers in the field of sustainable development in academic and professional organisations.

Accredited by the NVAO - Accreditation Organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders.

Courses include:

• Perspectives on Sustainable Development

• Sustainability Modelling and Indicators

• Research Design

• Trandisciplinary Case Study

• Tools for Energy and Materials Analysis

• Analysing Governance Practices