Sustainability

The Practitioner Doctorate in Sustainability PhD programme at the University of Surrey is aimed at high-achieving researchers and graduates whose vision is to become a sustainability leader in industry.

The Practitioner Doctorate in Sustainability PhD/EngD programme at the University of Surrey allows you to pursue research studies at doctoral level while gaining invaluable research experience in a prestigious organisation external to the University, enabling you to apply your knowledge to real-life sustainability issues.

Career opportunities

On this programme, you will further your research knowledge in the academic field of sustainability and apply this to a real challenge, spending most of your time with an external partner organisation.You’ll be based at the University for the first 12 weeks of the programme. In this time, you’ll undertake a series of sustainability modules and personal development workshops, which will equip you for your time in industry. You’ll then move to your industry premises where you’ll integrate into the company, making your applied research relevant to the company and potentially the wider sector.You’ll have two academic supervisors, one from CES and one from another relevant University department or school. You’ll also have an industry supervisor, who’ll work alongside you on a day-to-day basis. The academic role of the supervisors is to guide and help train you in becoming an independent researcher whose thesis and associated publications and conference presentations make a contribution to academic and practical knowledge. You’ll collaborate closely with your supervisors, who’ll monitor your research progress through monthly and formal appraisals.You’ll also have the opportunity to complete four specified taught modules from one of our CES masters programmes to qualify for the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA) professional membership at Associate level. Completion of the PhD also gives you a strong foundation to apply for the Managerial Full IEMA membership and Chartered Environmentalist level. Depending on the focus of your PhD research, it would similarly provide a strong foundation for chartered status with other professional bodies, such as those in engineering.

Research themes

• Sustainable development policies and practices

• Energy, water and food nexus

• Behaviour change

• Waste systems

• Sustainable transportation

• Built environment

• Bioenergy with carbon capture and storage

• Smart local energy systems

• Social research on sustainability

• Lifestyles and resource consumption

• Resource consumption and land use

• Vertical farming