Sustainable Development with Industrial Practice MSc - 2026/7
Awarding body
University of Surrey
Teaching institute
University of Surrey
Framework
FHEQ Level 7
Final award and programme/pathway title
MSc Sustainable Development with Industrial Practice (Placement pathway (24 months))
Modes of study
| Route code | Credits and ECTS Credits | |
| Full-time with Placement | PFG71003 | 240 credits and 120 ECTS credits |
QAA Subject benchmark statement (if applicable)
Earth sciences, environmental sciences & environme
Other internal and / or external reference points
N/A
Faculty and Department / School
Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences - School of Engineering
Programme Leader
CHENOWETH Jonathan (Sch of Eng)
Date of production/revision of spec
29/10/2026
Educational aims of the programme
- The MSc in Sustainable Development with industrial practice year is a multidisciplinary MSc programme which involves the application of a wide range of engineering, natural and social sciences knowledge and methods. The rationale for this multidisciplinary approach is that implementing sustainable development and effectively addressing environmental problems requires practitioners with a diverse range of skills. Students undertaking this MSc can thus add specialist knowledge of sustainable development processes to their existing skills and knowledge base to ensure they are equipped to implement sustainable development.
- To provide students with a thorough conceptual framework and the skills necessary to understand the concept of Sustainable Development, and make judgements about Sustainable Development policies and their implementation.
- To equip students to evaluate existing political, socio-economic, ethical, cultural and regulatory frameworks to inform decisions regarding Sustainable Development.
- To encourage students to develop a sensitive appreciation of the significance of the contextual settings of sustainable development, especially as they relate to developing countries.
- To develop and enhance students' research and data handling skills.
- Provide practice opportunities to enhance the learning process by year-long industrial placement where students will be able to put into practice their taught knowledge and development industry related skills.
Programme learning outcomes
| Attributes Developed | Awards | Ref. | |
| Be able to evaluate technical, social, environmental, economic and political aspects of sustainable development | KCP | MSc | |
| Be able to adapt economic and social assessment tools to support decision-making for sustainable development | KCPT | MSc | |
| Be aware of the ethical dimensions of research project design and implementation | PT | MSc | |
| Be able to research complex sustainability problems | KCPT | MSc | |
| Be aware of digital resources and tools which can support the implementation of sustainable development | KP | MSc | |
| Be aware of digital resources and tools which can support the implementation of sustainable development | KCPT | MSc | |
| Be aware of the range of careers pursued by sustainable development practitioners | K | MSc | |
| Reflect on career goals and develop the employability skills needed to secure relevant employment | K | MSc | |
| Demonstrate the ability to work according to the professional expectations and expected codes of behaviour of the industry/company within which the placement is situated. | CPT | MSc | |
| Reflect and evaluate the skills, knowledge and personal development gained from the completion of the Industrial Practice placement. | KPT | MSc | |
| Critically analyse how scientific and practical contexts of practice can impact the advancement of professional practice. | KPT | MSc |
Attributes Developed
C - Cognitive/analytical
K - Subject knowledge
T - Transferable skills
P - Professional/Practical skills
Programme structure
Full-time with Placement
This Master's Degree programme is studied full-time over two academic years, consisting of 240 credits at FHEQ level 7*. All modules are semester based and worth 15 credits with the exception of project, practice based and dissertation modules.
Possible exit awards include:
- Postgraduate Diploma (120 credits)
- Postgraduate Certificate (60 credits)
*some programmes may contain up to 30 credits at FHEQ level 6.
Programme Adjustments (if applicable)
N/A
Modules
Year 1 (full-time with placement - 2 years) - FHEQ Levels 6 and 7
Year 2 (full-time with placement - 2 years) - FHEQ Levels 6 and 7
| Module code | Module title | Status | Credits | Semester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ENGM325 | INDUSTRIAL PRACTICE YEAR | Compulsory | 60 | Cross Year |
Module Selection for Year 2 (full-time with placement - 2 years) - FHEQ Levels 6 and 7
As part of the approval process the following new module is being developed and once approved will be added to the programme:
Industrial Practice (60 credits, Year Long)
Opportunities for placements / work related learning / collaborative activity
| Associate Tutor(s) / Guest Speakers / Visiting Academics | Y | |
| Professional Training Year (PTY) | N | |
| Placement(s) (study or work that are not part of PTY) | Y | Yes |
| Clinical Placement(s) (that are not part of the PTY scheme) | N | |
| Study exchange (Level 5) | N | |
| Dual degree | N |
Other information
Modules on this programme are taught on an intensive modular basis. This includes pre-reading for each module, a pre-module assessment, and an intensive taught week where classes run from 9 - 5, Monday - Friday. Post-module coursework is due four weeks later.
This MSc degree embeds employability, global and cultural capabilities, digital capabilities, sustainability, and resourcefulness and resilience across the curriculum of the programme.
Employability: is developed via the use of guest lecturers from industry and government, and site visits in some modules which are designed to give students practical examples of how to apply their developing knowledge and skills. Some modules give students the opportunity to work in multi-disciplinary teams. Students can opt to do a professional training placement which develops students' readiness for the world of work.
This programme is accredited by Institute of Sustainability and Professionals (ISEP) and provides a route to Chartered Environmentalist status.
Global and cultural capabilities, intercultural awareness and informed views on global, social and ethical issues are required skills for any effective sustainability practitioner, with the MScs modules designed specifically to develop these capabilities.
Digital capabilities: Throughout the MSc students learn to navigate the University of Surrey's Virtual Learning Environment (SurreyLearn), other digital resources and online databases to aid their learning and undertake research.
Resourcefulness and resilience: Students are challenged to be resourceful in their data gathering and analysis as they develop their qualitative and quantitative research skills when completing their module assessments and when doing their dissertation.
Sustainability: permeates all of the modules in this programme since the programme as a whole is seeking to create skilled sustainability professionals.
Quality assurance
The Regulations and Codes of Practice for taught programmes can be found at:
Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2026/7 academic year.