MSc in Sustainability, Enterprise and the Environment

The course objectives are addressed through three core courses:

• Transitions from Net Zero and Sustainable Development
• Economics, Markets and Society for Sustainability
• Enterprise, Finance and the Environment

The core courses are delivered through ten teaching modules, as listed below. You will also take two electives and submit a dissertation.

Climate Change and Net Zero

• Define and situate the concept of net-zero and related terms
• Understand the nature, drivers and trajectories of climate change and analyse mitigation strategies
• Analyse the interdependencies between ecological, social and economic systems in getting to net zero

Sustainable Enterprise

• Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the role of private enterprise (business) as a cause of – but also solution to – social and environmental challenges
• Summarise the ideas of shareholder-primacy vis-a-vis stakeholder views of business, and relate these ideas to the concepts of sustainability; corporate social responsibility (CSR); triple bottom line; Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG); social licence to operate; legitimacy; and business ethics
• Understand and apply key concepts pertaining to business structure, strategy and organisational change
• Understand key concepts pertaining to human behaviour that explain interactions, interests and incentive drives in organisations and society

Economics of Sustainability

• Identify the limitations of conventional economic models for addressing NZSD
• Become comfortable using analytical frameworks that capture multiple equilibria, coordination, complementarities, lock-in, path dependence, and tipping points
• Draw insights from complex datasets such as patent, social, and export networks
• Acquire the ability to go from real-world problems with these features to possible solutions

Spaces, Infrastructure and Technology for Net Zero and Sustainable Development

• Understand and contextualise disruptive drivers that are re-shaping economic, social and environmental relationships
• Engage critically with these issues through the lens of infrastructure and technology and debate the implications of glocalization and urbanization for NZSD
• Develop an applied understanding of constructive responses to these disruptive drivers

Methods and Data

• Critically analyse the role of the scientific method of inquiry in the production of knowledge and evaluate how and why scientific data is used by different actors within society
• Understand and apply qualitative and quantitative methods to measure progress and attribute impact pertaining to NZSD
• Comprehend the strengths, weaknesses and limitations of different methodological approaches and demonstrate sound judgement in selecting and applying the optimal approach to the given context
• Apply a critical lens to data and data-driven methods – including biases – and analyse how data is used in decision-making pertaining to NZSD

Sustainable Finance

• Develop sufficient understanding to navigate and critically analyse the key aspects and developments in sustainable finance and investment
• Engage critically with systems and theories in sustainable finance and investment
• Consider how to translate knowledge into strategies for effective engagement with the financial sector

Socio-technical Interventions and Sustainable Law

• Compare and critique frameworks for contextualising, understanding, and applying the dynamics of socio- technical transitions and interventions that might drive and accelerate change towards net zero sustainable development
• Engage critically with this goal through the lens of understanding the speed of transition possible in each of the socio-technical frontiers of policymaking, finance, law, behaviours and norms, and technologies, and understand their potential for cascading interaction
• Identify and constructively stimulate interventions in each of these socio-technical frontiers to drive sustainable decarbonisation, and critically analyse the strengths, weaknesses, and trade-offs of different approaches
• Engage in benchmarking and comparative exercises, through case studies, to critically analyse both successful and less successful transitions and interventions and derive practical takeaways from their example

Business Strategy for Sustainability

• Identify and compare approaches of companies to developing strategies for sustainability
• Analyse and apply a range of frameworks to improve strategic approaches to sustainability in a variety of contexts
• Formulate and critique arguments about the potential for business to contribute positively to addressing sustainability challenges.

Natural Capital, Markets and Society

• Identify the causes and consequences of institutional and market failures to value and manage natural capital
• Understand and compare different models of governing natural capital and identify strengths and weaknesses of different types across a range of contexts
• Learn and apply methods for designing and evaluating natural capital markets and institutions, whilst leveraging and integrating relevant natural science and technical knowledge
• Examine and debate case studies of valuing and managing natural capital across climate, energy, water, food and biodiversity

Water, Inequalities and Social Enterprise

• Introduce social theory and methods related to social inequalities and water risks
• Examine and evaluate methods, concepts and frameworks in the context of water-related enterprise
• Explore processes shaping international and national discourse and debates related to sustainable development goals
• Apply methods, concepts and frameworks to case study material on how water inequalities interact with natural science perspectives and water management practices

Two one-day trips will take place in each of Michaelmas and Hilary terms. An induction field trip will also take place in Michaelmas term introduction week. In addition, a field trip at the end of Hilary term will be a week-long capstone, where students will visit a selected region to connect individual companies and their supply chains in order to bring to life key concepts and enable students to apply their learning.

An independent and original dissertation (15,000 words) is an integral component of the course and enables students to translate their foundational and applied knowledge to a context/challenge related to enterprise and NZSD. Training in qualitative and quantitative methods, data and research design and research skills will help you to develop transferable skills, carry out independent and original research and master methods used widely in academic and professional research.

Electives will be selected from a list of options available across the School of Geography and the Environment. The available electives vary from year to year. In recent years, the choice has included:

• Decolonising Conservation
• A Global South Perspective on Climate Change and Climate Justice
• Economics of Innovation and New Technologies
• Extractive compromises in the Ecuadorian Amazon
• Animal Geographies
• Climate Change, Communication and the Media
• Energy and the Environment
• Human-Wildlife Conflict and Coexistence: Theory and Practice

The University of Oxford has an extensive library system and the Radcliffe Science Library is the main lending service within the University for the material required for the course. The Social Sciences Library also holds collections which are valuable for you if you are pursuing a geography programme.

There is a dedicated social space for MSc students where you can meet and discuss your studies. Where appropriate, you will be able to use the departmental laboratories for your dissertation research.

The course has an Academic Director and a Course Director who looks after the day to day running of the course. You will have a personal advisor who is a member of the School’s academic staff and who provides academic welfare support.

The allocation of graduate supervision for this course is the responsibility of the School of Geography and the Environment (SoGE) and it is not always possible to accommodate the preferences of incoming graduate students to work with a particular member of staff. Under exceptional circumstances a supervisor may be found outside the School of Geography and the Environment.

Dissertation supervision will equate to approximately eight hours in total per student, in line with SoGE guidelines. As such, it is likely that a student will meet with their supervisor at a minimum once a fortnight or most likely once a week. The frequency of supervision meetings will likely change depending on the stage of the dissertation that the student is at and their unique needs. Supervision meetings will commence late in Hilary Term and conclude at the end of Trinity term.

The Course Director will work closely with each student to try and match their theoretical and contextual interests with an appropriate supervisor. Regarding differences between part-time and full-time versions of the course and according adjustments to supervisor arrangements, this does not apply as the MSc is only offered on a full-time basis. For any students doing the MSc alongside an MBA as part of the 1+1 programme, any necessary adjustments to supervision will be made.

Assessments will consist of either written examination and/or coursework which may include written and/or oral tasks. You will also be assessed on your individual dissertation, which will have been produced independently and contain original work.

This MSc will equip current and future decision-makers with the knowledge, skills and networks to lead change towards sustainability across the public and private sectors and, on a global stage. The course will enable students to either start or continue on and rapidly progress within a career trajectory, or to pivot and change sector and/or function. The department anticipate that the majority of graduating students will pursue non-academic careers. However, some exceptional students are likely to pursue DPhil studies, and they will receive mentorship to support these ambitions. Destinations of past graduates include top-tier consulting firms, niche sustainability consulting, intergovernmental organisations (eg UN agencies, World Bank), and sustainability managerial roles in various sectors (FMCG; finance).

Employability is embedded throughout the course in multiple ways:

• By connecting science and enterprise for academic excellence: The MSc in Sustainability, Enterprise and the Environment is at the intersection of research on economics, finance and governance, leveraging interdisciplinary science. The course will be anchored in theoretical and methodological innovations to understand and respond to challenges at an applied level.
• Through direct practitioner knowledge within core teaching staff.
• Focus on outcomes through the enterprise forum and business case seminar series.

This course is offered by the School of Geography and the Environment

• Course page on the school's website
• Funding information from the school
• Academic and research staff
• Research in the school
• Social Sciences Division
• Contact details

*Three-year average (applications for entry in 2023-24 to 2025-26)

• a first-class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours in any discipline.

For applicants with a bachelor's degree from the USA, the minimum overall GPA that is normally required to meet the undergraduate-level requirement is 3.6 out of 4.0. However, selection of candidates also depends on other factors in your application and most successful applicants have achieved higher GPA scores.

GRE General Test scores

No Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or GMAT scores are sought.

Other qualifications, evidence of excellence and relevant experience

Applicants should demonstrate a genuine and informed interest in sustainable development and net zero, and intersections with enterprise.  Evidence of relevant practice experience should be outlined, but is not required. It is desirable that applicants have leadership potential, and/or an interest in the concept of leadership as it pertains to sustainable development and net zero.

Interviews are not normally held as part of the admissions process.

Further information about funding opportunities for this course can be found on the department's website. 

The following colleges accept students on this course:

• Blackfriars
• Brasenose College
• Campion Hall
• Christ Church
• Green Templeton College
• Jesus College
• Keble College
• Linacre College
• Mansfield College
• Regent's Park College
• Reuben College
• St Anne's College
• St Antony's College
• St Catherine's College
• St Cross College
• St Edmund Hall
• St Hilda's College
• Somerville College
• Wolfson College
• Worcester College
• Wycliffe Hall

You do not need to make contact with the department before you apply, but you are encouraged to visit the relevant departmental webpages to read any further information about your chosen course.

Your references will be assessed for:

• your intellectual ability
• your academic achievement
• your motivation and interest in the course and subject area
• your ability to work effectively both in a group and independently

References are an important part of your application. They will support your application to the course by speaking to your intellectual ability, academic achievement, motivation and suitability to the course, and ability to work effectively both independently and with others. Therefore, academic references are preferred - for at least two of your three references.

However, the department understands that in a few select cases it may difficult, and very occasionally, impossible, to get 1-2 letters from your former higher education institution, particularly if you have been out of university for ten or more years. In these instances, the department can accept a minimum of one academic reference, with the other two being either academic or professional, so long as they can speak closely and accurately to the above-mentioned points (ie intellectual ability; academic achievement; motivation and suitability to the course; ability to work effectively both independently and with others).

Your statement should be written in English and explain your motivation for applying to the course, your relevant experience and education, and a brief description of where your interest in sustainable development and net zero comes from.

This will be assessed for:

• your reasons for applying to this particular course
• your ability to present a coherent case in proficient English
• your interest in sustainable development and net zero and intersections with enterprise
• your preliminary knowledge of the subject area and research techniques
• your capacity for sustained and intense work
• your capacity and motivation for service to others and service to sustainability challenges
• your ability to think critically and creatively
• your ability to absorb new ideas, often presented abstractly, at a rapid pace
• your leadership potential and/or interest in leadership as it pertains to sustainable development and net zero
• intellectual curiosity and inquisitiveness

An academic essay or other writing sample, written in English, is required. An extract of the requisite length from a longer work is also permissible. 

This work should demonstrate your ability to write a good academic document though it does not need to be related to the proposed area of study.

The word count should not include any bibliography or brief footnotes.

Your written work will be assessed for:

• a comprehensive understanding of the subject area, including problems and developments in the subject
• your ability to construct and defend an argument
• your aptitude for analysis and expression
• your ability to present a reasoned case in proficient academic English
• your ability to write in a manner that demonstrates critical thinking and curiosity

Email: [email protected]

Tel: +44 (0)1865 614963