KTH Royal Institute of Technology
MSc Sustainable Digitalisation
Stockholm, Sweden
MSc
DURATION
2 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
Aug 2027
TUITION FEES
SEK 360,000 *
STUDY FORMAT
* for non-EU/EEA/Swiss | no tuition fee for citizens of EU/EEA country or Switzerland
Key Summary
About: The MSc Sustainable Digitalisation at KTH Royal Institute of Technology trains you to lead digital transformation for a regenerative society. You’ll study systems thinking, permacomputing, regenerative design, more-than-human perspectives, post-colonial critiques, communication, co-creation and organizational leadership. Teaching uses deliberative, collaborative and co-creative methods in Stockholm.
Career Outcomes: Graduates access career opportunities in the private and public sectors as sustainability consultants, digital transformation strategists, product managers, policy advisors, systems designers, researchers or PhD candidates. Employers include tech firms, consultancies, gaming, transport, energy, public authorities and companies like Ericsson, Telia, Spotify, IKEA, Scania, Skanska, Google and Microsoft and doctoral study paths.
The master's programme in Sustainable Digitalisation will give you the skills to lead complex processes and use digitalisation to support a regenerative transformation towards a sustainable society. You will strengthen your abilities in critical thinking, communication, co-creation, organisational leadership and integrated problem-solving. Graduates are experts with career opportunities in both the private and public sectors.
Sustainable Digitalisation at KTH
The master’s programme in Sustainable Digitalisation prepares you to tackle today’s major sustainability challenges by using digital technologies in strategic and impactful ways. Digitalisation is a powerful driver of societal change. It offers the potential to build resilience for a complex and uncertain future, but it can also be problematic if it speeds up unsustainable trends. You’ll gain a deep understanding of global issues and learn how digitalisation can support the transition to a sustainable and just society.
These skills are increasingly important as the world faces interconnected crises that pose serious risks to life on Earth. Many of these are wicked problems, with no simple technical solutions. That’s why the programme goes beyond technical problem-solving: it trains you to become a leader in navigating complex change processes and driving long-term, systemic transformation.
The programme will teach you both technical aspects of sustainable digital technologies and organisational skills required to navigate complexity and uncertainty. You will develop leadership skills and key competencies such as systems thinking, communication, self-awareness, visioning, co-creation, organisational leadership and integrated problem-solving. Courses will also engage with emerging topics such as permacomputing, regenerative design, more-than-human worlds, post-colonialism and the tension between economic growth and ecological sustainability.
The programme welcomes students from all engineering programmes at the KTH School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, as well as students with diverse backgrounds from across Sweden and abroad. It also incorporates a wide range of teaching methods, including deliberative, co-creative, and collaborative activities. Students are active participants who take shared responsibility for their own and each other's learning. This aspect, combined with the rich international environment, prepares them for careers worldwide and lifelong learning.
Studying this unique master’s in Sustainable Digitalisation at KTH means you will study at a leading European university in engineering education for sustainable development. Furthermore, its location in Stockholm, a global hub for innovation and sustainability, means you will benefit from strong connections to cutting-edge research and industry. No comparable master’s programme exists in Europe, offering a fantastic opportunity for students to become leaders in an emerging field with rapidly growing demand and necessity.
The courses in the programme cover topics such as sustainable digitalisation, sustainable and critical approaches to technology development, ecological and social sustainability, sustainable development, strategic leadership, organisational leadership, co-creation methods, life cycle assessment, systems analysis and perspectives, complexity studies and sustainable infrastructure.
Year 1
In addition to the list of recommended courses, courses in programming and computer science at the EECS School are recommended at the level that corresponds to the student's prior knowledge.
For students following a Master of Science in Engineering programme at KTH, there may be requirements for conditionally elective courses in the field of technology, in order to integrate the master's programme into the Master of Science in Engineering degree.
Mandatory Courses
- Life cycle assessment of IT products, services, and systems (AL2521) 7.5 credits
- Sustainability and Media Technology (DM2573) 7.5 credits
- Research Methods in Interactive Media Technology (DM2713) 7.5 credits
- Leading Complex Change Processes (DM2800) 7.5 credits
- Digitalisation and Sustainable Societal Transformation (DM2801) 7.5 credits
- Program Integrating Course in Sustainable Digitalisation (DM2802) 5 credits
- Sustainable Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Practice (DM2720) 7.5 credits
Recommended Courses
- Transdisciplinary Approaches for System Innovations (AL2115) 7.5 credits
- Global Development and Political Ecology (AL2121) 7.5 credits
- Smart Cities and Climate Mitigation Strategies- Project Based (MJ2685) 7.5 credits
- Environmental Management (AL2160) 7.5 credits
- Ecological Economics (AL2190) 7.5 credits
Year 2
In addition to the list of recommended courses, courses in programming and computer science at the EECS School are recommended at the level that corresponds to the student's prior knowledge.
For students following a Master of Science in Engineering programme at KTH, there may be requirements for conditionally elective courses in the field of technology, in order to integrate the master's programme into the Master of Science in Engineering degree.
Mandatory Courses
- Degree Project in Computer Science and Engineering, Specialising in Sustainable Digitalisation, Second Cycle (DA238X) 30 credits
- Transformative Change in Complex Systems, Project Course (DM2803) 15 credits
Recommended Courses
- Transdisciplinary Approaches for System Innovations (AL2115) 7.5 credits
- Environmental Management (AL2160) 7.5 credits
- Ecological Economics (AL2190) 7.5 credits
- Global Development and Political Ecology (AL2121) 7.5 credits
- Smart Cities and Climate Mitigation Strategies- Project Based (MJ2685) 7.5 credits
You will start the programme by learning essential leadership skills that will help you address complex change processes. Towards the end of the programme, you will tackle real-world challenges connected to digitalisation in a challenge-driven project course, building partnerships with industry and other relevant organisations. During the final semester, you will carry out a master's degree project in industry or an academic setting.
KTH Scholarships
KTH offers four different scholarship opportunities for master's studies. The KTH Scholarship covers the tuition fee of a one or two-year master’s programme. The KTH One-Year Scholarship is aimed at current KTH master's programme students and covers the tuition fee of the second year of studies. The KTH Joint Programme Scholarship is aimed at students in certain joint programmes and covers the tuition fee for the study period spent at KTH. The KTH India Scholarship is aimed specifically at students from India.
- KTH Scholarship
- KTH One-Year Scholarship
- KTH Joint Programme Scholarship
- KTH India Scholarship
Swedish Institute
SI Scholarship for Global Professionals
The SI Scholarship for Global Professionals covers the tuition fee for a master's programme and also includes living costs. It is open to students from 33 countries with previous work and leadership experience. You apply directly to SI after completing your application to KTH.
SI Scholarship Pioneering Women in STEM
The SI Scholarship Pioneering Women in STEM covers the tuition fee of a selection of master's programmes at KTH and also includes living costs. It is open to female students from Bangladesh, Indonesia, Kenya, Malaysia, Nigeria, the Philippines, Rwanda, South Africa, Thailand or Vietnam. You apply directly to SI after completing your application to KTH.
KTH associated scholarship organisations
KTH cooperates with the following organisations, providing scholarship opportunities for prospective KTH students.
- COLFUTURO (Programa Crédito Beca) for students from Colombia
- LPDP (Indonesia Endowment Fund for Education) for students from Indonesia
- FUNED for students from Mexico
- MESCYT for students from the Dominican Republic
- ANII for students from Uruguay
Scholarship portals
- IEFA database: The IEFA database offers a comprehensive scholarship search, grant listing, and international student loan programmes.
- Studyportals: The Studyportals scholarship database lists over 1,000 scholarships and grants for students worldwide applying for studies in the EU.
- Scholars4dev: Scholarships for Development is a database of scholarships open to students from developing countries.
- WeMakeScholars: WeMakeScholars helps students from India secure education loans from banks and NBFCs. They also list more than 26,000 international scholarships from different trusts, foundations, and the government. Bodies.
Deferment of student loans in the United States
KTH is an accredited institution at the US Department of Education and holds a Title IV 'Deferment Only' status (OPE ID 03274300). US students may defer payments on existing federal student loan accounts while enrolled in a master’s programme at KTH. The 'Deferment Only' status does not allow students to take out federal student loans for enrollment at KTH. However, the accreditation facilitates grant and loan opportunities for US students, as many private student loan institutions in the US use this designation as a requirement to grant new loans. Students who wish to defer payments must contact their lending institution in the US.
Digital technologies are a vital part of modern society’s infrastructure. While it’s important to reduce their material use, energy consumption, and carbon footprint, their greatest potential lies in enabling sustainability across other sectors. From energy and transport to agriculture and public services, digital solutions can drive meaningful change. Building sustainable societies requires strong capabilities to lead digital transformation in ways that support ecological, social, and economic sustainability. This master’s programme prepares you to be part of that transformation, equipping you not just with technical knowledge but also with the mindset to lead change. As a result, graduates are well-positioned for exciting career opportunities in both the private and public sectors.
There is growing interest in Sustainable Digitalisation from industry and society, including, for example, computer and design consultancies, the gaming industry, and public authorities. Many large Swedish and international companies explicitly support the shift to a fossil-free society, and this interest is expected to grow in the coming years. These companies include Ericsson, Telia, Spotify, IKEA, Scania, Skanska, Alfa Laval, Google, Microsoft, Oracle and British Telecom. The Swedish IT industry sees itself as an essential partner in this development. The industry trade organisation Digitalisation Consultants and its 24 member organisations (for example, Knowit, Semcon and Softronic) highlight the need for employees who understand climate and sustainability issues. The programme also has many connections to cutting-edge research at KTH and elsewhere, opening opportunities to pursue doctoral studies at KTH or other universities worldwide.