International Master’s Programme in Environment, Sustainability and Global Development
Huddinge, Sweden
Master degree
DURATION
2 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
15 Jan 2027
EARLIEST START DATE
16 Oct 2026
TUITION FEES
SEK 144,000 / per year *
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* tuition fees do not include living expenses, such as accommodation, food, course literature, etc.
Key Summary
About: This International Master's Programme in Environment, Sustainability and Global Development at Södertörn University offers a multidisciplinary study of environmental politics and ecosystem management. You’ll examine policy, ecosystem management, global development and societal impacts of environmental research, including democracy and values. The programme develops analytical skills and theoretical approaches for sustainability transformations. Södertörn is a state-governed, multicultural university in Flemingsberg, 14 km south of Stockholm, founded in 1996.
Career Outcomes: The programme prepares you for roles in the private sector, NGOs and public administration and leads to doctoral studies. Jobs include environmental policy analyst, sustainability consultant, ecosystem manager and researcher.
A multidisciplinary approach to issues surrounding the environment and sustainability
Are you interested in learning more about issues relevant to a sustainability transformation, such as policy, ecosystem management, and global development, or the potential impact of environmental research on societal values, such as democracy? This Master’s programme offers you the opportunity to specialise in environmental politics or ecosystem management. It focuses on helping you develop a multidisciplinary knowledge base, analytical skills, and the ability to use theoretical approaches to major environmental and sustainability issues.
The broad scope of this programme, in which issues related to environmental sustainability, politics, and global development are studied in a holistic way, is a good preparation for subsequent employment or for further research. It also offers you the opportunity to identify and reflect on your own knowledge and attitudes in relation to different theories and ideas in the environmental sciences, generating both personal and academic development.
This two-year Master’s degree programme combines natural and social sciences, focusing on multidisciplinary knowledge and skills, and has two specialisations: 1) Environment, Politics, and Global Development; 2) Ecosystem Management, Biodiversity and Climate Change. Some courses are common to both specialisations, including the final Master’s dissertation, courses on research methods applied to Environmental Science, as well as courses on environmental planning and on environmental risks. It is possible to receive a one-year Master’s degree, completing a 15-credit dissertation in the second semester.
The specialisation in Environment, Politics, and Global Development draws attention to factors that include complex interactions and justice in global governance and decision-making. An important part of this specialisation trains you to communicate complex scientific arguments in ways that are adapted to different audiences.
Ecosystem Management, Biodiversity and Climate Change targets ecosystem-based, multidimensional approaches that include the ecological, social, and economic aspects of resilient and sustainable social-ecological systems. There is a focus on understanding the role of ecosystem services in planning and decision-making for sustainable governance, the role of the EU in contemporary environmental governance, and implementing the UN’s global sustainability goals.
Environment, Politics, and Global Development
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Ecosystem Management, Biodiversity and Climate Change
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Course design
Most courses on the programme are based around lectures and seminars given by researchers and guest lecturers from the university and external organisations. Group projects have members from different disciplines and are presented orally and in writing, developing international and interdisciplinary communication skills.
Theoretical models and empirical data are brought together in a hands-on manner, using pressing environmental and sustainability issues as examples. There is an emphasis on integrative and reflective discussion. The final semester of the programme focuses on the production of a 30-credit dissertation.
There is a growing need for professionals who can adopt multidisciplinary perspectives when dealing with issues relating to the environment and natural resources. The broad scope of this programme, where issues related to sustainable social-ecological systems, politics and global development are studied in a holistic way, is a good preparation for subsequent employment, spanning from the private sector (from small-scale enterprise to large corporations), over national and international NGOs, to politics and public administration at local, regional, national and international levels.
This Master’s programme will also provide you with the necessary qualification for doctoral studies in Environmental Science or equivalent disciplines.
Södertörn University Tuition Fee Waiver
The tuition fee waiver scholarship is aimed at students from countries outside the EU/EEA/Switzerland. The Swedish government distributes funding to higher education institutions, which in turn award scholarships to individual students. The tuition fee waiver is intended for Master level program studies at Södertörn University.