This multidisciplinary course integrates and evaluates environment, health, and sustainability issues within the natural and built environment. The course structure is based on a 90 ECTS model, consisting of 60 ECTS from taught modules and a 30 ECTS research project.

The curriculum combines theory, policy, and practical experience. It offers research-led learning opportunities aimed at developing skills in identifying and evaluating sustainable solutions for real-world environmental problems. Students are encouraged to adopt an informed, creative, and innovative approach to problem-solving through scene setting lectures, site visits, and practical work.

This ‘Curriculum Information’ is an automatic sync with Akari and displays the current academic year curriculum as represented in AKARI. The next update to this will take place in Aug/Sept 2025 when the new academic year information is rolled over on AKARI. There are a couple of important notes on this:

• The information that was inputted into AKARI by the Apr 2024 deadline is what is currently appearing on the course pages. This will carry over to the new template. 
• Any changes that are made throughout the year on Quercus are fed into Blackboard but not AKARI, therefore will not be presented on the course page of the website. Manual updates are not possible to the curriculum information that is synced between Akari and website. 
• You may notice that the AKARI Curriculum Information is not displaying at all on your course page. Please advise us of this and the sync can be turned back ‘on’. 
• There are some courses where the AKARI feed is not suitable for display (due to complex course structures etc.). For these courses, the previous section ‘What will I study?’ will be the place where detail should be added. 
• In time this will be replaced with CourseLeaf content.

• Unique Combined Focus: Are you interested in conserving nature, promoting resilience and developing innovative solutions to the global environmental crisis? Do you want to learn from inspiring architects, engineers, planners and ecologists and experience real-life examples? If you want to learn how to evaluate difficult choices and make sustainable decisions, the MSc Sustainable Environments is the course for you.  
• Futures impacts: Graduates have gone on to forge careers in making developments more sustainable or conserving nature and managing ecosystems, or work with communities to find solutions to global challenges at a local level.
• Proximity to nature-rich sites; including biodiverse campus for field classes: Given our campus stretches along the River Corrib, our protected and nature-rich campus is our living lab. As well as Lough Corrib, we can easily access high nature value sites along the western seaboard, such as the Burren, and Connemara. Students receive hands-on practical experience, including field and laboratory work, such as environmental sensitivity mapping.
• Industry-Informed Design: The course structure was developed based on consultation with prospective employers in both the private and public sectors.
• Cross-Sector Employability: The program provides training in cross-sector skills and competences that support national and international occupational mobility and enable graduates to work in and lead multidisciplinary teams, and make an impact in the sustainability sector.
• Policy and Legislation: Training provides comprehensive knowledge regarding international directives and national legislation that apply from land to sea, and the legal frameworks that underpin them.
• Scientific Leadership: The curriculum is designed to develop the capacity and capability for scientific leadership and solution-focussed approaches relevant to graduates' career trajectories.

Graduates with this qualification pursue diverse careers in the public, private, and voluntary sectors. There is a wide range of job opportunities available.

Sample Roles and Sectors:

• Sustainability Advisors: Including roles such as sustainable transport advisors, sustainable city advisors, sustainable housing advisors, and sustainable energy advisors.
• Consultancy: Graduates work in environmental, agri-environmental, and sustainability consultancies.
• Government/Policy: Employment opportunities exist within national, regional, and local government sectors, as well as roles in policy development.
• Education: Graduates go on to work in sustainability education.
• Corporations: Sustainability or biodiversity officers in companies and corporations.

The course provides graduates with the competences necessary to obtain employment in environmental consultancy and policy development. Graduates also have the option to proceed to further research (PhD level).

• Dr Oisin Callery
• Dr Caitriona Carlin
• Dr Una Fitzgerald
• Dr Jamie Goggins
• Dr Robert Kennedy
• Dr Gesche Kindermann
• Dr Marcus Keane
• Prof Dearbhaile Morris
• Dr Liam Morrison
• Dr Daniel Norton
• Dr Tom van Rensburg
• Dr Christina Tadiri

How will I learn?  

Students benefit from research-led learning opportunities. The learning experience encourages an informed, creative, and innovative approach to problem solving. Learning includes:

• Scene setting lectures, site visits, and practical work.
• Field trips to learn from the practical experience of professionals are an essential element.
• Opportunities to experience challenges in the campus and in the field.
• Students develop competencies in both individual and group-based project scoping, development, and conclusion. They also maintain a reflective journal to manage, assess, and reflect on their learning process.

How Will I Be Assessed?

Assessment is module specific but is primarily conducted through continual assessment, assignment, and project work. The overall combination of coursework and assessments provides a rational balance for students to excel. The major assessment component is the 30 ECTS Research Project in Semester 3.

Course queries:
helena.martin@universityofgalway.ie 

Programme Director(s):
Dr Caitriona Carlin/Dr Robert Kennedy
School of Natural Sciences and the Ryan Institute
College of Science and Engineering
E: caitriona.carlin@universityofgalway.ie/bob.kennedy@universityofgalway.ie

University of Galway recognises that knowledge and skills can be acquired from a range of learning experiences. This is in line with the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) goals which aim to recognise all learning achievements by supporting the development of alternative pathways to qualifications (or awards) and by facilitating the recognition of prior learning (RPL).

The Programme Board for Sustainable Environments will consider non-standard applications, where both the appropriate discipline and required relevant experience are at the discretion of the Programme Board.

Further information is available on the University’s Recognition of Prior Learning website

Graduates of the MSc in Sustainable Environments will acquire key knowledge and transferable skills that they can utilize in any workplace, whether in academia or industry. Graduates develop the capacity for scientific leadership and solution-based approaches. Key skills include:

• Advanced problem solving, management, analytical and communication skills.
• The ability to apply analytical and technical skills required for research and application in a range of ecosystems.
• Planning, organising and controlling activities to ensure successful project completion.
• Data assessment skills necessary to inform decision-making and management.
• Communicating results of monitoring, research and innovation, and engaging the public on biodiversity literacy.
• Transversal and multidisciplinary skills essential for national and international occupational mobility.

Minimum Entry Requirements 

Usually, 2.1 honours (or equivalent) in a related subject area is the minimum academic standard, though 2.2 students (or equivalent) with relevant experience will also be considered. The Programme Board will consider non-standard applications. The appropriate discipline and required relevant experience are at the discretion of the Programme Board.

Academic entry requirements standardised per country are available here. 

English Language Entry Requirements

For applicants whose first language is not English, an English language proficiency of IELTS score of 6.5 is required (with no less than 6.5 in Writing and no less than 6.0 in any other band) or equivalent. 

More information on English language test equivalency are available here.

Supporting Documents 

You will be required to provide supporting documentation as part of your application. You can check here what supporting documents are required for this course.  

You can apply online to the University of Galway application portal here. 

Please review the entry requirements set out in the section above.

You will be required to upload supporting documentation to your application electronically. See the section above on entry requirements for further information on the supporting documentation required for this course.

Closing Dates

For this programme, there is no specific closing date for receipt of applications. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis and course quotes will be reviewed continuously throughout the application cycle.

Notes

• You will need an active email account to use the website and you'll be guided through the system, step by step, until you complete the online form.

Browse the FAQ's section for further guidance. 

Fees for Academic Year 2026/27

This scholarship is valued at €1,500 for EU students applying for full-time taught master's postgraduate courses. You will be eligible if:

• You have been accepted to a full-time taught master's course at University of Galway,
• You have attained a first class honours (or equivalent) in a Level 8 primary degree.

An application for the scholarship scheme is required (separate to the application for a place on the programme). The application portal for 2026 is now open and available here. Applications will close on the 30th September 2026. Full details available here.

Global Scholarships  (standard text for all courses)
University of Galway offers a range of merit-based scholarships to students from a number of countries outside of the EU. Visit here for schemes currently available.

Students applying for full time postgraduate programmes from outside of the European Union (EU), You can apply online to the University of Galway application portal here. 

Our application portal opens on the 1^st October each year for each the following September.   

Further Information

Please visit the postgraduate admissions webpage for further information on closing dates, documentation requirements, application fees and the application process.