Sustainability is a social challenge requiring changes to human decision-making, behaviours, consumption patterns and governance systems. But too often society is left out of the conversation. It’s often assumed that new technologies are all that’s needed to solve sustainability challenges and that society must simply get on with accepting them. In practice, attempts to develop sustainability solutions without societal involvement routinely lead to costly delays, solutions that fail to deliver on their potential, the abandonment of projects, and the gradual erosion of public trust. The truth is that there can be no such thing as sustainability without society.
A new MSc in Sustainability and Society created by the 3S Research Group in the School of Environmental Sciences at UEA will explore the social science of sustainability, helping students to develop sustainability solutions that work for society. This brand-new MSc course tackles the sustainability challenge head on. It will equip students with the conceptual knowledge and practical skills necessary to start developing sustainability solutions with and for society. A core part of the programme will involve students working alongside external partners to develop, deliver and evaluate socially sensitive sustainability interventions. Students will develop real-world experience and build their professional networks, giving them the chance to pursue careers across the business, policy and NGO sectors.
This innovative new MSc is one of very few around the world that focus specifically on understanding and improving relations between science, society and sustainability. Closely connected to the cutting-edge research conducted in the UKERC Public Engagement Observatory, the programme will introduce students to new ideas and approaches from social science disciplines such as science and technology studies (STS), human geography and sociology. Students will then have the chance to specialise by applying what they learn across a huge range of sustainability challenges, such as energy, climate change, AI and emerging technologies, biodiversity and conservation, water, food and much more.
The course is led by Dr Tom Hargreaves, an Associate Professor in the 3S group at UEA and Observatory co-investigator. He said: “It’s vital that society is involved in both helping to understand what the most pressing sustainability challenges are, as well as in developing solutions to try and solve them. I’m really excited to be leading this new MSc programme as it will provide students with a rare opportunity to understand how sustainability and society must go hand-in-hand. The programme will equip students with the skills and experience necessary to be at the forefront of efforts to develop sustainability solutions that work for society.”
The MSc programme is based in the School of Environmental Sciences at UEA which has been a world leader in developing global sustainability solutions for over 50 years. The School of Environmental Sciences was ranked 1st for research in Geography and Environmental Science in the Sunday Times & Complete University Guide league tables (2025). In the new QS World University Rankings for Sustainability, UEA is proud to have become a world top-60 university, reflecting its commitment to tackling the world’s greatest environmental, social and governance challenges.
Find more information about the new MSc programme and how to apply here.