Sustainable DevelopmentForbairt Inbhuanaithe

Sustainable Development is at the heart of environmental, social and economic policies being developed and enacted by business, state and NGOs. This course, which includes a work placement, provides a broad knowledge and understanding of sustainable development including the issues, techniques, management and applications relevant to the living and working environment.

Aims

• The course aims to provide graduates with the skills and ability to interpret principles of sustainable development and translate these into policy responses.
  
  
• Each course entrant brings an expertise based on prior learning and or work experience. The MSc Sustainable Development is structured to build on and deepen your knowledge and allow you apply the principles and practices of sustainable development in your own field of expertise or employment. The course also offers you the chance to deepen your knowledge in chosen areas of energy, environment, community development or planning.

Honours Bachelor Degree in any relevant discipline at 2.2 grade or higher, or equivalent. Eligible candidates may be interviewed where work/career experience is being considered in lieu of academic qualifications.

Applications will be assessed based on your academic grades and may also take into account your work/life experience.

If English is not your first language you will need to provide evidence of your English language proficiency as detailed on our website. Applicants for this course should have a minimum IELTS (Academic Version) English Proficiency of 6.5 overall (or equivalent) with nothing less than 6 in each component.

Graduates are eligible for a wide range of posts in Irish and International enterprises, both public and private, in both the manufacturing and service sectors. Generally students tend to seek or get employment with the skills they developed in their primary degree but with the added advantage of having an in depth understanding of the process and application of sustainable development to environmental, economic or social sectors. With work placement and a suitable research dissertation you could develop the skills needed to help focus your career in a sector that is of particular interest to you.

• Boltz Sustainability Founder Dublin
• Green Schools, Green Travel Education Officer
• Sustainability Consultant, Paris Community Liaison Officer, EirGrid
• Greenlight Training, Sustainability Manager
• Green Schools, Green Campus Education Officer Meinhardt Group,
• Environmental Engineer PWC, Sustainability Manager
• Greenstreets, Environmental Sustainability Manager
• Danske Bank, Consultant
• Programme Manager at An Taisce
• Project Manager, DCU Ryan Academy for Entrepreneurship
• Marketing Officer at Codema - Dublin's Energy Agency
• Corporate Responsibility Consultant, Business in the Community
• Sustainable Urban Mobility Specialist at UN Habitat
• EU Energy Policy Advisor at Greenpeace, Brussels
• Client Manager at The Carbon Trust

General Structure

The MSc Sustainable Development is a part time course that runs over 15 months at the TU Dublin. Lectures take place on Wednesday, Thursday and Fridays in semesters 1 and 2. Mondays and Tuesdays are allocated to work placement.

You take 10 core 5credit modules, a 25 credit dissertation in semester 1 and 2 and choose three optional modules in semester 2.

The course is structured to provide a first semester of modules which gives all candidates the most current thinking about the core topics of sustainable development – in the areas of Environment, Society and Economy. Students select a research topic for their dissertation in semester 1 and do a module on research techniques.

A European study tour (Public policy in a European Context (semester 2) provides opportunities to visit and experience examples of best practice within Europe. The itinerary for the tour is prepared by the students and a limited amount of funding is available to meet travel costs.

Work Placement is an integral part of the course. All students are assisted in identifying an approved and monitored work placement. Placements change from year to year to reflect the student's interests.

The second semester consists almost entirely of optional modules that will help you develop an expertise in a particular aspect of sustainable development. You select 3 modules worth 5 credits from the suite of modules available to the course.

These modules run in the first semester unless indicated otherwise. 

• Ecology
• Climate Change and Policy Analysis
• Society and Sustainable Development
• Economy and Sustainable Development
• Spatial Planning and Sustainable Communities
• Transport and Urban Development
• Environmental Law and Institutions II
• Sust. Devel. & Public Policy in a European Context
• Research Techniques
• Dissertation
• Progress and Placement

15 months: 3rd week in September to mid-October

Structure: Lecture programme 30% of total annual hours allocation.

Work Experience: 20% of total annual hours allocation.

Study hours: 50% of total annual hours allocation.

Applications will open in February 2025

Non-EU Students

Non-EU students, not resident in Ireland, are not eligible to apply for part time programs that are delivered on-campus. Applications for part time courses that require on-campus attendance will not be processed and the application fee will not be refunded.