MA Education for a Sustainable Environment

If you’re considering a master’s at Manchester, there are a range of ways you can connect with us to find out more.

• Taught master's information sessions
• Taught master's guided campus visits
• Study fairs in the UK
• Education fairs overseas

For more information, see our page on meeting us .

Please submit the following documents with your completed application form:

• copies of English Language Certification, such as IELTS, TOEFL or Pearson test score report;
• copies of official degree certificates and transcripts of your previous study, showing the subjects taken and grades obtained. If these documents are in languages other than English, please provide official translations;
• your CV;
• a personal statement.

All applications must include a personal statement. This statement plays an important part in the admissions decision. In the personal statement, you should introduce yourself, state why you are interested in Sustainability Education, and explain how doing this MA degree can benefit you professionally and/or how it can benefit your own home community and/or your country. The personal statement should be approximately 500 words in length.

Ensure that you enclose all the necessary documents to avoid any delays.

MA Education for a Sustainable Environment provides you with knowledge, insights and competencies to become effective and creative practitioners, policy makers, researchers and communicators in the field of sustainability education.

Situated in the School of Environment, Education and Development, the course offers an environment for interdisciplinary exploration of the interconnected ecological, economic, political, historical and social dimensions of local and global sustainability challenges. It will enhance your critical awareness and knowledge of the relationship between education and a sustainable environment to support learning and research in communities, ethically and responsibly.

The programme also engages with Indigenous knowledge systems, recognising their value in shaping sustainable practices and enriching diverse approaches to education.

This MA has been designed for educational practitioners and policy makers, addressing the need to integrate sustainability education as a learning outcome in formal, informal and professional education settings. You will become part of a research-oriented, international community, working with expert tutors, practitioners, and 'movement makers' equipping you with the skills to realise this integration in practice.

To find out more about the course and hear from students, watch the 2025 Online Master Class .

• Experience an innovative blended pedagogy designed to support sustainability and flexibility.
• Join a unique MA format where on-campus and distance students attend classes together in real-time via video conferencing tools.
• Engage in face-to-face teaching in Manchester while connecting with peers across the globe as an on-campus student.
• Take up volunteering opportunities with local environmental organisations to gain work experience in the sector.
• Participate in scheduled classes online as a distance learner, with real-time interaction with Manchester-based students and staff.
• Benefit from a rich academic tradition – Education has been a discipline of study at Manchester since 1890.

Important notice: factors affecting fieldwork and placements

The School of Environment, Education and Development (SEED) recognises the value of fieldwork and placements. However, the safety and wellbeing of our students and staff remains our priority.

The School will assess on a regular basis the viability of any travel and fieldwork and communicate any significant changes to our students at the earliest possible opportunity.

The role of SEED

• changes to the rules and guidance on travel and activities implemented and published by the UK and overseas governments;
• a risk assessment conducted by or on behalf of the University identifying unmanageable risk;
• changes that enhance the educational value and student experience of the activity;
• changes to the situation of a placement provider (for example, which cause them to be unable to accept students);
• the unavailability of appropriate insurance cover;
• the unavailability of appropriate travel and accommodation and any significant changes to their financial costs;
• where fieldwork and placements are a compulsory element of the Programme, they will be replaced with something academically similar;
• where a trip or placement is not a compulsory element of the Programme, it may not be replaced.

We will consult with affected students at the earliest possible opportunity and explore the options available to them.

The duty of students

Preparation, attendance and conduct

Attendance at preparatory classes is a compulsory pre-requisite of the fieldwork and placements to ensure safety and learning outcomes are met.

Students who do not attend the compulsory preparatory classes may be prevented from participating in the fieldwork or placement. It is the duty of students to discuss any attendance issues with the field course or placement convenor.

Students are representatives of the university during their fieldwork or placement. Behaviour deemed by the convenor to be unacceptable may result in students being sent home.

Where a student is unable to attend or complete the fieldwork or placement (e.g. due to mitigating circumstances), is prevented from attending due to absence from compulsory preparatory classes, or returned home due to poor conduct:

• a suitable alternative assessment will be offered (as appropriate) to ensure that the programme ILOs are met, and that the student is not academically disadvantaged;
• the University accepts no responsibility for any costs incurred by the student in relation to the fieldwork or placement.

Immigration, passport and visa requirements

It is the responsibility of the individual student to ensure they have:

• a valid passport to enter the destination country (including sufficient months prior to expiry);
• a valid visa (where required) and comply with its requirements.

The School cannot guarantee that visas required for fieldwork or a placement will be granted by the relevant authority. Please note that countries may change their immigration and visa regulations at short notice.

Where a student is unable to attend fieldwork or a placement because they do not have the required visa or passport:

• a suitable alternative assessment will be offered to ensure that the programme ILOs are met and that the student is not academically disadvantaged;
• the University accepts no responsibility for any costs incurred by the student in relation to the fieldwork or placement.

Assessments will be real-world oriented, will emphasise real-world impact and communication of results. Assessment of the core course units will encourage group-based work, including the dissertation stage. Students will have the opportunity to choose from options for each assessment as they build a portfolio that can help them in their future work. 

The form of assessment varies by course unit and may include written assignments (reports and/or critical reviews), portfolios, presentations and practice-oriented activity. The MA values formative feedback from tutors, peer-peer feedback, and feedback from professionals in the field.

The dissertation element of the MA is worth 60 credits and may be completed as a traditional 60 credit dissertation, and this may have an empirical, conceptual, evaluation, or professional focus. Alternatively, participants may satisfy the dissertation requirement through the completion of two linked parts, each one addressing one of the four listed foci. Indicative dissertations, or dissertation parts, include: 

• a research project and report (building on the earlier completed 'Planning and Piloting Research in Sustainability' course unit) (Empirical);
• theorising an aspect of sustainability education in a particular context, or more broadly (Conceptual);
• an evaluation of the current state of sustainability education practice, policy and/or research in a particular setting (Evaluation);
• a context-specific and/or client-based sustainability education project (Professional).

“The MA in Sustainability Education is more than an academic qualification. It has transformed my view of the world and created a platform for me to take meaningful action.

The programme has equipped me with the tools to influence change, engage and empower communities, and contribute to the future of sustainability education in the UK."
- Claire Gilbert, MA Education for a Sustainable Environment

The course is taught by the Manchester Institute of Education (MIE) which has its own Student Hub. Here you'll find all your teaching staff and support staff as well as a place to relax with fellow students.

MIE is based in the University's Ellen Wilkinson building, which is centrally located on the University's Oxford Road campus, close to the Main Library, Alan Gilbert Learning Commons and the Students' Union.

Manchester Institute of Education (MIE) graduates go on to shape education policy and practice. This MA is designed to develop careers in the area of Sustainability Education, including taking on new or more senior professional roles related to sustainability education in educational, government, private and/or voluntary/non-government sectors.

Graduates from the programme should be prepared and able to take on leadership, practitioner, research and professional roles in:

• formal and informal educational settings;
• professional learning and training settings;
• media and communications training roles;
• local, national and international governmental and NGO organisations;
• academic and other research settings.

Careers support

The University has its own dedicated Careers Service that you would have full access to as a student and for two years after you graduate. At Manchester you will have access to a number of opportunities to help boost your employability .

Careers support for international students

The Careers Service provide specialist resources, advice and events for international students to help with career planning and making the most of your time while studying in Manchester.

• Working in the UK after study
• Working during study
• Professional and alumni networks for international students

Global networks

The University of Manchester is proud to have the largest global alumni community of any campus-based university in the UK.

International alumni groups are a great way to keep in touch with fellow Manchester graduates in your country, and provide an opportunity to build professional and social networks.