Master of Studies

The Master's helps to develop leaders who can respond effectively to the economic, social and environmental challenges facing the world and lead others to achieve positive change.

The Master of Studies (MSt) in Sustainability Leadership is a full Master’s degree, delivered part time over two years for working professionals. It is part of the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership's (CISL) mission to empower individuals and organisations to take leadership to tackle critical global challenges.

It is fully accredited by the University of Cambridge, and is delivered as an interdisciplinary programme by CISL, drawing on academic expertise from, among others Departments of Engineering, Geography, Land Economy and the Cambridge Judge Business School.

Both academic excellence and practical application in a business context are prioritised in the competitive selection process, and in the design and delivery of the programme. Assessment is through short practical assignments and an extended research dissertation.

The programme celebrates its 13th cohort in 2022, and attracts an exceptional calibre of senior and mid-career leaders from all across the world, and a range of business sectors. Applicants may wish to formalise their credentials as sustainability professionals, or gain a better understanding of how sustainability risks and opportunities apply to mainstream business functions. We likewise appeal to leaders from the not-for-profit or public sectors who wish to work together with the private sector to address sustainability challenges. Scholarships and bursaries are available for eligible students

"The MSt has enabled me to access a wealth of inputs, literature, speakers, tutors, and importantly fellow students to provide a view of the whole landscape-when it is too easy in a busy role to only be able to have sight of a local situation. My new global network of colleagues will be the gift which keeps giving as we all continue with our work in the future."

Deb Conner, COO, The Social Mobility Foundation 

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Postgraduate Diploma in Sustainable Business

The Postgraduate Diploma in Sustainable Business is part of CISL’s mission to empower individuals and organisations to take leadership to tackle critical global challenges.

More specifically, it aims to provide an academically grounded, highly participatory and applied forum for learning around topical sustainability issues, to help professionals:

• Develop understanding and application of tools and techniques based around co-creating solutions, collaboration, innovation and design
• Contribute to professional debate about sustainability issues with colleagues from other job functions
• Engage and challenge sustainability ‘tools’ analysing their suitability to address their own organisational challenges
• Hone leadership skills in order to effectively respond to organisational / sectoral sustainability challenges.’

Bursaries are available for eligible students

"The course gave me the confidence to introduce sustainability as part of my organisation’s discourse and the ability to articulate the potential for change."

John Midgley, BGS UKGEOS Technical Manager, Energy Geoscience Ltd

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Postgraduate Certificate in Sustainable Business

The Postgraduate Certificate in Sustainable Business (PCSB) is a 9-month Master's-level postgraduate programme, delivered part time for working professionals.

The programme is designed to strengthen leadership skills, help professionals embed sustainability in thier organisation or across their supply chain to achieve positive, transformative change.

There are two streams available depending on role and discipline, professional interests and learning needs: Organisational stream or Value Chains and Markets stream. 

Bursaries are available for eligible students

“I signed up for a course and left with a new network.”

Helen McTaggart, Senior Sustainability Manager, Amazon

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Part-time and cost-effective

We understand the demanding work schedules you face. Providing the Master's in Sustainability Leadership, Postgraduate Diploma in Sustainable Business and Postgraduate Certificate in Sustainable Business as part-time courses, with in-residence modules as well as online learning, you achieve the best of both worlds without sacrificing existing commitments.

Whether personally financed or employer-sponsored, we know that investing in your professional education is a big decision. While excellent value for a University of Cambridge and industry accredited qualification, we offer a range of options for scholarship and bursaries to help participants overcome financial barriers.

Unrivalled credibility

The Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) is a globally influential institute based at the University of Cambridge, with HRH The Prince of Wales as Royal Founding Patron. With more than 30 years’ experience of developing interdisciplinary leadership for a sustainable economy across multinationals, governments and individuals around the world, CISL’s delivery of these part-time courses provides unrivalled sustainability credibility.