Capacity Building for a Thriving Future: Accredited sustainable business programmes

CISL’s postgraduate programmes equip students with the knowledge and skills to tackle the challenges and opportunities facing businesses today, and translate them into strategic business opportunities.

The programmes provide insights that can be applied directly into organisational practice and allow students to take a leadership positioning on sustainability for their organisation. These accredited programmes from the University of Cambridge are globally recognised, and can contribute to career development and progression.

Delivered part-time for working professionals, the programmes are designed to develop practical skills and solutions that can be transferred directly to your professional context. This approach is designed to enhance the value of the learning to your organisation from the outset of the programme. More information on the employer benefits can be found here.

Choice of duration and intensity

Our sustainable business programmes are available in three awards. All of the programmes excluding the Online Postgraduate Certificate incorporate residential workshops in Cambridge alongside synchronous and asynchronous online learning between residential workshops.

The three awards available are: 

The Master of Studies (MSt): This programme allows students to immerse themselves in sustainable business education assessed through organisation-focused assignments, a group project and a research dissertation/essay.

The MSt is available as both a ‘Continuous Route’, where students complete their Master’s over two years, and a ‘Flexible Route’’, where each part of the curriculum is taken in sequence over a maximum of ten years. Both routes provide the same learning outcomes, and networking opportunities. You can find out more about the progression routes here.

The Master’s (both continuous and flexible) are the only Postgraduate programmes that confer University of Cambridge College Membership.  

The Postgraduate Certificate (PgCert or PCSB): This programme is designed for those looking to gain Master’s level education in a shorter format over 9-months, either as a recognised and accredited standalone qualification or as part of the flexible route to the Master’s qualification.  

The core focus of the PCSB is the same as the MSt, and is available in blended (residential and remote) and fully online formats. PCSB Blended students are able to focus their study on either sustainable business, value chains or finance streams, allowing their assignments to reflect the practical requirements of their professional role. PCSB Online students have a choice of thematic focus for the first part or the programme. 

The Postgraduate Certificate is a recognised Master’s level qualification, sometimes  referred to as a mini-Master’s. As we explain here, it should not be confused with the certificates of completion that may be issued for participating in non-accredited course. There are many benefits to studying a Postgraduate Certificate. You can find out more about what is required for the accredited Certificate here.

PCSB alumni/students can apply to progress their studies via the Postgraduate Diploma (flexible route) or to join the MSt continuous route.  

The Postgraduate Diploma (PgDip): The Diploma builds on the learning of the PCSB, combining a practical focus with academic rigour, and exploring innovations in sustainable business. Diploma students join with MSt students for their residential workshops and are assessed through an academic case study and literature review assignments.  

Applicants apply first to the PCSB and then apply to progress to the Diploma. 

Find out more about our Sustainable Business postgraduate programmes

Want to know more? 

Compare key course elements and details via our programme overview and comparison table, frequently asked questions are answered here and find out what the difference is between an MSc and an MSt. Join CISL Course Directors for our monthly Meet the Director webinars, where you will gain an overview of our programmes and admissions processes and have opportunity to post your questions to be answered live.