Social Change, Environment and Sustainability MA

Year of entry: 2025

Course length: 12 months Full-time | 24 months Part-time

About the course

The MA in Social Change, Environment, and Sustainability program at the University of Manchester responds to the urgent need for social change to address climate change and sustainability goals. It equips graduates with the skills to lead in transformative processes and combines sociology with environmental and social change studies.

The program explores sociological perspectives on topics like energy use, climate change, the global food system, biodiversity, and green growth. It provides theoretical and empirical understanding of social change, research methods, and design. Graduates will be prepared to tackle complex problems at the intersection of socio-economic systems and the environment.

The University of Manchester is a top-ranked institution for sociology and sustainability, offering a unique program that fills a skills gap in social sciences. Graduates can pursue careers in environmental consultancy, corporate social responsibility, sustainability communications, government, and policy, think tanks, NGOs, and the third sector.

See the full course profile on our website >

Be part of a Sociology department ranked Top 5 in the UK and Top 30 worldwide

(Times Higher Education Rankings 2024)

We're top in the UK and Europe, and 2nd best university in the world for our global social and environmental impact.

(THE Impact Rankings 2024)

Our graduates are among the most targeted by top UK employers

(High Fliers 2024)

Compulsory Units

The Sociology of Environment and Sustainability
Understanding Social Change for Environment and Sustainability
Research Strategy and Project Management
MA Dissertation

Optional Units

Environmental Activism and Advocacy
Science, Sustainability and Society
Urban Sociology
Postcolonial Theory and Politics
Sociology of Consumption

These are examples of units offered in 2023/24 and are subject to change.

See the full list of units and find out more on the full course profile >

Where will your degree take you?

There is a significant under-provision of social science postgraduates with the specific subject expertise of social change for sustainability. This skills gap is despite the strong emphasis in both government, private and third sector organisations on behavioural, organisational and social change.

This programme is one of the few in the country that addresses this skills gap, and the only one in the UK which specifically blends Sociology with environment, sustainability, and social change. It will equip you with the research training, knowledge, and skills both for employment in a variety of fields and for PhD research.

You will also gain highly-valued employability skills such as digital literacy, group work, data handling, communication, presentation and writing skills.

It is expected that graduates from this course will be well-equipped for careers in fields such as environmental and sustainability consultancy; corporate social responsibility; sustainability communications; government, think tanks and policy; and NGOs and the third sector.

Dr Kevin Gillian

Senior Lecturer in Sociology

“The University of Manchester has created this new MA in Social Change, Environment and Sustainability for two reasons.

One is to bring a social scientific perspective into the solution of environmental problems.

And second, to meet a rising student demand among those students who want to help solve environmental problems and want to do so from a background in the social sciences. So we're looking for students who are first and foremost passionate about the issues. I think that motivation is key for students to do well."