Integrating different academic perspectives

Environmental sustainability challenges are complex and cut right across disciplines. In this master’s you will gain in-depth knowledge on environmental science and governance, and the skills to integrate these insights and craft effective solutions. This will equip you with the knowledge and understanding to tackle the Triple Planetary Crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. Most of the courses in the master’s programme are co-designed and mostly also co-taught by a teacher from the Science faculty and a teacher from the Faculty of Governance and Global Affairs.

Going beyond disciplines

You will learn to go beyond disciplines and academic perspectives. We will provide you with the skills to integrate different scientific disciplines as well as the knowledge of non-academic actors to bridge the gap between science, policy, and practice. Transdisciplinary is realized in cooperation between researchers and non-academic actors. This will enable you to tackle real-world problems, while considering scientific knowledge, as well as context-specific knowledge provided by other knowledge holders and stakeholders.

Crafting solutions

During the second year, you will follow the course Sustainability Challenge. Here you will work in an interdisciplinary team on a real-world sustainability problem, commissioned by an external party. There is a wide variety of subjects. In the academic year 2024-2025, our students are working on 12 different projects, of which three examples are:

• Hydrogen justice: social and ethical implications of importing green hydrogen from the global South
• Nature-based solutions for climate adaptation in the Dutch infrastructure construction sector
• Our Food: Regaining our voice and choice in the food system

Throughout the first year of the master’s, students strengthen skills such as collaboration, project management, stakeholder outreach and critical thinking. In the Sustainability Challenge you get the chance to put this into practice. You will conduct interdisciplinary research and will craft practical solutions to the sustainability problem. At the end of the course, you will present your findings at the Sustainability Challenge Symposium.

Career prospects

With an MSc degree in Governance of Sustainability, you are well prepared for a career in the field of sustainability, working with or for governments, at consultancies or companies, or pursuing a career in a research institute or university. Key policy areas include water management, agriculture and renewable energy. Read more about what our graduates do on our website.

Additional Information

Start date: September
Duration: 2 years
Degree: Master of Science (MSc)
Location: The Hague
Language: English
Mode of study: Fulltime

Contact information: studyadvisor-gofs@cml.leidenuniv.nl

Website: www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/education/study-programmes/master/governance-of-sustainability