COURSE CURRICULUM

The Governance of Sustainability program is designed to equip students with the knowledge, skills, and perspective needed to address urgent global challenges related to the environment and sustainability. At its core, the program emphasizes environmental sustainability, focusing on conserving resources, maintaining long-term environmental quality, and ensuring the well-being of both present and future generations. Students are trained to become change agents by gaining in-depth understanding of environmental science and governance while also learning how to design effective, practical solutions. A key aim of the program is to prepare graduates to confront the Triple Planetary Crisis—climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution—by fostering the ability to integrate scientific insights, policy frameworks, and non-academic knowledge. This integration helps bridge the gap between science, policy, and practice, enabling students to make meaningful contributions to real-world sustainability challenges.The curriculum is structured across two years, balancing theoretical grounding with practical application. In the first year, students develop a strong foundation through transdisciplinary skills training (6 EC), qualitative research skills (6 EC), and four thematic courses (12 EC each) that address pressing sustainability topics. These include materials and the circular economy linked to institutions and policy cycles, biodiversity and ecosystems tied to decision-making and governance networks, climate change and energy transition in relation to global governance and multi-level analysis, and water and toxicity framed within the challenges of wicked problems. Together, these courses provide 48 EC of thematic depth while cultivating critical analytical skills.In the second year, students refine their expertise through quantitative research skills (8 EC), a collaborative Sustainability Challenge (10 EC), and electives (12 EC) tailored to individual interests. The program culminates with a substantial thesis research project (30 EC), allowing students to independently apply their acquired knowledge and skills to a complex sustainability issue. Altogether, the program offers a comprehensive, multidisciplinary framework to develop the next generation of sustainability leaders.