In the master's programme in sustainability studies, you learn about the connections between environmental concerns, energy production, and societal values, and how political, social, cultural, and technological factors influence the transition to a sustainable society.
2 years (4 semesters)
120
English
August every year
About the study programme
The master's programme in sustainability focuses on the challenges and opportunities related to the Paris Agreement and the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These challenges call for social scientists who understand both the technological, environmental, and socio-political contexts and conditions involved.
Learn about sustainability: The master's programme explores the societal challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss. You gain insight into how political, economic, cultural, and social factors both promote and hinder the transition to a sustainable society.
Understand the connections: Societies strive for sustainability, but the Earth's ecosystems are under great pressure. During your studies, you learn to analyse how environmental considerations, energy production, and societal values are interconnected.
Learn about global challenges: The programme covers the Paris Agreement and the UN's SDGs, and looks at social and political issues related to sustainable energy and low-carbon systems in diverse contexts.
Multidisciplinary approach: By combining social science with insights into energy technologies, you are equipped to analyse actors and material conditions for the transition to low-carbon societies. You can also specialize through elective courses or exchange studies.
Practical experience: In the third semester, you can choose our work-placement course and gain experience working with municipalities, companies, and organizations dealing with challenges related to sustainability.
This programme was previously called Energy, Environment, and Society. From the 2025 intake, it will be called Sustainability Studies.
In my working life, I have benefited most from understanding the interaction between social science and technological perspectives on transition.
Career opportunities
Career
With a master's degree in sustainability studies, you will be able to work with complex sustainability issues and energy transitions in various work environments. This degree qualifies you for work in public administration, the civil society sector, or private industry.
The demand for knowledge about sustainability and the connections between energy, environment, and society is constantly increasing. Here are some common roles and workplaces you can aim for:
- Consulting services: Advising on sustainability, energy, environment, and ESG criteria for companies and organizations in both the private and public sectors.
- Environmental policy analysis: Working for public agencies, non-governmental organizations, think tanks, and interest groups.
- Sustainability management: Implementing and monitoring sustainability initiatives in various organizations.
- Digitalization projects: Leading processes and projects that promote sustainability through digitalization.
- Analysis and marketing: Evaluating and promoting projects and technologies related to sustainability and renewable energy.
- Research: Working in the university sector or research departments in private and public organizations.
- Project management: Leading projects in sustainable development.
- Startups: Engaging in new companies and projects working with sustainability.
Further Studies
The program qualifies you to apply for doctoral programs.
Renewable energy is a large and complex field, and companies need employees who have a broad overview combined with technological and economic insight.
Work placement
In the third semester, you can choose the elective course «Work Placement».
You apply to the companies approved by UiS and the companies call desired cancicates for an interview, similar to a regular job application process. The companies themselves choose whom they want to offer a place to; you are not guaranteed a work placement even if you apply. If you are offered a work placement, you work in a 75% position for 15 weeks.
Companies previously accepted work placement students include nearby municipalities, Stavanger University Hospital, Kolumbus, Lyse, Nordic Edge, and Zero.
The work placement aims to increase the student's awareness of their role interacting with others in specific development and change tasks in working life. Furthermore, to be able to analyze situations and make use of various methods and theories to contribute to a desired change.
See the full course description for the elective work placement course.
Learning outcomes
All study programmes at the UiS have a set of defined learning targets. Read more about the learning outcome for this study programme.
In the study program, we aspire to promote the knowledge, skills, and competencies required to contribute to the strategies and solutions for a sustainable society. Graduates will after completion of the program have acquired the following learning outcomes, in terms of knowledge, skills, and general competences:
Knowledge
Students will have:
- Knowledge about Norwegian and international policies related to climate change mitigation and sustainability, such as the SDGs, as well as their application.
- Advanced knowledge about challenges, opportunities, and strategies related to energy systems and technologies, and how society can transform energy production and use in a more environmentally friendly direction.
- Advanced knowledge about the strategies and challenges associate with energy transitions, and how this affect and are affected by societal and political systems, structures, institutions, and geographies, as well as individual lives and beliefs.
- Advanced knowledge of theoretical and methodological approaches and traditions within the academic field, and the ability to use these to analyse relevant issues, policies, politics, and strategies related to sustainable energies, environments, and societies.
Skills
Students will be able to:
- Analyse relevant theories, methods, interpretations, and analyses, in an independent manner.
- Analyse and critically assess information from various sources to formulate scientific arguments and perform tasks related to sustainability challenges affecting societies and industries, such as the SDGs or environmental, social and governance principles.
- Apply theoretical and methodological approaches to identify, asses, and work independently and in teams on theoretical and practical problems related to sustainability.
- Work both independently and cooperate in groups to conduct rigorous research in accordance with scientific values, under supervision.
- Integrate different approaches, perceptions, and analyses related to sustainable energies, environments, and societies.
General competencies
Students will be able to:
- Interpret and analyse relevant academic, professional, and ethical issues across different subject areas related to sustainability (e.g. regulation, economics, environment, society, policies, and politics).
- Apply aquired knowledges and skills in new areas to conduct advanced tasks and projects.
- Communicate research problems, analyses, and conclusions, in accordance with scientific terminology.
- Facilitate cooperation towards sustainable solutions by communicating across divides between e.g. technical specialists, engineers, policy makers, the general public, and various interest groups.
- Contribute to advancing processes, strategies, and solutions for a sustainable society, in developing, designing, and implementing solutions to challenges around sustainability.
- Contribute to innovation, critical thinking, and reflection in research, policy, practices, and strategies for transitions to a low-carbon society.
Study plan and courses
Enrolment year: 2025
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Compulsary courses
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Societal Transition and Transformation - Energy and Climate Change
Year 1, semester 1
Societal Transition and Transformation - Energy and Climate Change (MEE100)
Study points: 10
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Philosophy of Science and Research Methods
Year 1, semester 1
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Energy, Energy Technologies, and Energy System Integration
Year 1, semester 1
Energy, Energy Technologies, and Energy System Integration (PET515)
Study points: 10
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Geopolitics of the Energy Transition
Year 1, semester 2
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Governing Energy Transitions
Year 1, semester 2
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Applied Social Science Research Methods
Year 1, semester 2
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Master Thesis
Year 2, semester 3
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3 term at UiS or exchange studies
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Exchange studies
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Term 3 at UiS - Choose 30 ECTS
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New Technologies and Ideas for Sustainable City Development
Year 2, semester 3
New Technologies and Ideas for Sustainable City Development (BYG655)
Study points: 10
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AI and Society
Year 2, semester 3
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Global Sexual Politics
Year 2, semester 3
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Green Transition
Year 2, semester 3
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Work Placement
Year 2, semester 3
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Energy, Societal Safety and Sustainable Development
Year 2, semester 3
Energy, Societal Safety and Sustainable Development (SAM550)
Study points: 10
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Student exchange
By going on exchange to one of our partner institutions abroad as part of your studies, you will have an opportunity to get a unique education. In addition to improving your career opportunities, you grow as a person and gain the ability to greater reflect on the topics you study as part of your degree.
Exchange semester
3rd semester
Students can study a semester abroad at one of our partner universities. Going on exchange is a great opportunity to experience a new environment and take courses not offered by UiS. Your semester abroad will be integrated into your degree, without your study progression being delayed.
Choosing courses
Throughout the recommended exchange semester, you are to take courses on Master-level equal to 30 ECTS. You have to apply for pre-approval of the courses through the Digital student service desk.
Some institutions have 30 ECTS credit course packages or “minors”. At other institutions, you can choose courses freely.
We recommend you to include more courses than the minimum 30 ECTS credits in your application, so that you have a number of courses to choose from.
Want to know more?
magda.hognestad@uis.nofor more information.
General information about exchange.
See where you can travel
Academic requirements
A bachelor's degree with a specialization of at least 80 ECTS credits in one or more of the following subject areas or equivalent is required: Social sciences, History, Hotel management, Tourism management, Sociology, Psychology, Pedagogy, Social anthropology, Law, Geography, Political science, Management, Economics
Professional bachelor degrees in the following areas qualify for admission: police, teacher education, social care and journalism.
Admission to this master's programme requires a minimum grade average comparable to a Norwegian C (according to ECTS Standards) in your bachelor's degree.
Application and admission
Contact
For inquiries regarding admission to international Master's programmes, send an email to: admissions@uis.no.
Find more information here: When to apply.
Student life in Stavanger
Contact us
Department of Media and Social Sciences
Faculty Administration SV
Administrasjon IMS
Questions and answers about the study
Can I study part-time or combine my studies with work? Is it possible to take an internship during the study?
Can I study part-time or combine my studies with work?
The Master's in Sustainablity Studies is a full-time programme with many lectures and some group work. Additionly, the study requires a good dose of self-study to acquire the knowledge you are expected to be left with after completing your studies.
It is not possible to follow an official part-time study program, but as a master's student you have three years' right to study, and you can thus spend three years taking the courses that according to the plan should take you two years. If you do not follow the education plan, we can not guarantee collisions on either teaching or exams.
What jobs can I get when I graduate?
By taking the Master's in Sustainablity Studies, you get a social science master's degree. It is not always as easy to say specifically which professions you may end up in, because it is not a vocational degree. The master's will give you general insight into energy and environmental challenges, and it is therefore natural to think that you are relevant for jobs where these issues are relevant. Knowledge of sustainable development, energy and environmental challenges is expected to increase sharply in the time ahead.
The choice of profession and workplace after graduation may depend on your bachelor's degree and interests. In the master's programme, you must choose four elective courses yourself, in addition to the compulsory courses. This means that here you have the opportunity to focus on topics and areas you would like to work on in the future. Also which theme you choose for your master's thesis can help to position you towards the jobs you could imagine.
How much mandatory is there during the study?
Although the best thing for your learning outcome is to attend as many lectures as possible, and this is clearly what we recommend, there are not many mandatory lectures on the Master' s in Sustainability Studies. In some of the courses, you must however pass group work and/or assignments to be allowed to sit for the exam, and this naturally presupposes attendance and collaboration with your group.
I am educated in technical and scientific subjects / I am an engineer. Does this provide a basis for admission to the programme?
The Master's in Sustainablity Studies is a social science master's, and a bachelor's degree in technical and natural sciences / engineering will consequently not be a sufficient basis for admission.
Is it possible to take an internship during the study?
Yes, in the third semester you can apply for the elective course «Work placement». The internship course is 30 credits and gives you the opportunity to go on an internship at one of the companies UiS has approved. You apply to the companies and are called for a job interview, similar to a normal job application process. The companies themselves choose who they want to offer a place, ie that you are not guaranteed an internship even if you apply for it. If you are offered an internship, you work in a 75 percent position for 15 weeks. Companies that have accepted interns are e.g. Stavanger Municipality, the County Governor, Columbus, Lyse, Nordic Edge and Zero.
Here you can read more about the internship topic.