Science for Sustainable Development

The future needs sustainable solutions to today’s societal challenges. In this programme, you explore how to create holistic solutions to complex problems by crossing disciplinary boundaries. Climate change, natural resource exploitation, increasing energy demand and inequality are among the global issues you will study.

Science for Sustainable Development is a research-based master’s programme where you combine environmental policy, governance, strategy, and applied sustainability science. You learn to critically analyse environmental and social challenges and to design actionable, knowledge-based solutions that contribute to a more sustainable future.

Environmental strategy, resilience and sustainability in focus

Throughout the programme, you explore the complexity of building sustainable societies in alignment with the principles of sustainable development and Agenda 2030. You engage with environmental strategies and resilience and sustainability as key perspectives for understanding how societies can adapt and transform in the face of environmental change. You address global environmental challenges and societal transformations, apply scientific knowledge across academic disciplines, and develop interdisciplinary competence.

Develop skills for a career in sustainable development

Your studies enable you to interpret, design, communicate, and implement solutions to sustainability and environmental challenges – skills that will be indispensable for your future career as a sustainable development expert.

Hands-on learning and research integration

The core courses give you a broad perspective on sustainability and societal challenges while allowing you to deepen your theoretical knowledge and practical skills in specific scientific fields. Through field trips, laboratory and GIS exercises, and spatial analysis in the Norrköping Decision Arena, you connect theory and practice in sustainability.

You also take part in role-play activities, study visits to authorities and companies in the environmentally progressive Östergötland region and have the opportunity to complete an internship at a business, organisation or research institute in Sweden or abroad. Together with teaching staff, you develop skills in multidisciplinary research and gain experience in research-based methods.

Linköping University (LiU) offers a unique interdisciplinary perspective on sustainability that bridges academic disciplines and integrates advanced research in environmental sciences. You receive individual supervision from active researchers when designing, planning and completing your master’s thesis project.