Environment and sustainability

From investigating people’s attitudes towards the environment to understanding how nanotechnology can enhance future solar power solutions, environment and sustainability researchers take a truly collaborative approach to tackling some of the biggest issues facing our world today.

Our courses explore some of society’s biggest environmental and sustainability challenges, and examine the transformative ways in which we can tackle them.

Corporate Environmental Management MSc

Sustainable Development MSc

Sustainable Energy MSc

Open events and webinars

Digital prospectus

Why study with us

Five reasons to study for a masters in environment and sustainability

Two female office workers in conversation at a computer.

Top jobs with a masters in environment and sustainability

What our students say

Lia Papazoglou

MSc

The MSc Sustainable Development at Surrey is great for someone with critical thinking skills and multiple interests. I am hoping this course will bring me some clarity about where I can make the most impact in combating climate change.

Renuka Shenoy Kotachery

MSc

At Surrey, I opened myself up to new opportunities and experiences which translated into the job I have today.

More about Surrey

Student life

Accommodation

Scholarships and bursaries

Student support

Applying to Surrey

Our school

School of Engineering

Research centre

Centre for Environment and Sustainability

Environment and Sustainability PhD

PhD by Prior Publication

Practitioner Doctorate in Sustainability PhD/EngD

Digital prospectus

Webinars and events

Developing your employability

100 per cent of our research graduates go on to employment or further study*

*Graduate Outcomes 2025, HESA.

Research areas

Policy, strategy and governance

Social research on sustainability

Sustainable systems

Expert support

A man and woman talking whilst sat at a desk

Doctoral College

The Doctoral College supports the academic and professional development of postgraduate researchers to ensure our world-leading research continues to grow.

Researcher Development Programme

There is an extensive Researcher Development Programme run at university level that provides training and development opportunities.

Frequently asked questions about doing a PhD

We’ve gathered some of the most frequently asked questions we’ve encountered to help you make your decision.

Hear from our doctoral practitioners

Luke discusses his applied research project at Keller

Ceri speaks about the experience of the programme

Alex discusses applied 'real world' research with Thames Water

James talks about his experience on the programme

Yulia talks about the academic training and benefits of being in a smaller cohort

What our students say

Sarah Gray

Practitioner Doctorate in Sustainability PhD

Surrey was my first choice because I’d read some of the research outputs from the Centre for Environment and Sustainability and the Centre for the Understanding of Sustainable Prosperity. I liked how they worked in an interdisciplinary way that is solution-oriented. It chimed with how I was operating as a Research Analyst.

Timothy Chukwu

Environment and Sustainability PhD

My Surrey experience so far has been fantastic. From the first day I arrived here, the hospitality I received was so splendid that it did not take me long to adapt to my new environment."