We caught up with the academics behind the new MSc in Global Business and Sustainability at Queen Mary University of London.
The MSc Global Business and Sustainability programme for entry 2025 came about due to an expanding job market for corporate sustainability. We are seeing more businesses, government and non-governmental organisations make a concerted effort to redesign the way they do business to meet sustainability challenges, and respond to changing government regulation for mitigating and adapting to climate change. This growing demand for skills, along with our own academic expertise in this area and the university’s core values around sustainability and social justice meant creating this course was an obvious choice for us.
The MSc is a 1 year full-time programme designed to equip students with the cutting-edge knowledge, practical skills and critical thinking needed to tackle today’s most pressing sustainability challenges in business. We teach a holistic approach to sustainability on the course; while climate change is of course central to sustainability, we believe a broader view must also focus on inequality, racial justice, gender equity and human rights, and recognise how these themes intersect within the current climate crisis. Long-term solutions for sustainability must tackle these different issues together. We explore topics including global governance and sustainability transitions, eco-business strategy and global supply chains, world economy and development, climate risk and resilience for business and society, and sustainable finance.
Importantly, we also teach from a global perspective, drawing on real-life case studies from around the world to explore why certain sustainability strategies have and haven’t worked in different country contexts. We stay focussed throughout the programme on what different actors in business, government and civil society can actually do to drive sustainable futures, and we hear from a range of industry specialist guest speakers. These and the academics teaching the programme bring expertise in areas including water management, sustainable finance, energy, agriculture, infrastructure, digital technologies, corporate social responsibility and sustainable development.
Students need a 2.1 or above in a social sciences or humanities undergraduate degree. Students will also need to meet the minimum English Language requirements. You can find out more information about this here (link to be inserted).
The course is ideal for graduates looking to work in sustainability within a business, government or non-governmental organisation (NGO) context, in any part of the world. The programme is also suited to professionals who are looking to enhance their existing careers in sustainability, or move into this area.
The course is very interdisciplinary – because sustainability requires an interdisciplinary approach - so it will appeal to students interested in areas such as business studies, economics, political economy, geography, urban studies, anthropology, global development, international relations and sociology.
Graduates of the MSc Global Business and Sustainability programme will be able to follow a wide range of career paths across various sectors. With a strong foundation in sustainability and global business practices, you can pursue roles in the public, private, and third sectors, including: sustainability strategy for global corporations, international development, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), government regulations and policy, politics and diplomacy, sustainable finance, management consultancies and more. These roles allow you to make a meaningful impact on global sustainability challenges, driving positive change across industries and regions.
Applications now open for September 2025 start. For more information and to apply visit our course profile page or contact programme directors Professor Gerard Hanlon and Dr Jessica Sklair.