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Environment, Politics and Society MSc

London, Bloomsbury

The Environment, Politics and Society MSc programme explores the way scientific, political and cultural practices shape our understanding of the relationship between society and the environment. It is an academic rather than vocational programme with most students pursuing further education or careers in international organisations, the public sector, NGOs or charities.

UK students International students
Study mode
UK tuition fees (2025/26)
£16,000
£8,000
Overseas tuition fees (2025/26)
£33,000
£16,500
Duration
1 calendar year
2 calendar years
Programme starts
September 2025
Applications accepted
Applicants who require a visa: 14 Oct 2024 – 27 Jun 2025
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Applicants who do not require a visa: 14 Oct 2024 – 29 Aug 2025
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Apply for this course

Entry requirements

Normally a minimum of an upper second-class Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline from a UK university or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard.

The English language level for this programme is: Level 4

UCL Pre-Master's and Pre-sessional English courses are for international students who are aiming to study for a postgraduate degree at UCL. The courses will develop your academic English and academic skills required to succeed at postgraduate level.

Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.

Equivalent qualifications

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website.

International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below. Please note that the equivalency will correspond to the broad UK degree classification stated on this page (e.g. upper second-class). Where a specific overall percentage is required in the UK qualification, the international equivalency will be higher than that stated below. Please contact Graduate Admissions should you require further advice.

About this degree


The programme explores the social, economic, cultural and political processes through which forms of environmental and political knowledge are made, acquired, communicated and incorporated in decision-making. It equips students with a range of social science methods and personal transferable skills that are essential for social and environmental politics, practices and policy.

Who this course is for

This MSc will appeal to individuals wishing to undertake higher-level work as a prelude to a PhD; to those interested in developing a research training while acquiring relevant ideas for work in this field; and to individuals currently or intending to be employed in an environmental career who wish to enhance their skills.

Read about what it takes to study for a Master's at UCL

What this course will give you

The MSc offers core conceptual training and the ability to specialise your degree through optional modules and the dissertation. You will have the opportunity to learn from previous graduates, other academics, and practitioners.

The programme encourages small-group discussions of conceptual debates about practices of environment and geopolitics, drawing on fellow students' diversity of nationalities and academic and work backgrounds.

“I would definitely recommend studying the Environment, Politics and Society MSc at UCL. The course helped me identify and pursue my interests, by allowing me to choose the topics of my assessments. All of the professors and lecturers genuinely care about your academic motivations and will encourage you to delve deeper into your chosen subject matter.” - Catherine Hollander, MSc Environment, Politics and Society, 2023

Read about what you'll get out of a graduate programme

The foundation of your career

The programme's combination of core social science methodological training, detailed exploration of contemporary environmental issues and critical engagement with environmental science, policies and politics, provides a distinctive skill set for those wanting careers in the environmental sector that do not simply replicate current governance approaches. 

This holistic experience is different from more technical, managerial environmental programmes and facilitates access to careers in organisations like:

  • Government (UK Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), UK Home Office, Lewisham Council).
  • Environmental non-governmental organisations and consultancies (WWF, Greenpeace).
  • Media and think tanks, often in policy, research or communication roles.

The MSc also provides an excellent foundation for PhD research.

I would definitely recommend studying the Environment, Politics and Society MSc at UCL. The course helped me identify and pursue my interests, by allowing me to choose the topics of my assessments. All of the professors and lecturers genuinely care about your academic motivations and will encourage you to delve deeper into your chosen subject matter.

Image of Catherine Hollander

Catherine Hollander

Environment, Politics and Society MSc

Read more

Employability

The relationship between society and the environment is a complex issue with numerous governmental, non-governmental, and commercial implications. This programme will prepare graduates for roles in international organisations, public policy, and non-profit sectors. It also provides a strong foundation for pursuing a PhD, enabling further research into the dynamics of environmental politics and societal impact.

Networking

Students will benefit from the expertise of our world-class researchers and due to the inter-disciplinary nature of our work, you can develop your knowledge across subjects, learning from academics not only in Geography but the wider UCL community as well. The department also hosts annual careers events where alumni share their experience of post-graduation training and employment across the wide variety of opportunities available to geography graduates.

Teaching and learning

The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars, presentations, discussions, workshops, practical classes and field trips (when possible). Dissertation seminars provide opportunities to meet previous MSc students to discuss their dissertations and subsequent careers.

Assessment is through coursework and the research dissertation.

Each 15 credit module involves 150 hours of learning, including lectures, practicals, pre-recorded lectures, independent study, peer-to-peer learning, tutorial support, and assessment and assessment preparation. This will be supplemented by voluntary in-person activities including research seminars and assessment and feedback hours.

For full-time students, this is typically around 12 hours per week contact time. Outside of lectures, seminars, workshops and tutorials, you will typically study the equivalent of a full-time job, using your remaining time for self-directed study and completing coursework assignments. Additionally, you will be expected to complete a dissertation, worth up to 60 credits. You will have regular contact with your supervisor(s) who will guide and support you throughout your work.

Modules

You will undertake 8 taught modules and the research dissertation.

Term One:
You will take 3 compulsory modules and 1 optional module, one of the compulsory modules will involve methodological training in qualitative social science.

Term Two:
You will take 1 compulsory module and 3 optional modules.

Term Three:
Dissertation planning commences with the research and writing conducted in term three and is completed through the summer. 

The term one and two compulsory modules provide a theoretical understanding of debates in geo- and environmental politics with consideration of how these translate in practice. Optional modules enable you to apply these debates to more specific empirical topics. Dissertation planning commences in term two, with the research and writing conducted in term three and the summer.

Students can select from a range of optional modules including GEOG0139 Public Space and the City.

Year One:
In term one you will take 2 compulsory modules. 
In term two you will take 1 compulsory and 1 optional module. 

Year Two:
In term one you will take 1 compulsory and 1 optional module. 
In term two you will take 2 optional modules. 
In term three and over the summer you will complete the research dissertation.

Compulsory modules







Optional modules










Public Space and the City



Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability are subject to change. Modules that are in use for the current academic year are linked for further information. Where no link is present, further information is not yet available.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits. Upon successful completion of 180 credits, you will be awarded an MSc in Environment, Politics and Society.

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble. Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services team.

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Full-time Part-time
Tuition fees (2025/26) £16,000 £8,000
Tuition fees (2025/26) £33,000 £16,500

The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Fees for subsequent years may increase or otherwise vary. Where the programme is offered on a flexible/modular basis, fees are charged pro-rata to the appropriate full-time Master's fee taken in an academic session. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website: ucl.ac.uk/students/fees.

Additional costs

For Full-time and Part-time offer holders a fee deposit will be charged at 10% of the first year fee.

Further information can be found in the Tuition fee deposits section on this page: Tuition fees.

There are no significant additional costs for this programme, but some modules may include local field trips that may incur limited additional transport costs within London. For example, the research trip to Elephant and Castle incurs the costs of a one-day travel card (A Day off-peak travelcard for zones 1-9 costs around £17.00, but most visits will be within zones 1-3). Students will need to cover these additional travel costs at their own expense.

UCL’s main teaching locations are in zones 1 (Bloomsbury) and zones 2/3 (UCL East). The cost of a monthly 18+ Oyster travel card for zones 1-2 is £114.50. This price was published by TfL in 2024. For more information on additional costs for prospective students and the cost of living in London, please view our estimated cost of essential expenditure at UCL's cost of living guide.

Funding your studies

ESRC funding exists for eligible students who wish to take the MSc as a prelude to a three-year PhD.

Overseas students may be eligible for: British Chevening Scholarships, Shell Centenary Scholarships, Karim Rida Said Foundation and other similar scholarships from their countries of origin.

For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website.

See all the ways you can fund your studies

Aziz Foundation Scholarships in Social and Historical Sciences

Value: Full tuition fees (equivalent to 1yr full-time) (1 year)
Criteria Based on financial need
Eligibility: UK

Next steps

Students are advised to apply as early as possible due to competition for places. Those applying for scholarship funding (particularly overseas applicants) should take note of application deadlines.

There is an application processing fee for this programme of £90 for online applications. Further information can be found at Application fees.

When we assess your application we would like to learn:

  • why you want to study Environment, Politics and Society
  • why you want to study Environment, Politics and Society at UCL
  • what particularly attracts you to this programme
  • how your academic and/or professional background meets the demands of a challenging academic environment
  • where you would like to go professionally with your degree

Together with essential academic requirements, the personal statement is your opportunity to illustrate whether your reasons for applying to this programme match what the programme will deliver.

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate programmes (or one application for the Law LLM) in any application cycle.

Choose your programme

Please read the Application Guidance before proceeding with your application.

Year of entry: 2025-2026

Apply for this course

Got questions? Get in touch

Geography
Geography

geog.office@ucl.ac.uk

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