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Health, Wellbeing and Sustainable Buildings MSc

London, Bloomsbury

UCL's Health Wellbeing and Sustainable Buildings MSc is designed to meet the growing demand for specialists to drive the health and wellbeing agenda in the design, assessment, retrofit and operation of sustainable buildings. This Master's equips you with the skills, knowledge and networks needed to advance sustainable innovation for health and wellbeing in the built environment.

UK students International students
Study mode
UK tuition fees (2022/23)
£16,500
£8,250
Programme fees on a modular (flexible) basis.
Overseas tuition fees (2022/23)
£29,400
£14,700
Programme fees on a modular (flexible) basis.
Duration
1 calendar year
2 calendar years
5 calendar years
Programme starts
September 2022
Applications accepted
All applicants: 18 Oct 2021 – 13 May 2022

Applications closed

Notification

Application closes at 17:00 GMT.

Entry requirements

Normally a second-class UK Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline (e.g. architecture, engineering, physics and other relevant disciplines in built environment and public health) is required, or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard. If your first degree was not in a relevant discipline, please clearly state in your personal statement how your educational or employment background (including any internships or projects) relates to the programme and what you aim to achieve through your studies.

For applicants without a first degree, but with relevant and substantial work experience in the field, a special qualifying examination (or essay) may be set.

English language requirements

If your education has not been conducted in the English language, you will be expected to demonstrate evidence of an adequate level of English proficiency.

The English language level for this programme is: Good

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. International Preparation Courses

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


During the programme you will:

  • examine the built environment's impacts on health and wellbeing, within the context of sustainability
  • master key design, engineering and public health principles
  • use tools applicable in research and professional practice, including: standards, benchmarking, modelling and monitoring methods
  • understand the factors affecting the business case for healthy and productive sustainable buildings

Who this course is for

We welcome applications from early or mid-career professionals who wish to work in the built environment, public health, environmental psychology or other relevant fields. The programme will also interest recent graduates of related disciplines (e.g. architecture, engineering, interior design, public health, psychology, geography, and other relevant disciplines) wishing to gain further training in this field.

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

What this course will give you

Established in 2017, Health Wellbeing and Sustainable Buildings MSc is one of the first degrees of its kind worldwide. Spanning both technical disciplines and the humanities, the programme equips graduates to work in a range of sectors. With its emphasis on critical enquiry, multidisciplinary understanding and strong communication skills, this degree is designed to help students develop into highly employable, multi-skilled professionals. 

The degree facilitates networking with industry leaders, including meeting members of the MSc Advisory Group and selected opportunities for industry-related dissertation projects.

This Master's is delivered by UCL Institute for Environmental Design and Engineering in the Bartlett School of Environment, Energy and Resources, home to specialist institutes in energy, environmental design and engineering, resources and heritage. 

The Bartlett brings together the multidisciplinary specialisms required to research, understand, design, construct and operate buildings and urban environments of the future.

QS World University Rankings by Subject (2020) ranksThe Bartlett #1 for Architecture/Built Environment studies in the UK and #3 in the World. The Bartlett's research received the UK's most world-leading ratings for Built Environment research in the most recent Research Excellence Framework.

As a student you will benefit from:

  • A world leading, multidisciplinary learning environment. 
  • Studying in London, at the heart of a large cluster of creative architects and engineering firms and next to the UK's seat of government and finance.
  • Our Institute's long-standing track-record of excellence in building design and engineering research.
  • Our long-standing established relationships with industry, policy makers and academics, who give guest lectures in our Institute. 
  • Our extensive alumni network, many of whom are now within London and UK's major building engineering firms, who attend networking events with our Master's students.
  • An inclusive environment that promotes global citizenship, and an ethos of equality and diversity
Read about what you'll get out of a graduate programme

The foundation of your career

As awareness increases of the impacts that the built environment can have on health, wellbeing and sustainability, so too does the demand for professionals with relevant expertise. Our alumni are working in private and public sector organisations around the world. These alumni testimonials showcase some graduates' employment stories.

Our Advisory Group of industry experts has helped us shape a curriculum with graduate employability in mind.

Employability

Our graduates have gone on to work in architectural or engineering companies, and specialist consultancies dedicated to the design and/or evaluation of sustainable buildings, with a strong focus on health and wellbeing. Our first cohort have found employment in leading organisations ranging from Delos in China to Samoo Architects & Engineers in South Korea, the Shenzen Institute of Building Research, to PhD roles at universities including UCL. Several have shared their experiences in alumni profiles.

Additional career paths may be within in-house building design and operational teams, in relevant public sector agencies or government departments, or in specialist product or service innovation companies.

Accreditation

Accredited as further learning for Chartered Engineers (CEng) by the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE)

Teaching and learning

The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars, interactive workshops, tutorials and lab demonstrations. Assessment is through coursework, design reports, written examinations and a dissertation.

A Postgraduate Diploma (120 credits - full-time 9 months or modular/flexible 2-5 years) is offered. The programme consists of eight modules (15 credits each). A Postgraduate Certificate (60 credits - full-time 4-7 months or modular/flexible 2-5 years) is offered. The programme consists of four modules (15 credits each).

Modules

Full-time

The MSc consists of eight taught modules and a research project which culminates in a dissertation.

The eight taught modules comprise six compulsory and two optional modules. These are taught in Term 1 and Term 2.

The compulsory modules provide you with the core subject knowledge and key skills that will underpin future practice in this field.

In addition, student learning is supported via supplementary activities including dedicated tutorials for specialised software, case study visits, an introduction to software/equipment and opportunities to attend selected events with international experts.

The optional modules are drawn from a range of modules available in the UCL Institute for Environmental Design and Engineering.

The research project is undertaken during Term 3 and throughout the summer, leading to the submission of a dissertation in late August / early September.

Part-time

Part-time students are advised to take four core modules in the first year as follows:

Term 1: Health, Comfort and Wellbeing in the Built Environment (BENV0027) and Integrated Building Design for Health, Comfort and Wellbeing (BENV0055).

Term 2: Health and Wellbeing in Cities: Theory and Practice (BENV0056) and Indoor Air Quality in Buildings (BENV0040).

Flexible

Masters Flexible/Modular Students:

1) Students must complete all of the six compulsory modules over the course of five consecutive academic years AND

2) Students must complete two out of three optional modules over the course of five consecutive academic years AND

3) Students must complete the dissertation within five academic years from the year in which they first enrolled on the MSc.

In addition, flexible students will be recommended to consider the following:

1) Take Health, Comfort and Wellbeing in the Built Environment (BENV0027); Integrated Building Design for Health, Comfort and Wellbeing (BENV0055); Health and Wellbeing in Cities: Theory and Practice (BENV0056) and Indoor Air Quality in Buildings (BENV0040) before taking other taught modules.

2) Take at least one module in each academic year they are enrolled on the MSc.

3) Take the dissertation either in the year in which they complete the final taught modules or the year after they have completed all taught modules, as long as this is not more than five consecutive years after they first enrolled.

Flexible students will be encouraged to discuss their plan for completing the MSc with the programme director. It is anticipated that this plan will be reviewed at the beginning of each academic year.

Compulsory modules









Optional modules





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 is subject to change.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits. Upon successful completion of 180 credits, you will be awarded an MSc in Health, Wellbeing and Sustainable Buildings. Upon successful completion of 120 credits, you will be awarded a PG Dip in Health, Wellbeing and Sustainable Buildings. Upon successful completion of 60 credits, you will be awarded a PG Cert in Health, Wellbeing and Sustainable Buildings.

Fieldwork

The programme includes case study visits. Fieldwork activity may be required for selected coursework – if so this is likely to take place within the Greater London area. 

Students gain hands-on experience of monitoring environmental conditions, gathering and evaluating human responses to the environment, applying industry standards, and simulation tools similar to those used by commercial companies for building performance evaluation.

Successful graduates will understand how to communicate with different stakeholders and develop the business case for improved health, wellbeing and productivity in buildings. Our Advisory Group of industry experts has helped us shape a curriculum with graduate employability in mind.

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble accessable.co.uk. Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support & Wellbeing team.

Visit us

All open days and events

—

Online - Open day

Graduate Open Events: Environmental Design and Engineering - The Bartlett Graduate Open Week

Discover the postgraduate programmes you can study at The Bartlett School of Sustainable Construction, meet the teaching staff and have your questions answered. Join our Faculty-wide 'In Conversation with Bartlett Alumni' session and Q&As for The Bartlett Promise Scholarship.

Watch on demand event

Online - Open day

Applying to The Bartlett Promise UK Master's Scholarship

Presentation and Q&A about the Bartlett Promise UK Master’s Scholarship.

Watch on demand event

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Full-time Part-time
Tuition fees (2022/23) £16,500 £8,250
Tuition fees (2022/23) £29,400 £14,700

Programme fees on a modular (flexible) basis.

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

Travel, accommodation and activities planned for the field trip are covered by the programme. Travel costs for site visits or fieldwork within the Greater London area (transport for London zones 1-6) which are accessible by public transport are covered by students. 

For more information on additional costs for prospective students please go to our estimated cost of essential expenditure at Accommodation and living costs.

Funding your studies

UCL offers a range of financial awards aimed at assisting both prospective and current students with their studies.

Additional funding is available from our Institute and Faculty as advertised on the UCL Institute for Environmental Design and Engineering's scholarships page and The Bartlett's scholarships page.

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
Scholarships relevant to this department are displayed below.

Bartlett Promise Scholarship - Master's

Applications Open: 1 March 2022. Deadline: 31 May 2022
Value: Tuition fees plus £15,364 maintenance/yr (Duration of programme)
Criteria Based on financial need
Eligibility: UK

Bartlett Promise Sub-Saharan Africa Masters Scholarship

Deadline: 18 April 2022
Value: Fees, stipend and other allowances (1yr)
Criteria Based on financial need
Eligibility: EU, Overseas

Ecclesiastical Insurance Bursary

Deadline: 13 May 2022
Value: Up to £24,150 (to cover the cost of fees and a stipend) (1yr)
Criteria Based on academic merit
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 and £115 for paper applications. Further information can be found at Application fees.

When we assess your application we would like to learn:

  • why you want to study Health, Wellbeing and Sustainable Buildings at graduate level
  • why you want to study Health, Wellbeing and Sustainable Buildings at UCL
  • what particularly attracts you to the chosen programme
  • how your academic and professional background meets the demands of this challenging programme
  • 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.

The programme should appeal to students with a deep interest in the health aspects of sustainability, as well as the ability to span across technical and humanities disciplines.

Please note: submission of a portfolio or of GRE results is not required.

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate programmes in any application cycle.

Got questions? Get in touch

Bartlett School of Environment, Energy and Resources Department
Bartlett School of Environment, Energy and Resources Department

bseer-studentqueries@ucl.ac.uk

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This page was last updated 28 Sep 2021