Course Summary
This programme will equip students with the leadership skills to address the challenges, risks, and opportunities that environmental sustainability and social responsibility present for contemporary businesses and organisations.
College Link
Career Sectors
This course prepares you for working in the Career Sectors below. Follow the links to get a fuller understanding of the sectors you are preparing for.
Entry Requirements
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)
Applicants who do not meet the formal academic entry requirement may be considered if they have a minimum of five years’ work experience. Such candidates will be interviewed to ascertain the relevance of their work experience for the programme.
Application Details
How to apply
We encourage all applicants to apply as early as possible.
Review/Closing Dates (for Taught Programmes)
For most programmes, University of Galway does not set specific closing dates for receipt of applications. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis and course quotas will be reviewed continuously throughout the application cycle with the exception of applications for some programmes which are reviewed after the specified closing date. Candidates who do not have their final degree marks available may be made a conditional (provisional) offer.
Online Application
Applications to most postgraduate programmes at University of Galway are made online via www.universityofgalway.ie/apply (see "Application Weblink").
Next start date: September 2024.
Review/Closing Dates (for Taught Programmes)
For most programmes, University of Galway does not set specific closing dates for receipt of applications. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis and course quotas will be reviewed continuously throughout the application cycle with the exception of applications for some programmes which are reviewed after the specifed closing date*. Candidates who do not have their final degree marks available may be made a conditional (provisional) offer.
Fees
€8,605 p.a. (including levy) 2024/25
Fees: Tuition
€8,500 p.a. 2024/25
Fees: Student levy
€105 p.a. 2024/25
Fees: Non EU
€12,500 p.a. (€12,605 p.a. including levy) 2024/25
The Student
Career Interests
This course is typically suited for people with the following Career Interests. If these interests do not describe you, this course may prepare you for work you may not find satisfying.
Naturalist
Not surprisingly, some aspect of the natural sciences will run through the Naturalist's interests - from ecological awareness to nutrition and health. People with an interest in horticulture, land usage and farming (including fish) are Naturalists.
Some Naturalists focus on animals rather than plants, and may enjoy working with, training, caring for, or simply herding them. Other Naturalists will prefer working with the end result of nature's produce - the food produced from plants and animals. Naturalists like solving problems with solutions that show some sensitivity to the environmental impact of what they do. They like to see practical results and prefer action to talking and discussing.
Enterprising
Enterprising people like situations that involve using resources for personal or corporate economic gain. Such people may have an opportunistic frame of mind, and are drawn to commerce, trade and making deals. Some pursue sales and marketing occupations. Many will eventually end up owning their own business, or in management roles in larger organisations. They tend to be very goal-oriented and work best when focused on a target. Some have an entrepreneurial inclination.
Career Progression
There is a very strong employer demand for these skillsets with several potential career pathways identified including Chief Sustainability Officer; Director of Sustainability; Sustainability Manager; Sustainability Officer; Marketing Officer; Procurement Officer; Planning Officer; Sustainability Coordinator; Sustainability Consultant; Sustainability Projects Leader; Supply Chain Officer; Hospitality Manager; Finance Manager; Project Manager; HR Manager; Policymaker; NGO and County Council roles; General Management roles.
- There is a need for organisations to understand the impact that sustainability will have on their supply chain, how to gain a competitive advantage and how to understand the regulatory and governance requirements.
- Companies are constantly being asked now by their larger corporate clients to demonstrate how they are integrating sustainability into their strategy and what plans and targets they have in place to reach Net Zero, implement the Climate Action Plan etc.
- SMEs will lose out on competitive bids if they are not demonstrating sustainability in their operations and supply chain.
- A high level of EU funding is available for companies to advance their sustainability strategies.