Sustainable Futures

Entry requirements

A minimum of an upper second class honours degree from a social sciences or law discipline, and a master's qualification, normally achieving at least a merit (or equivalent) with appropriate research training.

See international equivalent qualifications on the International Office website.

Months of entry

September

Course content

The interdisciplinary pathway in Sustainable Futures seeks to produce a new generation of researchers who can address the pressing social issues of sustainability in the context of global environmental change.

Sustainability research asks how ecosystems and human wellbeing can be maintained and enhanced in the long term, given rising populations, limited natural resources and a fragile environment. The field, with its clear applied focus and strong strategic future-directed policy implications, has social sciences at its heart.

The programme requires a broad interdisciplinary approach and an understanding of economics, law, the politics and psychology of sustainability, and the geography and demographics of those affected. We therefore deliberately expose students to a broad range of material to help them appreciate and understand interconnected perspectives and to provide them with skills to work effectively across disciplines. We welcome students from a wide range of disciplinary backgrounds.

Students will normally be registered in the school of their first supervisor. This may not be the school that processes your application.

Information for international students

See international equivalent qualifications on the International Office website.

Fees and funding

The Faculty of Arts, Law and Social Sciences has an allocation of MSc/MRes + PhD and PhD only ESRC scholarships. The PhD in Sustainable Futures falls under the SWDTP pathway "Climate Change, Sustainability and Society" and the PhD can be combined with MSc/MRes degrees under this pathway within the Faculty. The length of these scholarships will be dependent on training needs and can vary, with the shortest generally being 3 years 6 months (for PhD only). The internal deadline to apply for admission to the PhD programme and for ESRC is: 2 December 2024. The ESRC deadline is: 12 noon 14 January 2025.

For details on applying for ESRC funding, please visit the South West Doctoral Training Partnership (SWDTP) website.

Those applying for the ESRC funded pathway "Climate Change, Sustainability & Society" apply via the PhD in Sustainable Futures.

The internal deadline to apply for admission to the PhD programme and for Bristol Postgraduate Research Scholarships is: 2 December 2024.

The Bristol Postgraduate Research Scholarships deadline is: 12 noon 24 January 2025.

Please visit the school's fees and funding web pages for further information.

Further information on funding for prospective UK and international postgraduate students.