MSc Global Sustainability Engineering

Students Tailor the Degree to Their Own Area of Interest and Potential Career Pathway, Such As Process Engineering, Building Services and Carbon Management·School of Engineering and Physical Sciences

Master

Overview

MSc Global Sustainability Engineering has been introduced by Heriot-Watt University for students of September 2021 intake. This programme responds to the global demand for graduates with science or engineering backgrounds who can provide technical consultation and deliver specialist solutions to improve sustainability. Graduates from MSc Global Sustainability Engineering will work at the forefront of sustainable development. They will call on engineering knowledge to identify existing unsustainable processes and practices and implement strategies for improvement. In developing this degree, Heriot-Watt University has built on over 30 years of experience in researching and teaching sustainable engineering. We have taken inspiration from the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and want our graduates to be advocates of change; to understand how both incremental and disruptive approaches can be harnessed for effective sustainable development. Courses will break down the barriers between disciplines and promote synergy between different branches of learning so that a holistic view of problems and solutions can be developed. Students on this programme will take six mandatory courses and two optional courses. The six mandatory courses develop critical understanding of the fundamental issues impacting global sustainability, whilst the selection of the two additional courses allows each student to tailor the degree to their own area of interest and potential career pathway, such as process engineering, building services and carbon management. In addition to eight 15-credit courses, students will complete a mandatory 60-credit dissertation project in order to graduate with a full MSc qualification.

Secure your spot today!

Fall 2026 applications are now open! Apply today and get ready to begin an exciting journey at Heriot-Watt University, Dubai.

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Tuition & Fees

AED 107,484Per year

AED 53,742 Per semester

Part-time: AED 53,742; all tuition fees inclusive of VAT.

Program Details

Degree level: Master
Duration: 1 year
College: School of Engineering and Physical Sciences
Concentration: Students Tailor the Degree to Their Own Area of Interest and Potential Career Pathway, Such As Process Engineering, Building Services and Carbon Management

Academic Requirements

Required Documents11

All of these are required to apply.

1a research proposal (at Question 9, under ‘Background Information', please enter the full project title and reference number (if applicable). Please also provide at least 250 words (for civil engineering areas we need a title and 6-7 sentences) about your proposed area of research, the topic is normally provided by the applicant. Applications will not be considered until we have received this information from you, (unless stated otherwise in any current advertising we have for specific individual projects where the relevant project title and reference is required instead).
2a copy of your degree certificate and relevant transcripts
3proof of your ability in the English language (if English is not your mother tongue or if you have not already studied for a degree that was taught in English). Please refer to the English Language Requirementsfor further information.
4a reference from an academic source (applicants with relevant full time work experience may use their current employer as one of the referees - applications will not be considered until we have received referee reports. You will need to complete the Referee Report Form. Please enter your full name and the research proposal title (as above), then forward to you referees for completion and return.
5Passport - please do not upload this with your initial application. This will only be requested if an offer is made.
6Financial guarantee - please do not upload personal bank statements with your initial application. For some students, a financial guarantee is required to prove how your tuition fees and personal maintenance costs will be met. This will be requested when an offer is made and is only required if you are one of the following: an international student applying to study on campus who is not entering the UK on a Student Visa - an international student who is being sponsored by your government or a commercial organisation.
7CV and transcripts
8at least an upper second-class (2:1) undergraduate honours degree in the relevant subject area, or a Masters Degree is preferrable. We may also consider candidates who can demonstrate appropriate alternative learning such as experience gained in the workplace or professional qualifications.
92 references (these should be academic references, except for the DBA programme for which candidates should typically supply one academic and one professional reference).
10Research Proposal (unless you are applying for a DBA or an advertised project which does not require this)
11English Language Requirements – applicants must be able to meet one of the criteria below: - If an applicant is a national of one of the countries listed on the UK Government Guidanceunder ‘Who does not need to prove their knowledge of English’ (copy of passport should be provided). - If an applicant’s first language is not English but they have an English-taught Bachelors or Masters degree from one of the countries listed on the UK Government Guidanceunder ‘Who does not need to prove their knowledge of English’, and this is clearly stated in evidence. This qualification should have been obtained no more than five years before the applicant is due to begin their studies at Heriot watt. - This student’s first language is not English but they have achieved at least a C in a Heriot-Watt pre-sessional English course and this is clearly stated in evidence. - This student’s first language is not English but they have provided a recognised English language test from the list below which was taken in the past 2 years and have achieved a CEFR level B2 at the levels below: | Test | PGR Entry Level | |---|---| | IELTS Academic (we do not accept IELTS Indicator, IELTS online or IELTS General Training) | Overall Score of 6.5 with no individual score lower than 6.0 | | PTE Academic | 68 overall with a minimum of 63 in each component | | TOEFL IBT | Overall score of 85, including reading 20, listening 19, speaking 20 and writing 21 | | Cambridge (new) | 176-184 |

Heriot-Watt University, Dubai