Master's degree in Sustainability Science and Technology

University Research Institute for Sustainability Science and Technology (ISST-UPC)

This master's degree is no longer admitting students for the 2026-2027 academic year. It has been reformulated as the master's degree in Sustainability and Strategies for a Just Global Transition.

The master’s degree in Sustainability Science and Technology aims to provide advanced and interdisciplinary education that facilitates the understanding of interactions between society, the economy and the natural environment, as well as the scientific and technical options and trends that enable the major challenges of sustainable development in current socio-environmental systems to be addressed.

The master's programme will train entrepreneurs and agents of change who are committed to sustainable development. Depending on whether they specialise in biodiversity and the natural environment, the built environment and services, or the productive system and information management, they will be equipped to design, implement and evaluate sustainable solutions in various fields of engineering and technology. Their education will allow them to take a transdisciplinary approach and apply scientific and technical rigour to work in diverse cultural and professional contexts.

General details

Duration and start date

2 academics years, 120 ECTS credits

Timetable and delivery

Mornings. Face-to-face

Fees and grants

Approximate fees for the master’s degree, excluding other costs (does not include non-teaching academic fees and issuing of the degree certificate):
€2,324 (€5,400 for non-EU residents ).
More information about fees and payment options
More information about grants and loans

Language of instruction

Check the language of instruction for each subject in the course guide in the curriculum.

Information on language use in the classroom and students’ language rights.

Official degree

Recorded in the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities

Curriculum

First semester

Second semester

Third semester

Fourth semester

Master's Thesis 30

CompulsoryECTS
OptionalECTS
ProjectECTS

Professional opportunities

Professional opportunities

The course prepares graduates to take up positions related to the design and management of sustainable processes and projects; socio-environmental management, consulting and engineering; and the formulation and evaluation of sustainability policies and strategies developed in public and private research centres, non-governmental organisations, and companies and public organisations (national and international) related to spatial planning, the environment and sustainable development. The course also provides students with the skills required to undertake academic research in sustainability science and technology.

Competencies

Generic competencies

Generic competencies are the skills that graduates acquire regardless of the specific course or field of study. The generic competencies established by the UPC are capacity for innovation and entrepreneurship, sustainability and social commitment, teamwork, proper use of information resources, knowledge of a foreign language (preferably English) and gender perspective.

Specific competencies

Evaluate sustainability policies and strategies, considering environmental, social and economic impacts.
Manage socio-environmental conflicts and plan sustainable urban territories.
Analyse climate change and its causes, impacts and governance, and design strategies for fair decarbonisation.
Apply mathematical modelling, GIS and ICT in the sustainable management of resources.
Optimise infrastructure, energy and transport by minimising their environmental impact.
Design and implement sustainable projects that are aligned with international regulations and strategies.

Double-degree agreements

Double-degree pathways at the UPC

Master's degree in Sustainability Science and Technology + Master's degree in Sustainable Intervention in the Built Environment (MISMeC)

Quality accreditation

Check the degree’s main quality indicators in the University Studies in Catalonia portal of the Catalan University Quality Assurance Agency. Find information on topics such as degree evaluation results, student satisfaction and graduate employment data.
Further information