Discover our

Sustainable Business Leadership FAQs

MSc or Postgraduate Certificate

Studying Sustainable Business Leadership: 13 questions answered

Considering studying a Sustainable Business Leadership Masters online at the University of Leeds?

We now have two options to choose from – a full Sustainable Business Leadership Masters (MSc) or a Sustainable Business Leadership Postgraduate Certificate (PG Cert).

Whether you have a query about Sustainable Business Leadership, the courses we offer or what it’s like to study online find the answers to some of the most asked questions below.

About Sustainable Business Leadership

Sustainable Business Leadership is the practice of managing companies with environmental, societal, and long-term sustainable development goals in mind. This is often executed by sustainability managers who are responsible for leading the strategy and driving a more sustainable future for an organisation. Read our blog to find out how and why sustainability is becoming an increasingly important issue.

By studying Sustainable Business Leadership online with the University of Leeds, you’ll be able to progress to the C-suite to better lead individuals or teams that drive technical solutions for sustainability. Alongside this, you’ll develop knowledge that can be used to make a positive contribution to sustainability and meaningful impact in your organisation, by helping to evaluate the risks and opportunities associated with shaping sustainable strategies.

Improving the sustainable practices in an organisation requires a range of expertise across a variety of business functions. Therefore, there is a growth in demand for employees with specialist knowledge, skills, and expertise in the area. Global Citizen cites these jobs growing in demand to include urban farming, green designers, renewable engineers and technicians, green construction workers and environmental scientists.

Meanwhile, the United Nations predict 24 million new sustainability jobs to be created globally by 2030, making skills and expertise in Sustainable Business Leadership applicable and desirable by organisations in the future.

Career options in sustainability management are available across a variety of areas including data and insights, project management, finance, compliance and marketing with the typical salaries of a Sustainability Manager in the UK ranging from £45,762-£52,309 per year according to Glassdoor.

Read our blog to find out more about the top careers in Sustainable Business Leadership.

About the course

Our course is suitable for those who are keen on driving the implementation and management of sustainable strategies in their organisation and is ideal if you:

Have no or limited managerial experience but are looking to upskill into leadership roles with the opportunity to influence organisational approaches to a wide range of contemporary sustainability issues.

Are an experienced manager from a range of sectors with a solid working background in business and/or sustainability and wish to progress to the C-suite to better lead individuals or teams that drive technical solutions for sustainability; or you want to develop your academic knowledge further in this field or ensure your skills and knowledge remains relevant through life-long learning.

Would like to work in the areas of business and sustainability but come from a different background, so desire to learn the key aspects of both areas and achieve a formal qualification in the subject.

Depending on the pathway you choose, you can complete the course in a minimum of eight months or a maximum of four years:

  • PG Cert: 8 months (full-time) or up-to 16 months (part-time)
  • MSc: 2 years (full-time) or up-to 4 years (part-time)

When studying our online Sustainable Business Leadership MSc and PG Cert course, you’ll cover a range of topics to enhance your understanding of sustainability. You’ll study compulsory modules in:

  • Sustainability and Business (15 credits)
  • Policy, Governance and Sustainability (15 credits)
  • Contemporary Economics (15 credits)

For the PG Cert you’ll also be able to select one optional module from the options below and for the MSc you’ll study all the options below:

  • Leadership for Change (15 credits)
  • Decision Making in a Complex World (15 credits)
  • Enterprise Innovation and Sustainability (15 credits)
  • Delivering Sustainable Solutions (15 credits)
  • Sustainable Business Strategies (15 credits)
  • Business Analytics (15 credits)

Visit our module catalogue to find out more.

When you graduate from our course in Sustainable Business Leadership, you’ll be perfectly equipped to drive the implementation and management of sustainable strategies in your organisation and succeed in leading sustainability roles.

Read our blog to find out more about the top careers in Sustainable Business Leadership.

About studying with the University of Leeds

By studying with the University of Leeds, you’ll be part of a prestigious, research-intensive Russell Group university, ranked 20th in the UK (Complete University Guide League Tables 2022). We are also in the Top 5 in the UK and Top 20 in the world for sustainable impact (Times Higher Education Impact Rankings, 2021).

The Leeds University Business School is triple accredited and ranked in the world top 100 for Business and Management studies (QS World University Rankings by subject, 2021). Meanwhile, the School of Earth and Environment is ranked in the global top 20 for Earth and Marine Sciences and top 30 for Environmental Studies (QS World University Rankings by subject, 2021). Our School is a major international powerhouse for environmental research that has wide-ranging and positive impacts on the world that we live in. 90% of our research was rated ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’ in the latest REF (research excellence framework).

When you study our Sustainable Business Leadership Masters online, you’ll be able to fit your studies around your life and career, and benefit from the whole host of advantages that online learning brings, including:

  • Studying when and where it suits you.
  • Starting the course at multiple points throughout the year.
  • Paying your fees in manageable installments.
  • Networking online with professionals across the world.
  • Enjoying the support of a dedicated Student Success Advisor.
  • Learning through our specialised learning platform, Minerva.

Visit our website to find out more about the benefits of studying online with the University of Leeds.

For your application, you’ll need to demonstrate that you meet the course entry requirements and English language requirements.

All applications can be submitted online, and suitably qualified candidates will be interviewed by one of our Enrolment Advisors as part of the application process. For more information about the course and how to apply to study on the online course, please email studentenquiries.online@leeds.ac.uk, or call +44 (0) 113 341 1262 to speak to a member of our Enrolment Team.

Throughout your studies, you’ll be supported by our Student Success Team at the University of Leeds. Whether you have a concern or query around anything from disability, personal tutoring, emergency situations or counselling, we’ll help you to ensure that you can make the most of your studies with a set of established policies.

Your learning will be delivered online via our award-winning virtual learning environment, Minerva which can be accessed on different devices, whenever and wherever it suits you. The platform has been designed by a team of experts to ensure your online learning experience is of the highest quality and prepares you for success, both academically and professionally.

By studying through live online sessions with our world-class academics including lecturers, professors, industry experts, and trained postgraduate researchers, you’ll be connected to support from some of the brightest AI minds on campus. You’ll also collaborate and learn from like-minded professionals during regular interactive activities, including live seminars, virtual discussions, and group projects to develop a support system within a growing global community of virtual learners.

Assessment methods will emphasise not just knowledge, but essential skills development too. You’ll be assessed on the Sustainable Business Leadership course through individual and group projects, group discussions and assignments, live and pre-recorded student presentations, literature reviews, poster presentations of case studies, reflective logs, essays and written reports, and multiple-choice exams for formative learning feedback (no more than 5% of summative assessment).

Can’t find the answer to your question here?

Please contact us and a member of our team will be happy to help.

Start today

Online postgraduate courses - University of Leeds