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MSc in Sustainability, Enterprise and the Environment

Inaugural course launches October 2021; applications now open

University of Oxford Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment

Photo by Elnur on Adobe Stock Edited by Anna Baginska

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Overview

In 2021 the Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment will launch a new MSc within the School of Geography and the Environment. The MSc in Sustainability, Enterprise and the Environment (SEE) will address two pervasive and unmet challenges of our time: making the transition to a zero-carbon and environmentally sustainable economic model, whilst simultaneously enabling sustainable development for everyone, poor and rich alike.

The course views these challenges through the lenses of finance, economics and enterprise – the Smith School’s core strengths. It will equip students with the rigorous academic knowledge and applied skills needed to understand and accelerate the transition to a zero-carbon, environmentally sustainable economic model.

This 12-month course is designed for current and future decision-makers who seek to deepen their expertise in economics, finance and business, broaden their understanding of the scientific, technological and cultural aspects of climate change and sustainable development and learn how to lead impactful change within enterprise. It is aimed at both recently completed undergraduates and graduates as well as early- to mid-career professionals.

The launch of this course comes at a pivotal moment in history when fundamental questions are being asked about the interactions between societies, economies and the natural environment - and the value structures underpinning these interactions. Leadership, grounded in learning, curiosity and entrepreneurship, will be more important than ever in rebuilding the post-COVID-19 world. Leaders of enterprise will need to be increasingly resilient and able to cope with previously unseen levels of complexity and uncertainty. They will also need to lead with empathy and emotional intelligence, and foster diversity and inclusion through deeper levels of socio-cultural awareness.

SEE is ideally suited to provide you with both the academic knowledge and practical skills needed to thrive in the post-pandemic landscape and play a leading role in reorienting the relationship between enterprise, society and the natural environment. Equipping the next generation with the cutting-edge research and training needed to drive change has always been central to the Smith School’s mission to get the world to net- zero emissions and achieve sustainable development. But now it takes on an even greater meaning in a context where the cement of societal structures is temporarily pliable and there is a genuine opportunity to change things for the better.

The course will be taught by world-leading experts from the top-ranked School of Geography and the Environment who are at the very forefront of research and practice across multiple disciplinary domains. Many have recently had a prominent voice in public debate around how

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to ‘build back better’ post-pandemic. The course will also draw on expertise from across the University of Oxford, including the Saïd Business School, the Blavatnik School, the Oxford Department of International Development and the Department of Economics.

The inaugural MSc SEE scholars will commence in October 2021 and conclude in September 2022. The course will be full-time, taught face-to-face in Oxford.

Course design

Programme aims This course has three overarching aims, to:

i. Develop a critical understanding of the nature, drivers and trajectories of climate change and economic development.

ii. Examine the role of enterprise and its relationship to environmental and development challenges across a range of risks, technological innovations, investment opportunities and policy responses.

iii. Enable students to integrate and apply their interdisciplinary knowledge, advanced methodological skills and science-policy-enterprise network to foster innovation and scalable progress toward net zero and sustainable development.

Programme structure SEE will comprise seven core modules, two electives and a 15,000-word dissertation. Our approach combines directed teaching, self-regulated learning, structured engagement with enterprise and formal assessment.

Term 1 – Michaelmas The first term will examine the nature and causes of net zero and sustainable development challenges, and build the data science and methodological tool-kit to measure and respond to the risks and opportunities.

Core modules will consist of:

• Systems change, enterprise and innovation: How can public and private actors work together to reach NZSD?

• Methods and data: Measuring progress and attributing impacts. • New environmental economic thinking: New problems and new solutions. • Global spaces and future cities I: The evolving role of infrastructures in NZSD.

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One elective will be taken during this term (see examples of electives here).

Term 2 – Hilary The second term will emphasise the social, policy and technological pathways for achieving these transitions – that is, how do we best tackle the NZSD problem?

Core modules will consist of:

• Global spaces and future cities II: The evolving role of infrastructures in NZSD. • Sustainable finance: How can finance mobilise the capital required for NZSD? • Socio-technical interventions: How can progress on NZSD be accelerated? • Environment, markets and society: What balance of state, society and markets can

help achieve NZSD?

One elective will be taken during this term (see examples of electives here).

Term 3 – Trinity Examinations and the dissertation form the major focus of the third term. The dissertation provides a unique opportunity for students to become deeply immersed in a topic which interests them and, under the mentorship of a supervisor, learn a valuable set of research skills while also developing significantly as a writer.

Combined programmes

The MSc SEE can also be coupled together with an MBA, as part of the Oxford 1 + 1 MBA programme. Find out more: www.sbs.ox.ac.uk/programmes/mbas/oxford-11-mba

Enterprise forum The enterprise forum will serve as a practical complementor to course work by balancing out and supplementing theoretical knowledge with hands-on experience, applied skills development and regular engagement with practitioners. It will involve activities including leadership skills development, mentorship with business fellows, case-based learning, guest lectures, seminars on personal effectiveness and more. It will also act as an incubator for dissertation topic development.

The forum will complement core modules and electives by allowing for the holistic development of a student who possesses the necessary knowledge, can apply the knowledge in real-world contexts, and has the skills and traits needed to lead change. For example, we know that achieving impact on ‘wicked problems’ arguably requires an approach grounded in leadership rather than management. The forum will include a seminar series entitled ‘Leading for sustainable development’, where our exclusive network of

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Business Fellows will, in an interactive manner, share their experiences with students of leading large-scale sustainability initiatives within enterprise.

The focal point of the forum will consist of activities occurring during the weekly class meeting. These regular one-to-two hour sessions will cultivate the necessary skills for engagement with enterprise and offer the chance for students to reflect on key themes. The forum will allow for the immediate and real-time practical application of key concepts explored in the core modules. It will be structured with distinct phases, with the focus in Michaelmas Term on problem definition and framing; and in Hilary Term on entrepreneurship and scaling solutions.

Field trips

Field trips will explore the role of enterprise in tackling the NZSD challenges. Two one-day trips will take place in each of Michaelmas and Hilary Terms. An induction field trip also will take place during the week prior to Michaelmas Term commencing. Additionally, a lengthier field trip will take place at the end of Hilary Term. This week-long capstone will see students visit a selected region to connect individual companies and their supply chains in order to bring to life key concepts and enable students to apply their learning e.g. on supply chains and sectors contributing to NZSD.

Field trip costs are included in the course fee, and any specific accessibility issues will be taken into account when planning the visits.

Assessment / evaluation Written examinations

The core modules will be examined by three (3) three-hour unseen written examinations in Trinity Term. These will determine the student’s critical understanding and knowledge of the range of issues covered and provide opportunities for students to display the results of their individual study and to use information gained from field trips and seminars.

Electives

Candidates will be expected to show advanced knowledge of two of the elective courses available. Candidates will submit written essays (of no more than 4,000 words plus a 150-word abstract) on two elective courses.

Dissertation

An independent and original dissertation is an integral component of the course. In order to equip you with the necessary skills to undertake high quality research, a suite of training

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activities are offered to develop key transferable skills in order for you to be able to execute high quality independent and original research, and expose you to applied research methods used widely in academic and professional research. The 15,000-word dissertation is due in the first week of September.

Employability, jobs and graduate destinations

Employability and post-MSc life is a major focus of the course. From day one the Course Director and University Careers Service will work closely with each student to understand their individual aims and where they wish to go after the course concludes. A degree from the University of Oxford - in particular, an innovative and novel MSc with a topical focus from the world’s top-ranked School of Geography and the Environment - is highly sought after by employers. Graduates from MScs within the School frequently land prominent positions within government departments, non-governmental organisations, business organisations and international agencies. Many also use their degree as a means to pivot their career trajectory towards a more specific aim (e.g. sustainability). The course will also equip students with many of the skills and knowledge bases necessary to pursue other pathways, such as an entrepreneurial career, or further study (e.g. a DPhil/PhD).

Equality, diversity and inclusion

The University of Oxford, School of Geography and the Environment, and Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment are committed to fostering an inclusive culture which promotes equality, values diversity and maintains a working, learning and social environment in which the rights and dignity of all its staff and students are respected. We recognise that the broad range of experiences that a diverse staff and student body brings strengthens our research and enhances our teaching, and that in order for Oxford to remain a world-leading institution we must continue to provide a diverse, inclusive, fair and open environment that allows everyone to grow and flourish.

You can find out more about the University of Oxford’s stance and policies on equality, diversity and inclusion here.

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Course fees

Annual fees for entry into the MSc SEE for the 2021-22 academic year:

University-wide scholarships

There are over 1,100 full or partial graduate scholarships available across the University. You will be automatically considered for over two-thirds of Oxford scholarships, if you fulfil the eligibility criteria and submit your graduate application by the relevant January deadline, with most scholarships awarded on the basis of academic merit and/or potential. Many of these scholarships also assist with accommodation and living expenses.

MSc SEE-specific scholarships

Talented graduate students drawn from a diversity of backgrounds are essential to Oxford’s academic mission. They help drive the University’s world-leading research, and then take the unique combination of knowledge, leadership skills and intellectual confidence they gain at

Fee status Annual course fee

Home (UK, Republic of Ireland, Channel Islands & Isle of Man) £19,200

Overseas (including EU) £25,900

Photo by Pawel on Adobe Stock

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Oxford and apply it to the needs of their own communities, nations and the wider world. Lack of financial resources should not be a barrier to talent. In recognition of this, and the broader aims of the course, we will offer a number of scholarships specifically for SEE.

More scholarships will likely be added to this list over the coming weeks and months, so we encourage you to check the SSEE, SoGE and University of Oxford central graduate application websites for more details as they become known. You will be automatically eligible for these yet-to-be-listed scholarships (assuming you meet the criteria) regardless of when you submit your SEE application, so long as it is on time (i.e. before the final deadline in January). You will not have to complete a separate application in most cases, and will be eligible by simply having applied for SEE.

Applicants can and often do receive more than one scholarship. An outstanding applicant may receive a number of smaller scholarships forming to the amount needed to cover full tuition fees and living expenses for SEE and one year residing in Oxford.

As of September 2020, the following scholarships are available:

St Cross MSc Scholarship in Sustainability, Enterprise and the Environment

St Cross College is delighted to offer a one-year scholarship for students starting MSc SEE in October 2021. The scholarship has a value of £10,000 and is intended to provide financial assistance to an academically meritorious graduate student. To be considered for this scholarship, applicants must have applied to study for the MSc in Sustainability, Enterprise and the Environment at the University of Oxford by the January 2021 deadline. No separate application is required and all eligible offer-holders (i.e. candidates accepted into the course) will be considered for this award. Details can be found here. MSc SEE Scholarship

A scholarship worth approximately £18,000 will be awarded to a worthy recipient enrolled in the MSc SEE. This scholarship is made possible by the generous support of the Boston Consulting Group. There is no separate application process for this scholarship – all those accepted into the course will be considered.

Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarships and Leadership Programme

The Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarships and Leadership Programme cultivates the leaders of tomorrow by providing outstanding university graduates and professionals from developing and emerging economies with the opportunity to pursue fully-funded graduate studies at the

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University of Oxford, combined with a comprehensive programme of leadership development, long-term mentoring and networking. The scholarship will cover 100% of course fees and a grant for living costs (of at least £15,285). Awards are made for the full duration of your fee liability for the agreed course. Details on eligibility and how to apply can be found here.

The Oxford Indira Gandhi Scholarship

This is a fully funded scholarship tenable at Somerville College. The scholarship is only for Indian nationals / graduates of Indian universities. MSc SEE is included in the fairly short list of courses eligible to receive this scholarship. No additional application is necessary. Details can be found here.

Rhodes Scholarship

MSc SEE appears on the list of courses eligible for the Rhodes Scholarship – arguably the world’s most prestigious academic scholarship. It covers all tuition fees and also provides a living expenses stipend. The 1+1 option (i.e. SEE + MBA) can also be taken as part of a Rhodes scholar’s study plan. A considerable application process exists for the Rhodes Scholarship. Details can be found here.

Photo by Keith Barnes Photography, photographersworkshop.co.uk

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Applications

Applicants are to apply via the central graduate admissions website of the University of Oxford. Applications for MSc SEE open on Wednesday 30 September 2020.

Round one applications close at 12:00 midday UK time on Friday 13 November 2020.

• Applications in round one are more likely to receive earlier decisions.

Round two applications close at 12:00 midday UK time on Friday 22 January 2021.

• This is the latest deadline for most Oxford scholarships. • It is the final application deadline for entry in 2021-22.

Selection criteria

The selection criteria for the MSc SEE are as follows:

i. Proven and potential academic excellence: Degree-level qualifications: As a minimum, applicants should hold or be predicted to achieve the equivalent of a first-class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree with Honours in any discipline.

ii. Other qualifications, evidence of excellence and relevant experience: Applicants should demonstrate an interest in sustainable development and net zero, and intersections with enterprise. Evidence of any relevant practice experience should be outlined, but is not required.

iii. English language requirement: proficiency in English at the University's higher level.

Applications should be supported by three written references, at least two of which must be academic, giving evidence of intellectual ability, academic achievement and motivation.

Candidates will be asked to provide:

• Official transcripts. • A CV. • A personal statement of up to two pages. • Written work: an essay of up to 2,000 words. • Three references, as outlined above.

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MSc SEE teaching team

Professor Cameron Hepburn, Director of the Smith School

Cameron is Professor of Environmental Economics at the Smith School and at the Institute for New Economic Thinking at the Oxford Martin School. Cameron is an expert in environmental, resource and energy economics. He has advised governments around the world and has had an entrepreneurial career, having co-founded three businesses and invested in several start-ups.

Dr Dustin Garrick

Academic Director, Associate Professor of Environmental and Resource Management

Dustin holds a joint appointment with the School of Geography and the Environment. He is an expert in environmental governance with a focus on property rights, institutions and markets and has extensive experience advising leading policy and development organisations. He has been a recipient of the Philomathia Award (2019-20), Leshner Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (2018-19), and Fulbright Scholar (2010-11) and worked with the OECD, World Bank and The Nature Conservancy.

Photo by Andrew Bailey, www.baileymg.com

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Dr Alex Money

Director, Innovative Infrastructure Investment Programme

A former fund manager, Alex has over 20 years of practitioner experience in investment and industry. His research interests include water, energy, infrastructure, investment, and development. Alex focuses on the opportunities for empirical research to bridge knowledge gaps between academia and industry.

Dr Aoife Brophy Haney

Departmental Research Lecturer in Innovation and Enterprise

Aoife holds a joint appointment with the Smith School and the Saïd Business School. Her research focuses on the connections between technological, organisational and institutional change related to sustainability. The main focus of Aoife's recent work has been the energy industry, and particularly the intersection between energy and buildings.

Dr Ben Caldecott

Director, Oxford Sustainable Finance Programme and Lombard Odier Associate Professor and Senior Research Fellow Ben is also Senior Advisor to the Chair and CEO of the UK Green Finance Institute and COP26 Strategy Advisor for Finance based in the Cabinet Office. His initiatives include the Global Research Alliance for Sustainable Finance and Investment (GRASFI), the Sustainable Finance Theme at The Alan Turing Institute, the Spatial Finance Initiative, and the Commonwealth Climate and Law Initiative (CCLI).

Dr Caitlin McElroy

Departmental Research Lecturer

Caitlin holds a joint appointment with the Smith School and the School of Geography and the Environment. Her research focuses on interactions between the mining industry, the environment, and development. Caitlin is also Director of the Smith School’s Executive Education programme.

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Dr Matthew Ives

Senior Research Associate

An economist and complex systems modeller, Matt is currently working on the Oxford Martin Programme on the Post-Carbon Transition, which is developing solutions to climate change through an understanding of sensitive intervention points in our socioeconomic systems that can enable rapid reductions in emissions.

Dr Radhika Khosla

Senior Researcher

Radhika is also Research Director of the Oxford India Centre for Sustainable Development at Somerville College. She is an expert in the tensions between urban transitions, energy services consumption and climate change, with a focus on developing country cities. Radhika is the Principal Investigator of the Oxford Martin School's interdisciplinary and multi-country programme on the Future of Cooling. She is a contributing author to the sixth assessment report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

Professor Rob Hope

Professor of Water Policy and Director of the Water Programme

Rob holds a joint appointment with the Smith School and the School of Geography and the Environment.

His research focuses on water policy, poverty and economics, largely in Africa and Asia. He was a winner as part of the Smart Water Systems group of the inaugural Vice Chancellor's Innovation Award for the 'smart handpumps' project.

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Dr Laurence Wainwright

Course Director MSc SEE & Departmental Lecturer

A teaching and learning oriented academic, Laurence has a decade of experience in lecturing, facilitation and supervision across universities in Australia, Sweden and the United States. Laurence is passionate about the holistic development of the students he teaches and helping them to develop into well-rounded individuals with a mindset of intellectual curiosity and courage, continuous self-improvement and service to a mission beyond themselves.

Further information

Please contact the Course Director MSc SEE, Dr Laurence Wainwright, with any specific questions: laurence.wainwright@smithschool.ox.ac.uk.

Photo by Unshu on Adobe Stock

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Frequently asked questions

I have a strong interest in sustainability, corporate social responsibility, climate change etc. but have absolutely no work experience in any of these fields. I note the selection criteria alludes to “relevant practice experience”. Will my application be less competitive because I have no experience?

No. We do not expect candidates to have relevant practical experience in sustainability and related fields. You can be admitted to MSc SEE direct from a BA in English Literature, just as you can by possessing an MSc in Chemical Engineering and having had 15+ years working in industry on sustainability issues. What we do expect however, is that you have an informed interest in these fields, and demonstrate a genuine passion and/or curiosity toward sustainability issues throughout your application (e.g. in the personal statement). If you do already possess relevant experience this of course is a very welcome addition to your application. However it won’t necessarily improve (but neither reduce) your chances of gaining acceptance into the programme.

How strict are the academic requirements? I’ve heard that you want a 3.7/4 GPA in the U.S grading system. I have a 3.68. Will I still be considered?

The MSc programmes across the School of Geography and the Environment, including the Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment (i.e. the forthcoming MSc in Sustainability, Enterprise and the Environment) all make use of the same criteria pertaining to academic achievement as the key entry requirement: Proven and potential academic excellence.

In the vast majority of instances, this typically means that the applicant should have achieved or be predicted to achieve the equivalent of a U.K. first-class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree with Honours. In U.S terms this typically means a 3.7/4 GPA.

However, when assessing applicants on this criterion we do look at the big picture. Reference letters, CV, personal statements, writing samples, and so on allow us to make a more holistic, complete and accurate assessment as to the applicant’s academic ability. For this reason, the 1st or strong upper 2.1, or 3.7 U.S. GPA, is not a hard and fast rule in and of itself but rather a very good and accurate indication as to the level of academic achievement that is expected.

Should I do the GRE/GMAT? Will it increase my chances of getting in?

GRE General Test Scores or GMAT Scores are not a required or recommended part of the application process for this course (for a short period in early September GRE was listed on the SSEE website as encouraged, but this is no longer the case). You are not expected, nor

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encouraged, to submit scores from either of these examinations. If you wish you mention GRE/GMAT results in your CV/personal statement then you are of course free to do so – just as you are free to mention any other academic achievement. However, it will not increase (nor diminish) your chances of gaining acceptance.

I’ve been working for the last 10 years and lost touch with my lecturers/professors from my university days. How should I go about getting two academic references? Can I just have three work references instead?

Universities are usually very happy to write letters of reference. It is an unspoken expectation of the academic institution that faculty write these letters – even many years later and even for students they cannot personally remember (they may ask your help to jog their memory). However, we understand that in a few select cases this may be difficult, and in some cases impossible. In these rare instances we sometimes accept one of the two academic letters from a non-academic reference, so long as they can speak somewhat to your intellectual ability, academic achievement and motivation. Please contact the Course Director MSc SEE laurence.wainwright@smithschool.ox.ac.uk to discuss this option before proceeding with it.

Disclaimer: The information appearing on this website / in this document is to be used as a guide only. The final and binding details pertaining to cost, selection criteria and required documents for application are those appearing on the central University of Oxford graduate admissions website. The final and binding details pertaining to course structure and content will be those given in the MSc SEE course handbook in September 2021. COVID-19 related-restrictions may mean that some minor to moderate changes have to be made to the inaugural cohort of the course - for example, some components being taught online, and field trips being local rather than regional/international. Meeting selection criteria does not assure selection. It is likely that the course will be oversubscribed, meaning many qualified candidates may miss out on a place. The teaching staff list is subject to change.

Photo by John Cairns