The MSc Sustainability, Energy and Development course enables you to learn how anthropological ideas and approaches are vital for understanding the environmental, social, and economic crises of the contemporary world. It teaches how to engage with local knowledge and community-based approaches, rather than rely on global blueprints for sustainable development.
The course is taught by an active, interdisciplinary team involved in world-class research on development issues. We offer comparative knowledge about achieving environmental and social sustainability through participatory approaches and active collaborations with projects for empowerment in the Global South. Our geographical areas of expertise include Sub-Saharan Africa, South America, South Asia, South-East Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and Melanesia. Staff also help students connect with Durham’s excellent research communities such as the Institute of Hazard, Risk and Resilience, and the Durham Energy Institute.
"I am extremely glad I made the decision to study in the Anthropology Department at Durham University, and would highly recommend it to anyone looking to complete a master’s study. The staff are extremely helpful and approachable, and have made settling into the university and the city really easy. I have also found the variety of student backgrounds extremely interesting, and it makes for riveting debates during seminars."
"Pursuing a Master's in Sustainability, Energy & Development has been an incredibly thought-provoking experience. Learning, discussing, and exchanging knowledge with like-minded individuals from Durham’s Anthropology Department has inspired fresh ideas and nurtured a more interdisciplinary approach to my research methodology. I highly recommend this course to anyone looking to apply a new lens to their undergraduate foundation."
"This programme puts Anthropology in conversation with many other disciplines in order to face big global challenges and to look at how we can learn from other ways of thinking"