FAQs: Accredited Programmes
What’s the difference between the Postgraduate Certificate in Sustainable Business (PCSB) and the Master of Studies in Sustainability Leadership?
How do the Postgraduate Certificate in Sustainable Business (PCSB) and the Master of Studies in Sustainability Leadership link?
What is sustainable business training? Is it the same as corporate social responsibility (CSR) training?
Is this vocational training in sustainable business or an academic sustainability qualification from the University of Cambridge?
Can the sustainable business courses be taken full-time, or do I need to be in employment?
Can I take the sustainability courses from outside the UK?
Where do the residential workshops take place?
What is an MSt in sustainability? Is it different to an MSc in sustainability?
I don’t work in the private sector, are these courses suitable for me?
How long are the courses?
When are the next courses?
How much do the sustainability courses cost?
How do I apply?
In what way are the Masters and PCSB different from sustainable business conferences or short courses?
Where can I find recommendations/testimonials from previous participants?
How do I find out more?
Does CPSL run any other courses?
What’s the difference between the Postgraduate Certificate in Sustainable Business (PCSB) and the Master of Studies in Sustainability Leadership?
The Postgraduate Certificate in Sustainable Business (PCSB) takes eight months to complete (part-time). During this time students attend three short workshops in Cambridge and undertake three assignments. PCSB has been designed so that students develop insights and solutions that make business sense of sustainability. The course looks at business challenges that include: defining the boundaries of corporate responsibility in relation to today’s global challenges; devising and implementing effective approaches to socially responsible business that drive innovation and competitive advantage; responding to the diverse social, environmental and economic expectations of stakeholders and society at large.
During their time on the PCSB, students have access to the University of Cambridge Electronic Resources (e.g. Journals and E Books). Having completed PCSB, students receive a University of Cambridge Postgraduate Certificate in Sustainable Business. This is worth 60 CATS points. The CATS (Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme) points system is recognised by many UK Higher Education institutions as a method of quantifying credit for a particular course.
The Master of Studies in Sustainability Leadership takes two years to complete (part-time). It includes four week-long residential workshops in Cambridge (two each year), three E Modules, three assignments in the first year and a 15,000-word dissertation in the second year. The first third of the Masters Programme is the equivalent of PCSB. At the first Masters workshop the same topics and challenges are examined as those that are delivered during the PCSB. Similarly, the first year assignments for the Masters Programme are the same as those completed on PCSB. Workshops 2–4 and the E Modules on the Masters Programme look further into these challenges and then go on to look at 12 interdisciplinary modules on all aspects of sustainability. Read more about the module breakdown.
Masters students are fully matriculated students of the University of Cambridge. They become members of a University College, are able access the University Library and E Resources. Students who complete and pass the programme graduate from the University of Cambridge with a Master of Studies degree.
How do the Postgraduate Certificate in Sustainable Business (PCSB) and the Master of Studies in Sustainability Leadership link?
PCSB is equivalent to the first third of the Masters programme. The topics covered during PCSB are also taught during the first Masters workshop and the assignments undertaken on PCSB are the same as those completed in the first year of the Masters Programme. Alumni of PCSB since 2007 who are admitted on to the Masters course do not attend the first Masters workshop, do not undertake the first year assignments and pay a reduced fee.
What is sustainable business training? Is it the same as corporate social responsibility (CSR) training?
‘Sustainable business training’ aims to equip people in the private sector with the skills needed to respond to sustainability challenges and opportunities. When CSR is defined broadly, then it may be essentially the same as ‘CSR training’. When CSR is defined narrowly to refer just to philanthropy by companies, for example, then ‘CSR training’ is only a sub-set of ‘sustainable business training’. Sustainable business concerns the full spectrum of 'core business' activities in relation to significant ecological, social, and economic issues, and the interactions between the various issues at a systems level.
Is this vocational training in sustainable business or an academic sustainability qualification from the University of Cambridge?
These courses are both accredited University of Cambridge postgraduate-level qualifications. Students on the course are given insight into the cutting-edge research taking place within the University and benefit from hearing lectures and being supervised by leading Cambridge academics. In addition to this they have been designed to offer content that is directly transferable to business. Students engage directly with innovators from business to critique and explore best practice. Our aim is that both courses provide a rigorous academic grounding for the development of practical business insights. Students are encouraged to take their insights from the courses and create positive change within their organisations.
Can the sustainable business courses be taken full-time, or do I need to be in employment?
PCSB is designed for students in full-time employment. It is not offered on a full-time basis.
Can I take the sustainability courses from outside the UK?
Applications are welcomed from individuals based throughout the world. The part-time nature of the courses means that they are suitable for non-UK-based applicants. Attendance at the residential workshops is however a compulsory element of the courses.
Where do the residential workshops take place?
The residential workshops are run in Cambridge, UK.
What is an MSt in sustainability? Is it different to an MSc in sustainability?
An MSt is a part-time degree awarded at the University of Cambridge and Oxford University. Cambridge does not have an MSc award. Students who undertake a full-time Masters-level course are awarded an MPhil. At Cambridge and Oxford all students who graduate with a bachelor’s degree can upgrade to a Master of Arts (MA) title six years after their first term of study without undertaking any extra work. Therefore a Cambridge MA is an honorary qualification. For students who attend the University of Cambridge and undertake Masters-level study there are two options – the MPhil which is awarded for full-time Masters level study and the Master of Studies which is awarded for part-time Masters level study. They both have the same gravitas and are recognised as the same level of degree.
I don’t work in the private sector, are these courses suitable for me?
The short answer is yes, if you are looking to work with the private sector. Both the Postgraduate Certificate in Sustainable Business and the Masters of Studies in Sustainability Leadership are designed for senior and mid-career professionals and managers who want to enhance their ability to respond to sustainability challenges and are looking to increase their own personal development in the field. Whilst both programmes welcome applicants from the public sector and NGOs, these applicants should be aware that the content of the programme is predominantly focused towards business. Applicants from these sectors who want to deepen their understanding of how business is tackling sustainability challenges in order to enhance their ability to work with business will benefit from attending the programme.
How long are the courses?
The Master of Studies runs part-time for two years. During this time students attend four week-long workshops in Cambridge (two in the first year of the programme and two in the second year of the programme).
PCSB runs for eight months, part-time. During this time students attend three workshops in Cambridge lasting two to three days each.
When are the next courses?
Applications for the 2012–2014 Master of Studies programme are now closed. To register interest in the 2013–2015 programme please email masters@cpsl.cam.ac.uk.
Applications for PCSB 2012 have now closed. We will open for applications for the 2013 intake in October. Please contact pcsb@cpsl.cam.ac.uk to register your interest.
How much do the sustainability courses cost?
The Master of Studies costs £18,000 in total (£9,000 per year).
PCSB costs £6,500 in total.
Both courses are VAT exempt.
How do I apply?
Applications are made via our website.
In what way are the Masters and PCSB different from sustainable business conferences or short courses?
Our programmes draw on 20 years of experience designing and delivering programmes that help current business leaders, and future leaders, understand and respond to significant challenges facing their organisations and the world today.
Students are given the opportunity to engage directly with leading academics, business leaders, NGOs and government. We use a collaborative learning model, which emphasises the importance of dialogue and discussion in small groups, facilitated by expert tutors. Though our workshops are challenging, students are given time to reflect and follow their own interests. Students completing the programmes receive a recognised qualification from a world-leading university, and develop assignments that are directly applicable to their roles in the workplace.
On completion of the Masters or PCSB, students join some 4,000 CPSL alumni, and are invited to join the Cambridge Sustainability Network.
Students on the Masters Programme also become Alumni of the University of Cambridge, which has a range of benefits.
Where can I find recommendations/testimonials from previous participants?
Read testimonials from our current Masters students.
How do I find out more?
For the Masters, please contact masters@cpsl.cam.ac.uk.
For PCSB, please contact pcsb@cpsl.cam.ac.uk. .
Does CPSL run any other courses?
Yes, CPSL's range of executive education programmes have an international reputation for drawing together leading thinkers to achieve system change at national and international levels. We offer an international perspective with world-class faculty and contributors from academic, policy and practitioner circles.