FAQs: Accredited Programmes

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 a business case for 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 sustainable business that drive innovation, growth 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.

Master's students are fully matriculated students of the University of Cambridge. They become members of a College within the University of Cambridge, 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.

PCSB is equivalent to the first third of the Master's programme. The topics covered during PCSB are also taught during the first Master's workshop and the assignments undertaken on PCSB are the same as those completed in the first year of the Master's Programme. Alumni of PCSB since 2007 who are admitted on to the Master's course do not need to attend the first Master's workshop (although they are welcome to do so), do not undertake the first year assignments and pay a reduced fee.

CPSL’s programmes focus on the business and organisational implications of sustainability, i.e. the risks and opportunities that sustainability challenges pose for business strategies and operations, the nature and scale of response required, and the leadership required to drive the changes that business and society need. Our accredited programmes on sustainability business and sustainability leadership aim to equip current and future leaders with the insight and skills needed to respond to sustainability challenges and opportunities, through exploring 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.

When corporate social responsibility is defined broadly, then our programmes may be essentially a specific form of ‘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 the focus of our programmes.

The programmes are both accredited University of Cambridge postgraduate-level qualifications. Students on the programmes 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 the programmes have been designed to offer content that is directly transferable to business. Students engage openly with innovators from business to critique and explore best practice. Our aim is that both programmes provide a rigorous academic grounding for the development of practical business insights. Students are encouraged to take their insights from the programmes and create positive change within their organisations.

Both the Master's and PCSB are designed for students in full-time employment. They are not offered on a full-time basis.

Applications are welcomed from individuals based throughout the world. The part-time nature of the programmes means that they are suitable for non-UK-based applicants. Attendance at the residential workshops is, however, a compulsory element of the programmes.

The residential workshops are run in Cambridge, UK.

Master of Studies in Sustainability Leadership: In order to foster a collegiate atmosphere during the intensive workshops, we block-book accommodation, usually at Wolfson College. College accommodation is of a reasonable quality and rooms have basic furnishing and en suite bathrooms; however it does not provide full hotel standards of service and convenience. While students are not obliged to take up the offer of accommodation, staying in College is encouraged, since it offers practical benefits and enhances the experience of Cambridge student life. Accommodation at Wolfson College is also very reasonably priced, especially for members of the College. The cost of transport, accommodation and meals is not included in the Programme and College Fees.

Postgraduate Certificate in Sustainable Business (PCSB): Accommodation and meals are included in the Programme Fee and are provided at a University of Cambridge College and Madingley Hall. Participants are expected to be in residence during the short workshops. It is not possible to provide additional accommodation for family or guests.

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 Master's-level programme 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 Master's-level study there are two options – the MPhil which is awarded for full-time Master's-level study and the Master of Studies which is awarded for part-time Master's-level study. They both have the same gravitas and are recognised as the same level of degree.

The short answer is yes, if you are looking to work with the private sector. Both the Postgraduate Certificate in Sustainable Business and the Master 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 professional and 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.

The Postgraduate Certificate in Sustainable Business runs for eight months, part-time. During this time students attend three workshops in Cambridge lasting two to three days each. 

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).

Applications for the Postgraduate Certificate in Sustainable Business intake for 2013 are now closed. Read more information on the application process and requirements, or contact pcsb@cpsl.cam.ac.uk for more information on next year's PCSB programme.

The Master of Studies in Sustainability Leadership 2013–2015 cohort is now closed for applications. To register interest for the next cohort, please contact masters@cpsl.cam.ac.uk.

The Master of Studies costs £18,500 in total (£9,250 per year). PCSB alumni pay a reduced fee.

PCSB costs £7,000 in total.

Both courses are VAT-exempt.

The Programme Fee covers the cost of delivering the course, including all teaching, materials, workshops, and assessment. This fee does not cover accommodation and basic subsistence costs during the residential workshops. Students are offered the option of reasonably priced accommodation, usually at Wolfson College.

The College Fee is a mandatory fee, levied by the College granting membership. All students at the University of Cambridge become members of a College, which provides pastoral support within a stimulating academic community. Wolfson College serves as the main host for the MSt programme and is where the majority of our students find membership. The fee covers the cost of providing a range of domestic and pastoral services. Part-time students are typically charged 50% of the full-time graduate membership fee, although College Fees for the 2013–2014 academic year have not yet been set.

Participants on the Postgraduate Certificate in Sustainable Business (PCSB) do not become College members and, hence, are only charged a Programme Fee.

Wolfson College serves as the main host for the Master of Studies in Sustainability Leadership and is where the majority of our students find membership. It was founded especially for graduate and mature students and is one of only a few Colleges that cater specifically for the needs of part-time students, including offering accommodation and regular formal dining outside the normal University terms (which is when the residential workshops take place). We recommend that you consider applying to become a member of Wolfson College. You will be asked to select your preferred College as part of the application process via the application form. If you do not indicate a preference for a particular College, then your application will be submitted to Wolfson College.

If you choose to apply to another College, please be aware that it might not be successful, and we cannot guarantee that you will receive similar support, especially outside the normal University terms (Michaelmas, from early October to early December; Lent, from mid-January to late March; and Easter, from mid-April to early June). Once a student of Wolfson College, you will remain a member of the College for life, and this will include the opportunity to book accommodation and meals as part of alumni activities, and being invited to College alumni events.

Applications for PCSB are made via the CPSL website. Applications for the Master's are made via the Institute of Continuing Education website.

Our programmes draw on 20 years of our team's experience in designing and delivering programmes that help current and future business 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 career and personal development interests. Students completing the programmes receive a recognised qualification from the world-leading University of Cambridge, and develop assignments that are directly applicable to their roles in the workplace.

On completion of the Master's or PCSB, students join some 4,000 CPSL alumni, and are invited to join the Cambridge Sustainability Network.

Students on the Master's Programme also become Alumni of the University of Cambridge, which has a range of benefits.

Read testimonials from our current Master's students.

For the Master's, please contact masters@cpsl.cam.ac.uk.

For PCSB, please contact pcsb@cpsl.cam.ac.uk.

Yes, CPSL's range of executive education programmes has 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.