• Postgraduate

Finance and Sustainability  MSc

Overview

Overview

The finance profession is constantly evolving with the range of sub-specialisms growing rapidly and we have carefully curated a rich portfolio of specialist finance courses to equip you with the knowledge and specialist skills required to meet the needs and demands of the profession and make a significant contribution to the organisations you work for.

The various specialist pathways will provide you with further opportunities to pursue rewarding careers by exploring areas relevant to your chosen subject specialism.

Our MSc Finance and Sustainability course will create highly sought-after sustainable finance professionals who are essential in helping organisations across all sectors.

From a carefully curated portfolio of modules, you will learn how to create long-term value for all stakeholders by devising and implementing sustainable strategies and business processes, driving positive change, and championing the ESG agenda. 

Teaching hours

Classes will be scheduled for 2-3 days per week.

A businesswoman blended with a plant stares out of a window across a city

Select your desired study option, then pick a start date to see relevant course information:

Study options:
We support flexible study by offering some of our courses part-time or via distance learning. To give you real world experience before you graduate, we also offer some courses with a placement or internship. All available options are listed here. Your choices may affect some details of your course, such as the duration and cost per year. Please re-check the details on this page if you change your selection.

Start date:

If your desired start date is not available, try selecting a different study option.

Why study Finance and Sustainability  with us?

Why study Finance and Sustainability  with us?

What our students say…

Three words to describe my university experience: I loved it. The course was challenging. I had a very helpful programme leader. My favourite aspect of university life was getting involved with the Students' Union team.

Ruchika Sahni

I feel like nothing is impossible with the help of the staff and lecturers.

Karishma Sheth
Next
Access to on-site Mac and PC Labs
Industry focused teaching
Specialist careers advice
Evening classes
Course detail & modules

Course detail & modules

If you are a finance or business graduate/professional with a burgeoning interest in sustainability then our Finance and Sustainability Course gives you the opportunity to build a specialist base of knowledge and launch a rewarding career.

This Masters degree is perfect for those interested in driving environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) as well as the sustainability agenda.

With issues of sustainability more pertinent than ever, finance professionals with sustainability skills are highly sought-after in a wide variety of fields.

Expert staff

When you study Finance and Sustainability at UWL, you will have direct contact with our course tutors who have extensive theoretical knowledge and industry experience. Their combined expertise will support your professional development throughout the course.

Award-winning

We are a leading provider of national and international business and finance education, winning accolades such as Public Sector Accountancy College of the Year at the PQ Awards 2021.

Location

Thanks to our West London location – close to the Thames Valley’s M4 corridor, Heathrow Airport and the City of London – and our longstanding reputation, we have formed strong connections and links with a number of potential employers.

Compulsory modules

  • Management Skills for Finance Professionals

    This module aims to provide, through practice within authentic tasks, a comprehensive and enhanced understanding of critical enquiry, team working, presentation skills and business ideas. By learning to enquire more critically, you will become more analytical about truth, claims and learn to differentiate between evidence-based recommendations, arguments or policies and unsubstantiated opinion. Your knowledge and understanding of the Harvard referencing system would also be further developed through this module.

  • Sustainable Strategy

    This module aims to enhance your understanding of sustainable business operations and enable them to develop sustainable strategies and processes for organisations to be able to deliver long-term value to stakeholders.

  • Corporate Financial Management

    The aims of this module are to introduce you to:

    •  a critical review of business finance theory and practice
    • capital investment decision-making techniques and their applications
    • apply acquired knowledge of theory in a real-life context.
  • Corporate Financial Reporting

    The module covers the essentials of financial reporting principles and practices. You will learn to apply your knowledge and skills, as well as how to exercise professional judgement to a variety of business contexts and situations.

  • Sustainability Frameworks, Disclosures and Analytics

    This module aims to enhance your awareness and understanding of some of the commonly used sustainability reporting frameworks, sustainability-related disclosures and sustainability performance analysis, using relevant reporting tools and software where appropriate.

    The module would also help you in understanding and countering various ethical issues, and identifying, monitoring and mitigating climate, environmental and sustainability risks.

  • Business Statistics and Forecasting

    In this module, you will be introduced to some fundamental methods of statistical analysis, research and forecasting used in business.

Optional modules

  • Dissertation

    Through this module, you will undertake a substantial piece of postgraduate, in-depth research project, and thereby achieve the following aims:

    • to recognise, organise, and address an issue(s) of an organisation(s), a sector(s) or a country(ies)
    • integrate and apply knowledge across different subjects and areas, particularly those which you have learned during the course
    • gain experience in handling and resolving practical problems of executing research methods and develop critical thinking, analytical and reflective skills. 
  • Applied Project

    This is a student-initiated consultancy project undertaken with the intention of gaining in-depth insights into the relevant subject area and practice-based understanding of project design, conduct and action; contributing to academic knowledge and industry practice, and improving your academic performance.

    You would have the opportunity to work with, though not necessarily in, a company on a clearly defined project addressing a real issue set by the organisation. Through this module, you would be able to gain practical experience and develop a range of skills including analytical, communication, project management, consultancy and other transferable skills.

Entry requirements

Entry requirements

Students should have an honours degree (2:2 or above) from a UK university or equivalent in accounting, finance or business subjects. We will also consider anyone with relevant sustainability-related qualifications.

In the absence of the above, we may also offer students a place based on relevant experience or training, normally from within the work environment. All applications are considered individually.

Find out more about our processes for recognising previous experience

6.5 IELTS or above

You need to meet our English language requirement of 6.5 overall score for IELTS, with a minimum of 5.5 for each of the 4 individual components (Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening). Visit our English language requirements page for information on other English language tests we accept.

You also need academic qualifications at the same level as UK applicants. In some countries where teaching is in English, we may accept local qualifications. Check for local equivalents.

We offer pre-sessional English language courses if you do not meet these requirements. Find out more about our English Language courses.

Fees & funding

Fees & funding

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Please note:

  • Fees for the 2026/27 academic year and onwards may be subject to Government regulation and change.
  • Tuition fees are charged for each year of your course. If your course runs for two years or more, you will need to pay the fee for each academic year at the start of that year.
  • If your course runs for less than two years, the cost above is for your full course and you will need to pay the full fee upfront.
  • If no fee is shown above then the fees for this course are not available yet. Please check again later for updates.

Funding your studies

If you are studying a Masters course you may be eligible to apply for a Postgraduate Loan, this may help contribute towards your course fees and living costs.

Additional funding is available to some types of students, such as disabled students or those with dependants.

We offer a range of scholarships and bursaries, including awards for specific subjects. Awards for business students are also on offer. 

{{ formatCurrencyValue(currentVariantData.field_p_cv_int_main_fee.name) }} per year

Please note:

  • Fees for the 2026/27 academic year and onwards may be subject to Government regulation and change.
  • Tuition fees are charged for each year of your course. If your course runs for two years or more, you will need to pay the fee for each academic year at the start of that year.
  • If your course runs for less than two years, the cost above is for your full course and you will need to pay the full fee upfront.
  • If no fee is shown above then the fees for this course are not available yet. Please check again later for updates.

International students - funding your studies

We offer scholarships for international students including International Ambassador Scholarships. 

Further information about funding and financial support for international students is available from the UK Council for International Student Affairs.

 

Teaching staff

Teaching staff

Profile picture of Liana Hayrapetyan who has dark brown hair and is wearing a red dress

Liana Hayrapetyan

An academic with prior industry experience. I have pursued a portfolio career comprising of experiences in financial industry, including work in ESG area, business start-ups and consultancy and output in creative industry. My teaching experience has included all these areas over the years. This creates opportunities for cross-disciplinary outputs.  

Currently, I teach modules in Finance and supervise dissertations focusing on topics around sustainability, ESG integration, VC investing, blockchain technology, DeFi, and new emerging economic models and theories driven by economic shocks, such as wars, pandemics, climate change and changing world order.

An academic with prior industry experience. I have pursued a portfolio career comprising of experiences in financial industry, including work in ESG area, business start-ups and consultancy and output in creative industry. My teaching experience has included all these areas over the years. This creates opportunities for cross-disciplinary outputs.  

Currently, I teach modules in Finance and supervise dissertations focusing on topics around sustainability, ESG integration, VC investing, blockchain technology, DeFi, and new emerging economic models and theories driven by economic shocks, such as wars, pandemics, climate change and changing world order.

Study & career progression

Study & career progression

A businessman counts coins with trees on top of them

Once you graduate with an MSc Finance and Sustainability you will be ready to apply for senior roles in various strands of the finance and/or ever-growing sustainability industries.

You could go on to work in roles such as:

  • Sustainable Finance Manager
  • Financial Services Sustainable Finance Manager
  • Environmental and Social Due Diligence & Sustainable Finance Manager
  • Senior Associate – Sustainable Finance
  • Senior Consultant – Sustainable Finance
  • ESG Analyst
  • ESG Policy Lead
  • Sustainability Reporting Specialist.

Additionally, you may pursue a career in IT, HR, marketing, sales, procurement, software development, data management, logistics and more.

On completion of the course, you may be eligible to apply for a doctoral programme.

How to apply

How to apply

Important notes for applicants

Disclaimer

*Modern universities - defined as higher education institutions that were granted university status in, and subsequent to, 1992.

**The National Student Survey 2023 and 2024 - Average of answers to all questions by registered student population. Excludes specialist institutions.

Testimonials - our students or former students provided all of our testimonials - often a student from the course but sometimes another student. For example, the testimonial often comes from another UWL student when the course is new.

Optional modules - where optional modules are offered they will run subject to staff availability and viable student numbers opting to take the module.

Videos - all videos on our course pages were accurate at the time of filming. In some cases a new Course Leader has joined the University since the video was filmed.

Availability of placements - if you choose a course with placement/internship route we would like to advise you that if a placement/internship opportunity does not arise when you are expected to undertake the placement then the University will automatically transfer you to the non-internship route, this is to ensure you are still successful in being awarded a degree.