Agriculture - Food, Health, Sciences, Law - Political Science - Administration, Economics - Management

Masters’s in Global Challenges for Sustainability

  • Target level of study

    BAC +5

  • ECTS

    120 credits

  • Duration

    1.5 years

  • Training structure

    University of Montpellier

  • Language(s) of instruction

    English

Presentation

The CHARM-EU Master's degree "Global Challenges for Sustainable Development" is a joint international degree awarded by five of the universities in theCHARM-EU alliance: the University of Barcelona, Eötvös Loránd University Budapest, Trinity College Dublin, the University of Utrecht and the University of Montpellier. Students will have the opportunity to tackle contemporary issues related to sustainable development in a transdisciplinary environment, through a curriculum focused on solving challenges via innovative pedagogical approaches. The degree is delivered entirely in English, and offers a wide range of opportunities for physical and virtual mobility.

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Training benefits

  • Semester 1: acquisition of general skills, particularly in the fields of sustainability, social innovation and transdisciplinary research
  • Semester 2: a choice of thematic paths: Water, Food, or Life and Health
  • Semester 3: Project on a sustainability challenge, in cooperation with a social partner (company, local authority, association, etc.).
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Know-how and skills

Graduates of the program will be able to:

  • Research and evaluate complex societal challenges with different stakeholders in a cross-cultural manner;
  • Evaluating and integrating different disciplinary and transdisciplinary knowledge and research methodologies;
  • Demonstrate expertise in identifying and using the latest technologies to ethically analyze, manage, use and communicate data;
  • Acquire expertise and communicate effectively on complex, real-life issues;
  • Formulate an advanced understanding of transdisciplinarity and demonstrate expertise in facilitation, communication, reflection and collaboration skills to support one's practice ;
  • Acquire advanced cross-disciplinary skills in challenge-solving, entrepreneurship, innovation, digital skills and readiness for lifelong learning.
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International training

Joint degree

International dimension

Mobility is an integral part of this international program, which offers opportunities for short, intensive, medium and long periods of mobility.

  • Students will participate in virtual exchange programs, travel physically for a co-creation project and undertake a mixed mobility activity.
  • For phase 2 of the program, students will travel to another partner university (compulsory), taking the subject of their choice.
  • It will be possible to change schools in phase 3, depending on the challenge chosen by the student.

Mobility grants are available, notably through the Erasmus+ program.

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Organization

Knowledge control

A unique and holistic approach to assessment is an essential element of the CHARM-EU student learning experience. The curriculum uses a competency-based "programmatic assessment" method. In this innovative approach, a variety of assessment activities are used, and the student will receive plenty of feedback on his or her learning process through regular monitoring by his or her mentor. Assessment methods include tests, presentations, projects, research reports and teamwork. These assessment activities optimize learning by ensuring continuous and active student follow-up. With the support of mentors, teacher-researchers and extra-academic players, students have access to an electronic assessment portfolio system that records assessments and observations of their work. This e-portfolio also enables graduates to share with future employers some of the progress they have made during their training.

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Program

Phase 1

A preparatory phase comprising 3 compulsory modules, each delivering 10 ECTS credits (30 ECTS in total):

Phase 1 Description

Phase 2

A flexible phase comprising 3 modules, each delivering 10 ECTS (30 ECTS in total). Students must choose one of the following thematic paths:

Description of the flexible phase two columns

Phase 3

A "Capstone" project phase, consisting of a single module awarding 30 ECTS.

During this phase, students work in collaboration with their peers, academic staff and non-academic stakeholders (e.g. companies and associations) on a real sustainable development challenge based on the student's original disciplinary field.

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Admission

Access conditions

University level: Bachelor's degree or equivalent. For administrative reasons, holders of a French bachelor's degree must have 30 ECTS in addition to their bachelor's degree (validated M1 year or double bachelor's degree, for example) to be able to apply.

English: C1 level (download notice of accepted English certificates). Students with a B2 level will be considered according to other admission criteria, but must reach C1 level before the start of the course.

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How to register

Tuition fees

  • Students who are citizens of the European Union and have completed their previous year in French higher education: €0
  • Other European Union citizens: €3,000 for the entire diploma
  • Other students: €19,000 for the entire diploma
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Capacity

And then

Professional integration

The degree is designed to enable students to work in fields such as social innovation, sustainable entrepreneurship, project management or research.

External partners and stakeholders also contribute to the program, enabling students to connect with business and social sectors, build a strong network and be prepared to work with companies and institutions around the world. The degree program is geared towards student employability, the development of specific professional skills and academic career progression. The curriculum reinforces these aspects by identifying multiple career paths, aligning learning outcomes with the needs of business and civil society, and promoting the acquisition of a wide range of skills tailored to the needs of industry and society.

Four professional fields have been identified:

  • Sustainable development policies and communications
  • Innovation and social action, either within existing companies or through the creation of new ones (entrepreneurship).
  • Managers capable of dealing with complex issues from a sustainability perspective and advising senior management on sustainability issues
  • Progression in the academic world

Specific positions graduates can target:

  • Sustainable development specialist
  • Communication specialist
  • Social Innovation Analyst
  • Environmental contractor
  • International consultant (for companies, government institutions or NGOs)
  • Researcher
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