Course summary

Course Details The urban world is transforming. Cities are being reshaped by a series of instabilities and crises. Climate change, intensifying inequalities and vulnerabilities, global migration, war and conflict, technological transformation, new patterns of work and living, and geographical sprawl are generating a sustained period of turbulence. How in the face of overlapping crises, insecurity and uncertainty, can human and non-human life survive and thrive in the city? How can sustainable urban futures be cultivated in the midst of changes in global cities? The MSc in Cities and Sustainable Futures addresses these urgent questions by focusing on how global cities are being made and remade in relation to climate change and other challenges, different experiences of city life amid crisis, and a range of urban alternatives and experiments. You’ll learn about how cities around the world are adapting to a range of challenges, including climate change, in the context of wider efforts to generate sustainable futures. You will also develop a series of research skills and gain experience of working with partners, alongside the leadership and engagement and communication skills necessary to help create sustainable cities. Why Durham University? Geography at Durham explores the very real challenges facing the world, be they natural or a consequence of human activity. Through teaching and research in risk, climate change, sustainable futures, hazards and security, we provide in-depth insight into these problems and how they might be resolved using practical and sustainable solutions. The Department of Geography is a global academic centre for the study of physical and human geography. Our high-quality research and our industry connections combine to create a learning experience underpinned by the theory and practice to take on the challenges we face as a result of natural events and human activity. Facilities The Department of Geography is located on the main campus of Durham University at Lower Mountjoy, not far from the historic centre of the city with UNESCO World Heritage status. Career Opportunities Studying in a department with a global reputation for the quality of research, our postgraduates are well placed to continue research at a higher level or progress into a rewarding professional career. Taught courses are designed to develop the transferable skills that are highly sought after by employers such as the ability to analyse and communicate complex data and make decisions, and our postgraduates are much valued in areas such as government, non-governmental organisations and the charity sector. Other roles in which postgraduates make a real difference to people and communities include environmental consultancy, conservation, town planning, geopolitical risk analysis, market research, insurance, development work, health, public policy, social research, logistics, education, energy, utilities, tourism, banking, law, PR, IT.