MA/MS in Sustainability Studies is a master's degree in Sustainable Development programme offered by Trent University in Peterborough, Canada. The programme runs for 24 months, delivered on campus.
At a glance
Degree:Master's Degree
Field:Sustainable Development
Duration: 24 months
Delivery: On Campus
We have no tuition fees on record for this programme yet — see the official programme page.
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Trent University's Master of Arts in Sustainability Studies lets each student build an individual study plan combining core and elective courses, with three possible paths: a thesis-based academic stream, a major research paper stream with a more applied focus, or a co-op stream that includes a paid placement. Delivered on the Peterborough campus, the co-op stream includes a paid summer placement giving students hands-on experience in government, non-profit, or corporate sustainability settings, while all students take part in project-based learning within their core courses, researching and developing solutions to sustainability problems, and in a community colloquium that connects them with sustainability professionals. Program length varies by stream: 24 months for the thesis stream, 12 months for the major research paper stream, and 16 months for the co-op stream. Coursework in research methods, professional development, leadership, and entrepreneurship supports students in addressing environmental, economic, and social challenges in practical ways. The program is described as the first of its kind in Canada and suits students aiming for careers in academia, industry, government, or the non-profit sector, or those planning further doctoral study, who want flexibility to choose between an academic, applied, or paid-work-integrated route through the degree.
Requirements
Minimum GPA:80.00 / %
Admission Requirements: Applicants need a B.Sc. or B.A. honours degree (a four-year undergraduate bachelor's degree) in a related field, with a minimum average of A- (80%), or equivalent, in the last two years of full-time study or the last ten full academic credits, plus appropriate previous education and training, a feasible proposed course of study and research project, and a foundation in appropriate research methodology. International applicants must meet Trent's general graduate English-proficiency minimums: IELTS Academic 6.5 overall with no band below 6.0, TOEFL iBT 93 overall with no section below 22 (or 4.5 overall, minimum 4.5 Writing and 4.0 Speaking, on the rescaled test), PTE Academic 60 overall with no sub-score below 60, or CAEL 60 overall with at least 60 in Writing; Duolingo is not accepted. A potential supervisor must be identified as a condition of admission, and applicants submit two academic references, a plan of study, a writing sample of up to 20 pages, a CV, and proof of citizenship by the 1 February deadline.
Application Details
Start Date:Fall
Application Deadline:Domestic applicants apply through OUAC with no fixed Trent-set closing date: Ontario secondary students starting September 2027 receive offers in rounds (early December 2026, early February 2027, mid-March 2027 and early May 2027, with final grades reviewed in July 2027 for anyone still waiting), Bachelor of Education's first offers go out mid-January 2027, and all other domestic applicants are assessed on a rolling basis. International applicants use a firmer timeline: applications open September 16, 2026 for fall and summer 2027 and June 3, 2026 for winter 2027, with deadlines of June 15, 2027 (fall, some programs by February 1, 2027), November 1, 2026 (winter) and February 1, 2027 (summer), after which offers continue rolling until programs fill. These are institution-wide dates; this programme publishes no deadline of its own.
