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1. Admissions/ Management Information
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Title of the new programme – including any lower awards
Please provide the titles used for all awards relating to this programme. Note: all programmes are required to have at least a Postgraduate Certificate exit award.

See guidance on programme titles in:
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https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DQPWuKaK3J0LgM7SXyUCMemJ3PfysXPc/view
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Masters MSc Sustainable Business: Leadership, Innovation and Management
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Postgraduate Diploma -Please indicate if the Postgraduate Diploma is available as an entry point, ie. is a programme on which a student can register or as an exit award, ie. that are only available to students exiting the masters programme early, or both.N/A
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Postgraduate Certificate PGCert Sustainable BusinessPlease indicate if the Postgraduate Certificate is available as an entry points, ie. is a programme on which a student can register, or as an exit award, ie. that are only available to students exiting the masters programme early, or both.Exit
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Postgraduate Certificate - alternative award title
NB the Taught Postgraduate Framework (section F) allows for more than one PGCert title. Consult your AQ Team contact for advice and see sec 5.d 		-Please indicate if the Postgraduate Certificate is available as an entry points, ie. is a programme on which a student can register, or as an exit award, ie. that are only available to students exiting the masters programme early, or both.
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Level of qualificationLevel 7
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This document applies to students who commenced the programme(s) in:2021/2022
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Awarding institutionTeaching institution
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University of York or University of York and Maastricht University if Double Degree awarded (students will need to complete the exchange option to be awarded the Double Degree)University of York/ Maastricht University
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Department(s):
Where more than one department is involved, indicate the lead department		Board of Studies
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Lead Department Department of Environment and GeographyDepartment of Environment and Geography
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Other contributing Departments: N/A
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Route code
(existing programmes only)
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Admissions criteria
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2:i (or a 2:ii with relevant professional experience, or equivalent); IELTS 6.5 with a minimum of 6.5 in Writing and 6.0 in all other components. NB 1st degree is required by law in the Netherlands
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Length and status of the programme(s) and mode(s) of study
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ProgrammeLength (years/ months) Status (full-time/ part-time)
Please select		Start dates/months
(if applicable – for programmes that have multiple intakes or start dates that differ from the usual academic year)		Mode
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Face-to-face, campus-basedDistance learningOther
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MSc1 yearFull-timePlease select Y/NNoPlease select Y/NNoCombination of face-to-face and distance learning. York students will receive face-to-face teaching from York and online teaching from Maastricht.
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Please select Y/NPlease select Y/N
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Please select Y/NPlease select Y/N
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Language(s) of study
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English
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Language(s) of assessment
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English
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2. Programme accreditation by Professional, Statutory or Regulatory Bodies (PSRB)
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2.a. Is the programme recognised or accredited by a PSRB
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Please Select Y/N: Noif No move to section 3
if Yes complete the following questions
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2.b. Name of PSRB
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2.c. Please provide details of any approval / accreditation event needed, including: timescales, the nature of the event, central support / information required:

Please also specify whether any accreditation agreement will require renewal during the expected period of study of the cohort of students covered by this document and, if such an event will be required, what the implications are for students who are already enrolled should accreditation not be renewed
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(max 200 words)
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2.d Does/ will approval or recognition require exceptions to University rules/practices?
Please select Y/N		if Yes, provide details
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(max 200 words)
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2.e. Any additional information (e.g. student attainment required to achieve accreditation) that are required by the PSRB should be recorded here
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(max 200 words)
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3. Additional Professional or Vocational Standards
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Are there any additional requirements of accrediting bodies or PSRB or pre-requisite professional experience needed to study this programme?
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Please Select Y/N: Noif Yes, provide details
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(max 200 words)
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4. Programme leadership and programme team
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4.a. Please name the programme leader for the year to which the programme design applies and any key members of staff responsible for designing, maintaining and overseeing the programme.

NB: If the proposal is for a combined programme the name of the Programme Leader (based in the lead Department) and the Associate Programme Leader(s) from the Partner Department(s) should be provided
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Adrian Gonzalez (York) - Programme Leader; Clarence Bluntz (Maastricht) - (Lecturer on the Programme); Claire Hughes (York) - Director for Learning and Teaching, Nancy Bocken (Maastricht) - (Maastricht academic lead); Sylvia Toet / Katherine Brookfield (Chair of the Board of Studies)
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4.b. How are wider stakeholders such as students/ alumni, professional bodies and employers involved in the design of the programme and in ongoing reflection on its effectiveness?
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Design of the programme started with a 2 day design workshop which included the following participants; Ron Cörvers (Director, Maastricht Sustainability Institute-UM); Nicolai Manie (Academic Affairs-UM); Nancy Bocken (MSI-UM) Jaap Bos (Chair of the Finance Department in the Faculty of Business and Economics-UM); Julia Backhaus (Doctoral Researcher at MSI-UM); Stella Wasenitz (Maastricht Alumn and previous EDview team member-UM); Kaj Thomsson (Emerging Markets programme lead at SBE-UM); Tracy Lightfoot (Associate Pro Vice Chancellor); Glenn Hurst (Lecturer in Chemical Education and Chair, Natural Sciences Teaching Committee); Claire Hughes (Deputy Head of the Department of Environment and Chair, Board of Studies); Jane Baston (Academic Officer from York's Graduate Student Association). The Programme Leadership Team have also highlighted the importance of Industrial Liaison, both to find and develop student projects but also to build industrial links to support the ongoing review and development of the programme.
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5. Purpose and learning outcomes of the programme
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5.a. Statement of purpose for applicants to the masters programme
Please express succinctly the overall aims of the programme as an applicant facing statement for a prospectus or website. This should clarify to a prospective student why they should choose this programme, what it will provide to them and what benefits they will gain from completing it.
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The planet is currently facing unprecedented social, economic and environmental challenges. It is clear that 'business as usual' is no longer an option if we want to move onto a more sustainable and resilient path. Business is an important agent for change towards sustainability. It is clear that the role of business needs to change from being the origin of sustainability problems to the initiator and leader of sustainability innovations and solutions. The joint York-Maastricht MSc in 'Sustainable Business: Leadership, Innovation and Management' curriculum has been developed to ensure graduates are equipped to meet a growing demand for employees and researchers who can successfully take on the challenge of leading sustainability initiatives in a business setting. The concepts of management, leadership and innovation have been integrated and are aligned in the curriculum to prepare prospective students to respond adequately to sustainability issues: through introducing the breadth of innovation options for sustainability; through building the skills to develop leadership responses in an existing company setting or new venture to introduce such innovations, and equipping students with the theories, tools and methods to manage the internal and stakeholder processes, risks and opportunities associated with change for sustainability. Students will be introduced to concepts such as weak and strong sustainability and mechanisms to more radical transformation in absence of a direct business case. They will also be taught organisational theory, the role of business and its functions, and change management. Importantly, the programme will also equip students with a knowledge and appreciation of the scientific principles behind key environmental, economic and social sustainability challenges. This will ensure graduates will be able to make informed decisions regarding sustainability priorities and solutions. The programme provides opportunities for students to mobilise their skills and knowledge to tackle real-world problems in group and independent projects linked to business partners. Our problem-based learning (PBL) and research-led approaches to teaching will ensure graduates develop strong skills in independent and critical thinking. The UN Sustainable Development Goals highlight the importance of global partnerships in moving towards a more sustainable future. Through working with students in the partner institution, graduates from this programme will develop strong skills in international communication and collaboration. For students who are looking to develop international collaboration skills further we offer the option of undertaking the independent sustainable business project in the partner institution. Graduates of the programme will be equipped to take on roles in internationally oriented companies, public institutions or (non-governmental) organisations that are committed to international agreements and strive for sustainability. Specific careers could include sustainability, environment, innovation or supply-chain manager, or other sustainability-related positions linked to product-design, marketing or outreach.
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5.a.i Statement of purpose for applicants registering for the postgraduate diploma programme
Please express succinctly the overall aims of the programme as an applicant facing statement for a prospectus or website. This should clarify to a prospective student why they should choose this programme, what it will provide to them and what benefits they will gain from completing it.
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(max 300 words)
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5.a.ii Statement of purpose for applicants registering for the postgraduate certificate programme
Please express succinctly the overall aims of the programme as an applicant facing statement for a prospectus or website. This should clarify to a prospective student why they should choose this programme, what it will provide to them and what benefits they will gain from completing it.
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(max 300 words)
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5.b.i. Programme Learning Outcomes - Masters
Please provide six to eight statements of what a graduate of the Masters programme can be expected to do.
If the document only covers a Postgraduate Certificate or Postgraduate Diploma please specify four to six PLO statements for the PG Certificate and four-eight for the PG Diploma in the sections 5.b.ii and 5.b.iii as appropriate.
Taken together, these outcomes should capture the distinctive features of the programme. They should also be outcomes for which progressive achievement through the course of the programme can be articulated, and which will therefore be reflected in the design of the whole programme.
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PLOOn successful completion of the programme, graduates will be able to:
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1Discuss the scientific principles which underlie sustainability problems, and critically assess and debate their solutions in the context of business [Knowledgeable, critical and aware]
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2Analyse complex sustainability problems using theories, concepts, models and methods from a range of disciplines [Analytical thinker]
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3Conduct advanced research to inform change management planning and the development of sustainable solutions in the private and public sector [ Advanced independent learner]
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4Identify areas of focus and priorities for change towards sustainability which take into consideration the context in which they are working (organisational, regional, national and international) [Change catalyst]
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5Design and implement effective change management and innovation strategies to assess, improve and monitor the sustainability of an organisation [Change project management and leadership]
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6Collaborate effectively and professionally within and across organisations and develop partnerships using face-to-face and online approaches [Effective collaborator]
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7Design innovative and resilient solutions to sustainability problems linked to business which consider the linkages between environment, society and economy, risk and uncertainty [Innovator]
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8Communicate effectively and professionally across disciplines for specialist and non-specialist audiences using written, oral and digital media [Effective professional communicator]
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5.b.ii. Programme Learning Outcomes - Postgraduate Diploma
Please provide four to eight statements of what a graduate of the Postgraduate Diploma programme can be expected to do.
Taken together, these outcomes should capture the distinctive features of the programme. They should also be outcomes for which progressive achievement through the course of the programme can be articulated, and which will therefore be reflected in the design of the whole programme.
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PLOOn successful completion of the programme, graduates will be able to:
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5.b.iii. Programme Learning Outcomes - Postgraduate Certificate
Please provide four to six statements of what a graduate of the Postgraduate Certificate programme can be expected to do.
Taken together, these outcomes should capture the distinctive features of the programme. They should also be outcomes for which progressive achievement through the course of the programme can be articulated, and which will therefore be reflected in the design of the whole programme.
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PLOOn successful completion of the programme, graduates will be able to:
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5.c. Explanation of the choice of Programme Learning Outcomes
Please explain your rationale for choosing these PLOs in a statement that can be used for students (such as in a student handbook). Please include brief reference to:
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i) Why the PLOs are considered ambitious or stretching?
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Overall the PLOs for the MSc in 'Sustainable Business: Leadership, Innovation and Management' require students to develop generic and discipline-specific skills and the transformative competencies needed to lead on change and pioneer innovative solutions to sustainability problems which consider both the context in which they are working and the linkages between environment, society and economy. The PLOs challenge students to develop the skills, knowledge and values needed to take business towards being an agent for change towards sustainability in a complex and uncertain world.
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ii) The ways in which these outcomes are distinctive or particularly advantageous to the student:
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The 2030 UN Agenda for Sustainable Development highlights that ‘bold and transformative steps [which] are urgently needed to shift the world onto a more sustainable and resilient path’. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) suggest that global partnerships and innovation are needed to achieve sustainability across economic growth, industrialisation, production and consumption and the use of resources. Business is an important agent for change towards social, economic and environmental sustainability through modifying core activities and the development and implementation of innovative solutions to sustainability problems. The demand for expert knowledge and the ability to lead on sustainability initiatives in a business setting is projected to surge in coming years. The MSc 'Sustainable Business: Leadership, Innovation and Management' programme learning outcomes have been developed to ensure graduates are equipped to successfully take on the challenge of initiating and leading on sustainability innovations and solutions in a business setting, including through intra- and entrepreneurship, or undertake academic research to inform more sustainable business practice.
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iii) Please detail how you would support students from diverse entry routes to transition into the programme? For example, disciplinary knowledge and conventions of the discipline, language skills, academic and writing skills, lab skills, academic integrity
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The programme is open to students from diverse entry routes and subject backgrounds so the curriculum has been designed to support an effective transition. The programme starts with the foundations of business and change management. Through the first two modules studied (“Introduction to Sustainable Business” and “Change Management”) students will gain fundamental skills and knowledge needed to successfully tackle the rest of the programme. Additionally face-to-face training in generic skills such as academic writing, oral presentations, critical use of sources, problem analysis, team working and collaboration will occur in the first 4 modules studied. Students will also be provided with a bespoke online Skills Hub providing guidance documents, activities and examples that they can work through in their own time to further develop key skills. The Skills Hub will be released to students before arrival in York/Maastricht so they are able to start work on skills development in advance.
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iv) Please explain how the design of the programme enables students to progress through to the end of the award? For example, in terms of the development of research skills, enabling students to complete an independent study module, developing competence and confidence in practical skills/ professional skills, (See: QAA Mater's degree characteristics http://www.qaa.ac.uk/publications/information-and-guidance/publication?PubID=2977#.WS1JOevyu70).
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The MSc 'Sustainable Business: Leadership, Innovation and Management' curriculum has been designed to equip students with the skills and knowledge needed to undertake an independent academic or applied sustainable business project as the ISM capstone to the programme. Skills in project design and implementation will be specifically developed through modules in 'Change Management' and 'Group Sustainable Business Project'. The 'Change Management' module will teach students how to design and implement effective change management strategies including how to assess, improve and monitor the sustainability of an organisation. The group projects will give students the experience of undertaking a sustainable business project in collaboration with an external organisation with the support of their peers. The curriculum will allow students to develop the multidisciplinary knowledge needed to lead on a sustainable business project including business functions, theories of intra- and entrepreneurship, and environmental, social and economic sustainability. The case study approach that will be used in modules on 'Environmental Sustainability' and 'Social and Economic Sustainability' will allow students to explore in depth how these disciplines interact and particularly how businesses have/ have not responded to sustainability challenges and the associated drivers. Using problem-based learning (PBL) and research-led teaching as the core pedagogies throughout the programme, students will develop skills in mobilising their knowledge, values and attitudes to analyse complex sustainability problems and will be engaged with inquiry-based activities from the very start to promote their progression towards becoming independent, autonomous and critical thinkers.
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v) How the programme learning outcomes develop students’ digital literacy and use technology-enhanced learning to achieve the discipline and pedagogic goals which support active student learning through peer/tutor interaction, collaboration and formative (self) assessment opportunities (reference could be made to such as blogging, flipped classrooms, response 'clickers' in lectures, simulations, etc).
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The learning and teaching within the MSc in Sustainable Business: Leadership, Innovation and Management' uses a blended approach. Students based in York will be taught online where modules are based in Maastricht, and vice-versa. A 'flipped' approach will be used for online delivery with recorded lectures released followed by online discussions involving students from across both institutions. Students in the different institutions will interact amongst themselves and with teaching staff using collaborative online tools and through joint PBL sets, project work and informal discussions/community-building activities. Graduates will hence have strong skills in online (international) collaboration. Online communication will be summatively assessed and contribute to the development of the students' skills portfolio. The online Skills Hub will provide students with resources they can use in their own time to develop generic skills and receive formative feedback on their progress.
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vi) How the PLOs support and enhance the students’ employability (for example, opportunities for students to apply their learning in a real world setting)?
The programme's employability objectives should be informed by the University's Employability Strategy:
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http://www.york.ac.uk/about/departments/support-and-admin/careers/staff/
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The PLOs for the MSc 'Sustainable Business: Leadership, Innovation and Management' have been designed to ensure graduates have the skills and competencies needed to meet the growing demand for graduates who can lead on sustainability initiatives in a business setting. Case studies will introduce students to real-world problems, and project work will give students the opportunity to work on real-world problems with external organisations. All students undertake a group project with an external organisation and have the choice to undertake their ISM capstone independent project as an external placement. Graduates of the programme will be equipped to take on roles in internationally oriented companies, public institutions or (non-governmental) organisations that are committed to international agreements and strive for sustainability. Specific careers could include sustainability, environment, innovation or supply-chain manager, or other sustainability-related positions linked to product-design, marketing or outreach.
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vii) Consultation with Careers
The programme proposal should be discussed with Careers. Please contact your Faculty Employability Manager.
Please provide details of Careers' comments and your response.
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Feedback from Careers: 'The programme proposal clearly articulates the skills that the students will develop through the modules and these are very much in line with the graduate employment needs. Labour Market Information identifies this as a growing area of employment and that a relatively high-proportion of professional roles are considered 'hard-to-fill'.The programme design focuses on the development of appropriate skills and knowledge and the use of Problem Based Learning and real world case-studies help the students to develop a portfolio of skills and experience that will be valued by employers. The opportunity to conduct industry based projects (both group and individual), coupled with the international elements further strengthen the programme in terms of developing employable graduates. It is expected that this programme will appeal to employers and it is expected that building industry links will be a positive experience.'
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viii) How is teaching informed and led by research in the department/ centre/ University?