Organizational Governance and Sustainability

On this MSc Organizational Governance and Sustainability we explore the complex and changing relationships between organisations, corporations, their stakeholders and the societies in which they operate.

Why choose this course?

- It addresses the social, environmental, political and moral aspects of organisations’ relationships with stakeholders and society and is ideal if you wish to engage critically with the policy aspects of organisational governance and sustainability.

- This course explores international perspectives, recognising the increasing globalisation of organisations and finance and investigating the wide variety of cultures and governance systems within which organisations operate worldwide.

- It is ideal if you wish to build a career in the regulation of private, public and third sector organisations, the management or trusteeship of pension and other investment funds, or the field of organisational, social and environmental sustainability.

- It benefits from the involvement of a number of leading figures in the field including members of national and international committees on organisational governance, shareholder activists and NGO representatives. It is also a signatory member of the UN’s Principles of Responsible Management Education.

What you will learn

On this MSc, you will gain insight into:

- organisational governance and sustainability in the private, public and third sectors

- systems of governance in the major world economies, the political and economic principles and cultural values on which these are based and the pressures promoting and resisting their convergence

- social, environmental and ethical responsibilities of organisations and how they implement, communicate, measure and address sustainability issues.

You will develop a critical understanding of the nature, behaviour and outcomes associated with the social, economic, political and legal systems governing organisations and sustainability. You will also examine the different theoretical perspectives on the role of organisations in society and sustainability.

How you will learn

We encourage you to be an active learner on this course and you will be taught via a mixture of lectures (some pre-recorded) and seminars. The MSc Organizational Governance and Sustainability combines coursework and independent research leading to a dissertation.

This course is available to study full- or part-time and follows an evening timetable.

Highlights

- The course builds upon the School of Business’s research strength in organisational governance and ethics, corporate responsibility and sustainability and organisational psychology. This is supported by Birkbeck’s Responsible Business Centre and Centre for Political Economy and Institutional Studies.

- We combine an interdisciplinary approach with in-depth research training in business and organisational psychology. The course also offers you a strong foundation for PhD research in the area.

Careers and employability

On successfully graduating from this MSc, you will have gained an array of transferable skills, including:

- how to assess quantitative and qualitative analyses

- imaginative and original approaches to using methodological tools

- library and archive skills

- oral presentation and communication skills

- effective team working.

Graduates can follow or progress a career path in roles such as:

- organisational governance and sustainability analysts, consultants or policy-makers

- environmental and sustainability advisers or managers

- company secretaries

- professional managers or trustees of pension and other investment funds

- executive and non-executive board members.

Some of our graduates have gone on to be employed at:

- World Wide Fund for Nature

- Pensions and Investment Research Consultants

- Innovation Forum

- NHS Board of Governors

- Amnesty International

- UCL Hospital Board of Governors.