MSc Sustainable Technology
Grounded in industrial ecology, the master’s programme in Sustainable Technology explores interactions between technical, economic, social and ecological systems. You will use systems thinking and analytical methods in real-world projects to analyse complex sustainability challenges and develop solutions for industrial systems that depend on natural systems. Graduates drive sustainability transitions in specialist and leadership roles across industry, public organisations, policy and research.
Sustainable Technology at KTH - Principles and Applications of Industrial Ecology
The master's programme in Sustainable Technology takes an interdisciplinary systems perspective on sustainability challenges related to production, consumption, resource use and technological development. You investigate how socio-technical systems depend on and affect ecosystems, and how decisions by companies, public authorities and other actors can contribute to sustainable development.
To analyse these relationships and support decision-making, you gain theoretical knowledge and hands-on experience with methods such as material flow analysis (MFA), life cycle assessment (LCA), scenario methodologies, including backcasting, and environmental modelling. You learn to analyse complex systems, assess environmental and socio-economic consequences, compare alternatives and identify measures for improving the sustainability of technical and industrial systems.
Competence profiles
The programme offers four competence profiles pursued through recommended course combinations. You are not required to follow a predefined track and can combine courses across the profiles to develop either a focused specialisation or broader interdisciplinary expertise in industrial ecology.
The programme combines project work, case studies and collaboration with companies, institutions and public authorities, allowing you to apply your knowledge to practical sustainability challenges. Through individual and group assignments, you strengthen your ability to critically analyse and discuss complex questions and present your findings in writing and orally. Recent projects have included developing circular economy strategies with Ragn-Sells and using sustainability modelling to monitor and guide urban development and planning in collaboration with the City of Stockholm.
This is a two-year programme (120 ECTS credits) in English. Graduates are awarded the degree of Master of Science. The programme is mainly offered at the KTH Campus in Stockholm by the School of Architecture and Built Environment (at KTH).
Programme structure and progression
During the first semester, mandatory courses provide a foundation in industrial ecology, socio-technical systems and system analysis tools. In later semesters, recommended course combinations allow you to develop one of four competence profiles. You can also combine courses across the profiles to build broader interdisciplinary expertise according to your interests and career goals.
The programme concludes with a degree project carried out during the final semester in an academic, public-sector or industrial setting. You are encouraged to define your own project and identify a suitable setting, although project topics may also be proposed by programme lecturers or external partners.
Courses in the programme
The courses in the programme cover topics such as industrial ecology, system analysis and perspectives, cleaner production, circular economy, ecosystem performance, ecological economics, environmental management and transition theory.
Courses in the master's programme in Sustainable Technology
Future and career
The programme prepares you to work with sustainable development in both the private and public sectors. You develop skills in systems thinking, interdisciplinary collaboration and critical analysis that enable you to address complex sustainability challenges across industries and organisations. Depending on how you shape your studies, you can prepare for careers in sustainability management and reporting, environmental policy and international development, sustainability assessment and analytics, circular economy, resource efficiency and environmental technology.
Our graduates obtain positions as environmental consultants, advisors to local or regional authorities in planning and implementation processes, officers in government agencies, and environmental managers and advisors in public and private companies. Potential roles also include sustainability analyst, policy officer, life cycle assessment specialist and circular economy specialist. Given the growing need to build more long-term sustainable societies, graduates from the programme will have the skills to become key players in developing strategies for a sustainable future.
Graduates from the programme work at all types of companies and organisations, for example, Climate technology centres, Ragn Sells (waste management), Consulting companies such as WSP and SWECO, energy-related companies like E.ON, and research organisations such as IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute and municipalities. Many graduates also pursue doctoral studies at KTH and elsewhere, mainly in their home countries. Because sustainability challenges are global, graduates are well-prepared for international careers, contributing to projects across Europe, Asia, Africa, and beyond.
Sustainable development
Graduates from KTH have the knowledge and tools for moving society in a more sustainable direction, as sustainable development is an integral part of all programmes. Sustainable development is at the core of the master's programme in Sustainable Technology since Industrial ecology is about steering today’s industry and society towards greater sustainability and resource efficiency. Several courses include system changes for achieving more sustainable production and consumption. Accordingly, all the Sustainable Development Goals are of interest to the programme. The three sustainable development goals most apparent in the programme are:
Depending on your chosen elective courses, you can acquire specific tools and skills to create a sustainable future, such as system analysis tools, scenario methodologies, such as back-casting, management systems in companies, and environmental modelling. This will make you a strong candidate for working in companies (in their sustainability offices), organisations such as the UN, Climate technology centres and various consulting companies dealing with environmental and sustainable projects.
Faculty and research
The programme is situated at SEED (Department of Sustainable Development, Environmental Science and Engineering), one of KTH’s interdisciplinary research environments focused on sustainability, industrial ecology and environmental systems. For more information about research projects and professors connected to the research areas, please visit “ Research at SEED ”.
Faculty involved in the programme
