Psychology & Sustainability (MSc, Double Degree)

This double-degree Master's offers a psychological approach to the urgent social, economic and environmental challenges of sustainability. Over two years you will study how people perceive, think about and behave in relation to sustainable development, and examine the interactions between individuals and both natural and built environments. The programme links these perspectives to help explain the psychological processes that support—or hinder—broad societal shifts toward intersectional and intergenerational justice.

Transdisciplinarity is central: faculties from complementary fields work together so you can tackle sustainability questions across disciplinary boundaries. You will have opportunities to join empirical research projects, gaining practical, hands-on experience in applying psychological methods to real-world sustainability problems. The programme’s structure gives you exposure to leading expertise in both sustainability science and environmental psychology by combining study at two universities in Germany and the Netherlands.

Key facts

• Degree: Master of Science (double degree)
• Duration: two years (full-time)
• Language of instruction: English
• Study locations: first year at Leuphana University Lüneburg (sustainability science); second year at University of Groningen (environmental psychology)
• Focus areas: human perception and behaviour in sustainable development, human–environment interactions, transdisciplinary research, empirical study involvement
• Outcome: integrated psychological insights relevant to sustainability transformation and justice across generations and social groups

This double-degree, English-language Master's combines psychological theory with sustainability science across two partner universities, awarding graduates both a Master of Science in Psychology & Sustainability and a Master in Environmental Psychology. The programme is delivered as an international joint course: you spend the first year at Leuphana University (Lüneburg) and the second year at the University of Groningen, positioning you for careers on national and European job markets where interdisciplinary skills are valued.

In the first year (Leuphana) the curriculum develops core principles of sustainability psychology across individual, group and societal levels, and builds quantitative research skills. Core modules introduce foundational theories and models that connect psychological processes (self-regulation, community diagnostics, political negotiation) with sustainability challenges, alongside multivariate research methods. The second semester emphasises inter- and transdisciplinary work: applied research projects, interdisciplinary research methods, elective options within related graduate programmes, and seminars that broaden your psychological perspective on sustainability.

In the second year you move to Groningen to deepen methodological and disciplinary expertise. Courses include advanced research methods in social and organisational psychology, focused environmental psychology topics, designing interventions, and collaborative work in interdisciplinary teams. The programme concludes in the fourth semester with a Master’s thesis co-supervised by faculty from both partner universities.

Key modules

• Year 1 (Leuphana) — Introduction to Psychology and Sustainability; Psychology and the Individual: Self‑Regulation and Sustainability; Psychology and the Community: Diagnosis of Time and Sustainability; Psychology and the Society: Political Negotiations and Sustainability; Research Methods: Multivariate Approaches.
• Year 1 (Leuphana, second semester) — Sustainability Psychology: Research and Application; Selected Topics in Psychology; Transdisciplinary Research Project; Research Methods II: Interdisciplinary Approaches; elective course within related psychology graduate programmes.
• Year 2 (Groningen) — Advanced Research Methods in Social and Organisational Psychology; Environmental Psychology; Advanced Topics in Environmental Psychology; Designing Interventions; Working in Interdisciplinary Teams.
• Master’s thesis (fourth semester) — completed under joint supervision from both universities.

Learning outcomes

• Understand and apply core theories linking psychological processes to sustainability challenges at individual, community and societal scales.
• Conduct rigorous quantitative and interdisciplinary research using multivariate and advanced research methods.
• Design, evaluate and implement behaviour‑change interventions relevant to environmental and sustainability goals.
• Work effectively in interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary teams, communicating psychological insights to broader sustainability science audiences.
• Prepare for international careers by gaining two complementary Master’s degrees and exposure to research and practice in two European academic settings.

Graduates are prepared for roles that require expertise in human behaviour and sustainability, such as positions in sustainability consultancy, environmental NGOs, public policy and community organisations, corporate sustainability teams, or research institutions. The combination of applied intervention design and robust research methods also makes alumni competitive for roles in evaluation and programme design.

The double-degree structure and English-language instruction equip students for both national and European job markets and provide a solid foundation for further academic study or research-oriented careers.