Overview
Built for sustainability
As organisations, investors, and consumers increasingly embrace sustainability as a core ethos, there is a growing demand for sustainability expertise and leadership across the entire business.
UCEM’s take on the Level 7 Sustainability Business Specialist Apprenticeship standard stands out from others in its field. It is the only Level 7 apprenticeship that specialises in sustainability within the context of the built environment. The course is designed to upskill professionals in critical thinking and enable the collaborative development and implementation of long-term organisational sustainability strategies.
Apprentices will:
Develop effective organisational leadership and management skills
Cultivate a holistic and interdisciplinary approach to problem solving
Acquire sustainability expertise to influence and inspire others
Build adaptability and resilience to deal with a shifting industry
About this apprenticeship
What can you expect?
This apprenticeship aims to nurture leadership for a more sustainable built environment. While net-zero and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) are a significant part of the course, this apprenticeship extends its focus to encompass all four pillars of sustainability, including social, human, economic, and environmental across multiple modules.
The degree content has been developed by academics and industry professionals and is aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. With a more holistic definition of sustainability at its core, this postgraduate degree offers a well-rounded, interdisciplinary learning experience. Determined to train the next generation of critical thinkers, the programme leader has developed a series of modules that work cohesively together to avoid the siloed thinking that can be so dangerous for today’s businesses. Professionals will gain the knowledge, skills, and confidence to act as subject matter experts, directly applying their learning to drive tangible organisational success.
Through online peer discussions and lectures as well as work-based training provided by the employer, students will be able to gain a comprehensive understanding of complex sustainability challenges within the context of businesses and discover how to navigate them using innovative approaches.
Course accreditations
End-point assessment
The End Point Assessment (EPA) is designed to assess the knowledge, skills and behaviours that an apprentice has developed during their academic and workplace learning.
The EPA for the Sustainability Business Specialist Apprenticeship is typically undertaken in the last six months of this apprenticeship, once the employer is happy that the apprentice is ready. It is taken as a 40-credit module, assessed by a Work-Based Project Consisting of report, presentation and questioning , plus a Technical interview, underpinned by a portfolio of evidence.
The apprenticeship standard aligns with Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA) professional recognition and on achievement of End Point Assessment (EPA) the apprentice can apply for IEMA full membership.
Apprentices will learn to think critically about and implement different sustainability and ESG practices.
Completing this apprenticeship will help apprentices become highly valuable in their organisation.
Gain leadership and management skills
Through the degree and hands-on experience provided by their employer, apprentices will develop skills necessary to guide others towards achieving sustainability objectives.
Boost confidence and stakeholder management
As apprentices become well-vested in sustainability principles, they will gain confidence in their ability to navigate complex ESG and sustainability challenges.
UCEM provides a platform for apprentices to develop a holistic understanding of how sustainability practices intersect across various aspects of business operations.
Apprentices will learn to think critically about and implement different sustainability and ESG practices.
Completing this apprenticeship will help apprentices become highly valuable in their organisation.
Gain leadership and management skills
Through the degree and hands-on experience provided by their employer, apprentices will develop skills necessary to guide others towards achieving sustainability objectives.
Boost confidence and stakeholder management
As apprentices become well-vested in sustainability principles, they will gain confidence in their ability to navigate complex ESG and sustainability challenges.
UCEM provides a platform for apprentices to develop a holistic understanding of how sustainability practices intersect across various aspects of business operations.
24 months in total including 6 month for EPA
Designed and delivered by research-active academics
Degree comprises 8 modules plus a work-based project
Also available as a postgraduate degree
Specialising in leadership and management
Structure
Degree award
On successful completion, students will be awarded:
- MSc Sustainability
- Apprenticeship Completion Certificate
Delivery structure
The Level 7 Sustainability Business Specialist apprenticeship is delivered entirely online, incorporating live peer discussions, lectures, and workshops alongside independent study and reading. Weekly lectures, tutorials, and seminars are scheduled at lunchtime to maximise accessibility for students attending live sessions.
Our faculty collaborates closely to ensure seamless integration across modules. A common approach involves students studying a single case study across multiple modules, providing them with a comprehensive, multidimensional understanding of key concepts.
Recorded lectures are available at the beginning of each week, followed by interactive tutorials discussing lecture topics towards the end of each week. A typical study week could look like:
Monday (available from midday) – Recorded lecture with Programme Leader James Ritson
Topic: Foundations of sustainable philosophy
– Exploring different perspectives on sustainability
– Shifting from an ego-centric to an eco-centric mindset
– Training professionals to drive meaningful change
Tuesday (available from midday) – Recorded guest lecture
Topic: The future of cities from a sustainability perspective
Thursday and Friday (midday) – Interactive tutorials with module leaders
– Engaging discussions on three key questions from Monday & Tuesday lectures
– Encouraging critical thinking and challenging current perspectives
Development of the required knowledge, skills and behaviours for all apprenticeships happens through a combination of workplace training provided by the employer and off-the job training provided by UCEM.
The apprenticeship is 180 credits, including an integrated 40 credits End Point Assessment (EPA). Due to the nature of the apprenticeship, apprentices will only be awarded an MSc in Sustainability once they have successfully completed 180 credits, including the EPA. The employer must be able to provide their apprentices with relevant workplace experience for the requirements of the EPA to be met.
Modules you will study
Below are the modules for year 1 (depending on the qualification you choose) along with an overview of the topics you will study.
Paradigms of Sustainability (20 credits)
In this module, you will develop a critical understanding of the paradigms of sustainability. You will question assumptions about predominant themes in the industry and explore various drivers of sustainability.
By examining their impact on the creation of a sustainable built environment, you will gain a deep understanding of cultural, social, economical, and financial sustainability, as well as climate change. Through this exploration, you will recognise how these factors influence the triple bottom line: profit, people, and the planet.
This knowledge will equip you with the necessary skills to become a leader in driving change for a sustainable built environment.
Realities of Sustainability (20 credits)
There’s a wealth of conflicting information surrounding sustainability. This module will enhance your ability to identify and evaluate information and data sources related to sustainability in the built environment.
You will learn how to critically analyse and synthesise information from diverse sources, enabling you to distinguish facts from fiction.
This module includes the appraisal of live case studies, allowing you to enhance your academic literacy and create work that will be peer-reviewed and disseminated. Through this process, you will demonstrate your knowledge and awareness of the leading-edge themes in the creation of a more sustainable built environment.
Sustainable Materials, Processes and Technologies (20 credits)
The aim of this module is to introduce you to the current discourse on sustainable materials, processes, and technologies (MPT) and their role in building a more sustainable built environment.
Taking a socio-technical approach, you will gain knowledge of the stakeholders and agendas that shape the adoption of sustainable MPTs. You will examine the digital agenda and consider the impact of the fourth industrial revolution (Industry 4.0) on the built environment.
By identifying current and emerging concepts, you will understand their significance in achieving a sustainable built environment.
Research Skills and Current Affairs (10 credits)
This module gives you the opportunity to enhance your research skills and navigate the ever-evolving discourse surrounding sustainability. It will enable you to investigate sustainability from both academic and practical perspectives, preparing you to undertake either a research dissertation or a work-based project.
You will develop knowledge and understanding of social research skills and apply critical thinking to hypothetical and existing perspectives, trends, dynamics, and principles. This will enable you to comprehend the social factors and influences of sustainability in the built environment.
Sustainable Infrastructure (20 credits)
Understanding the components and systems of a country, region, or community’s social infrastructure is a key part of learning about the built environment. This module will provide a critical understanding of how different constituents, such as transport, water waste, and digital infrastructure, can drive and accelerate change toward achieving a sustainable infrastructure.
By adopting a holistic and open system view, you will evaluate the built environment’s relationship with power sources like gas, electricity, and solar, identifying challenges in incorporating sustainability into the agenda.
Operationalising Sustainability (20 credits)
In this module, you will explore sustainable practices implemented by built environment organisations. You will critically evaluate and develop an understanding of the leadership and management skills required to be sustainable in the sector.
The module covers how to sustain a competitive advantage through future innovation and trends, building a sustainable workforce by addressing diversity, inclusion, race, bullying, and sexism, and examining the economic and financial models that shape the built environment.
You will also explore alternative models with international sustainability implications.
Institutional Quality for Sustainability (20 credits)
This module delves into the standards for sustainability, including BREEAM, LEED, UNSDG, ESD guidance, and ISO14001. It explores how these standards can be implemented and equips you with the skills to identify key organisational logics needed to address and maintain quality issues that impact sustainability.
By critically understanding the institutional quality agenda, you will be able to assess what, how, and by whom these standards should be measured.
Final Project Proposal (10 credits)
The project outline will be developed collaboratively by the employer, apprentice and EPAO. This will include the project title, scope, key activities/ milestones and expected outputs/ measures of success. The apprentice will ensure it is relevant to their role, the employer will confirm it meets a business need and the EPAO will ensure it will cover all the knowledge, skills and behaviours for this assessment method.
Sustainability Business Specialist EPA
This consists of a:
Work-based project (40 credits)
Work-based project will include research on an existing/hypothetical problem in your organisation and will be based on the Project Outline you develop collaboratively with your employer.
This will consist of a report, presentation, and questioning.
and a:
Technical interview
This interview will be underpinned by a portfolio of evidence.
Course Leaders
Programme leader
Dr James Ritson
BA (Hons), PGDip, Arch MA, PhD, FRGS
Dr James Ritson is an architecturally trained building conservator specialising in sustainability and recording of the historic built environment. Currently he is the programme leader for the MSc Building Surveying programme.
Online learning
The future of study
Flexible study
Balance your study, work and home commitments, all while working towards your career goals
e-Library access
Full access to a comprehensive and valuable e-library with a wealth of resources to support your studies
Interactive
Study using a diverse range of interactive, modern and dynamic learning resources
Expert-led
Learning activities that have been designed by UCEM tutors and subject matter experts
Stay connected
Learn alongside a diverse community of students from all over the world
Time commitment and study breakdown
Studying two modules per semester requires an expected time commitment of 15-20 hours per week. If you study only one module per semester, the weekly time commitment will be less, depending on the module’s credit size. Most modules are typically 20 credits.
Directed study time (%)
Self-directed study time (%)
Assessment study time (%)
Why choose UCEM?
UCEM is a leading university for the built environment, providing flexible and accessible supported online education to all. Our commitment to become the most sustainable university in the world has led us to develop the way we teach, operate, and collaborate with others to ensure that sustainability is integrated into everything that we do.
Our apprenticeship offering is constantly growing to keep up with the demands of the sector. We are proud to have gained a reputation with our clients and industry partners for the excellent support we provide apprentices and employers.
- Rated 16th in the top 50 apprenticeship providers, Rate My Apprenticeship
- The largest provider of Chartered Surveyor apprenticeships, Gov.uk
- 'Good' Ofsted rating, 2021
- 91% of apprentices agreed that UCEM gave relevant training to help them perform their job better, ESFA
- Finalist for Best University for Apprenticeships, Apprenticeship Guide Awards 2025
Find out how it's right for you and your studies.
Application process
For employers
If you’re interested in developing your workforce with this apprenticeship, then please get in touch with our Business Development Team who will be able to guide you through the application process and support with any queries. Find the right apprenticeship candidate for your role through UCAS Talent Finder.
For prospective apprentices
If you are considering an apprenticeship but are not currently employed, you will need to search for an apprenticeship before applying.
If you are in relevant employment and would like to find out more about the apprenticeship, you can sign up for the ‘Introduction to MSc Innovation in Sustainable Built Environments’ webinar on our webinar page.
Application deadlines
11 August 2025
Contact us
To find out more about working with us you can email businessdevelopment@ucem.ac.uk or call one of our team.
You can also fill out the contact form below and someone will get back to you:
