Full Time option suitable for:

Domestic(EEA) applicants: Yes
International (Non EEA) applicants currently residing outside of the EEA Region. Yes

The target market are candidates who are recent graduates, jobseekers or are in full time employment, with a Level 8 Honours degree with minimum 2:1 award (NFQ level 8) or international equivalence in disciplines which include strong mathematical, technological and analytical skills. Examples of acceptable disciplines are engineering, physical science, geography and planning, architecture and environmental related degrees. Those without a Level 8 honours degree in a relevant subject but with >5 years relevant professional experience in a relevant field will be considered.

Module Information:

Under the "What modules can I take?" section below you will see general module information, for a more detailed description including module selection rules click here.

• Advanced knowledge and systematic understanding of the sciences, engineering sciences and technologies underpinning the concept of environmental sustainability,
• The ability to identify, formulate, and critically analyse processes and technologies for implementation of sustainability,
• The ability to apply knowledge to quantify the environmental sustainability of products, process and systems using analysis and interpretation of relevant data,
• An understanding of the need for high ethical standards in the practice of engineering, including the responsibilities of the engineering profession towards people and the environment,
• The ability to work effectively as an individual, in teams and in multidisciplinary settings, and to act as a change agent within organisations to integrate and lead sustainability implementation initiatives,
• The ability to communicate effectively on complex sustainability challenges and opportunities within organisations and with society at large.

There is very significant industry demand for engineers and scientists with knowledge on methods to quantify sustainability for internal benchmarking, process improvement, and reporting purposes. In January 2023 there were >2000 sustainability-related jobs advertised in Ireland (based on data from LinkedIn). Upon completion of this Graduate Diploma, graduates will have the skills needed to lead the sustainability agenda for a company either individually or as part of a team.

View All Modules Here

GradDip Environmental Sustainability Implementation (T390) Full Time
EU          fee per year - € 8730
nonEU    fee per year - € 13780

***Fees are subject to change

The target market are candidates who are recent graduates, jobseekers or are in full time employment, with a Level 8 Honours degree with minimum 2:1 award (NFQ level 8) or international equivalence in disciplines which include strong mathematical, technological and analytical skills. Examples of acceptable disciplines are engineering, physical science, geography and planning, architecture and environmental related degrees.

Those without a Level 8 honours degree in a relevant subject but with >5 years relevant professional experience in a relevant field will be considered.
Minimum English language requirements will apply. The English language requirements for degree courses at UCD are listed here 

Seán Douglas - Business Development Manager, BiOrbic, Bioeconomy SFI Research Centre

Sustainability has become a significant issue for companies across various industries. It is now a necessity for businesses to integrate sustainable practices into their operations, including for reputational, mandatory reporting, and risk-management reasons. The Graduate Diploma in Environmental Sustainability Implementation recognises this increased need by companies to measure and improve their sustainability profile and provides graduates with the technical expertise to implement a company’s sustainability goals.

BiOrbic, Ireland’s national Bioeconomy Research Centre, works with companies across all sectors of the economy to help them to decarbonise and optimise the value of their biological resources. Our partner companies are increasingly recognizing the benefits of adopting sustainable practices.

Through the use of science-backed measurement and reduction protocols offered in the Graduate Diploma in Environmental Sustainability Implementation, companies can gain a strategic advantage by reducing their environmental impact, optimise their resource usage, and enhance their social responsibility.

The Graduate Diploma in Environmental Sustainability Implementation aims to deliver a much needed skill set to students that companies desire. Companies are actively seeking professionals who can navigate the complex landscape of sustainability and translate sustainable principles into tangible actions.

The Graduate Diploma in Environmental Sustainability Implementation can help to meet the needs of industry by equipping graduates with a unique knowledge and experience to quantify and reduce a company’s footprint. Through this program, companies can access a talent pool of sustainability professionals who are poised to lead the way in creating a more sustainable and prosperous future for businesses and society as a whole.

Pranav Padmanabhan - Class of 2023/2024
My educational background is in Electronic Engineering (bachelors) and IT Management (masters) and I'd been working in the software sector for over 6 years prior to my starting this course.

I’m pursuing a postgraduate diploma in Environmental Sustainability Implementation at UCD. I’d been keen on exploring the sustainability space for a while and Springboard+ offered a great gateway to properly upskill before exploring a career in the sustainability space. Climate and environment are becoming increasingly relevant topics in the broader global sense so having the chance to get an academic foundation before starting a career in the space via Springboard+ has been truly amazing. 

The course has been very well structured and really useful in imparting targeted technical knowledge which seems to be very relevant and applicable in the industry, it also provides exposure across a wide variety of subjects such as renewable energy, bioeconomy, carbon sequestration, etc.. My plan is to successfully pivot my career into the sustainability sector and help companies build strategies to reduce their environmental footprint. 

• Grad Dip Carbon Accounting & Life Cycle Assessment PT

• The School of Biosystems & Food Engineering has state-of-the-art facilities for system modelling, LCA and risk modelling and inventory management.
• Students can have access to the facilities and networks of the school and BiOrbic Bioeconomy, SFI Research Centre during their studies. All students are provided licences for the software they use, including HOMER (for Renewable Energy Systems Analysis) and @Risk/MS Excel (for GHG Inventory uncertainty assessment). Students have access to State-of-the-Art blended learning and virtual classroom facilities and have full digital and physical library access.

The following entry routes are available:

* Courses will remain open until such time as all places have been filled, therefore early application is advised