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Programme Overview

LUMES is an interdisciplinary master's programme in Environmental Studies and Sustainability Science at Lund University. The programme focuses on sustainability challenges from a local to global level through combining both social and natural science perspectives and provides students with the skills necessary to deal with problems surrounding the complex sustainability challenges of the 21st century.

Building on students’ previous knowledge and experiences, emphasis is placed on understanding present societal development patterns and the environmental problems they create, as well as approaches for formulating strategies for future sustainable pathways. The programme takes an interdisciplinary and holistic approach to sustainability, which provide students with a broad knowledge of the interaction between cultural, economic, environmental, political, and social dimensions of sustainability.  

Unique programme qualities 

The LUMES programme is set in a unique interdisciplinary and internationally excellent educational and research environment at the Lund University Centre for Sustainability Studies, creating a setting that challenges students to broaden personal outlooks and sharpen critical thinking skills. Courses are taught by teachers and researchers from both the social and natural sciences with the aim of creating graduates that are able to grasp, analyse, and formulate governance strategies and practices for societal change. 

Read more about Lund University centre for Sustainability Studies, LUCSUS

LUMES emphasises knowledge integration througout the programme, and students are taught how to integrate knowledge from a number of fields or disciplines in natural and social science. In addition, interpersonal and academic skills are developed through strong emphasis on group work, presentations, academic writing, and direct interactions with society. 

As a student, you receive training and competence in working in cross-cultural and inter-disciplinary teams, working on a strategic as well as operational levels, and an ability to communicate with, and disseminate knowledge and research to, both specialised and non-specialised audiences.

Since its inception, LUMES has been an international programme, with students coming from far and wide to study in Lund, Sweden. This makes the study environment very special. Students are exposed to different perspectives, world views and experiences, and the programme offers a unique opportunity for student to broaden their perspectives and learn about sustainability challenges in other parts of the world.

Career opportunities

Increasingly, more and more sectors in society, as well as local and national authorities and non-governmental organisations are recognising the need to address complex social, environmental and economic challenges from a holistic perspective. As such, the interdisciplinary training gained through the LUMES programme opens employment opportunities for a wide array of career paths in various private sectors, governmental, nongovernmental, and academic settings. 

LUMES graduates are working in sectors such as: business, education, sustainability, fashion, food, health, logistics, maritime, fishing and aquaculture, rural and urban development, transport, and urban design.

Professional roles: consultant, coordinator, entrepreneur, manager, advisor, analyst, policy officer, specialist, campaigner, communications experts, organiser, and researcher. 

Many LUMES graduates have also continued with doctoral studies and are now working and teaching at universities around the world.

Read more about career opportunities

Meet our Alumni

History of the LUMES Programme

LUMES was one of the first interdisciplinary programmes of its kind in Sweden when it opened its doors to the first batch of students in 1997. Since 2005, the LUMES programme has been a full two-year master program, and is today hosted by LUCSUS and located under the Faculty of the Social Sciences at Lund University. Since the programme started, about 1000 students from approximately 100 countries have graduated from the programme.

Initially, LUMES was an environmental program rooted in systems analysis and government studies, with a strong focus on policy mechanisms such as environmental legislation. Over time, LUMES has evolved into a comprehensive interdisciplinary programme with an emphasis on understanding the interactions between social, economic and environmental systems, as well as a focus on the paradigms, concepts, and underlying assumptions in which the debates about the interactions are grounded. This extension has enabled students to gain a deeper understanding of global sustainability challenges at a variety of scales and levels.

Today, LUMES is a programme that is highly sought after, attracting creative, bright and passionate students from around the world.