The Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT) is a leading centre of excellence in the field of sustainability and renewable energy education with specialist knowledge of architecture, low impact building, renewable energy engineering, climate change and environmental sciences. For the last 40 years CAT has pioneered sustainability practice and theory in the UK, and it promotes an integrated understanding of environmental solutions. Our postgraduate courses are respected across the world, providing a big-picture, integrated approach to sustainability. We inspire changemakers to take action for a sustainable future and work with people and communities to inspire, inform and enable us all to work together to make practical solutions for sustainability.

Our masters courses at CAT offer practical and rigorous academic study, flexibility and are beautifully located. Students learn immersively through a mixture of residential and distance or entirely by distance. The flexible modular nature of our degrees is ideally suited for students who have a job or family commitments.

Residential study happens at CAT which is on the boundary of Snowdonia National Park in Wales and our teaching takes place in CAT's award-winning, sustainable complex, the Wales Institute for Sustainable Education.

MArch Sustainable Architecture

• A Part II, ARB prescribed, Architecture course with an emphasis on sustainability
• Programme includes: design studies and professional practice; planning, cities and communities; energy efficient design; building performance assessment and evaluation; sustainable building materials

MSc Sustainability and Adaptation

• An integrated degree in sustainability and climate change
• Programme includes: politics and economics; urbanisation; communities; biodiversity and ecosystem services; energy in buildings; sustainable materials; environmental assessment and renewable energy
• Distance learning available

MSc Sustainability and Adaptation in the Built Environment

• A course in environmental building and architecture
• Programme includes: sustainable architecture; energy management and low energy design; sustainable materials; environmental performance assessment; renewable energy; urban design; communities; water; ecological sanitation
• Distance learning available

MSc Sustainability and Adaptation Planning

• Specialise in environmental science, policy and planning
• Programme includes: land use; cities and communities; environmental politics and economics; ecosystem function; water and waste management
• Distance learning available

MSc Sustainable Energy Provision and Demand Management

• An integrated degree in sustainability and renewable technologies
• Programme includes: environmental assessment and renewable energy, energy provision in cities and communities, energy in buildings and environmental politics and economics.
• Distance learning available

MSc Green Building

• Focus on sustainable design, materials and building
• Programme includes: building design, planning and retrofitting; circular building principles; energy in buildings; sustainable materials; green building techniques; environmental politics and economics and a design based dissertation
• Distance learning available

Successful completion of one of the above courses at the Centre for Alternative Technology leads to the award of Master of Science (MSc) or Masters in Architecture (MArch) by the University of East London (UEL)

We also offer:

• MSc Sustainable Food and Natural Resources
• MSc Sustainable Ecology
• MSc Sustainability and Behaviour Change

Successful completion of one of the above courses at the Centre for Alternative Technology leads to the award of Master of Science (MSc) by Liverpool John Moores University.

These Master's programmes combine academic study, discussion and hands-on practical work. CAT provides postgraduate students with the knowledge, skills and experience needed to develop a career in the environmental sector and make an impact.

Flexible and distance learning

CAT’s postgraduate courses are designed to be as flexible as possible to allow you to select the mode of study that suits you best.

Choose between part-time and full-time, residential or distance (or a mix of the two), and decide what level of study you’d like to pursue. Residential five-days immersive module study weeks allow you to set aside daily life and apply yourself. During the modules, guest lectures and seminars are offered by experts in their fields, drawing on the expertise and learning of the whole sector. Teaching takes place in our iconic educational building with an internationally recognised RIBA award.

Many of our students combine their studies with work or family life, so we offer you the flexibility you need.

Book onto an Open Day

Why not find out more about our courses by visiting CAT on one of our Open Days. Held throughout the year they give a flavour of what it’s like to study at CAT and offer the opportunity to talk to current students and lecturers.