This successful course has been running for over 20 years in different formats, keeping up to date with changes in sustainability, policies and advancement in the construction industry. It focuses on the theory and practice of developing low carbon and sustainable buildings. The SBPD course benefits from direct links to two of the best research groups in the university, recognised nationally and internationally. The research directly informs the teaching with the latest and the most up to date knowledge and innovation in the area of sustainability.

The course includes a number of interlinked modules that simulate the design and development of a sustainable project. This enables students from different disciplines to develop skills and understanding relevant to their own discipline, be it design or consultancy, and in relation to a national and international context.

We have teamed up with Passivhaus Trust UK this year, allowing our students to participate in the Passivhaus student competition and benefit from access to the UK Passivhaus conference as well as vast knowledge and material in relation to Passivhaus design and standard. The students were also trained in using PHPP as well as Design PH tool provided by the Trust.

• The course benefits from direct involvement and input by Professor Rajat Gupta, Professor of Sustainable Architecture and Climate Change, Director of Oxford Institute for Sustainable Development (OISD), Director of OISD: Low Carbon Building Group; Professor Ray Ogden, Professor and Associate Dean Research and Knowledge Transfer, Director - Architectural Engineering Research Group, Director of the Tata Steel Europe Centre for the Building Envelope Tata Steel Europe Chair of the Building Envelope; and Matt Gaskin, Head of School of Architecture.

• You will gain an advanced understanding of the key sustainability issues related to buildings enabling them to strategically influence feasibility and design processes within the built environment.

• The course attracts some of the best students in the field from a diverse range of ages, backgrounds, gender and nationalities. This offers opportunities for interdisciplinary, globally aware teaching and learning.

The course is organised on a modular credit system, 60 credits for postgraduate certificate, 120 credits for the postgraduate diploma (9 months full-time, 20 months part-time) and 180 credits for the master's degree (12 months full-time, 24 months part-time).

Modules combine a ratio of taught to self-led study. For example, a module of 20 credits approximates to 200 hours of student effort, up to 36 hours of which will normally be devoted to lectures, seminars, individual tutorials or other staff contact. The remainder of the time is devoted to student-led study and assessment.