Overview

Climate change is a growing issue for policy makers in all areas of government, at international, national and subnational levels, as well as for financial, organisational and environmental managers, and experts in private and non profit making organisations. The Stern Report concluded in 2007 that ‘climate change is a serious global threat, and it demands an urgent global response’, because ‘the benefits of strong and early action far outweigh the economic costs of not acting’. The report suggested that ‘if we don’t act, the overall costs and risks of climate change will be equivalent to losing at least 5 % of global GDP each year’ and that ‘if a wider range of risks and impacts is taken into account, the estimates of damage could rise to 20 % GDP or more.’

This programme provides students with a solid foundation in the physical science of climate change, climate change impacts, adaptation to and mitigation of climate change, as well as in broader debates on sustainability.

The course is aimed particularly at people working or seeking to work on different aspects of climate change in the public and private sectors as well as not-for-profit organisations in the UK, Europe or elsewhere in the world.

Other Courses of Interest

• MSc Sustainability (Business, Environment and Corporate Responsibility)
• MSc Sustainability (Environmental Consultancy and Project Management)
• MSc Sustainability (Environment & Development)
• MSc Sustainability (Ecological Economics)
• MSc Sustainability (Environmental Politics & Policy)
• MSc Sustainability (Transport)
• MRes Sustainability Research

Entry Requirements

Candidates should have an upper second class degree (2.1) or above in an environmental or social science, management or economics subject. Equivalent international qualifications are also acceptable.

Mature applicants without a first degree or with a lower degree classification may be considered on the basis of their relevant industry experience and their potential for benefiting from the programme.

Applicants whose first language is not English, or whose degree is not from a UK institution, will need to satisfy language requirements determined by the School. Please click here for more information.

Not sure if your International/European degree meets our requirements? Find out more information here.

Fees & Funding

For programme fee information visit our fees page

School Scholarships

There are twelve SEE Excellence Scholarships available (various awards for International/Home and EU), for full information visit the School's Scholarships page

Postgraduate Scholarships at Leeds

Visit the University of Leeds Scholarship Web Page: http://scholarships.leeds.ac.uk/

Other Funding Sources

Students in the past have secured funding through a career development loan, for details visit the UK Government Website

Cost of Living in Leeds - Useful Links

Cost of living in Leeds - Leeds University Union guidance

Unipol Student Homes - Unipol Housing Leeds provides student accommodation directly to around 2,000 students including 194 student families in self-catering provision. Information on accommodation costs and 'find a home' events can be found via this website.

Course Structure

Upon completion of the programme, students will be able to:

• Demonstrate a broad interdisciplinary knowledge of the
  concepts, information and techniques relevant to
  climate change.
• Engage in broader debates about governance solutions
  and public policies pertinent to climate change at
  international, national and local scales.
• Use a variety of research methods and approaches that are pertinent to interdisciplinary and social scientific research on climate change.
• Understand the influence of political parties and interest groups in collective environmental decisions, and the performance of different forms of policy
  intervention in different contexts.
• Understand the methods used to evaluate climate change impacts, and develop the skills to produce adaptation strategies.
• Take a proactive and self-reflective role in working and to develop professional relationships with others, particularly an ability to work in interdisciplinary teams
  on problems relating to climate change and sustainability.
• Undertake further studies on climate change and related
  topics at a doctoral level.

For full details of the programme structure and the content of the modules are given in the University programme catalogue.

Course Leaders

The programme will draw from the world-class research expertise in the new joint ESRC Centre for Climate Change Economics and Policy of the London School of Economics & Political Sciences (LSE) and the University of Leeds. The programme will also draw from the wider expertise in the Sustainability Research Institute and the School of Earth and Environment. The course is taught by a number of staff from the Sustainability Research Institute (SRI) within the School.

Industry Links

The School of Earth and Environment offers one of the largest portfolios of 1-Year vocational Masters programmes. These degrees, aimed at those wishing to enter earth and environment - related careers, offer advanced subject-specific training and contact with employers via a range of activities including external speakers and industry open days.

Students are encouraged to develop links with industry, and working with employers, base their dissertation research on real-world projects. Research conducted by academic staff within the Sustainability Research Institute (SRI) frequently draws on wide national and international networks, which students can tap into.