Program Overview

The impacts of climate change on global development are increasingly visible and alarming. Addressing these challenges requires societal transformation at an unprecedented scale and speed. Climate change, along with actions to mitigate it, significantly affects global development issues such as poverty, inequality, and social justice.

Our renowned MSc Climate Change and Global Development degree is a one-year full time course which draws on UEA’s pioneering track record in climate science and global development. From day one, you’ll be immersed in cutting edge research, learning from the combined expertise of research-active staff in the School of Global Development, the School of Environmental Sciences, and the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research.

You’ll kick off your studies with an in-depth look at the essentials of climate change and its links with key issues in development. This includes the science of climate change, climate impacts and attribution, and the relationships between adaptation strategies and the Sustainable Development Goals. The programme places a particular emphasis on resource-poor and vulnerable locations and countries.  

Over the course of the year, you’ll study increasingly specialised subjects that explore various aspects of the interface between climate change and global development. These may include the physical science of climate change, agriculture and food systems, global challenges and environmental change, sustainable consumption, and energy systems, among others. The course culminates in either an independent research project or a work placement. In both cases, you'll have the chance to apply the skills, knowledge, and expertise you've acquired throughout the course.

Our postgraduate degree in Climate Change and Global Development offers a multidisciplinary approach with a strong emphasis on practical application. Throughout the programme, you'll benefit from insights shared by inspiring practitioners, providing you with valuable perspectives on working in development and climate change-related fields. The School of Global Development provides an ideal environment for studying climate change, merging UEA's unparalleled expertise in groundbreaking climate research with its globally recognised focus on development issues. You'll have ample opportunities to develop high-level analytical skills, gain in-depth knowledge, and acquire transferable employability skills to prepare for your chosen career path.