MSc Climate Change


We have been awarded a Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education for 50 years of ground-breaking environmental science at UEA. The royal accolade from the Queen is the UK’s most prestigious higher education award.

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Key facts

Environmental Sciences has been ranked 4th in the UK, 11th in Europe and 40th in the World according to the QS World University Rankings 2018.


Carbon dioxide (CO2) levels in the atmosphere have reached a milestone at the British Antarctic Survey’s (BAS) Halley Research Station in Antarctica – according to UEA and BAS scientists.

Image: Tom Welsh, British Antarctic Survey

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Develop your scientific skills and knowledge and act on your concern about climate change through an MSc that’s never been more essential. Climate change and variability has played a major role in shaping human history – and the prospect of global warming as a result of human activity will present us with demanding challenges over the coming decades.

This MSc in Climate Change is designed to provide you with in-depth interdisciplinary knowledge of climate change science, society and policy. You’ll have the freedom to direct your studies depending on your interests and career destination.

As a graduate of this course you will have strong employability potential in many areas including academic research, business consultancies, industry, policy-making, or government research agencies.


Based in the Climatic Research Unit (CRU) at the School of Environmental Sciences (ENV), this course will give you an authoritative understanding of climate change – including recent climate history, present-day variations and climate prediction.


You’ll also explore how climate change impacts on the environment and society, understand the complex links between energy use and climate, and prospects for emissions control at the national and international level.

Course Structure

On this course you’ll take two compulsory modules each worth 20 credits.  “Physical basis of climate change” and “Energy and Climate”- which are designed so that together you’ll achieve an understanding of climate change from its origins in human activity, through the physical science underpinning its effects on our world, to the science behind the reduction of emissions to mitigate change.

“Physical Basis of climate change” covers the physical science of climate change and our current understanding of anthropogenic effects on climate, while “Energy and Climate” examines how current energy resources, technologies and services produce greenhouse gas emissions, drawing on both historical evidence and theories of change to explore prospects and potentials for transforming the energy system.

You’ll then choose three other 20-credit modules. Our setting within the school of Environmental Sciences is designed to provide you with both in-depth and interdisciplinary knowledge of climate science giving you the freedom to focus more on either the natural or social sciences.

You will also complete a research dissertation looking at the general area covered by the compulsory elements of the course. It’s worth 20 credits from the Research Skills module and 60 credits for the dissertation.

Teaching and Learning


This high quality degree programme combines intellectual challenge with relevance to current environmental issues. Through choosing your own taught modules, you’ll create a course that suits your own interests and career goals. All of our teaching is informed by up to date research, helping you to become familiar with today’s most pressing issues.

You’ll be trained in the techniques of climate research and gain an authoritative and up-to-date view of natural and anthropogenic climatic change. You’ll also look at climate history, present-day climate variation and climate prediction, and the impacts of climate variability on human welfare and the natural world.

Independent study

This course will give you an excellent balance of independent thinking and study skills, helping you grow into a self-motivated learner, an expert researcher and an analytical thinker.

You will develop accuracy and precision in your written work through organising evidence, and become confident in time management, organisation and self-directed study.


We’ll use a variety of assessment methods across different modules – ranging from 100% coursework to part-examination, depending on the modules you choose.

Our coursework assessment methods include essays, written discussions, class tests, problem sheets, laboratory reports, field exercises, and seminar presentations. Skills-based modules and field modules are assessed by 100% coursework.

Essays and reports give us the chance to assess how well your bibliographic material has been obtained and discussed, problem solving and project-based work allows us to assess your numerical and practical skills, while field-based modules help us assess your practical skills.

After the course

Our MSc Climate Change programme will open the doors to a wide variety of careers. You could go into environmental consultancy, postgraduate research (ie PhDs), fundamental or applied academic research, local government, utilities, health, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), climate impacts and policy, scientific publishing, or government research agencies, to name a few.

Career destinations

Examples of careers that you could entre include;

  • Australian Bureau of Meteorology
  • Barclays
  • National Grid
  • University of Oxford
  • Nature Publishing Group
  • WWF Nepal

Course related costs


Course Modules 2019/0

Students must study the following modules for 120 credits:

Name Code Credits


Climate change and variability have played major roles in shaping human history, and the prospect of human-caused global warming is a pressing challenge for society. But how and why has climate changed, how do we predict future climate and how do our choices affect future climate? Throughout this module, you will learn how climate science can answer these questions. Discover the approaches, methods and techniques for understanding the history of climate change and for developing climate projections for the next 100 years. You'll also explore the scientific evidence about climate change and where the uncertainties lie. Starting with an introduction to the changing climate and the main themes in current climate research, your study will be structured around three topics. (1) Fundamentals of the changing climate including the Earth's energy balance, causes of climate change and the greenhouse effect. (2) Research methods, consisting of empirical approaches to climate reconstruction (such as tree-ring research), analysis of observational data (focusing on the global temperature record and causes of recent climate change), and an introduction to energy balance models and general circulation models. (3) Climate change and causal mechanisms, concentrating on the period from 1000 CE to the present and climate projections out to 2100 CE. Studying the physical science basis of climate change will enable you to understand what controls our climate, to explain the causes of the changes we have observed, and to interpret projections of future climate change.




The dissertation is an individual research project which you will complete independently under the guidance of an academic supervisor within one of the research groups in the School. In addition, you may also choose to undertake a project placement with an outside organisation, with the possible guidance from an outside collaborator. Research undertaken normally involves the analysis and interpretation of data collected in the field, from measurements of a sample in the laboratory or from data gathered from other sources including the media, questionnaire surveys, interviews, etc. This module is reserved for MSc students and requires you to have completed the Research Skills Module (ENV-7119Y) as a prerequisite.




In this module, you will examine energy transitions for climate change mitigation from a range of perspectives. You will consider how current energy resources, technologies and services produce greenhouse gas emissions. You will draw on both historical evidence and theories of change to explore prospects and potentials for transforming the energy system.




This module provides support and training for the dissertation to ensure that the necessary research is well planned in advance. Advice is given on how to make the best use of UEA library resources, how to undertake a literature review, ethics procedures and how to write a dissertation proposal. A substantial part of semester one is devoted to how to use statistics for the analysis of different types of projects. Supporting lectures and practicals in social science research skills are provided in semester two. These include: social science research design; questionnaire survey design; interviewing techniques; focus groups methods; and techniques analysing qualitative data. This module must be taken before the Dissertation Module.



Students will select 60 credits from the following modules:

Name Code Credits


The module addresses the fundamental requirement for an interdisciplinary catchment-based approach to managing and protecting water resources that includes an understanding of land use and its management. The module content includes the design of catchment monitoring programmes, nutrient mass balance calculations, river restoration techniques, an overview of UK and European agri-environmental policy and approaches to assessing and mitigating catchment flooding. The module is structured to enhance professional skills development through the provision of sessions designated at assisting students who wish to pursue a career in the water industry.




This module critically examines international/national climate change governance, policy and societal impacts from and responses to climate change and climate change policy. The first half of the semester will discuss the history and politics of the international climate change negotiations and then critically examine the way the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change operates. You'll look in detail at several items under negotiation with significant implications for developing countries and we will discuss global carbon markets. The second half of the semester will turn to the interface of climate change and society. It will discuss participatory governance and urban responses to climate change as well as critically examining ethical/justice related debates, the role of energy demand and lifestyle in tackling climate change. The seminars will be interactive and enable you to understand the international negotiating process and ways to engage positively with climate change.








This module engages you in understanding complex interdisciplinary challenges associated with environmental pollution management via detailed studies of selected pollution issues. You will develop skills in quantifying and analysing problems and developing and presenting effective policy responses. Environmental pollution is a growing human footprint on the Earth system and is a contributing factor to major environmental challenges we face today, for example: provision of clean water; the sustainable production of safe food, and; mitigation of impacts on health human and ecological receptors. We will examine 3 major types of environmental pollution, involving the atmosphere, aquatic systems and soils, in depth. Your learning will come through lectures, seminars and self-directed study. There is also some practical work to help you to develop hands-on skills. The seminar discussions will give you the chance to discuss and debate your ideas on competing societal priorities, such as the conflicts between food production and the pollution arising from the use of fertilisers. The assessments are a short essay aimed at a general science audience (33%) and a report (67%). On successful completion of this module you will be able to evaluate complex arguments relating the chemistry and toxicology of pollutants to policy issues, political decisions and social perceptions of the environment. You will develop chemical understanding of pollutants as well as numerical skills and an understanding of how mathematical models assist in predictions of pollutant behaviour. You will also improve your communication of complex evidence and your ideas, empathise with other viewpoints and give balanced evaluation.








This module will provide essential GIS tools and principles that will be applied to modelling ecological responses to environmental change. Core GIS skills will be delivered. These include field data collection and extraction of data from national and global databases. It will include the manipulation of such files and particular attention will be paid to understanding the uncertainties associated with such analyses. These skills are important in many areas of ecological and environmental research, but are particularly useful for the creation of variables needed for modelling environmental change. There will be extensive emphasis on practical GIS skills.








Environmental economics provides a set of tools and principles which can be useful in understanding natural resource management issues. This module introduces you to key principles and tools of environmental economics for students who have not studied the subject previously. It then explores how these principles can be applied to address a number of complex economy-environment problems including climate change, over-fishing and water resources management. In this module you will have the opportunity to practically apply cost-benefit analysis as a framework for decision-making and will gain knowledge on the key non-market valuation techniques that are used to monetarily value environmental goods and services. At the end of the module you will have gained insights into how environmental economics is used in developing natural resource management policy as well as some of the challenges in using environmental economics in policy-making.




You will engage in Earth science topics at an advanced level and develop advanced study skills. The module will be strongly research lead and based around your learning. It will involve engagement with appropriate research seminars in the School of Environmental Sciences and directed research on key topics with discussions and seminars. The topics included vary from year to year but they are likely to include topics in sedimentology, palaeoclimate, geological hazards, Earth history, the Earth system. The module will develop your research and communication skills in addition to imparting specialist knowledge. To take this module, you should either be taking MSci in one of the following or already have a BSc degree in Earth Science, Geology, Geophysics, Physical Geography or similar.




How can science and society work better together to solve sustainability challenges? How can society be properly engaged and accounted for in addressing pressing issues like climate change, energy transitions and natural hazards? These questions, that lie at the core of this module, have become major concerns for scientists, governments, businesses, NGOs and citizens the world over. Throughout the module you will gain a rich appreciation of key theories, approaches and practical methods for understanding and improving relations between science, technology and society in sustainability settings. You'll explore the nature of science and how it relates to society. You'll discover a wealth of approaches for public engagement with science, and consider how sustainability can be more effectively governed. You'll also learn how to critically evaluate and communicate these ideas through written, oral and self-reflective means. You'll begin the module by considering how relations between science and society have evolved over time and are viewed differently by different disciplines. The fascinating interdisciplinary field called science and technology studies (STS) will provide a key resource that you will become an expert in as you progress. The module's three main parts will take you on a journey to develop your own critical insights. In part 1 you will consider the nature of science and its relation to society, through examining science controversies like 'climategate' and GM crops. In part 2 you will explore new forms of public engagement with science and technology, such as science communication, deliberative democracy, citizen science, and smart technologies in the home. In part 3 you will study pioneering new ways of governing science and sustainability in fairer and more socially responsible ways, through responsible innovation of climate geoengineering for example. You'll learn through a mixture of lectures, practical classes, in-class debates, and self-directed study. Your new knowledge and skills will be put into practice by creating a blog to communicate your ideas, as well as through written work and presentations. You'll also benefit from the module being taught by staff in the Science, Society and Sustainability (3S) Research Group, which houses some of the world's leading experts on societal engagement with sustainability.




From supernovae and the early condensation of the solar system, through the climate history of the planet and on to studies of stratospheric chemistry, research using stable isotopes has made a significant contribution to our understanding of the processes that shape the Earth. You'll explore the theory and practice of isotope geochemistry, covering analytical methods and mass spectrometry, fractionation processes, and isotope behaviour in chemical cycles in the geosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere and atmosphere. Teaching is by a mix lectures, student led seminars and practicals, including hands-on experience in the stable isotope laboratory.




How do you test a hypothesis? How do you compare biological traits between wild populations? And how do you best test and visualise differences between samples? Scientists use a wide array of methods for statistical analysis and plotting data, and increasingly, these tasks are carried out using R. R is a free programming language for statistical computing and graphics, including general and generalised linear models, time-series analysis, and community analysis, and also specialised analyses in many scientific subfields. Learning R will equip you with a flexible statistical, modelling, and graphics tool. Learning the basics of running R in the RStudio programming environment, you'll spend most of your time on general and generalised linear models, which unify the range of statistical tests that are classically taught separately: t-test, ANOVA, regression, logistic regression, and chi-square, plus residuals analysis. Additionally, you'll learn how to use R to write simple programs and carry out community analyses such as principal components analysis. Finally, throughout the class, you'll learn R methods for data formatting, graphics, and documentation. On successful completion of this module you'll be able to use R to carry out and present results from the most widely used statistical tests in current scientific practice, giving you sufficient knowledge to continue learning statistical analysis on your own. A pre-requisite of first and/or second year statistical modules is required.




If everyone on Earth lived like a typical UK citizen we'd need three planets-worth of resources. But we only have one. Why do we consume the way we do? What drives our behaviour and how might we persuade people to live more sustainably? What do we mean by a sustainable lifestyle, anyway? These are questions academics, businesspeople, campaigners and policymakers struggle with every day and there are no easy answers. In this module you'll get to grips with competing visions about what sustainable consumption is. You'll gain an understanding of a range of theoretical approaches to understanding consumption behaviour and you'll learn how to apply these theories to develop strategies for achieving sustainable consumption. You'll begin by examining the impacts of western-style consumerism on the Earth's social, economic and environmental systems. Using concepts such as ecological footprinting, needs and wellbeing, you'll take a closer look at how economic and environmental systems interact. You'll contrast a 'green growth' approach to sustainable consumption with a more radical 'de-growth' model. Drawing on interdisciplinary social science theories from economics, psychology, sociology and ethnography, you'll go on to investigate a range of strategies for achieving change, by government, business, civil society, and individual consumers. You'll get hands-on experience testing and applying these ideas yourselves, in participative workshops, alongside award-winning innovative teaching methods. In lectures, you'll learn about topics such as Ethical Consumption, Limits to Growth, Collaborative Consumption, Community-based initiatives, Life Cycle Analysis and Behaviour-change campaigns. Understanding the theoretical debates behind everyday actions for sustainability will make you better able to design and implement sustainability strategies in the workplace - whether in the public or private sector, or civil society. You'll be able to identify the strengths and weaknesses in sustainable consumption campaigns and policies, and offer theoretically-informed solutions.









Further Reading

Entry Requirements

  • Degree Subject Environmental Science or a related discipline.
  • Degree Classification Bachelors degree (minimum 2.1 or equivalent)

Students for whom English is a Foreign language


  • IELTS: 6.5 (minimum 6.0 in all components)




Fees and Funding

Tuition fees for the academic year 2019/20 are:

  • UK/EU Students: £7,700 (full time)
  • International Students: £16,100 (full time)


Living Expenses

We estimate living expenses at £1,015 per month.



How to Apply


You can apply online, or by downloading the application form.

Further Information



Postgraduate Admissions Office
Tel: +44 (0)1603 591515


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