MSc Climate Change and Development
Course director: Dr Nick Bardsley
The is a one year, full-time Masters degree course which explores the interface between climate change and development. It aims to equip graduates with the knowledge and skills to work in an environmental or energy policy and planning discipline. For Home and EU students, this course is also available on a part-time basis over two years.
Aims and objectives
The course examines the social scientific drivers, and consequences, of climate change, and explores these from a development perspective. In particular, the course aims to provide participants with:
- a critical understanding of key social scientific frameworks applied in this field, including the emergent discipline of ecological economics
- a comparative understanding of the different contributions, and appropriate responses, to climate change by countries at different stages of development
- an appreciation of the ways in which climate change and development policies interface, and their interaction with different aspects of social and economic systems.
Transferable skills
The programme demands extensive independent reading, research and critical thinking. Participants will need to exert self-discipline in the management of their time, and in developing their knowledge in the fields of both climate change and development. The programme will assist them in advancing their skills of oral and written communication, analysis, problem solving and computer skills.
Programme structure
The course starts at the beginning of the Autumn Term and is taught over two ten-week terms. The remainder of the course, from June until September, is devoted to preparation of a 12-15,000 word dissertation, for submission in early September.
Entry requirements
Entrants to this programme are normally required to have obtained an honours degree or its equivalent in a related subject, for example environmental studies / sciences, or development. Applicants with other qualifications approved by the Senate, and who have at least 2 years' professional experience in a relevant field of development work are also encouraged to apply for admission to this programme. References are also taken into account.
Subject streams
Students follow compulsory modules (70 credits) and select a further 50 credits from an extensive list of optional modules.
Compulsory modules:
- The Ecological Economics of Climate Change
- Climate Change Policy and Governance
- Resource and Environmental Economics
- Perspectives on Development
- Environment and Development: Problem and Policies
- Research and Study Skills for Independent Learning
Optional modules include:
- The Science of Climate Change*
- Extractive Industries, the Environment and Developing Societies
- Food Security and Development
- Climate Change and Food Systems
- Environment and Development: Case Studies
- Social Policies for Development
- Rethinking Agricultural Development: Searching for Solutions
- Governance, Accountability and Development
- Poverty, Inequality and Development
* This option is compulsory for participants without prior training in the natural science of climate change.
See the full list of the modules offered to GIIDAE students.
Further details of each of the above modules can be found on the main University module description pages www.reading.ac.uk/modules.
(Please note that the programme above may be subject to change)
Career prospects
Students who follow this program are expected to have employment opportunities in a wide variety of environmental and developmental settings. These include aid agencies, environmental Non-Governmental-Organisations, and relevant government departments, especially those focussed on energy policy and climate change policy issues.