Politics of Climate Change MA

Find out more about our Politics of Climate Change taught Master's degree at Warwick

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P-M1PD

MA

1 year full-time
2 years part-time

29 September 2025

Politics and International Studies

University of Warwick

Warwick’s Politics of Climate Change MA provides students with a deep understanding of the political dimensions of climate change. It explores the political opportunities and obstacles (at the global, regional and national levels) to addressing climate change and its effects.

The Master's in the Politics of Climate Change gives students the knowledge, skills and vision to translate critical insight into practical change in an increasingly complex, competitive and fragile world, to respond to one of the greatest challenges humanity is facing.

Climate change is a political problem – it raises fundamental questions about the nature of our societies, what drives our politics, and how major transformation can happen. To address this all-encompassing crisis, we first need to ask some of the big, complex questions that underlie everything: What shapes how we see climate change within wider contexts? What do we value, and how is this changed by climate change; does this reality prompt us to rethink assumptions about the world we’ve been taking for granted? What is justice in relation to climate change? Who gets a say in how it is governed, and who benefits? What should be the purpose and remit of politics – and of the economy? What drives change – and what are the power dynamics behind this? What kind of world do we want and need to create?

This course equips students both to critically engage with these major questions and to develop a deep understanding of how they can inform and improve public policy on climate change. It addresses the politics of climate change in all its diversity and at all levels, from the local, regional and national to the global, and through different perspectives and methodologies, including political theory, political economy, international relations, public policy and governance. The course is taught by leading scholars: from the meaning of climate justice to the political economy of energy transitions, the power dynamics behind climate politics and sustainability transformations, environmental public policy and party politics, how climate policy relates to other core policy areas, and the global politics of development, decoloniality and North-South relations.

Modules are taught via one 2-hour seminar per week. Seminars give you the opportunity to interact with leading scholars as well as with your peers to explore a set topic each week. Every seminar will be based on extensive guided reading you will do each week, but there is no strict pattern to how sessions are run. This may include mini-lectures followed by discussion, Q&A sessions, organised debates, peer presentations, policy briefs, small group work, case studies, simulations, and other projects.

You can also choose to study part-time with us. Find out more about part-time study on our PAIS web pagesLink opens in a new window.

Normally a maximum of 18 per seminar group in PAIS delivered modules.

6 hours of Seminars per week for 9 weeks in Terms One and Two plus advice and feedback hours when requested and Dissertation supervision in Terms Two and Three.

Part-time students attend an average of 3 hours per week for 9 weeks in terms 1 and 2, plus advice and feedback hours. Dissertation supervision takes place in terms two and three of year 2. Teaching hours are spread over the two years as evenly as possible , and considering personal extra-academic constraints.

Assessment methods include research essays and other (written) assignments throughout the year, culminating in a 10,000 word dissertation at the end.

Reading Lists

If you would like to view reading lists for current or previous cohorts of students, most departments have reading lists available through Warwick Library on the Talis Aspire platform.

You can search for reading lists by module title, code or convenor. Please see the modules tab of this page or the module catalogue.

Please note that some reading lists may have restricted access or be unavailable at certain times of year due to not yet being published. If you cannot access the reading list for a particular module, please check again later or contact the module’s host department.

Your timetable

Your personalised timetable will be complete when you are registered for all modules, compulsory and optional, and you have been allocated to your lectures, seminars and other small group classes. Your compulsory modules will be registered for you and you will be able to choose your optional modules in a module pre-registration process about which you will receive information at the beginning of September.

2:1 undergraduate degree (or equivalent) in a related subject.

Visit our PAIS web pages for department-specific advice on applying to ensure your application has the best chance for success.

Postgraduate FAQs (PAIS specific)

Postgraduate FAQs (General)

• Band B
• IELTS overall score of 7.0, minimum component scores of two at 6.0/6.5 and the rest at 7.0 or above.

There are no additional entry requirements for this course.

The optional module listsLink opens in a new window are updated regularly.

You may select up to 40 CATS (normally two modules) from a list of specialist modules for this course, and a further 40-80 CATS from our extensive range of optional modules for a total of 120 CATS of taught modules.

We have revised the information on this page since publication. See the edits we have made and content history.

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