Global Decarbonisation and Climate Change (Policy) MSc/PGDip/PGCert

Find out more about our Global Decarbonisation and Climate Change (Policy) postgraduate courses.

Page updates

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

P-F76B (MSc);

P-F76D (PGDip);

P-F76F (PGCert)

MSc/PGDip/PGCert

Full time: 1 year (MSc), 9 months (PGDip, PGCert); Part time: 2 years (MSc), 18 months (PGDip, PGCert)

29 September 2025

Chemistry

University of Warwick

Are you looking to make a real impact in addressing the global climate change crisis? Join us to become a part of the solution to one of the most urgent challenges of our time.

The postgraduate courses in Global Decarbonisation and Climate Change (GDCC) are a university-wide transdisciplinary initiative and explore key climate emergency issues. You will investigate the causes and consequences of climate change as well as explore emerging solutions to reducing levels of global carbonisation.

The Policy pathway provides a critical appreciation of tackling climate change in context, through knowledge of environmental and climate policy, analysis of tactics by governments, and the effect of policymaking and legislation upon scientific approaches. Beside the core modules you will choose a minimum of 2 core-optional modules, to explore topics such as climate justice and the transition to a sustainable world, climate change and development, and circular (eco) design and life cycle management. In addition, this pathway offers you the opportunity to select wider optional modules.

Appealing to graduates of a range of disciplines including sciences, engineering, social sciences, business or life sciences, the emphasis is on quantitative skills for environmental data analysis, whilst broadening your understanding of environmental politics. You will:

• Explore the global transition to net zero from more renewable energy technologies to life-cycle (eco)design, sustainable food systems, investment in nature-based solutions and sustainable infrastructure. We cover the challenges of moving to a low-carbon economy whilst adapting to a warming planet and will lead you through the implications of climate change and climate policies for equity between, and within, countries.
• Gain specialist knowledge of the earth system and climate impact whilst working together in small groups to propose innovative solutions for real-life problems.
• Recognise social and ethical responsibilities as you learn to mobilise your knowledge across disciplines and work effectively in interdisciplinary teams.
• Gain valuable insights into the demands and duties of the working world, bringing your leadership and management skills to life.
• Develop a wide range of talents including creative, critical, and strategic thinking, effective communication, professional engagement, teamwork, problem solving and research analysis through diverse learning approaches and perspectives.

Dr Rachel Hand and Prof. dr. ir. Stefan BonLink opens in a new window head our MSc/PGDip/PGCert Global Decarbonisation and Climate Change courses. Please contact sus dot fut at warwick dot ac dot uk with any specific questions, where our staff are available to discuss any queries.

Teaching in this emerging field represents practice and research-driven advancements that have been incubated and implemented by world-leading scholars at Warwick and beyond.

Teaching methods on the programme include any or a combination of: lectures and flipped lectures; seminars, tutorials or examples classes for expanding on lecture material; demonstrations and site visits; invited talks and workshops from industry; laboratory, practical or computer room activities; project supervision or project activities.

New for 2023. It is anticipated class sizes will range from 5 to 40 students, dependent on modules: some of which are shared across programmes.

Depending on your module choices, you can expect to attend around 10-25 hours of lectures and workshops per week (for part time students, this is 3-10 hours per week). Some modules might also include additional supervised practical sessions (for example laboratory or field work). For each one-hour lecture, you should expect to put in additional time for private study.

The assessments will take a variety of forms for example: Parliamentary POSTnotes on future scenarios; problem sets; research summaries, examinations; student-devised assessments; presentations (group and individual); reports; and, depending on study level, group projects; group debate; interdisciplinary research projects; project dissertation.

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, core, core-optional and optional, and you have been allocated to your lectures, seminars and other small group classes. Your core modules will be registered for you and you will be able to choose your core-optional and optional modules when you join us in accordance with your level of study and pathway.

2:1 undergraduate degree (or equivalent) ideally in Physical Sciences, Engineering, Mathematics, Social Sciences, Business or Life Sciences.

The department also welcomes applications from those who have or are on track to achieve a 2:2, ideally in a Physical Sciences, Engineering, Social Sciences, Business or Life Sciences background. The department further welcomes applications from those who have 5+ years work experience, ideally in a Physical Sciences, Engineering, Social Sciences, Business or Life Sciences background, regardless of degree status. Such applications will be considered by the department on a case-by-case basis.

• Band A
• IELTS overall score of 6.5, minimum component scores not below 6.0.

There are no additional entry requirements for this course.

Core Optional Modules (PGDip, MSc)

Page updates

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