Program Overview

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Climate Change (PgCert)

Overview

Climate change is one of the most pressing and challenging issues facing humanity. Extreme heat, flooding, and rising sea levels are leading to a number of dangerous and irreversible impacts on societies and economies. Avoiding the worst impacts depends on decisions we make today to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and to find solutions to remove carbon from the atmosphere. A course in climate change has never been so important, as we attempt to tackle these fundamental issues facing humanity in the 21st century. This highly interdisciplinary course offers a specialised knowledge of climate change from multiple perspectives, addressing many of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) around themes including climate science; impacts, adaptation and vulnerability; technological and nature-based mitigation; and the connections between climate change and human culture. Practical skills training is embedded in all modules and will provide vital hands-on experience in applying subject knowledge in the real world. There are also strong links with employers – notably through a bespoke careers module. This will ensure students graduate as the global citizens and leaders that society needs to help secure the future of our planet. This will open the doors to a wide variety of careers and pathways for future study – including the public sector (e.g. national meteorological and environmental agencies, and local councils), non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and charities; the private sector (e.g. environmental consultancies, energy and utilities companies, risk, finance and insurance providers); universities and research institutes; and many more.

Career Development

• Multiple Perspectives: Interdisciplinary approaches to one of the greatest challenges facing humanity.
• Internationally Renowned Experts: Taught by a range of subject experts engaging in world-class research.
• Focus on Careers: Skills training, a careers module, and an option for an employer-focused research project.

Course Structure

The Postgraduate Certificate is awarded to students who successfully complete 60 CATs, comprising at least 40 CATs core modules and a maximum of 20 CATs elective modules.

• Student may register on a Full-time or Part-time basis.
• For full-time study, all 60 CATs are taken in one semester.
• For part-time study the 60 CATs are taken across two semesters, comprising 40 CATs in one semester and 20 CATs in the other semester.
• Entrance qualifications are available: students may register to ‘top up’ their successfully passed Postgraduate Certificate to a Postgraduate Diploma or Master of Science in a subsequent academic year by taking an additional 60 CATs taught modules in the case of the former, or an additional 60 CATs taught modules and the 60 CATs Research Project module in the case of the latter.

Teaching Times

Most teaching takes place within a typical working day from 9am-5pm, though some elective modules may include evening classes.

Learning and Teaching

• You’ll be part of a relatively small, informal and engaging class. You’ll get to know your classmates and your lecturers well during class discussions, practical classes and field trips.
• Students will be assigned an Advisor of Studies who will offer support with study-related issues and will signpost to wider University services and support.
• Module coordinators will provide study support for issues relating to specific modules.
• Students will have access to a number of school-wide and programme-specific resources on Canvas, including the School PGT Handbook for written information on the teaching, learning and pastoral support infrastructure in the school; and module content to support with learning and assessments within modules.
• Students will also have access to a number of discipline-specific physical resources within Geography, including the bespoke MSc Climate Change Lab for working outside timetabled classes (with 15 computers and lots of bench space), the Centre for GIS and Geomatics for project work involving GIS; the Map Library (by appointment) for project work involving print maps; the Student Resource Room for socialising outside timetabled classes (with a tea/coffee machine available and some comfy seating); and a number of laboratories for project work involving physical analysis of primary data in the labs.
• Since the programme is open to applicants from any subject, we will also support those students with a less scientific/practical/technical background by offering online “help surgeries” as part of any core module practical classes (e.g. using ArcGIS Pro, Microsoft Excel, R Studio).
• Students will also be encouraged to make use of faculty support services on technical aspects of the course, including the EPS Mathematics and Statistics Helpdesk (MASH).

Assessment

• The programme is coursework only, with core modules assessed via a range of methods including essays, literature reviews, presentations, reports, and videos.
• The elective modules are also assessed by coursework only using a range of different assessment types.

Modules

The information below is intended as an example only, featuring module details for the current year of study (2024/25). Modules are reviewed on an annual basis and may be subject to future changes – revised details will be published through Programme Specifications ahead of each academic year.

Entrance Requirements

• A 2.2 Honours Degree (or equivalent qualification acceptable to the University) in any subject.
• A limited number of fully funded places (provided by the Department for the Economy) are available for this programme. Where there are more eligible applications received than places available, the academic selectors for this programme will make offers in rank order based on academic merit and potential as evidenced in the totality of the information provided in each application.
• We will operate a waiting list as required to allow us to fill all available funded places. If you have not been selected for a funded place, we will accept self-funded or employer-funded applicants, if spaces are available.
• If you have already applied for this course but did not know about the funded places available, your original application will still be considered equally for a funded place. We will contact you if this applies to you.

International Students

• Our country/region pages include information on entry requirements, tuition fees, scholarships, student profiles, upcoming events and contacts for your country/region.
• Use the dropdown list below for specific information for your country/region.

English Language Requirements

• Evidence of an IELTS* score of 6.5, with not less than 5.5 in any component, or an equivalent qualification acceptable to the University is required (*taken within the last 2 years).
• International students wishing to apply to Queen's University Belfast (and for whom English is not their first language), must be able to demonstrate their proficiency in English in order to benefit fully from their course of study or research.
• Non-EEA nationals must also satisfy UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) immigration requirements for English language for visa purposes.

Career Prospects

• In addition to the subject-specific skills acquired on the programme, considerable care has been taken to ensure students are equipped with employability skills and are supported in their career development.
• Most notably, the programme includes a bespoke “Careers in Climate Change” module providing employability support and opportunities to network with employers in the climate change arena.
• Practical skills training is central in all core modules, ensuring students graduate with a range of technical hard skills (e.g. climate modelling, GIS, quantitative and qualitative data analysis) and transferable soft skills (e.g. presentations and report writing) that are highly valued by employers.
• Finally, students can avail of central University support through the QUB Careers, Employability and Skills department.

Employment after the Course

• Where could you be in five years?
  • Developing climate and flood risk scenarios in the public sector at national meteorological and environmental agencies such as the Met Office or Northern Ireland Environment Agency
  • Formulating climate adaptation strategies and sustainability policies within local governments / councils
  • Implementing conservation and climate action within NGOs and charities like Friends of the Earth or Greenpeace
  • Leading change within the private sector at environmental consultancies such as Atkins or RPS; energy and utilities companies such as SSE Airtricity or Thames Water; and risk, finance and insurance providers such as AXA or the World Bank
  • Working as a Scientific Officer within research institutes such as the Agri-Food Biosciences Institute or the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology
  • Pursuing further study at PhD level in various areas relating to climate change

Employment Links

• Employers interested in people like you:
  • National meteorological and environmental agencies such as the Met Office or Northern Ireland Environment Agency
  • Local governments / councils – e.g. Belfast City Council
  • NGOs and charities like Friends of the Earth or Greenpeace
  • Environmental consultancies such as Atkins or RPS
  • Energy and utilities companies such as SSE Airtricity or Thames Water
  • Risk, finance and insurance providers such as AXA or the World Bank
  • Research institutes such as the Agri-Food Biosciences Institute or the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology
  • Universities for further study (PhD)

Tuition Fees

• Northern Ireland (NI) 1 | DfE Funded students: Free / Other students: £2,433
• Republic of Ireland (ROI) 2 | £2,433
• England, Scotland or Wales (GB) 1 | £3,083
• EU Other 3 | £7,167
• International | £7,167

Additional Course Costs

• No tuition fees are payable by eligible students for the programme as it is funded by the Department for the Economy’s Skill Up programme.
• Please refer to for further information.
• Applicants must meet the entry criteria for the course and be:
  • over 18 years of age;
  • eligible to work in Northern Ireland;
  • settled in Northern Ireland, and has been ordinarily resident in the UK for at least three years; or
  • is a person who has indefinite leave to enter or remain in the UK

Terms and Conditions

• The terms and conditions that apply when you accept an offer of a place at the University on a taught programme of study.
• Queen's University Belfast Terms and Conditions.

How to Apply

• Apply using our online Queen's Portal and follow the step-by-step instructions on how to apply.
• Apply now

Graduate Plus/Future Ready Award for extra-curricular skills

• In addition to your degree programme, at Queen's you can have the opportunity to gain wider life, academic and employability skills.
• For example, placements, voluntary work, clubs, societies, sports and lots more.
• So not only do you graduate with a degree recognised from a world leading university, you'll have practical national and international experience plus a wider exposure to life overall.
• We call this Graduate Plus/Future Ready Award.
• It's what makes studying at Queen's University Belfast special.