Climate Studies

Learn how to strengthen the capacity of SIDS to develop management responses, identify disaster risks, and implement strategies at all levels.

Dates & Learning Mode

Key Dates
Applications Now Open
Duration
Varies
Learning mode
Online

The programme's aim to leverage the strong and internationally recognised climate capacity of The University of the West Indies by honing additional climate professionals for adapting a comprehensive approach to climate solutions.

Programme Overview

 

Climate change is an existential threat to Small Island Developing States (SIDS). The significant threat to lives, economies, and infrastructure posed by climate change impacts particularly as they occur in the form of increasingly frequent and extreme weather events is a challenge that can undermine the development of Caribbean nations. This interdisciplinary programme leverages the strong, internationally recognised climate capacity of The University of the West Indies to develop climate professionals equipped with comprehensive approaches to climate solutions.

The emphasis on interdisciplinary studies makes this programme unique. Courses draw on content from multiple disciplines and are delivered as modules that demonstrate the wide and interconnected impact of climate change across various sectors

Programme Levels

  • Graduate Certificate

    4 core courses (12 credits); 1 elective (3 credits)
    Total: 12 credits

    US$3,500
    16 weeks full-time, 32 weeks part-time

  • Graduate Diploma

    5 core courses (18 credits); 2 elective (3 credits)
    Total: 21 credits

    US$7,500
    32 weeks full-time, 64 weeks part-time

  • Masters

    5 core courses (18 credits); 4 electives (6 credits); 2 projects (12 credits)
    Total: 36 credits

    US$10,000
    48 weeks full-time, 88 weeks part-time

Programme Goals

  1. Increase climate professionals equipped and inspired to advance reparatory justice work, particularly in SIDS
  2. Expand career opportunities by creating graduates capable of making meaningful contributions as climate advisors, advocates, educators, and problem solvers
  3. Create a diverse pool of climate specialists whose expertise aligns with climate-related needs of key Caribbean economic and social sectors including agriculture, health, sport, tourism, energy, and social welfare
  4. Capitalize on The UWI as a living laboratory for implementing climate initiatives that align with institutional strategy for climate justice and resilience
  5. Create synergies between The UWI and Caribbean industries requiring climate expertise for planning, forecasting, and decision-making
  6. Align climate education with needs of Caribbean governments, industries, and the international community
  7. Attract funding for high-quality graduate programmes aligned with international, government, and industry needs
  8. Establish a model of best practice for climate education in the region
  9. Support professional collaborations among climate faculty, researchers, and practitioners through teaching, research, and project supervision
  10. Strengthen pedagogical competence of faculty through co-teaching, co-supervising research, and advising regional climate projects
  11. Broaden perspectives across The UWI on climate action
  12. Challenge traditional classifications of students being oriented to either sciences or humanities

Programme Objectives

  • Evaluate the progress made by the region toward achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
  • Articulate the negative impact of inequality within and among countries in the region and offer evidence-based solutions to narrow the gap
  • Contribute to collaborative projects geared toward food security, improved nutrition, health and well-being, climate justice and sustainable agriculture for Caribbean people
  • Articulate the shift needed in health and medicine to alleviate the impact of climate change
  • Identify strategies for making clean energy affordable for Caribbean citizens
  • Advise on responsible consumption and production patterns among Caribbean citizens
  • Select appropriate research techniques to investigate and gather data for climate solutions
  • Select appropriate communication tools and media for disseminating climate-related information to a variety of publics
  • Offer feasible solutions for climate priorities in the region by consulting and synthesising interdisciplinary content from a variety of sources
  • Present the outcome of a collaborative initiative toward at least one of UN’s sustainable development goals that is being pursued by the University of the West Indies
  • Execute an element of the public education plan (in 5) (example a Webinar) to create awareness on a critical climate-related threat
  • Display curiosity to learn and adopt interdisciplinary perspective on climate issues
  • Contribute willingly to interdisciplinary work groups and project teams
  • Become activists and advocates for Caribbean climate causes
  • Commit to communicating accurate and verifiable climate information and data
  • Pursue continuous learning on climate studies through webinars, conferences, networking etc.
  • Generate interdisciplinary writing products on climate studies: technical paper, policy paper, briefs, position paper, proposal, articles, presentations, speeches, blogs, tweets and others for specific purposes and audiences
  • Plan an approved collaborative project with research and applied components that provides feasible evidenced-based recommendations for climate adaptation and mitigation in a key subsector, health, energy, sport, tourism, climate justice, food and agriculture
  • Develop a robust public education plan to create awareness on climate-related illnesses and treatment plan, climate and food security, climate and sport, climate law, climate and gender, and affordable and clean energy.

SDG Focus

  • #7 - Affordable and clean energy
    Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
  • #8 - Decent work and economic growth
    Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
  • #10 - Reduced inequalities
    Reduce inequality within and among countries
  • #13 - Climate action
    Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts

 
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