Climate Action – Master of Sustainable Development Goals

It is widely recognised that climate change is the most pressing environmental issue facing humanity. There is an urgent need for graduates who can lead future climate change solutions in all sectors of society. In this qualification you'll study indigenous, natural and social science approaches to climate action and their interaction with policy, governance and both international and local responses. The specialisation will equip you to critically understand and apply tools and approaches associated with climate finance, reporting, mitigation, and adaptation..

The Master of Sustainable Development Goals (Climate Action) focuses on the theory and practice of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with specific focus on Climate Action. It is widely recognised that climate change is the most pressing environmental issue facing humanity. There is an urgent need for graduates who can lead future climate change solutions in all sectors of society, calling for multidisciplinary solutions that transcend usual silos and boundaries associated with academic study and of science and decision making. There is an urgent need, both nationally and internationally, to understand the nature and consequences of climate change and to provide education and training accordingly.

What are the Sustainable Development Goals?

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are the UN’s ambitious macro-level plan for humankind’s development and sustainability. The goals address global challenges including those related to poverty and inequality, climate and environmental degradation, prosperity, peace and justice. While SDG 13 focuses specifically on Climate Action, all of the 17 SDGs are interconnected with the challenges of climate change.

Follow your interests

You will take 2 core courses in sustainable development. The first will introduce you to the theories of sustainable development and the SDGs. The second course focuses on multi-disciplinary frameworks. The courses will also focus on how to measure progress against the SDGs, as well as alternative and indigenous paradigms, knowledge and practice in the field of sustainability.

Worldwide, universities are increasingly recognising their responsibility to prepare students and society to actively contribute to the mitigation of and adaptation to climate change. This is an interdisciplinary subject that welcomes all students, irrespective of background.

Real-world experience

The final 60-credit component of your degree is a student practicum. Students complete 320 hours in a relevant organisation or agency which works towards policies or practices guided by the SDG framework for Climate Action. During your practicum, you will critically analyse how this work can be understood in relation to current literature on the SDGs and sustainable development.