Climate Change, Development and Policy MSc : University of Sussex

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Key information

Duration:: 1 year full time, 2 years part time
Start date:: September 2025
Apply by:: 1 August 2025 (international), 1 September 2025 (UK)

1st in the world for Development Studies (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024)
3rd in the UK for our research impact in Geography and Environmental Studies in REF 2021 (Times Higher Education)
9th in the UK for Social Sciences (The Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject 2024)

Climate change is one of the biggest challenges of our times. To work towards climate solutions, evidence-based policy-making is essential.

On this course, you’ll benefit from a comprehensive and interdisciplinary analysis of climate change. You’ll:

get a knowledge basis in climate and earth systems science
develop the skills to address the role of climate change within the wider set of today’s interconnected development and policy imperatives
understand the social, economic and political dimensions of climate change
gain the understanding and analytical tools necessary to contribute to evidence-based policy-making.

This MSc is taught jointly by the School of Global Studies, SPRU – Science Policy Research Unit and the Institute of Development Studies (IDS). Your teaching is underpinned by our cutting-edge research and our engagement with policy processes. You’ll benefit from diverse practitioners linking what they teach to real-world experiences. You’ll get to consider complex issues from multiple perspectives. There’s a particular emphasis on the implications of climate change and policy responses for equity and justice between – and within – countries.

We’re proud of our track record in graduate employment. Our graduates have gone on to achieve impactful careers as climate professionals in a range of sectors – from international organisations to national government ministries – creating positive change and driving forward climate action.

We understand that deciding where and what to study is a very important decision. We’ll make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the courses, services and facilities described in this prospectus. However, if we need to make material changes, for example due to government or regulatory requirements, or unanticipated staff changes, we’ll let you know as soon as possible.

I was able to focus on my area of interest and link it to my past experience in finance while being supervised by excellent academics. This opened doors to develop my career.”Gabriela Moya Toledo
United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI)

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Degree requirements	You should normally have an upper second-class (2.1) undergraduate honours degree or above.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification should be in either the social, natural, or physical sciences; alternatively, you should have relevant professional experience or engagement.

Please select your country from the list.

Argentina

Degree requirements	Licenciado/Titulo with a final mark of at least 7.5-8.5 depending on your university.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification should be in either the social, natural, or physical sciences; alternatively, you should have relevant professional experience or engagement.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Australia

Degree requirements	Bachelors degree with second-class upper division.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification should be in either the social, natural, or physical sciences; alternatively, you should have relevant professional experience or engagement.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Azerbaijan

Degree requirements	Magistr or Specialist Diploma with an average mark of at least 4 or 81%
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification should be in either the social, natural, or physical sciences; alternatively, you should have relevant professional experience or engagement.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Bahrain

Degree requirements	Bachelors degree with CGPA 3.0/4.0 (Grade B).
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification should be in either the social, natural, or physical sciences; alternatively, you should have relevant professional experience or engagement.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Bangladesh

Degree requirements	A 4-year Bachelor degree with GPA of at least 3.3/4.0
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification should be in either the social, natural, or physical sciences; alternatively, you should have relevant professional experience or engagement.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Brazil

Degree requirements	Bacharel, Licenciado or professional title with a final mark of at least 7.5 or 8 depending on your university.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification should be in either the social, natural, or physical sciences; alternatively, you should have relevant professional experience or engagement.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Brunei

Degree requirements	Bachelors (Honours) degree with second class upper division or CGPA 3.1/4.0.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification should be in either the social, natural, or physical sciences; alternatively, you should have relevant professional experience or engagement.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Canada

Degree requirements	Bachelors degree with CGPA 3.3/4.0 (grade B+).
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification should be in either the social, natural, or physical sciences; alternatively, you should have relevant professional experience or engagement.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Chile

Degree requirements	Licenciado with a final mark of at least 5-5.5/7 depending on your university.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification should be in either the social, natural, or physical sciences; alternatively, you should have relevant professional experience or engagement.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

China

Degree requirements	Bachelors degree with an overall mark of at least 72%-85% depending on your university. Sussex uses the Shanghai Best Chinese Universities Ranking to inform offer levels. As evidence of completing your degree you must provide both a Degree Certificate and Graduation Certificate.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification should be in either the social, natural, or physical sciences; alternatively, you should have relevant professional experience or engagement.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Degree requirements

Bachelors degree with an overall mark of at least 72%-85% depending on your university. Sussex uses the Shanghai Best Chinese Universities Ranking to inform offer levels.

As evidence of completing your degree you must provide both a Degree Certificate and Graduation Certificate.

Subject-specific requirements

Your qualification should be in either the social, natural, or physical sciences; alternatively, you should have relevant professional experience or engagement.

Please note

Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Colombia

Degree requirements	Licenciado with ‘Acreditacion de alta calidad' and a CGPA of 3.5.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification should be in either the social, natural, or physical sciences; alternatively, you should have relevant professional experience or engagement.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Cyprus

Degree requirements	Bachelors degree or Ptychion with a final mark of at least 7.5.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification should be in either the social, natural, or physical sciences; alternatively, you should have relevant professional experience or engagement.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Denmark

Degree requirements	Bachelors degree with an overall mark of at least 7 (Good Performance).
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification should be in either the social, natural, or physical sciences; alternatively, you should have relevant professional experience or engagement.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Ecuador

Degree requirements	Licenciado with a final mark of at least 17/20.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification should be in either the social, natural, or physical sciences; alternatively, you should have relevant professional experience or engagement.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Egypt

Degree requirements	Bachelors degree from a university with an overall grade of at least 70-75% depending on your university.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification should be in either the social, natural, or physical sciences; alternatively, you should have relevant professional experience or engagement.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

France

Degree requirements	Licence with mention bien or Maîtrise with a final mark of at least 13.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification should be in either the social, natural, or physical sciences; alternatively, you should have relevant professional experience or engagement.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Germany

Degree requirements	Bachelors degree or Magister Artium with a final mark of 2.4 or better.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification should be in either the social, natural, or physical sciences; alternatively, you should have relevant professional experience or engagement.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Ghana

Degree requirements	Bachelors degree from a public university with second-class upper division.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification should be in either the social, natural, or physical sciences; alternatively, you should have relevant professional experience or engagement.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Greece

Degree requirements	Ptychion from an AEI with a final mark of at least 7.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification should be in either the social, natural, or physical sciences; alternatively, you should have relevant professional experience or engagement.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Hong Kong

Degree requirements	Bachelors (Honours) degree with second-class upper division.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification should be in either the social, natural, or physical sciences; alternatively, you should have relevant professional experience or engagement.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

India

Degree requirements	Bachelors degree with an overall mark of at least 55-70% depending on your university.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification should be in either the social, natural, or physical sciences; alternatively, you should have relevant professional experience or engagement.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Indonesia

Degree requirements	Bachelors degree from an 'A' accredited university with CGPA 3.0/4.0. Bachelors degree from a 'B' accredited university with CGPA 3.2/4.0.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification should be in either the social, natural, or physical sciences; alternatively, you should have relevant professional experience or engagement.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Iran

Degree requirements	Bachelors degree (Licence or Karshenasi) with a final mark of at least 15.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification should be in either the social, natural, or physical sciences; alternatively, you should have relevant professional experience or engagement.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Italy

Degree requirements	Diploma di Laurea with an overall mark of at least 105.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification should be in either the social, natural, or physical sciences; alternatively, you should have relevant professional experience or engagement.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Japan

Degree requirements	Bachelors degree with a minimum C/GPA of at least 3.0/4.0 or equivalent.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification should be in either the social, natural, or physical sciences; alternatively, you should have relevant professional experience or engagement.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Jordan

Degree requirements	Bachelors degree with a CGPA of at least 3.0/4.0 or 80%.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification should be in either the social, natural, or physical sciences; alternatively, you should have relevant professional experience or engagement.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Kazakhstan

Degree requirements	Bachelors degree with an overall mark of 4 or better (on a scale of 1-5)/CGPA 3,33.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification should be in either the social, natural, or physical sciences; alternatively, you should have relevant professional experience or engagement.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Kenya

Degree requirements	Bachelors (Honours) degree with a second-class upper division.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification should be in either the social, natural, or physical sciences; alternatively, you should have relevant professional experience or engagement.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Kuwait

Degree requirements	Bachelors degree with a CGPA of at least 3.0/4.0 or B+.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification should be in either the social, natural, or physical sciences; alternatively, you should have relevant professional experience or engagement.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Lebanon

Degree requirements	Bachelors degree with a CGPA 3.5/4.0 or 14/20.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification should be in either the social, natural, or physical sciences; alternatively, you should have relevant professional experience or engagement.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Malawi

Degree requirements	Masters degree, depending on your university.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification should be in either the social, natural, or physical sciences; alternatively, you should have relevant professional experience or engagement.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Malaysia

Degree requirements	Bachelors degree with a CGPA of at least 3.0/4.0.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification should be in either the social, natural, or physical sciences; alternatively, you should have relevant professional experience or engagement.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Mexico

Degree requirements	Licenciado with a final mark of at least 8/10.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification should be in either the social, natural, or physical sciences; alternatively, you should have relevant professional experience or engagement.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Nepal

Degree requirements	A 4-year Bachelor degree with GPA of at least 3.3/4.0
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification should be in either the social, natural, or physical sciences; alternatively, you should have relevant professional experience or engagement.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Nigeria

Degree requirements	Bachelors degree with a second-class upper division or CGPA of at least 3.0-3.49/4.0, 3.5-4.49/5.0 or 4.6-5.9/7.0
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification should be in either the social, natural, or physical sciences; alternatively, you should have relevant professional experience or engagement.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Norway

Degree requirements	Bachelors degree with an overall grade of B.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification should be in either the social, natural, or physical sciences; alternatively, you should have relevant professional experience or engagement.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Oman

Degree requirements	Bachelors degree with a CGPA of at least 3.3/4.0.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification should be in either the social, natural, or physical sciences; alternatively, you should have relevant professional experience or engagement.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Pakistan

Degree requirements	Four-year Bachelors degree with an overall mark of at least 65%-70% or CGPA 2.6 - 2.8 depending on your university. Masters degree following a 3-year Bachelors degree with an overall mark of at least 65%-70% or CGPA 2.6 - 2.8 depending on your university.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification should be in either the social, natural, or physical sciences; alternatively, you should have relevant professional experience or engagement.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Degree requirements

Four-year Bachelors degree with an overall mark of at least 65%-70% or CGPA 2.6 - 2.8 depending on your university.

Masters degree following a 3-year Bachelors degree with an overall mark of at least 65%-70% or CGPA 2.6 - 2.8 depending on your university.

Subject-specific requirements

Your qualification should be in either the social, natural, or physical sciences; alternatively, you should have relevant professional experience or engagement.

Please note

Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Palestine

Degree requirements	Bachelors degree with at least 80% or CGPA of at least 3.0/4.0
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification should be in either the social, natural, or physical sciences; alternatively, you should have relevant professional experience or engagement.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Paraguay

Degree requirements	Bachelors with a final mark of at least 7.5/10.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification should be in either the social, natural, or physical sciences; alternatively, you should have relevant professional experience or engagement.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Peru

Degree requirements	Licenciado with a final mark of at least 13/20 from a public university or 15/20 from a private university.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification should be in either the social, natural, or physical sciences; alternatively, you should have relevant professional experience or engagement.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Philippines

Degree requirements	Masters degree with 1.5/5.0 (where 1 is the highest) or 3.7/4.0
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification should be in either the social, natural, or physical sciences; alternatively, you should have relevant professional experience or engagement.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Qatar

Degree requirements	Bachelors degree with an overall CPGA of at least 3 (on a scale of 4).
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification should be in either the social, natural, or physical sciences; alternatively, you should have relevant professional experience or engagement.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Russia

Degree requirements	Bakalavr or Specialist Diploma with an average mark of at least 4.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification should be in either the social, natural, or physical sciences; alternatively, you should have relevant professional experience or engagement.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Saudi Arabia

Degree requirements	Bachelors degree with a CGPA of 3.5/5.0 or 3/4.0.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification should be in either the social, natural, or physical sciences; alternatively, you should have relevant professional experience or engagement.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Singapore

Degree requirements	Bachelors (Honours) degree with a second-class upper division or CAP 4.0.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification should be in either the social, natural, or physical sciences; alternatively, you should have relevant professional experience or engagement.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

South Africa

Degree requirements	Bachelors (honours) degree with a second-class division 1.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification should be in either the social, natural, or physical sciences; alternatively, you should have relevant professional experience or engagement.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

South Korea

Degree requirements	Bachelors degree with a CGPA of at least 3.3/4.5 or 3.1/4.3 or B+
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification should be in either the social, natural, or physical sciences; alternatively, you should have relevant professional experience or engagement.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Spain

Degree requirements	Licenciado with a final mark of at least 2/4 or 7/10.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification should be in either the social, natural, or physical sciences; alternatively, you should have relevant professional experience or engagement.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Sri Lanka

Degree requirements	Bachelors Special degree with an upper second honours.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification should be in either the social, natural, or physical sciences; alternatively, you should have relevant professional experience or engagement.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Switzerland

Degree requirements	Licence or Diplôme with 5/6 or 8/10.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification should be in either the social, natural, or physical sciences; alternatively, you should have relevant professional experience or engagement.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Taiwan

Degree requirements	Bachelors degree with an overall mark of at least 67%-80% depending on your university.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification should be in either the social, natural, or physical sciences; alternatively, you should have relevant professional experience or engagement.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Thailand

Degree requirements	Bachelors degree with CGPA of at least 2.8 - 3.0/4.0 or equivalent depending on your university.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification should be in either the social, natural, or physical sciences; alternatively, you should have relevant professional experience or engagement.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Turkey

Degree requirements	Lisans Diplomasi with CGPA of at least 2.8 - 3.0/4.0 or equivalent depending on your university.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification should be in either the social, natural, or physical sciences; alternatively, you should have relevant professional experience or engagement.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

United Arab Emirates

Degree requirements	Bachelors degree with CGPA of at least 3.0/4.0 or equivalent.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification should be in either the social, natural, or physical sciences; alternatively, you should have relevant professional experience or engagement.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

USA

Degree requirements	Bachelors degree with CGPA of at least 3.3/4.0.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification should be in either the social, natural, or physical sciences; alternatively, you should have relevant professional experience or engagement.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Vietnam

Degree requirements

Bachelors degree (with a Graduate Thesis/research component) with CGPA of at least 3.3/4.0 or 7.5/10.

As evidence of completing your degree you must provide both proof of graduation in addition to your transcript.

Subject-specific requirements

Your qualification should be in either the social, natural, or physical sciences; alternatively, you should have relevant professional experience or engagement.

Please note

Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Zambia

Degree requirements	Masters degree with GPA of 2.0/2.5 or equivalent.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification should be in either the social, natural, or physical sciences; alternatively, you should have relevant professional experience or engagement.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

Zimbabwe

Degree requirements	Bachelors (Honours) degree with second-class upper division.
Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification should be in either the social, natural, or physical sciences; alternatively, you should have relevant professional experience or engagement.
Please note	Our entry requirements are guidelines and we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis.

My country is not listed

If your country is not listed, you need to contact us and find out the qualification level you should have for this course. Contact us

Subject-specific requirements	Your qualification should be in either the social, natural, or physical sciences; alternatively, you should have relevant professional experience or engagement.

English language requirements

IELTS (Academic)

High level (6.5 overall, including at least 6.0 in each component).

IELTS scores are valid for two years from the test date. You cannot combine scores from more than one sitting of the test. Your score must be valid when you begin your Sussex course. Find out more about IELTS

We accept IELTS One Skills Retake.

We do not accept IELTS Online.

Check full details of our English Language requirements and find out more about some of the alternative English language qualifications listed below

Alternative English language qualifications

Proficiency tests

Cambridge Advanced Certificate in English (CAE)

176 overall, including at least 169 in each skill.

We would normally expect the CAE test to have been taken within two years before the start of your course.

You cannot combine scores from more than one sitting of the test. Find out more about Cambridge English: Advanced

Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE)

176 overall, including at least 169 in each skill.

We would normally expect the CPE test to have been taken within two years before the start of your course.

You cannot combine scores from more than one sitting of the test. Find out more about Cambridge English: Proficiency

LanguageCert Academic SELT

High level (70 overall, including at least 65 in each component).

LanguageCert Academic SELT scores are valid for two years from the test date. Your score must be valid when you begin your Sussex course. Find out more about LanguageCert Academic SELT

We only accept LanguageCert when taken at SELT Test Centres.

We do not accept the online version. We also do not accept the non-SELT version.

LanguageCert International ESOL SELT

International ESOL SELT B2 with a minimum of 39 in each component.

LanguageCert International ESOL scores are valid for two years from the test date. Your score must be valid when you begin your Sussex course. Find out more about LanguageCert SELT

We only accept LanguageCert when taken at SELT Test Centres. We do not accept the online version.

Pearson (PTE Academic)

High level (62 overall, including at least 59 in all four skills).

PTE (Academic) scores are valid for two years from the test date. You cannot combine scores from more than one sitting of the test. Your score must be valid when you begin your Sussex course. Find out more about Pearson (PTE Academic)

We do not accept the PTE Academic Online test.

TOEFL (iBT)

High level (88 overall, including at least 20 in Listening, 19 in Reading, 21 in Speaking, 23 in Writing).

TOEFL (iBT) scores are valid for two years from the test date. You cannot combine scores from more than one sitting of the test. Your score must be valid when you begin your Sussex course. Find out more about TOEFL (iBT)

We do not accept TOEFL (iBT) Home Edition.

The TOEFL Institution Code for the University of Sussex is 9166.

English language qualifications

AS/A-level (GCE)

Grade C or above in English Language.

Hong Kong Advanced Level Examination (HKALE)/ AS or A Level: grade C or above in Use of English.

GCE O-level

Grade C or above in English.

Brunei/Cambridge GCE O-level in English: grades 1-6.

Singapore/Cambridge GCE O-level in English: grades 1-6.

GCSE or IGCSE

Grade C or above in English as a First Language (Grade 4 or above in GCSE from 2017).

Grade B or above in English as a Second Language.

Ghana Senior Secondary School Certificate

If awarded before 1993: grades 1-6 in English language.

If awarded between 1993 and 2005: grades A-D in English language

Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE)

Level 4, including at least 3 in each component in English Language.

Indian School Certificate (Standard XII)

The Indian School Certificate is accepted at the grades below when awarded by the following examination boards:

Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) – English Core only: 70%

Council for Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) - English: 70%

International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB)

English A or English B at grade 5 or above.

Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education

Grades A - C in English language

Malaysian Certificate of Education (SPM) 1119/GCE O-level

If taken before the end of 2008: grades 1-6 in English Language.

If taken from 2009 onwards: grade C or above in English Language.

The qualification must be jointly awarded by the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES).

West African Senior School Certificate

Grades A1-C6 (1-6) in English language when awarded by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) or the National Examinations Council (NECO).

Country exceptions

If you are a national of one of the countries below, or if you have recently completed a qualification equivalent to a UK Bachelors degree or higher in one of these countries, you will normally meet our English requirement. Note that qualifications obtained by distance learning or awarded by studying outside these countries cannot be accepted for English language purposes.

You will normally be expected to have completed the qualification within two years before starting your course at Sussex. If the qualification was obtained earlier than this, we would expect you to be able to demonstrate that you have maintained a good level of English, for example by living in an English-speaking country or working in an occupation that required you to use English regularly and to a high level.

Please note that this list is determined by the UK’s Home Office, not by the University of Sussex.

List of exempt countries:

Antigua and Barbuda
Australia
Bahamas
Barbados
Belize
Canada**
Dominica
Grenada
Guyana
Ireland
Jamaica
New Zealand
St Kitts and Nevis
St Lucia
St Vincent and the Grenadines
The British Overseas Territories
Trinidad and Tobago
United Kingdom
USA

** Canada: you must be a national of Canada; other nationals not on this list who have a degree from a Canadian institution will not normally be exempt from needing to provide evidence of English.

English language support

If you don’t meet the English language requirements for your degree, you may be able to take a pre-sessional course

Visas and immigration

Find out how to apply for a student visa

Admissions information for applicants

How to apply

You will be able to apply from November 2024.

Personal statement

Yes. You must write a detailed two-page personal statement stating why you are applying for the degree and the relevance of previous development-related experience.

Find out how to write a personal statement

If your qualifications aren’t listed or you have a question about entry requirements, contact us

For details on any additional costs, check out the Fees and scholarships section.

Application deadlines

1 August 2025 (international), 1 September 2025 (UK)

We strongly recommend an earlier application where possible, as some courses are in high demand and may close before the above dates. Find out more at How to apply for a Masters course

Back to Course menu

Modules

Full-time and part-time study

Choose to study this course full time or part time, to fit around your work and personal life. Modules for the full-time course are listed below. For details about the part-time course, contact us.

Core modules

Core modules are taken by all students on the course. They give you a solid grounding in your chosen subject and prepare you to explore the topics that interest you most.

Autumn teaching

Spring teaching

Research Methods and Professional Skills (Geog)

Summer teaching

Dissertation (Climate Change, Development and Policy)

Options

Alongside your core modules, you can choose options to broaden your horizons and tailor your course to your interests. This list gives you a flavour of our options, which are kept under review and may change, for example in response to student feedback or the latest research.

While it’s our aim for students to take their preferred combinations of options, this can’t be guaranteed and will be subject to timetabling. Options may be grouped and if so, students will be able to choose a set number of options from the selection available in any particular group.

Spring teaching

Summer teaching

Dissertation with Placement (Global Studies)

Placements

To help you gain experience and increase your employability, you can apply for an optional placement as part of your course. Research placements run for up to 12 weeks in the summer term and vacation. You can also write your dissertation based on your experience. You’ll be responsible for applying for and securing your placement. Our dedicated careers team can help you:

find an employer
draft an application
prepare for interviews.

Find out more about Global Studies postgraduate placements

We regularly review our modules to incorporate student feedback, staff expertise, as well as the latest research and teaching methodology. We’re planning to run these modules in the academic year 2024/25. However, there may be changes to these modules in response to feedback, staff availability, student demand or updates to our curriculum. We’ll make sure to let you know of any material changes to modules at the earliest opportunity.

We’ll do our best to provide as much optional choice as we can, but timetabling constraints mean it may not be possible to take some module combinations. The structure of a small number of courses means that the order of modules or the streams you choose may determine whether modules are core or optional. This means that your core modules or options may differ from what’s shown here.

Check back in January 2025 for the modules running in the academic year 2025/26.

American Student Loans and Federal Student Aid

If you’re receiving – or applying for – USA federal Direct Loan funds, you can’t undertake your placement/internship in the USA if the number of credits for the placement/internship exceeds 25% of the total credits for your course. Find out more about American Student Loans and Federal Student Aid

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Our experts

Climate change is Code Red for Humanity, and a pressing challenge for science and policy-makers in multiple sectors. I work to improve climate services in Africa. This includes early warning systems for today and ensuring that development investments are resilient to future climates.”Professor Martin Todd
Professor in Climate Change

Prof Joseph Alcamo

Director of the Sussex Sustainability Research Programme

View profile of Joseph Alcamo

Dr Imogen Bellwood-Howard

Fellow

View profile of Imogen Bellwood-Howard

Prof Tim Foxon

Professor of Sustainability Transitions

View profile of Tim Foxon

Dr Amber Huff

Fellow

View profile of Amber Huff

Prof Dominic Kniveton

Professor of Climate Science & Society

View profile of Dominic Kniveton

Dr Melissa Lazenby

Senior Lecturer in Physical Geography

View profile of Melissa Lazenby

Dr Matthew Lockwood

Senior Lecturer in Energy Policy

View profile of Matthew Lockwood

Prof Gordon Mackerron

Professor Of Science And Technology Policy

View profile of Gordon Mackerron

Dr Lars Otto Naess

Cluster Leader/Fellow

View profile of Lars Otto Naess

Dr Wei Shen

Fellow

View profile of Wei Shen

Prof Steven Sorrell

Professor of Energy Policy

View profile of Steven Sorrell

Dr Shilpi Srivastava

Fellow

View profile of Shilpi Srivastava

Dr Olivia Taylor

Lecturer in Geography

View profile of Olivia Taylor

Prof Martin Todd

Professor in Climate Change

View profile of Martin Todd

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Fees and scholarships

How much does it cost?

Fees

Home students:: £11,025 per year for full-time students
Channel Islands and Isle of Man students:: £11,025 per year for full-time students
International students:: £22,575 per year for full-time students

If you study part time over two years, you’ll be charged 50% of the equivalent full-time fee in each year of study. Your second-year fee – if you continue your studies without a break – will be subject to a 3% increase (subject to rounding).

If you’re a self-funded international student, you’re required to pay a tuition fee deposit. Find out more about Masters tuition fee deposits

Additional costs

Note about additional costs

Please note that all costs are best estimates based on current market values. Activities may be subject to unavoidable change in response to Government advice. We’ll let you know at the earliest opportunity. We review estimates every year and they may vary with inflation. Find out how to budget for student life.

Fieldwork

You have the option to undertake fieldwork for this course (though it is not mandatory). You will need to cover the additional costs that this entails. Costs will depend on the scope and scale of the activities. For example, conducting interviews in your hometown could cost very little, whereas travelling overseas to interview government officials could cost much more in terms of flights, accommodation and subsistence. There may also be options for desk-based research, such as paying for access to research databases. If you wish to conduct fieldwork, you should always talk to your course convenors and dissertation supervisors before making any arrangements. Most students do desk-based research and therefore do not incur these additional costs.

Placements

This course has an optional placement. Students must pay for their own travel costs.

Living costs

Find out typical living costs for studying at Sussex

Find out about our terms and conditions

How can I fund my course?

Scholarships

Our goal is to ensure that every student who wants to study with us is able to regardless of financial barriers, so that we continue to attract talented and unique people.

Details of our scholarships are not yet set for entry in the academic year 2025/26.

Working while you study

Our Careers and Employability Centre can help you find part-time work while you study. Find out more about career development and part-time work

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Careers

We maintain an active alumni network to support you in your career development. You can find our alumni in organisations that include, among others:

international organisations and agencies (including the UN Environment Programme, the UN Development Programme, the World Food Programme, The World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development)
NGOs (including the International Federation of the Red Cross, Renewable World, Action Against Hunger International, the Alexander van Humboldt Foundation, C40 Cities, SusTrans)
national government ministries and public policy (including UK Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, House of Commons)
national environment and development agencies across the world (including the German GiZ, the Ministry of the Environment in Japan, the Ministry of Forestry)
a wide range of private-sector organisations (including energy utilities, the renewables sector, consultancy companies)
public-sector organisations, universities and research (including Ecofys, Stockholm Environment Institute, Overseas Development Institute).

(School of Global Studies careers database)

Overall the experience helped my career development, not only through exposure to world-class teachers and researchers, but also the opportunity to take up research assistant posts at IDS.”Blanche Ting
Senior Specialist in Biotechnology
Department of Science and Technology, South Africa

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Climate Change, Development and Policy MSc

Key information

Virtual Masters Open Day

Entry requirements

Argentina

Australia

Azerbaijan

Bahrain

Bangladesh

Brazil

Brunei

Canada

Chile

China

Colombia

Cyprus

Denmark

Ecuador

Egypt

France

Germany

Ghana

Greece

Hong Kong

India

Indonesia

Iran

Italy

Japan

Jordan

Kazakhstan

Kenya

Kuwait

Lebanon

Malawi

Malaysia

Mexico

Nepal

Nigeria

Norway

Oman

Pakistan

Palestine

Paraguay

Peru

Philippines

Qatar

Russia

Saudi Arabia

Singapore

South Africa

South Korea

Spain

Sri Lanka

Switzerland

Taiwan

Thailand

Turkey

United Arab Emirates

USA

Vietnam

Zambia

Zimbabwe

My country is not listed

English language requirements

IELTS (Academic)

Alternative English language qualifications

Proficiency tests

Cambridge Advanced Certificate in English (CAE)

Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE)

LanguageCert Academic SELT

LanguageCert International ESOL SELT

Pearson (PTE Academic)

TOEFL (iBT)

English language qualifications

AS/A-level (GCE)

GCE O-level

GCSE or IGCSE

Ghana Senior Secondary School Certificate

Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE)