Anthropogenic climate change and humanity’s response to it will define life on the planet for billions of people.The United Nations states that climate change is ‘the defining issue of our time’. Despite this there are few undergraduate programmes that focus on the broader climate problem:this programme uniquely offers a big-picture approach that encompasses an appreciation of both recent climate and palaeoclimate change, and of the impact of climate change on earth and human systems. It provides a holistic perspective of climate science, and equips graduates with the knowledge and skills to lead society towards the mitigation of this emergency.
The programme acknowledges the breadth of the field of climate science by providing students with both the fundamentals and increased specialisation as they progress through the degree. Unlike other undergraduate programmes that focus on a single aspect of climate science (e.g., meteorology), the Climate Science BSc programme provides students with a solid background in diverse aspects of climate science that span geological time. The programme delivers opportunities to study the physical aspects of climate change, how past climates are reconstructed, the carbon cycle, geochemistry within a climate context, numerical modelling, physical geography (including glaciology), environmental geoscience, and the politics surrounding modern climate change. This allows students to choose a pathway through the degree of most interest to them. The programme is consistent with the relevant QAA Subject Benchmarking Statement criteria for Earth Science, Environmental Sciences and Environmental Studies.
Students will graduate with a thorough understanding of the climate problem and will have the scientific background needed to become informed leaders in society and business,or to thrive in postgraduate study. The degree will impart climate-specific knowledge, alongside transferable skills in mathematics, scientific writing, informatics, policy, critical analysis, and project management.
Course Details - Modules
Level 1 provides an introduction to Climate Change and sustainability, and serves to bring all students to a uniform minimum standard in knowledge. Students can choose between two maths modules –the advanced maths module permits students to follow a more geophysical and data-rich pathway through the degree. A mark of 40% or above at L1 is required to progress on the honours programme.
Level 2 builds on the knowledge and skills acquired at L1. At Level 2 students can take six single modules in Earth Sciences or Geography, where only one is compulsory. Choice is a key part of the programme of study: optional modules in both Earth Sciences and Geography offer the student the possibility of focussing on modelling (learning coding), learning about how glaciers impact the landscape, how carbon is cycled through the climate system both in a modern context and throughout geologic time, and how climate change affected life and the environment in the past —crucial in understanding the link between climate change’s impacts on life (including on how current anthropogenic climate change is contributing to a mass extinction). Greater independence in learning is required, particularly through project work. At the end of L2, students will have the skills necessary to be able to undertake a research dissertation in L3, which may include some field or laboratory work.
In Level 3, 40 credits will consist of a dissertation module, which will consolidate their knowledge and research skills, and require considerable independence. The only other compulsory module is Earth System and Climate, which focusses on interpeting climate data. Students can take optional modules to the value of 60 credits from a list of nine possible modules (including two 10 credit modules). Students will learn about topics they are most interested in at a greater depth than previous years, including modules on atmospheric dynamics, reconstructing sea level, on how climate change affected civilisations in the past (via a new Archaeology module), and oceans. Students can also take environmental geoscience modules, if these are of interest.
Course Details – Assessment Method
The course is mainly delivered through a mixture of lectures, practical classes, and tutorials. Typically lectures provide you with key information on a particular area, and identify the main areas for discussion and debate. Practical classes allow you to gain direct experience of practical and analytical skills in Climate Science. Tutorials provide the opportunity for smaller groups to discuss transferable skills (e.g., writing and presentation skills) and debate key issues based on the knowledge that you have gained through both your lectures and independent study outside the formal contact hours.
The balance of these types of activities changes over the degree, as you develop your knowledge and your ability as an independent learner. Independence is one of the key attributes that you will develop, thereby preparing you for work or further study once you have completed the course.
In the first year you will typically attend six hours a week of lectures, with 12 hours of practical classes. You are also required to attend six tutorial sessions during the academic year. Outside timetabled contact hours, you are also expected to undertake your own independent study to prepare for your classes and broaden your subject knowledge.
The balance starts to shift in the second year, as you develop your abilities as an independent learner. Lectures still play an important role in supporting you in developing your knowledge and skills, with an average of six hours a week, and you will participate in practical classes across the academic year that both introduce you to, and give you the chance to practice, research methods.
This move towards greater emphasis on independent learning continues in the final year. You are required to carry out a dissertation at Level 3, where you will be assigned a tutor appropriate to your dissertation topic. Support for your dissertation will take the form of one-to-one tutorial sessions with your tutor, typically a world-leading researcher in the field. This provides you with the opportunity to engage with academic issues at the forefront of Climate Science research, in a learning environment that is very much focused on discussion and debate of these issues. The emphasis on using the independent study and research skills developed in earlier years is continued through the dissertation, where you will produce a significant piece of independent research.
Throughout the course, you will have access to an academic tutor who will provide you with academic support and guidance, as well as an academic advisor with whom you can discuss future modules and any aspect of your learning experience. All members of Earth Sciences teaching staff have an open door policy and are available to meet with you on an informal ‘drop-in’ basis. Both the Department of Earth Sciences and the Department of Geography have exciting programmes of weekly one-hour research seminars, usually by speakers from other universities, which you are strongly encouraged to attend. There is also a seminar programme run throughout the year by the student-led Arthur Holmes Society.
Course Details – Professional Bodies
Professional Bodies are not listed for this Course.
How to Apply
26 January This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.
Application Codes
Course code:
F645
Institution code:
D86
Campus Name:
Trevelyan College
Campus code:
Points of Entry
The following entry points are available for this course:
Year 1
Entry Requirements for Advanced Entry (Year 2 and Beyond)
Entry Requirements for Advanced Entry are not listed for this Course.
International applicants
Standard Qualification Requirements
To include two science subjects from Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Geology, Geography, Economics, and Biology or Psychology.
Departments will normally make offers based on Advanced Highers. In the absence of 3 Advanced Highers, where these are not offered by the applicant’s school, offers comprising of Advanced Highers and Highers or a number of Highers may be made on a case by case basis.
We require 60 credits with a minimum of 45 credits at level 3 (or equivalent). Applicants may be required to meet additional subject-specific requirements for particular courses at Durham.
Two Science subjects required.
General information on subjects/grades required for entry:
Seventeen points (6, 6, 5) at Higher Level including two Science subjects.
General information on subjects/grades required for entry:
To include two Science subjects.
Our contextual offer for this programme is A level BBB/ABC (or equivalent, to include 2 science subjects at grade B or above). To find out if you’re eligible, please visit: www.dur.ac.uk/study/ug/apply/contextualoffers/.
Please click the following link to find out more about qualification requirements for this course
https://www.dur.ac.uk/study/ug/apply/entry/
Minimum Qualification Requirements
Minimum Further Information are not listed for this Course.
English language requirements
Test
Grade
AdditionalDetails
Durham University welcomes applications from all students irrespective of background. We encourage the recruitment of academically well-qualified and highly motivated students, who are non-native speakers of English, whose full potential can be realised with a limited amount of English Language training either prior to entry or through pre-sessional and/or in-sessional courses.
It is the normal expectation that candidates for admission should be able to demonstrate satisfactory English proficiency before the start of a programme of study, whether via the submission of an appropriate English language qualification or by attendance on an appropriate pre-sessional course.
Acceptable evidence and levels required can be viewed by following the link provided
