Overview

University of Cape Town's Master programme in Climate Change and Development will provide the foundation for those aiming to do a PhD in climate and development. It is aimed at both recent graduates and those with several years’ experience who wish to engage with these pressing issues within the context of their vocations.

Key Facts

We seek applicants who want to gain a broad understanding of the issues involved in climate change and sustainable development from an African and developing world perspective, and who want a comprehensive introduction to climate change issues. Applicants should be Honours or four-year Bachelor graduates from across the spectrum of disciplines, who have completed a research-based project or dissertation in their final year.

This is a full-time, 180 NQF credit coursework masters that is 50% course-based and 50% dissertation-based.

Please note, this is a full-time Master’s programme and it is not advised to try to complete it while working. You will be required to attend all the scheduled classes and talks (minimum of 80% attendance), as well as spend a significant amount of time doing preparation or assignments. Lectures for the two core courses are from 11-13:00 on Tuesdays and Thursdays, with often at least one hour of workshops or seminars scheduled per week.

Programme Structure

Courses include:

sustainable development; the climate system

anthropogenic

forcing and climate system response
African climate variability and change

climate change adaptation and mitigation
biodiversity

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 12 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2027-02-03 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-09-30 00:00:00

Language

English

TOEFL^® IBT

88

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Credits

180 alternative credits

Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

Cape Town, South Africa

Disciplines

Climate Studies & Meteorology Sustainable Development View 3 other Masters in Climate Studies & Meteorology in South Africa

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Academic requirements

We are not aware of any specific GRE, GMAT or GPA grading score requirements for this programme.

English requirements

TOEFL^® IBT

88

Schedule TOEFL®

Other requirements

General requirements

Acceptance to a postgraduate degree in the Department of Environmental and Geographical Science Department is highly competitive. To be eligible to apply for the Masters in Climate Change and Development, a candidate must have the equivalent to a UCT Honours degree. This is a minimum of a four-year degree, with a significant research component in the fourth year. If you are uncertain as to your eligibility, you would be advised to approach the South African Qualifications Association (SAQA) to review your transcripts. A SAQA score of 7 would be considered equivalent to Honours, in which case you would be eligible to apply to our Masters programmes. Please note that eligibility to apply does not constitute acceptance to the programme.

Student Insurance via Studyportals Partner

Make sure to cover your health, travel, and stay while studying abroad. Even global coverages can miss important items like Additional medical costs, Repatriation, Liability etc. Make sure your student insurance covers your needs.

Studyportals partnered with Aon to provide you with the best affordable student insurance, for a carefree experience away from home.

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Starting from €0.53/day, free cancellation any time.

Remember, countries and universities may have specific insurance requirements. To learn more about how student insurance work at University of Cape Town and/or in South Africa, please visit Student Insurance Portal.

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are shown in and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.

International Applies to you

Applies to you

Non-residents

142910 ZAR / year

≈ 142910 ZAR / year
Domestic Applies to you

Applies to you

Citizens or residents

79210 ZAR / year

≈ 79210 ZAR / year

Additional Details

SADC Fees: 79210 ZAR

Non-SADC Fees: 126810 ZAR

Rest of the World Fees: 142910 ZAR

Living costs

Cape Town

South Africa

9088 - 15529 ZAR / month

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Funding

UCT Postgraduate funding: Apply by 31 July.

The National Research Foundation: Applications open between 1-31 July.

Margaret McNamara Education Grants: Deadlines in September.

World Wildlife Fund (WWF): Soon to be opened soon for candidates from African, Asia, Pacific, Latin America, Caribbean, Eastern Europe, Middle east.

Win a €10000 Scholarship! Deadline: 30 June 2020

Embark on your journey with the Studyportals Scholarship! We're giving away a total of 20,000 euros to help you achieve your dream of studying abroad.

Win a €10000 Scholarship! Deadline: 30 June 2020

Embark on your journey with the Studyportals Scholarship! We're giving away a total of 20,000 euros to help you achieve your dream of studying abroad.

In order for us to give you accurate scholarship information, we ask that you please confirm a few details and create an account with us.

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Scholarships Information

Below you will find Master's scholarship opportunities for Climate Change and Development.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

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