About

Gain a broad overview of physical problems in climate and atmospheric science, together with a sound physical understanding of natural processes. Alongside this, develop highly transferable skills to conduct research in these subjects with a strong emphasis on quantitative data analysis and physical and numerical modelling.

A career in scientific research is always interesting – sometimes exciting – but might not suit everyone. This Climate and Atmospheric Science Masters at University of Leeds Faculty of Environment from University of Leeds provides an excellent opportunity to get a taste of postgraduate research study and decide whether it is really the career for you. 

Course highlights:

• Interact with academics who are at the forefront of major global issues. Leeds is a leading centre of excellence across both the physical science of the climate and atmosphere science, and the resultant socio-economic impacts and processes:
• National Centre for Atmospheric Science (NCAS), one of six research centres funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), providing its core atmospheric research.
• Institute for Climate and Atmospheric Science (ICAS) is the UK’s most diverse academic institute for atmospheric research.
• Priestley International Centre for Climate Change (PICC) a world-leading centre for policy-relevant, solution-driven climate research.
• Centre for Polar Observation and Modelling (CPOM) is a research centre that studies processes in the Earth's polar latitudes that may affect the Earth's albedo, polar atmosphere and ocean circulation, and global sea level.
• Develop your research skills – you will be regarded as a researcher in the School and expected to work closely with ICAS staff as well as presenting at the annual ICAS Science Conference along with academics and doctoral researchers.
• Continue on to a PhD, or move into a research role in industry or government. Highly numerate graduates with training in independent research are widely sought after in many sectors.
• The School's £23m building gives you access to world-class research, teaching and laboratory facilities, and dedicated computer facilities – many of which will be available to you throughout your studies.
• You will be regarded as a researcher within the School and be expected to work closely with ICAS staff as well as presenting at the annual ICAS away day along with academic staff and doctoral researchers.

Career opportunities

You will be prepared for a research career, usually onwards to a PhD but this could also lead to a research role in government or industry.

Traditionally a very high proportion of our students go on to further PhD study in climate or atmospheric science. In fact, over the last three years all our students who applied for funded PhD positions at Leeds were successful, with several of them holding multiple offers of fully funded research studentships.

While others have obtained places at Cambridge, Reading, Edinburgh, and UEA, among others.

Highly numerate graduates with training in independent research are widely sought after. And our graduates who choose to leave academia have strong employment prospects – landing jobs with national agencies, environmental consultancies, wind-power companies and the insurance sector.

Positions taken up by our recent graduates:

• Wind Energy Resource Surveyor (OwnEnergy, USA)
• Catastrophe Modelling Analysts (Willis, UK)
• Beamline Associate (Argonne National Laboratory, US)
• Air Quality Scientist (Golder, UK)
• Environmental Consultant (Haskoning UK Ltd., Peterborough, UK).