MSc in Climate Change Finance & Investment

Our MSc in Climate Change Finance and Investment (formerly MSc in Carbon Finance) is dedicated to developing professionals in the field of low-carbon finance and investment. Designed to develop your understanding of how the challenges of climate change are driving trillions of dollars of new investment in a huge range of sectors, including energy production, housing and infrastructure, the programme will also prepare you to deliver this investment with advanced knowledge and skills.

An overview of the MSc in Climate Change Finance and Investment programme structure, including details of the course information for semester 1 and semester 2.

This programme runs for one academic year, starting in mid-September and ending in August. At the start of the programme, you study compulsory courses, which are undertaken in semester one. These are the foundation upon which the whole MSc is built and ensure a common basis of knowledge across the different areas.

A comprehensive Welcome Week provides an introduction to the programme, the School, and the University. Designed to be both informative and fun, it enables you to get acquainted with your classmates.

Through the selection of various option courses, you can tailor your studies towards your career interests.

Finally, your MSc dissertation brings all of the year’s learning together in a piece of work unique to each student.

To give you an idea of what the programme structure and courses might consist of, the below information details the structure and courses for this programme in 2022/23.

• Semester 1 - September–December
  • Compulsory courses
    • Advanced Energy Finance
    • Carbon Accounting
    • Climate Policy and Investment
    • Carbon Pricing
    • Fundamentals of Infrastructure Finance
    • International Climate Finance
• Semester 2 - January–May
  • Compulsory courses
    • Climate Change Consulting Project
    • Climate Risk and Investment Alignment
    • Research Methods for Climate Change Finance
    • Option courses (Group 1)*
    • Choose 0 or 1
    • Behavioural Finance
  • Option courses (Group 2)* - Choose 1 or 2
    • Investment Management
    • Mitigation Outcome Assessment
    • Responsible Investing
    • Sustainable Finance
• Summer - June–August
  • Dissertation

*We will notify applicants of any changes to the programme structure and courses by 15 June in the year of entry to the course. We cannot guarantee that all option courses will run each year and occasionally there will be last-minute amendments after this date due to unforeseen circumstances such as staff illness.

The content of individual courses and the programme for any given degree are under constant academic review in light of current circumstances and may change from time to time, with some programmes and courses being modified, discontinued, or replaced.

Due to high demand, we cannot guarantee students a place on the optional course of their preference. Equally, if there is not enough interest in a given year for an option course then it may not be viable for us to run that particular option course. Some combinations of option courses may not be possible due to scheduling constraints.

CCFI Learning Outcomes

The programme is dedicated to professionals in the field of low carbon finance and investment, focusing on the financial flows driven by society's response to climate change, and is fundamentally interdisciplinary in nature.

The challenge of responding and adapting to climate change will drive trillions of dollars of new investment over the coming decades, with major changes required across the economy, in energy production and consumption, industry, buildings, transport, infrastructure, forests and agriculture. Delivering this investment will require greatly enhanced capacity in all aspects of carbon finance.

Knowledge and Understanding

By the end of the programme, students will be able to:

• Explain and evaluate the current state of climate change science and key climate change policy initiatives
• Explain and apply principles of finance in the energy sector
• Describe and critically evaluate the structure and dynamics of the major global, regional and national-level carbon markets
• Explain and apply practices and procedures of carbon accounting
• Describe and evaluate the challenges and opportunities for low-carbon investment

Graduate Attributes

By the end of the programme, students will be able to:

• Identify, define and analyse problems and identify or create processes to solve them
• Exercise critical judgement in creating a new understanding
• Critically assess existing understanding and recognise the need to regularly challenge all knowledge
• Show the application of new ideas, methods and ways of thinking
• Respond effectively to unfamiliar problems in unfamiliar contexts
• Advance reasoned and factually supported arguments effectively in written work and oral presentation
• Work effectively with others, capitalising on their different thinking, experience and skills
• Identify and evaluate social, cultural, global, ethical and environmental responsibilities and issues
• Demonstrate skills in time management

Career Development

The explosion of climate change finance and investment has created a range of new types of business, professional careers and opportunities. Our dedicated Student Development Team within the Business School will be an integral part of your student experience from day one. We are here to help you become equipped to maximise your potential in the global market.

Graduate Employment

Graduates from the MSc in Climate Change Finance and Investment will typically pursue a career in:

• Carbon credit development
• Low carbon portfolio management
• Renewable energy investment
• Policy or regulatory roles (e.g. with Government or NGOs)
• Carbon trading
• Carbon consulting
• Carbon accounting
• Climate finance management