MSc Health and Climate Change

Postgraduate - Taught MSc

Open for admission in 2024/25

Start in September

Qualification	Full time	Part time
MSc	1 year	2 years

About the course

Climate change is the greatest threat to human health of the 21st century, according to the World Health Organisation.

The MSc Health and Climate Change is a course for current or future health leaders who are prepared to meet that challenge head-on.

Local, regional, national and international authorities and organisations need to research, produce and implement strategies and policies that account for the impact of changing climates on public health, and the private sector needs to adapt to these policies. However, there are very few workers in the UK and worldwide with the specialist knowledge that these jobs require.

This MSc Health and Climate Change focuses on the impact of climate change on human health and explores strategies to mitigate and adapt to climate change from a public health perspective.

We study what climate change is and investigate the predicted consequences of climate change on, for example, cardiorespiratory disease, vector-borne diseases, infections and immunity, nutrition and health inequalities.

Taking a “think globally, act locally” stand, we cover both impacts of environmental change on public health and local, place-based mitigation and adaptation strategies. We have established collaborations with local authorities and organisations and we have paired up with existing and successful MSc programmes at the University to ensure that we help our graduates acquire the skills and the expertise that they need to become leaders in their chosen field of health and climate change.

What you'll study

You'll be taught by academic staff from the Faculty of Health Sciences and the Faculty of Science and Engineering, as well as a range of guest speakers, reflecting the multidisciplinary nature of the interactions between climate and health. Through taught teaching sessions, blended learning and your own research, you will gain an in-depth understanding of the interconnectedness between human health and the environment.

Core modules

All modules are subject to availability and this list may change at any time.

Environmental Change in the Anthropocene

You will be introduced to a breadth of topics linked to environmental change, management and monitoring such as terrestrial and aquatic ecology, waste and pollution management, an overview of the Anthropocene, health and climate change and global geopolitical issues.
Environmental and Energy Data Analysis
Environmental Change and Health 1

Learn about current and predicted impacts of climate change on health at the global scale, together with mitigation and adaptation strategies. Assessment will comprise of a written report and an oral presentation on a given health impact.
Environmental Change and Health 2

Learn about current and predicted impacts of climate change on health at the global scale, together with mitigation and adaptation strategies. Assessment will comprise of a written report and an oral presentation on a given health impact.
Infection and Immunity

Explore the overlap between the fields of microbiology and immunology, focusing primarily on pathogen-host interactions and the immune response to infection.
Frontiers in Planetary Health

Gain critical reading and scientific thinking and writing skills and help you prepare for your dissertation project. You will select from a broad range of projects offered by academics in the Faculty of Health Sciences, and contribute your own ideas. Assessment will comprise of a project plan, in preparation for your dissertation
Dissertation (Health and Climate Change)

Enhance your research skills by applying them to the investigation of a particular problem or issue within the broad area of health or the environment. You will select from a broad range of research topics offered by academics. Assessment will comprise of an original written piece of work and an oral presentation.

Apply now

Postgraduate events

Where you'll study

The location below may not be the exact location of all modules on your timetable. The buildings you'll be taught in can vary each year and depend on the modules you study.

Hull Campus

Click to view directions on Google Maps

Our teaching staff

Dr Cheryl Walter

Dr Frank Voncken

Dr Georgios Efthimiou

Professor Lesley Smith

Dr Pedro Beltran-Alvarez

Dr Stefano Caserta

Fees and funding

Home£12,500

UK students can take out a Masters Loan to help with tuition fees and living costs. For 2023 entry, they provide up to £12,167 for full-time and part-time taught and research Masters courses in all subject areas. Find out more about Postgraduate Loans.

International £14,000

On courses where a part-time study option is available, fees are charged pro-rata to the full-time fee, according to the number of credits being studied.

International applicants may need to pay a tuition fee deposit before the start of the course. Visit our tuition fee deposit page for more information.

Alumni Postgraduate Scholarship

Are you an undergraduate at Hull? You could claim a 25% discount on the cost of your postgraduate tuition fees.

Am I eligible?

International Scholarships and Bursaries

For a list of all scholarships and bursaries for international students, please visit the International Scholarships and Bursaries page.

Scholarships and Bursaries

The University offers a range of scholarships to help you with your studies.

For more information, please visit the Scholarships and Bursaries page.

Study in our award winning £28-million Health Campus.

Staff bring their internationally recognised expertise to the lecture theatre, combining cutting-edge theory with live, real-world case studies and practical knowledge.

Entry requirements

You will have a minimum of a 2:2 Honours degree or international equivalent in a programme related to health sciences, for example: health sciences, medicine, public health, biomedical science and biomedical sciences.
Some (any, paid or unpaid) experience in a health setting, for example in a healthcare provider, a public health department in local, regional or national authorities, a clinical setting, a pharmacy, a vaccination centre, ambulance services, a clinical or (bio)medical research laboratory, a national health system, a public health data/bioinformatics analysis group, a (bio)medical charity.
If you hold a 2.2 Honours degree in another subject area and have Professional experience, will consider this on a case-by-case basis.

In order to ensure our students have a rich learning and student experience, most of our programmes have a mix of domestic and international students. We reserve the right to close applications early to either group, if application volumes suggest that this blend cannot be achieved. In addition, existing undergraduate students at the University of Hull have a guaranteed ‘Fast Track’ route to any postgraduate programme, subject to meeting the entry criteria (excluding Social Work).

International students

Language requirements

If you require a student visa to study or if your first language is not English you must provide acceptable evidence of your English language proficiency level.

This course requires academic IELTS 6.5 overall, with no less than 5.5 in each skill. See other accepted English language proficiency qualifications.

If your English currently does not reach the required standard, you may be interested in our pre-sessional English Language programmes.

Visit your country page to find out more about entry requirements.

Future prospects

You'll have the knowledge to move into a range of professions in the wider field of environment and human health, giving you the opportunity to work on different sites and in different settings.

Research in the context of a PhD studentship in a University or Research Institute in the UK or overseas. Themes can include public health, climate change, social research, health promotion, planetary health, occupational health and environmental policy.
Jobs in local and regional authorities and organisations. These can include officers and managers in, the public health, sustainability or climate change departments, where graduates can contribute to or lead local or regional policies towards mitigation and adaptation.
Jobs in businesses that need to comply with environmental and health policies and regulations. Examples include most types of small, medium and large companies including areas such as construction, infrastructure, housing, travel and logistics, retail, energy, waste management, food, agriculture, sustainability, education and water.
Jobs in national organisations within a remit of environment and health. In the UK these can include the Environment Agency, NHS, Public Health England, DEFRA, UK Health Alliance on Climate Change, and charities such as The Wellcome Trust.
Jobs in international organisations leading on public health and climate change response, such as the UN and the WHO.