"This programme offers guaranteed hands-on placements where students refine field skills and conduct replicable environmental surveys applicable to both industry and academic research."
Bethany Gadd
Master in Environmental Science & Climate Change
Study a highly topical subject in a truly unique location for applied environmental research.
KEY FACTS
Faculty:
School of Marine and Environmental Sciences
Study Options:
Full Time
Start Date:
Sept 2027
Level:
Postgraduate
Course Length:
1 Year
Qualification:
MSc
Fees:
All Students: £9,225
*Fees are for the academic year 2026/27 and are subject to indexation.
Apply:
Admissions for this programme will not be open for the 2026 academic year.
Placement Option:
Yes
Green skills are essential for the transition towards a Green Economy. Designed and delivered by expert academics and scientists and in conjunction with local stakeholders, this full-time interdisciplinary programme blends theoretical study with practical, field-based work. You will cover specialist subject areas and gain the skills required to tackle the complex issues associated with the sustainable development of terrestrial and near-coastal ecosystems.
The overall aims of the MSc Environmental Science & Climate Change programme are to up-skill competent, experienced environmental consultants and managers to meet the growing demand for truly multidisciplinary graduates within the growing environmental sector. Areas in particular need of skilled graduates are the ‘Green Economy’, environmental and wildlife management, area-based tools, environmental and biological conservation, climate change adaptation and ecosystem disaster risk reduction.
Key Features
- A well-rounded degree programme that trains graduations about conservation and environmental management
- Both terrestrial and marine elements to the programme
- Employability skills and practical elements embedded throughout the programme
- 100 hrs of placement/practical activities
- Working with local stakeholders
- Collaborations and guest lectures from international experts and practitioners
- Learn from internationally-recognised research experts
- Small class sizes (<30 students)
Programme Specification
HANDS-ON LEARNING FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
Expert Teaching
The MSc Environmental Science & Climate Change teaching team brings together a multi-disciplinary group of internationally-recognised specialists in the area of Environmental Science who have extensive expertise in developing and delivering academic programmes in the sciences.
" The Environmental Science & Climate Change programme offers a unique opportunity to study, learn and work with local stakeholders to achieve conservation gains ‘on the ground’; all whilst working within a stone’s throw of the Upper Rock Nature Reserve. Students will come away with, not only knowledge gained in the classroom, but also practical and transferable skills to gain employment. "
Dr Awantha Dissanayake, Head of School (Marine & Environmental Sciences)
HEAR FROM OUR GRADUATES
Internship Opportunities
Interested in gaining research experience or conducting a research placement abroad?
The School of Marine and Environmental Science at the University of Gibraltar can host visiting research students currently enrolled on a marine or environmental science degree (or equivalent).
This internship opportunity provides students with a comprehensive training programme to provide participants with hands-on experience, knowledge, skills, and research opportunities in marine or environmental science.
Placements
The MSc Environmental Science and Climate Change programme embeds ‘real-world’ applicability into all elements of the teaching content and outputs of learning outcomes.
As such, guaranteed* placements are offered in partnership with our key stakeholders (including the Gibraltar Botanic Gardens and HMGoG Department of the Environment, Heritage and Climate Change) to deliver training and skills and ultimately, via research projects, environmental and conservation gains ‘on the ground’.
*A range of guaranteed placements are offered but may vary year on year due to availability of mentors, carrying capacity of placement provider, health and safety considerations, inclement weather.
" There is much to learn about the natural environment, a lot of it directly relevant to our lives. Students from the Environmental Science MSc programme will be helping researchers at the Gibraltar Botanic Gardens to unravel important questions and provide answers that help to improve our natural environment. "
Dr Keith Bensusan, Gibraltar Botanic Gardens, MSc Environmental Science and Climate Change
" The placement programme offers the opportunity to work alongside specialist staff from the Department of the Environment, Heritage, Sustainability and Climate Change in key areas and help better inform best environmental practice. "
Stephen Warr, Department of the Environment, Sustainability, Climate Change & Heritage (DESCCH), MSc Environmental Science and Climate Change
Placement Focus
Modules
The programme is based on a series of modules in increasing levels of specialism.
- The first part of the programme will focus on Ecology, Conservation and Environmental Management, research skills and methods, marine conservation, sustainability and management of marine ecosystems.
- The second part will concentrate on climate-change impacts, particularly climate change adaptation and ecosystem-based disaster-risk reduction.
- The final section of the Masters programme will involve an independent and original research project, which will be assessed via dissertation and viva.
You will undertake your research project working directly with researchers at the University of Gibraltar and potential external specialists, and (where possible) potentially to carry out your research project abroad.
Semester 1
Ecology, Conservation and Environmental Management
This module is designed to be a comprehensive and fundamental introduction to the subject at postgraduate level that will provide a coherent and integrative baseline to support the modules on methods and techniques and the capstone module, which build upon the student’s knowledge. It will cover thematics on ecology, species-environment interactions and conservation as well as provide students with a baseline coverage of the state of play in environmental science to include aspects such as ethics, stewardship and policy.
Research Skills & Methods (Sciences and Social Sciences)
This module is designed to provide students with the qualitative, quantitative and research skills required to critically analyse literature and data in order to answer research questions.
Coastal Zone Management: Area Based Marine Tools
The module examines ICZM from a range of perspectives, including Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs), policy and legislation and those of numerous, often conflicting, stakeholder interests via case studies, role play and real-life scenarios.
Semester 2
Ecology, Conservation and Environmental Management (continued)
This module is designed to be a comprehensive and fundamental introduction to the subject at postgraduate level that will provide a coherent and integrative baseline to support the modules on methods and techniques and the capstone module, which build upon the student’s knowledge. It will cover thematics on ecology, species-environment interactions and conservation as well as provide students with a baseline coverage of the state of play in environmental science to include aspects such as ethics, stewardship and policy.
Marine Systems and Sustainability
This module will explore the structure and functioning of coastal marine ecosystems are affected by human impacts (including land reclamation, habitat destruction and overfishing). Strategies to maximising sustainability in all scenarios are explored such as Marine spatial Planning (MSP), and various mitigating strategies are considered, including practical applications of these.
Advanced Climate Change Adaptation & Ecological Disaster Risk Reduction
The module takes a broad, holistic perspective to reflect that which is needed for both advanced Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation (CCA& M) and Ecosystem Disaster Risk Reduction (Eco-DRR).
It examines climate adaptation and mitigation from a range of perspectives and types, and offers a range of solutions to overcoming barriers preventing adaptation and mitigation.
It includes practice in integrating knowledge of the interactions and processes that determine the form, function and well-being of social-ecological systems, and appreciation of their vulnerabilities and resilience to a changing climate.
It presents concepts and approaches, both scientific and community-based, and requires analysis of contemporary case studies.
Capstone
The Capstone module will enable students to demonstrate a systematic understanding of the knowledge gained in previous modules, and to apply this knowledge to a practical setting of their choosing; to demonstrate a critical awareness of current problems which is informed by their chosen field of study/interest; to evaluate methodologies and develop critiques of them, and where appropriate, to propose new hypotheses; to demonstrate a high level of skill in problem solving, analysis and critical evaluation.
Semester 3
Independent research-based project
This module will aid the students in their transition from primarily receptors of information into to becoming independent researchers. It will hone their scientific skills in hypothesis-development and testing, critical thinking, communication and stakeholder engagement, data collection and analysis, critical evaluation and reflection, scientific writing, verbal presentation and oral defence. This module will be of particular relevance to students wishing to progress into an academic research career or PhD study.
| Exit Award level | Module | Credits |
| PGCert | Ecology, Conservation and Environmental Management | 30 |
| PGCert | Research Skills and Methods | 15 |
| PGCert | Coastal Zone Management: Area-based Marine tools | 15 |
| PGDip | Marine Ecosystems and Sustainability | 15 |
| PGDip | Climate Change Adaptation | 15 |
| PGDip | Ecosystem-based Disaster Risk Reduction | 15 |
| PGDip | Capstone project | 15 |
| Master’s | Research-based Project | 60 |
CATS = Credit Accumulation Transfer Scheme where 1 CAT = 10 notional (contact + individual) hours of study
*Please note there are shared modules and content between the Marine Science & Environmental Science programmes and as such students will engage in Peer-2-Peer learning strategies learning about concepts and topics with shared interests and applicability.
Learn more about the MSc Environmental Science and Climate Change programme from members of our academic team and key stakeholders:
In order of appearance: Bethany Gadd, Lecturer (School of Marine and Environmental Science) and Dr Awantha Dissanayake, Head of School (School of Marine and Environmental Science).
In order of appearance: Dr Awantha Dissanayake, Head of School (School of Marine and Environmental Science); Dr Keith Bensusan, Research Fellow and Director of the Gibraltar Botanic Gardens; and The Hon. Dr John Cortes MP is Minister for the Environment, Sustainability, Climate Change.
Research Themes and Dissertations
Master in Environmental Science & Climate Change
Dissertations
Explore previous cohorts dissertations via the drop-down menu below:
2024
| Name | Dissertation title | Outputs |
| Katie Mahon | The foraging behaviours and natural food preferences of the Barbary macaques (Macaca sylvanus) in Gibraltar. | – |
| Jemila Mellin | Impacts of Rabbit (Oryctagulus Cuniculus) decline on Foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in the Nature Reserve, Gibraltar: Lessons for Rabbit Reintroduction Programme. | – |
Speak to our Student Services Team
Have a question about student life in Gibraltar, or want to find out more about the MSc Environmental Science and Climate Change?
Schedule a video call to speak to a member of our Student Services Team! Christian, Michelle and Vanessa are on-hand to talk to you about all things University of Gibraltar!
QAA Global Accreditation
The University is delighted to have achieved global accreditation from the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA), the UK’s independent quality body and a global leader in quality assurance for higher education.
“In achieving QAA’s global accreditation, the University has displayed its compatibility with international best practice.”
Vicki Stott, UK Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) Chief Executive.
WHY UNIGIB?
Entry Requirements
Typically, all applicants will have:
- Possess a minimum of a second class Honours degree (2.1 preferred) awarded by a UK university or overseas equivalent in a relevant subject.
- Be able to communicate ideas effectively in writing, in discussions and presentations. Basic IT skills, such as word-processing, email and Internet are expected.
- Alternate entry into the Masters programme can be achieved through suitably documented extensive work experience (e.g. >1 year) relevant to the programme (e.g. marine environmental research, government planning, environmental impact work, work for non-governmental organisation i.e. NGO or international agency). Such applicants may be required to submit a discursive account of why this experience is relevant.
English Language Requirements:
- An overall IELTS test result of 6.5, including a minimum of 6.0 in all sub-tests. Equivalent awards will be considered (e.g. Pearson’s Test of English, Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English, Duolingo English Test, City & Guilds International ESOL 8984, or the TOEFL- IBT test of English proficiency). If you do not meet our entry requirements, you can still apply as we will consider your application.
Fees
| Programme | Fee | Year |
| Home, International and EU | £9,225 | 1 |
Note: the above fees are for the Academic year 2026/27 and are subject to indexation.
Apply
Admissions for this programme will not be open for the 2026 academic year. Further information on future intakes will be published in due course.
Scholarships
The University of Gibraltar hosts or directly offers a limited number of scholarship programmes to support your studies. These scholarships are highly competitive; they are available to support undergraduate, Master’s degree and PhD programmes and are made available to students based on certain criteria.
If you have been resident in Gibraltar for more than five years then, once you receive your offer letter from the University of Gibraltar, you can apply to the Department of Education for funding.
Student Accommodation
Accommodation is available at the purpose built Europa Suites. Located just a two-minute walk from our Europa Point Campus, the rooms have been designed as spaces in which to relax and study. Each self-contained studio apartment features a compact kitchen, en-suite bathroom and large desk.
Related Courses
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