New Graduate Certificate in Science and Policy of Climate Change

Do you want to do something about the state of the world but do not know how to begin?  The new Graduate Certificate in Science and Policy of Climate Change is designed to empower you to contribute to solutions to the urgent climate crisis and related environmental problems such as the loss of biodiversity. This fully online certificate will be lodged in the School of Environment and Sustainability at Royal Roads University but welcomes students from across the University and beyond, indeed from anywhere in the world.

The certificate, the first of its kind in Canada consists of three courses, (which can be completed in less than a year, the first offered in January 2021), and will be delivered entirely on-line to accommodate the schedules of working professionals . The first two courses cover the science and impacts of climate change and climate policy and governance from local to global levels.  The third and final course is focused on climate solutions. In this course students will develop  an experiential, hands-on project to help develop and implement climate change solutions with Indigenous governments, non-governmental organizations, industry or government at any levels. The courses can be taken as a stand-alone program, or as credit toward a graduate-level program like the Master of Environmental Practice degree. The courses will also be available as electives for other programs at the University such as the Master of Environment and Management and the Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies.

The certificate is offered as part of the unique partnership of Royal Roads University and Eco-Canada, (the Environmental Careers Organization of Canada (ECO-Canada). This exciting partnership under the name of the Canadian Centre for Environmental Education (CCEE)  was recently expanded when the President of Royal Roads University and the President of ECO-Canada met to sign an amendment to the partnership agreement adding the Certificate to the existing Environmental Practice Programs. 

ECO-Canada and Royal Roads have worked in partnership since 2006, when they co-founded the Canadian Centre for Environmental Education (CCEE) to develop environmental education programs that are relevant to the sector in Canada. The new graduate certificate is in addition to the Master and Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Practice programs already available through Royal Roads.  While the program is still under development, prospective students can email Royal Roads to request more information. 

Climate Change and biodiversity loss are the grand challenges of today and this program will provide our graduates with the skills and knowledge to tackle these problems and make a difference to our world. Graduates of the program should be snapped up by employers in the current and future climate employment boom. The burgeoning jobs in the climate sector include a wide array of climate professionals leading the transition to a low carbon society---  climate policy and planning,  greenhouse gas reduction, monitoring and compliance, adaptation and resilience measures, infrastructure development and retrofitting, alternative energy, food security, sustainability, research, science,  technology, education and communication- and many more.

See Photograph:  On behalf of RRU:  President Philip Steenkamp, VP Academic & Provost Dr. Steve Grundy and Dr. Leslie King, Professor (SES) & Director, Canadian Centre for Environmental Education and on behalf of ECO Canada:  Kevin Nilsson, President and Ben Keizer, Vice President of Finance and Operations. Photo taken by Dan Anthon.