Climate Science
Why choose Climate Science at UVic?
Why is the Earth’s climate changing? Learn about the science of human-caused climate change and the science of climate solutions. Use programming, mapping and data science to better understand the impacts of climate change on communities. Learn how to communicate climate science to people making real-world decisions.
- Design and conduct your own research project in climate science or climate solutions under the supervision of UVic’s world-leading climate researchers.
- Gain hands-on experience collecting ocean and atmospheric data at sea.
- Learn to analyze and visualize climate data and climate projections using advanced tools and software.
Sample courses
- Climate Change
- The Ocean-Climate System
- Climate and Society
- Introduction to Maps and GIS
- Water Resources Management
- Climate Solutions
Careers
- Climate adaptation consultant
- Climate change researcher
- Environmental technician
- Renewable energy scientist
Specializations
Climate impacts, adaptation and mitigation
Take a deep dive into the science that determines how Earth’s climate is changing. Understand the greenhouse effect, how the circulation of the atmosphere and ocean works, and how these determine when, where, and how climate will change. Apply the science to climate solutions.
Physical climate science
Apply the fundamentals of climate science to understand how climate change will affect communities and ecosystems. Learn how to map climate impacts for community planning, and how to implement climate solutions.
Field schools
Study climate processes and sustainability in real-world settings through immersive field schools. Options include:
- Oceanography field school
- Mountain meteorology
- Sustainable cities
- Agroecology
Field schools connect theory to practice and strengthen your understanding of how climate systems operate across landscapes and communities.
United Nations certification
Climate Science is the first program on North America's West Coast to receive United Nations accreditation for delivering UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), preparing you to design climate solutions that advance sustainability for individuals, organizations and communities. When you complete certified courses, you'll receive a certificate signed by the UN Assistant Secretary General.
Admission requirements
Apply to UVic as a high school student or a transfer student from another post-secondary institution.
- To enter through the Faculty of Science, apply to the Earth Sciences program.
- To enter through the Faculty of Social Sciences, apply to the Geography program.
You can declare Climate Science as your major after one year of full-time study.
Learn more
Program resources
- Program planning for Science and Social Sciences students
- Department of Geography
- School of Earth and Ocean Sciences
- Faculty of Science
- Faculty of Social Sciences