Western University of Applied Sciences
Master in Climate Change Management
Sogndalsfjøra, Norway
Master degree
DURATION
2 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
TUITION FEES
NOK 260,000 / per year **
STUDY FORMAT
* for non-EU/EEA | 1 March 2026 for EU/EEA
** Students belonging to one of these categories are exempted from the requirement to pay tuition fees - and do not have to apply for an exemption: Students from outside the EU/EEA for our joint master degree in Maritime Operations. Citizens from an EU
Key Summary
About: The Master in Climate Change Management at Western Norway University of Applied Sciences (HVL) in Sogndal gives interdisciplinary skills for transition. You study climate impacts on societies and ecosystems, climate models and projections, energy systems, land-use planning and flood/landslide risk, climate policy, nature-based solutions and interactions with biodiversity. The programme combines scientific and social-science perspectives, field access to fjords, glaciers, international research environment and master's thesis.
Career Outcomes: Graduates can work in planning and management; environmental, climate and energy advising and consultancy; research, development and teaching and may also work in policy analysis, sustainability consultancy or climate adaptation roles.
The world is facing difficult climate challenges, with more extreme weather, floods, and rock or snow avalanches. The Master in Climate Change Management gives you sought-after and interdisciplinary competence in how we can achieve a sustainable transition and greener behaviour.
Why study Climate Change Management?
Welcome to the amazing Sogndal – the perfect laboratory for studying climate change! With easy access to fjords, mountains, and glaciers, Sogndal offers you a unique opportunity to explore and understand the impacts of climate change on society and the natural environment up close. Here, you will meet students from all over the world and can share your own experiences with climate change, while becoming part of an international research environment with broad expertise in climate, nature, energy, and sustainability.
In our master's program, you will learn about the challenges related to climate change, and we will explore solutions through a holistic approach that emphasizes both scientific and social science perspectives. The study culminates in a master's thesis where you can immerse yourself in a topic you are passionate about.
You will learn about
- how climate change affects societies and ecosystems.
- social transformation, climate policy, consumer behaviour, and circular economy
- climate models and climate projections used to analyse and evaluate various future scenarios
- transitioning energy production, energy consumption, and energy systems in a climate-friendly direction
- necessary considerations in land-use planning, including landslide and flood risk
- positive and negative interactions between climate change, climate measures, the nature crisis, and sustainable development
- nature-based solutions to climate challenges
By studying Climate Change Management, you become part of the solution to one of the greatest challenges of our time. You develop skills and insights that make you attractive to the current job market, ensuring you a meaningful career where you can make a difference.
You will learn about
- how climate change affects societies and ecosystems.
- social transformation, climate policy, consumer behaviour, and circular economy
- climate models and climate projections used to analyse and evaluate various future scenarios
- transitioning energy production, energy consumption, and energy systems in a climate-friendly direction
- necessary considerations in land-use planning, including landslide and flood risk
- positive and negative interactions between climate change, climate measures, the nature crisis, and sustainable development
- nature-based solutions to climate challenges
By studying Climate Change Management, you become part of the solution to one of the greatest challenges of our time. You develop skills and insights that make you attractive to the current job market, ensuring you a meaningful career where you can make a difference.
After completing the master's program, you have many career opportunities. Examples include:
- Planning and management: Working within municipalities, regions, and directorates, for example, planning land use for roads, railways, and housing.
- Environmental, climate, and energy advising and consultancy: Jobs in the private and public sectors, or in organizations, providing advice on how areas should be designed to avoid the harmful effects of floods, landslides, and other climate-related events.
- Research, development, and teaching: Climate research in a broad sense, for example, developing nature-based solutions to climate challenges, and strategies and measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
We have lectures, laboratory work and project-based work. We utilize the fantastic surroundings for excursions and fieldwork.
This is an international master's degree with both Norwegian and foreign students, which gives you a unique opportunity to exchange experiences. All teaching is in English.
We have teaching on a block schedule, which means that we work on one subject at a time and finish with an exam, before we start on the next subject.