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Climate, Innovation and Sustainability Policy MPA

London, Bloomsbury

The Climate, Innovation and Sustainability Policy MPA prepares future decision-makers to tackle complex sustainability challenges, particularly concerning climate change. This means you'll graduate with the skills and knowledge to develop robust policies that align innovations with economic, social and environmental sustainability goals.

UK students International students
Study mode
UK tuition fees (2025/26)
£27,500
£13,750
Overseas tuition fees (2025/26)
£36,500
£18,250
Duration
1 calendar year
2 calendar years
Programme starts
September 2025
Applications accepted
Applicants who require a visa: 14 Oct 2024 – 27 Jun 2025
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Applicants who do not require a visa: 14 Oct 2024 – 29 Aug 2025
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Apply for this course

Entry requirements

A minimum of an upper second-class Bachelor's degree from a UK university in a relevant discipline or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard. Students are encouraged (but are not required) to have work experience prior to enrolling on this programme.

The English language level for this programme is: Level 4

UCL Pre-Master's and Pre-sessional English courses are for international students who are aiming to study for a postgraduate degree at UCL. The courses will develop your academic English and academic skills required to succeed at postgraduate level.

Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.

Equivalent qualifications

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website.

International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below. Please note that the equivalency will correspond to the broad UK degree classification stated on this page (e.g. upper second-class). Where a specific overall percentage is required in the UK qualification, the international equivalency will be higher than that stated below. Please contact Graduate Admissions should you require further advice.

About this degree


Governments urgently need to improve living standards, address climate change, and support sustainable development. Despite growing investments in technological, ecological and social innovations, many systems are in disrepair, facing significant policy and governance challenges. New technological and social innovations offer opportunities to operate infrastructures more efficiently, deliver better services, and lead necessary paradigm shifts for a sustainable future.

On this programme, you’ll explore contemporary climate and sustainability policy issues at local, national, and global levels, and consider the impact of new technologies and the growing need for innovations to support changing economies and societies. You’ll examine the institutional structures and governance of innovation systems, decision-making processes, and new climate technology approaches to plan and deliver sustainable transition in systems such as energy, mobility, food and healthcare.

You’ll graduate with the analytical skills to critically evaluate technical, policy and regulatory solutions that are used to identify, understand and address complex sustainability problems.

Who this course is for

This professional, applied degree is ideal for graduates or professionals who wish to develop competencies in innovation and climate policies; or those with a background in social sciences or engineering who aim to work with policy and sustainability. No technical background is required, but students will engage with scientific and engineering concepts.

Read about what it takes to study for a Master's at UCL

What this course will give you

This programme offers the following benefits:

  • This MPA is grounded in experiential learning, meaning you’ll develop the skillset required for leading innovative policy development for sustainability, with a focus on climate and sustainable infrastructure policy.
  • Undertake your own independent topic based on your own personal interests, enabling you to engage with real-world policy challenges that matter to you personally.
  • Learn about a range of climate technologies and interventions aimed at reducing carbon concentrations in the atmosphere, reducing impacts of radiative forcing or novel opportunities for mitigating climate emissions via materials and industrial processes. 
  • You’ll build not only the competencies and knowledge but networks that will prepare you to become an influential policy actor. Graduates have gone onto work in environment, science and innovation, climate and sustainability areas and in a range of sectors and policy organisations.
Read about what you'll get out of a graduate programme
Making an impact
UCL Portico building with welcome sign between columns.

Case study: Growing greener

We're exploring how agro-industries in sub-Saharan Africa could contribute to improving rural energy access.

The foundation of your career

Graduates are suited to work in national and local government; utility providers or regulators; international agencies such as the World Bank, United Nations, European Commission, and other international organisations; environmental agencies; consultancies and think tanks.

Employability

As a graduate of the Climate, Innovation and Sustainability Policy MPA, you’ll bring a unique breadth of in-demand and transferable skills to future employers like rigorous analytical, evaluation and communication skills.

You’ll increase your understanding of current issues in climate, innovation, and sustainability agendas and how they align with infrastructure and policy planning with environmental, economic, and social goals. You'll also develop your skills to leverage public policy and science and engineering expertise to tackle societal challenges in these areas.

Graduates will learn to communicate with engineers, policymakers and innovation experts while building effective networks, and employ problem-solving skills to a range of real-world problems.

Networking

You’ll have regular opportunities to connect, collaborate and build professional contacts as part of your Master’s.

  • Network with international partners, expert faculty and a diverse range of academics and professionals from across the department. 
  • Learn from our guest speakers who are intentionally drawn from academia, public and private research, private sector, non-governmental organisations and diverse policy settings. 
  • Previous MPA cohorts have organised social events where academic and career experience, ideas and contacts can be shared via peer learning.

Teaching and learning

This MPA programme is delivered through a mix of lectures both online and in-person, small-group seminars, and group and individual projects working with real-life clients.

Candidates will be assessed primarily through a series of problem-oriented projects (including both presentational components and submitted materials), complemented by short written assignments, scenarios and simulations. The final project will include a longer written report, often for or with a professional partner organisation.

In First and Second Terms students have on average 12-13 contact hours a week with staff. Modules have either two hours of lectures and one hour of tutorials or three hours of lectures. In addition, there will be independent study and group work.

Starting in January, students also undertake a major nine-month group project on a policy challenge with a real-world external partner organisation or they undertake their own independent individual project. In Third Term the amount of contact time will be lower as students focus on these final projects, although there will be set times for MPA group project and MPA individual project supervision and support.

Modules

The programme consists of eight 15-credit modules: three core modules common across the MPA suite of programmes; two route-specific; and three electives available from STEaPP or other departments, as available. Students may choose either an MPA Group Project or an Individual Project as their final 60 credit module.

You will study four modules in First Term and four in Second Term. Additionally, the MPA Group and Individual Project modules span nine months, commencing in the Second Term and completed during the Third Term and the summer.

The part-time version of the MPA follows the same structure as the full-time, but in Year One, you will study four 15-credit modules: two modules in First Term and two in Second Term.

In Year Two, you will study a further four 15-credit modules (two in each of First and Second Terms) and complete a 60-credit Group Project or Individual Project in Third Term; though you will be encouraged to start conducting initial research on subject areas of interest in your first year.

Compulsory modules







Optional modules












Research Ethics and Regulation





Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability are subject to change. Modules that are in use for the current academic year are linked for further information. Where no link is present, further information is not yet available.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits. Upon successful completion of 180 credits, you will be awarded an MPA in Climate, Innovation and Sustainability Policy.

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble. Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services team.

Where you'll study

Two students walking past UCL Engineering Roberts building smiling

Based in the Faculty of Engineering Sciences, STEaPP is committed to mobilising science, technology, engineering and policy expertise to help change the world for the better. The Department brings together policymakers, industry and academia to design innovative solutions to society’s biggest challenges, from sustainable development to health innovation. The Department is located in Bloomsbury, in the heart of London, with some teaching also taking place at the new UCL East campus, on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford. As a member of our university community, you will also have access to top-tier resources and study spaces, such as UCL’s award-winning Student Centre and 18 specialist libraries.

Find out more

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Full-time Part-time
Tuition fees (2025/26) £27,500 £13,750
Tuition fees (2025/26) £36,500 £18,250

The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Fees for subsequent years may increase or otherwise vary. Where the programme is offered on a flexible/modular basis, fees are charged pro-rata to the appropriate full-time Master's fee taken in an academic session. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website: ucl.ac.uk/students/fees.

Additional costs

For Full-time and Part-time offer holders a fee deposit will be charged at 10% of the first year fee.

Further information can be found in the Tuition fee deposits section on this page: Tuition fees.

There are no additional costs associated with the programme.

UCL’s main teaching locations are in zones 1 (Bloomsbury) and zones 2/3 (UCL East). The cost of a monthly 18+ Oyster travel card for zones 1-2 is £114.50. This price was published by TfL in 2024. For more information on additional costs for prospective students and the cost of living in London, please view our estimated cost of essential expenditure at UCL's cost of living guide.

Funding your studies

For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website.

See all the ways you can fund your studies

Next steps

Students are advised to apply as early as possible due to competition for places. Those applying for scholarship funding (particularly overseas applicants) should take note of application deadlines.

There is an application processing fee for this programme of £90 for online applications. Further information can be found at Application fees.

When assessing your application, the MPA Admissions Panel are particularly looking to understand;

  • why you want to study Climate, Innovation and Sustainability Policy at graduate level
  • what particularly attracts you to the programme at UCL
  • how your academic and professional background and interests meet the demands of this challenging programme
  • where you would like to go professionally with your degree and how the MPA fits with your career goals

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate programmes (or one application for the Law LLM) in any application cycle.

Choose your programme

Please read the Application Guidance before proceeding with your application.

Year of entry: 2025-2026

Apply for this course

Got questions? Get in touch

Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy
Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy

steapp.admissions@ucl.ac.uk

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