COURSE CURRICULUM

Curriculum information relates to the current academic year and may be subject to change. The MScCCAFS at the University of Galway comprises 90 ECTS credits in Year 1, delivered through a fully integrated set of required modules designed to provide comprehensive expertise in climate change, agriculture, and food security.Students begin with foundational perspectives through Climate Change & Sustainable Development Perspectives, Sustainable Development Communication Skills, and Sustainability Research Skills & Techniques, which develop critical thinking, research capability, and effective communication for sustainability contexts. Core scientific and systems knowledge is delivered in Climate Change, Agricultural & Global Food Security and Climate Change, Agriculture, Nutrition & Global Health, linking environmental change to food systems, nutrition, and public health outcomes.Policy and governance dimensions are addressed in Policy & Scenarios for Climate Change Adaptation & Mitigation and Gender, Agriculture & Climate Change, ensuring graduates understand equity, inclusion, and social justice in climate responses. Technical and applied solutions are explored in Low-Emissions & Climate-Smart Agriculture & AgriFood Systems, Climate Change Adaptation, Mitigation & Risk Management, and Sustainable Bio-Based & Circular Economy, equipping students with strategies for resilient and low-carbon agri-food transitions.Environmental and livelihood interactions are examined in Climate Change, Natural Resources & Livelihoods and AgriBiological Responses to Climate Change, which analyse ecosystem dynamics, biological responses, and community resilience. The program culminates in the CCAFS Research Project, allowing students to undertake independent, research-led investigation into a specialised area of interest.Together, these modules create a multidisciplinary, practice-oriented curriculum that prepares graduates to become informed leaders and “Agents of Change” capable of driving climate mitigation, adaptation, resilience, and just transitions within global agricultural and food systems.