Learn how to put climate research into action, with a unique program that can be added to any UBC undergraduate degree.
This certificate is designed to give students an interdisciplinary understanding of the climate crisis and equip them to engage in effective climate responses. Open to all undergraduate students at UBC, the certificate aims to further climate education across all disciplines.
Undergraduate Certificates are small undergrad programs, similar to a minor. A KEY DIFFERENCE is that all of a student's credits in the Certificate in Climate Studies and Action can also be applied to their primary degree program, if they are eligible in both places.*
*Credits [...] applicable towards an Academic-Credit Certificate Program may only be applied towards another Course of Study with the approval of Senate, the faculty or faculties offering the Course of Study, and the faculty or faculties offering the Academic-Credit Certificate Program. (Policy V-128, Section 10a).
Early classes cover climate science, the crises that led to declaring an emergency, and strategies to address it. Upper-level classes take a deeper look at climate justice, the social, economic, political and cultural processes that underlie climate change, and include an elective class for students to deepen their knowledge in a specific area. Community-engaged learning, with a climate action focus, is embedded throughout the program, culminating in a capstone project.
Often, people are aware of the climate crisis but not many know how to fix things, and that can make you feel helpless. This course teaches us how we can actively engage.
As an action-oriented offering, this certificate aims to support and build future generations of climate researchers and community leaders by facilitating community-based learning alongside an academic curriculum. Students will learn how to assess the efficacy and equity of various climate solutions, experiment with strategies to identify leverage points for change, and engage in public dialogue about climate change.
Our 2023 cohort worked with the Centre for Climate Justice to organize a panel event presenting critical insights at the nexus of labor organizing and climate justice.
There are often many barriers to action that are only identifiable when you’re working within the community. Working on real world projects bridges the gap between academia and action, creating useful and long-term solutions that will benefit the community.
Each cohort of students participates in a Capstone project class where they work with community partners to tackle climate change related issues and put their climate actions skills to use on real-world projects.
Admissions
Applications are open for the September 2025 cohort and will close at the end of March – deadline has been extended to May 31st.
Please include a max. 300 word statement of intent and a copy of your course plan with your application submission.
Indigenous Strategic Plan
Between winter 2021 and fall 2022 we completed the Self-Assessment process of the Indigenous Strategic Plan (ISP). The Plan below summarizes what we learned in that process and the work we are committed to that supports the goals and actions of the ISP. We provide updates on this work every year in annual progress reports.