Loughborough University

What you'll study

The programme combines core modules in climate change, energy systems and humanitarian action with applied skills training and a substantial research or practice-based project. Teaching blends conceptual understanding of climate science and policy with technical and operational topics such as energy technologies for low-resource environments, disaster risk reduction and humanitarian logistics.

• Core topics: climate change science and policy; climate adaptation and resilience; principles of humanitarian action; disaster risk reduction and emergency response.
• Energy and technology: energy access and sustainable energy transitions; off-grid and decentralised energy solutions; technical appraisal of energy options in humanitarian contexts.
• Operations and management: humanitarian project design and management; logistics and supply chains in crises; safeguarding, ethics and protection in emergencies.
• Research and methods: quantitative and qualitative research methods, monitoring and evaluation, impact assessment, and the use of geospatial tools for vulnerability and hazard mapping.
• Applied project: a dissertation or practice-based project addressing a real-world problem — for example designing an energy solution for displaced communities, evaluating adaptation options at community scale, or assessing humanitarian preparedness for climate-related hazards.

Entry requirements

Applicants are normally expected to hold a good honours degree (UK 2:1 or equivalent) in a relevant discipline such as environmental science, engineering, geography, development studies, public policy or a related social science. Applicants with a 2:2 may be considered where they have significant relevant professional experience in humanitarian work, energy projects or climate policy.

International applicants will need to demonstrate English language competence to the programme standard (for example an overall IELTS score commonly around 6.5 with no less than 6.0 in any component, or an equivalent qualification). Professional experience in the humanitarian, development or energy sectors is advantageous but not always mandatory.

Career prospects

Graduates move into a range of roles across the humanitarian, development and energy sectors. Typical career paths include:

• Programme officer or technical specialist in international NGOs and humanitarian agencies
• Policy or advisory roles in government departments and intergovernmental organisations working on climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction
• Consultant roles in firms specialising in resilience, climate risk assessment, energy access and sustainable development
• Operational roles in humanitarian logistics, camp coordination and community-based adaptation projects
• Research and analytical positions in think tanks, research institutes and universities focusing on climate, energy and humanitarian issues

Why study at Loughborough University

Loughborough offers a supportive, interdisciplinary environment that brings together strengths in engineering, social sciences and policy-relevant research. The university is known for hands-on, applied learning and has strong links with industry, NGOs and practitioners, enabling students to work on practice-oriented projects and build professional networks.

Students benefit from practical training facilities, access to research centres working on resilience and sustainable energy, and a campus culture focused on employability and student experience. The programme is designed to equip graduates with both technical understanding and operational skills needed to respond to the complex challenges at the intersection of climate change, energy and humanitarian action.