Step into your potential as a leader of climate action. Develop and practice the knowledge, skills and insights to undertake climate risk and resilience assessments and planning.
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Meet the climate crisis head on
You’ve experienced the devastating impacts of climate change – and you understand climate risks will increase over time as global heating continues.
Reducing and adapting to climate impacts is a priority. Together, governments, businesses and communities are working to assess the current and future risks we face in ways that contribute to our shared and individual resilience.
Lead with passion
The fully online Graduate Certificate in Climate Risk and Resilience combines your passion for making a difference with the practical knowledge and skills required for leadership in the movement for equitable and inclusive climate resilience.
Program options
This three-course credential can be completed within 12 months either as a stand-alone credential or as the first step in the Master of Arts in Climate Action Leadership program.
What you’ll study
Through the Graduate Certificate in Climate Risk and Resilience, you’ll be introduced to the principles and practices of understanding, assessing and acting on the impacts and risks of climate change
- You’ll work with tools and frameworks that enable informed decision-making, necessary for designing and implementing strategies to reduce the impacts of climate risks on people, the environment, built infrastructure and the economy.
- You’ll move beyond assessment and planning to focus on implementation, change-making and deepening your impact as a change leader.
- You’ll emerge from this certificate with an actionable understanding of the relationship between climate adaptation, social vulnerability and disaster risk reduction.
Your education and training will prepare you for a climate-ready workforce that engages with the challenges and opportunities presented by climate change.
Program delivery
The Graduate Certificate in Climate Risk and Resilience is a nine-credit program that's delivered as a fully online learning experience and consists of 3 X 3 credit courses.
Online courses
Online courses typically consist of assigned readings, asynchronous and synchronous dialogues, virtual lectures and/or experiential activities, interactive discussions, guest speakers and individual and team assignments.
Your cohort and learning community
You’ll learn from experienced faculty who are active practitioners in the climate adaptation and climate service spaces, and who bring diverse perspectives and real-world experiences to the classroom.
You and your peers bring diverse and important experience and learning to the program and your contributions are a big part of the learning in this program.
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Admission Requirements
At Royal Roads University, the real-life leadership experiences that students bring to the classroom serve to enhance everyone’s learning. Admission to this program is assessed on a case-by-case basis, considering all aspects of the applicant's work and life experience, volunteer and community activities, practical experience, related training and formal education. Given the distributed and emergent nature climate change related work, experience in most sectors of employment is considered relevant.
Relevant leadership or management experience could include one or more of the following:
- Formal organizational leadership roles in which you directly supervise staff or complete performance-oriented work with individuals, groups, or teams.
- Leadership roles in volunteer organizations.
- Roles in which you consult, negotiate with, or manage diverse interest groups through relationships, in a complex environment.
- Roles in which you lead others toward shared goals and outcomes.
- Roles in which you influence, organize, and coordinate groups of people.
- Overcoming a challenging life experience (for self or others), which involved navigating complex systems and resulted in positive community change beyond the individual.
We invite applications from established and emerging leaders who bring a range of professional experiences to the cohort setting. Emerging leaders who do not meet the minimum requirement for leadership experience but who can demonstrate exceptional leadership potential through their professional and life experience will be considered.
Applicants are required to address how they consider their work, academic, and leadership experience to be relevant and related to the focus of the program within their resume and personal statement responses.
Standard admission
- Four-year (or comparable) undergraduate degree with a minimum GPA of 'B' (3.00/4.33), from a recognized post-secondary institution.
- A minimum of two years of relevant leadership or management experience.
- Academic writing and critical thinking skills are required for success in this program. Applicants who have been away from academic writing for more than 10 years will normally be required to take the “Academic Writing and Critical Thinking” course offered through Continuing Studies at Royal Roads University, and obtain a minimum B (73%) prior to commencing the program.
Flexible admission
Applicants who do not meet the Standard Admission Requirements will be considered for Flexible Admission and assessed as follows:
- Normally, a minimum of five years of work experience which includes at least two years of relevant leadership or management experience
- All flexible admission applicants will normally be required to complete "Academic Writing and Critical Thinking" several weeks prior to starting the program and obtain a minimum final grade of B (73%)
English language proficiency
- If English is not your primary language, please review our English language requirements.
All applications to this program require submission of the following information and supporting documents before your file can be assessed for admission:
Application form
In order to apply online, you will be required to create a log-in account using your email address. You will be required to list all credit courses and/or programs you have completed or are currently enrolled in. An application fee will be required. If your application fees are being paid by a third party, review sponsored student information. Once submitted, you may check the status of your application at any time.
Missed your application deadline? While we can’t make any guarantees, we may be able to accommodate late applications if there's still space and enough time to process. If you're interested in an intake that is now closed to applications, apply for the next available intake and email Admissions with your preferred start date. Make sure you’re prepared to submit your program's required documents right away. We can't make an admissions decision without them.
Official transcripts
In accordance with RRU's admissions policy and practices, applicants are required to submit official transcripts from all post-secondary (higher education) institutions currently or previously attended, though exceptions may apply for some Graduate Certificate Managing Climate Risk and Resilience applicants as outlined below:
- All applicants must declare all post-secondary studies (courses, programs, transfer credit, etc.) in their application.
- As part of the application process, applicants anticipating acceptance by standard admission will be required to provide an official transcript for the highest level, most relevant and/or most recent degree credential(s). Whenever possible, applicants are also encouraged to provide unofficial (or official) transcripts from all other institutions currently or previously attended. Additional documents may be requested at any time during the application process. Additionally, upon acceptance Admissions will determine which, if any, additional transcripts or documents will be required, and these requirements may be noted as a condition of admission.
- As part of the application process, applicants anticipating consideration under flexible admission must submit all official transcripts for all institutions currently or previously attended.
In all cases, applicants are responsible for arranging for the submission of official transcripts. Transcripts are considered official only if submitted directly by the Registrar or other recognized authority of the providing institution in the institution's original, sealed envelope. If the envelope has been opened, the transcripts are no longer official and new (official) transcripts will be required to complete your application.
Transcripts are not required for non-credit programs or courses, though some programs may require proof of professional certifications or designations.
All international transcripts or credentials are subject to an international transcript and/or credential evaluation.
Personal statement
Your personal statement should outline educational, work, and leadership experience, personal and career goals, and discuss alignment between these and the focus of the program within your resume and personal statement responses. Your statement should outline your motivation for seeking entrance to the program. The statement should address the topic of how the Graduate Certificate in Managing Climate Risk and Resilience will contribute to your future career. Relate this to who you are, what you feel you will gain from the program, and the strengths you feel you could bring to the program. Consider the following questions as you craft your statement.
- Why do you wish to enrol in this program?
- How is this program relevant to your career goals?
- What experience (academic courses and/or training, work experience) have you that directly relate to the learning outcomes of the program?
- What experience have you had with distance education and self-directed study?
- What relevant strengths or competencies (knowledge and skills) would you bring to the program?
Résumé
A detailed résumé provides the Admissions Office with as much information about your work and life experiences as possible. We are interested in knowing where you have worked, for how long, and what you were responsible for in the positions you held. Provide as much information as possible, with special attention to the past ten years of your career. We would like to see:
- Any education (post-secondary, degrees, diplomas, certificates, professional development courses, training, professional certification) you have achieved;
- Work experience (paid, voluntary/unpaid) detailing the name of the organization, position, length of service and a brief description of responsibilities;
- Professional associations, memberships, and affiliations;
- Comfort and experience working in the online environment and with common programs or apps (e.g., Microsoft Word, Wordpress).
Two reference letters
Two letters of reference are required; one reference letter should be based on work experience and the other based on academic performance.
These letters should speak to your ability to succeed in a graduate program and in this area of focus on climate change. These documents can be written in a variety of formats. In essence, we expect the writer to confirm that you are a suitable candidate for the program, explain why s/he believes you will succeed in such a program, and describe how the program will benefit you. The context in which the referee has come to know you should also be mentioned.
If applicable:
- Applicants declaring permanent resident or Convention Refugee status in Canada must submit a copy of their Permanent Resident Card (PR card) along with their application.
- Transcript evaluation fee or credential evaluation report, if submitting international transcripts.
- An official English language proficiency score report or other evidence of proficiency if English is not your primary language.
- Other information or documents as may be requested to determine your eligibility.
For information on how and where to send your supporting documents, please refer to the document submission guidelines.