UNE takes aim at climate change with grad program

Cameron Wake at University of New England campus.

File Photo / Tim Greenway Cameron Wake is director of the Center for North Atlantic Studies at the University of New England and director of the school's new Master of Science in Climate Change Leadership program.

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By Renee Cordes

The University of New England plans to offer an online master's program to equip "bold, solutions-driven leaders" with the skills needed to fight climate change.

Launching in fall 2025, the master of science in climate change leadership will be a 34-credit program taught online and in real time via Zoom for learners from all academic and professional backgrounds the interdisciplinary program will cover fields including marine science, public health and sustainable business.

Cameron Wake, director of UNE’s Center for North Atlantic Studies and director of the new program, says the aim is to equip students with skills to collaborate and make an impact in organizations and communities.

“UNE’s climate change leadership program is truly an interdisciplinary degree designed from the ground up,” he said. “It fully integrates natural sciences, public health and sustainable business into an education on climate change leadership that will prepare students to advance their careers and solve big problems that affect Maine and the world.”

Around 20 students are expected to enroll in the program, a fairly new field at the master's degree level, according to a spokeswoman for the school.

“From the first course in the program, students will be introduced to the intersection of public health, marine science, sustainability and leadership through case studies and real-time discussions with their peers, instructors and academic experts aimed at developing solutions to big challenges,” said Carol J. Ewan Whyte, director of UNE’s Graduate Programs in Public Health and an associate teaching professor in the climate change leadership program.

More information

Applications are now being accepted for the program, with classes starting this fall. Find out more about the program here.

About UNE

The University of New England, led by President James Herbert, is Maine’s largest independent university, with campuses in Biddeford and Portland as well as overseas in Tangier, Morocco, and a large catalog of online courses.