International Politics of Climate Change
UndergraduateLTU-POL3IPC2024
Course information for 2024 intake View information for 2025 course intake
Enrolments for this course are closed, but you may have other options to start studying now. Book a consultation to learn more.
- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- 100% online
- Entry requirements
- Prior study needed
- Duration
- 12 weeks
- Loan available
- HECS-HELP and FEE-HELP available
International Politics of Climate Change
About this subject
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Demonstrate critical understanding of key issues in international climate change politics.
- Demonstrate critical understanding of how climate change interacts dynamically with political, ecological, economic and social system at a global level.
- Articulate models of constructive social action in international climate change politics.
- The Global Carbon Budget
- The UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement
- Climate Economics and the Post-Carbon Transition
- Climate Vulnerability, Adaptation, and Resilience
- Securitisation of Climate Change
- Population Displacement and State Sovereignty
- Global Climate Justice
- First Nations Peoples and Earth-based Governance
Climate change politics encompasses a web of complex and inter-related transnational processes that impact on all aspects of global affairs. POL3IPC is an asynchronous online subject (i.e. there are no scheduled classes) in which students are led through an iterative weekly journey examining international climate politics across numerous different International Relations issue domains.
A range of perspectives on climate governance and justice are represented in the POL3IPC material. The first half of the subject examines international governance of climate change mitigation and adaptation, focusing on international legal regimes, the global economy and post-carbon transitions, climate security, geoengineering governance, and sea level rise and state sovereignty. The second half of the subject examines the international justice dimensions of climate change, focusing on economic, gender and inter-generational justice, First Nations Peoples and climate governance, eco-centric governance models, and the global climate movement.
While POL3IPC focuses on the international level specifically, students are encouraged to see climate change as ultimately about them, their place in the world, and their capacity to exercise empowered agency in global climate politics.
- Research Journal entry Topic: The greenhouse effect and the global carbon budget. Brief: 400-450 words; 10% of your final grade; Citations from content videos (x3) and peer-reviewed texts (x3). (10%)
- Research Journal entry Topic: The UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement. Brief: 400-450 words; 10% of your final grade; Citations from content videos (x3) and peer-reviewed texts (x3). (10%)
- Research Journal entry Topic: Ethics and governance of geoengineering. Brief: 400-450 words; 10% of your final grade; Citations from content videos (x3) and peer-reviewed texts (x3). (10%)
- Research Journal entry Topic: Global climate justice. Brief: 400-450 words; 10% of your final grade; Citations from content videos (x3) and peer-reviewed texts (x3). (10%)
- Research Journal entry Topic: First Nations Peoples and Earth-based governance. Brief: 400-450 words; 10% of your final grade; Citations from content videos (x3) and peer-reviewed texts (x3). (10%)
- Research Journal entry Topic: International climate economics and post-carbon transition. Brief: 400-450 words; 10% of your final grade; Citations from content videos (x3) and peer-reviewed texts (x3). (10%)
- Research Journal entry Topic: Securitisation of climate change. Brief: 400-450 words; 10% of your final grade; Citations from content videos (x3) and peer-reviewed texts (x3). (10%)
- Research Journal entry Topic: Climate vulnerability, adaptation and resilience. Brief: 400-450 words; 10% of your final grade; Citations from content videos (x3) and peer-reviewed texts (x3). (10%)
- Research Journal entry Topic: Population displacement and state sovereignty. Brief: 400-450 words; 10% of your final grade; Citations from content videos (x3) and peer-reviewed texts (x3). (10%)
- Research Journal entry Topic: The global climate movement. Brief: 400-450 words; 10% of your final grade; Citations from content videos (x3) and peer-reviewed texts (x3). (10%)
For textbook details check your university's handbook, website or learning management system (LMS).
The third university established in Victoria, La Trobe University has a diverse community of more than 38,000 students and staff. Its commitment to excellence in teaching and research prepares students to make a bold and positive impact in today's global community. La Trobe provides Open Universities Australia with its core tenets, entrepreneurship and sustainability.
Learn more about La Trobe University.
Explore La Trobe courses.
- QS Ranking 2024:
- 17
- Times Higher Education Ranking 2024:
- 18
Entry requirements
Others
Past La Trobe University students who have previously completed POL2IPC (International Politics of Climate Change: Triumph or Tragedy?) are ineligible to enrol in this subject.
Additional requirements
No additional requirements
Study load
- 0.125 EFTSL
- This is in the range of 10 to 12 hours of study each week.
Equivalent full time study load (EFTSL) is one way to calculate your study load. One (1.0) EFTSL is equivalent to a full-time study load for one year.
Find out more information on Commonwealth Loans to understand what this means to your eligibility for financial support.
What to study next?
Once you’ve completed this subject it can be credited towards one of the following courses
UndergraduateLAT-BUS-DEG
UndergraduateLAT-ART-DEG
Bachelor of Information Technology
UndergraduateLAT-TEC-DEG
Bachelor of Psychological Science
UndergraduateLAT-PYS-DEG
UndergraduateLAT-HSC-DEG
UndergraduateLAT-CYS-DEG
Bachelor of Planning (Honours)
UndergraduateLAT-PLN-DEG
Single subject FAQs
What’s a single subject?
Single subjects are the individual components that make up a degree. With Open Universities Australia, you’re able to study many of them as stand-alone subjects, including postgraduate single subjects, without having to commit to a degree.
Each of your subjects will be held over the course of a study term, and they’ll usually require 10 to 12 hours of study each week. Subjects are identified by a title and a code, for example, Developmental Psychology, PSY20007.
How can I use single subjects to get into a full degree?
First, find the degree that you would like to study on our website.
If that degree allows entry via undergraduate subjects, there will be information about this under the Entry Requirements section. You will find a list of 2-4 open enrolment subjects you need to successfully complete to qualify for admission into that qualification.
Once you pass those subjects, you will satisfy the academic requirements for the degree, and you can apply for entry.
Our student advisors are here to help you take that next step, so don’t hesitate to reach out when you’re ready! We’ve also made it easier to figure out the right way to get started on our pathways page.
Can anyone help me choose a subject?
Our student advisors are more than happy to help you plan your online study. Get in touch with an advisor by:
How do I pay for my subjects?
You can pay up front with your credit card, or you may be eligible for a HELP loan from the Australian government depending on your citizenship status and where you’ll live during your studies.
For more information about how to pay for your studies visit our fees page or contact a student advisor.
How do I enrol?
When you’ve made your choice, click ‘Enrol now’ on the relevant course page and follow the prompts to begin your enrolment. We’ll ask you to supply some supporting documentation, including proof of your identity, your tax file number, and a unique student identifier (USI) during this process.
Your university will get in touch with you via email to confirm whether or not your application has been successful.
If you get stuck at any time, reach out to us and we’ll talk you through it.
You can also take a look at our online self-service enrolling instructions.
When is the cut-off date for enrolling?
Close of enrolment times vary between universities and subjects. You can check the cut-off dates for upcoming study terms by visiting key dates.