Graduate Diploma in Carbon Accounting & Life Cycle Assessment
This Graduate Diploma is built on 20 years of expertise in Life Cycle Assessment developed in the School of Biosystems and Food Engineering. The climate crisis and wider environmental concerns have come into sharp focus recently. Companies are now expected to know how to estimate and respond to data describing their environmental impact. This programme focuses on three ISO standards that underpin carbon foot printing of products (SIO14067) , greenhouse gas emissions of organisations (ISO14064) and a wider range of impacts estimated using life cycle assessment (ISO14044). The programme is part-time over 12 months, and will allow you to upskill or reskill to work in a company sustainability team.
Climate change, environment, and Corporate Social Responsibility are creating an ever increasing demand for employees with skills in carbon footprinting, GHG accounting, and Life Cycle Assessment. Drivers of this demand are the Greenhouse Gas Protocol (particularly understanding and managing scope 3 emissions), the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (2021) Act, Future Jobs initiative “transition to low carbon economy’ and Ireland’s National Plan on Corporate Social Responsibility.
This programme provides the competency, knowledge, and skills required to work with ISO standard methods for carbon footprinting, GHG inventory, and life cycle assessment in a commercial environment.
Modules
- Life Cycle Assessment (5 ECTS) This module introduces the principles and methods of life cycle thinking and life-cycle assessment (LCA) with specific reference to agriculture, food and energy systems using attributional LCA.
- Carbon Footprinting (10 ECTS) This module introduces the principles, methods and application of carbon footprinting methods for the assessment of products in line with International Standards
- Carbon and Sustainability (5 ECTS) This module will introduce options for natural carbon sequestration in sustainable agri-food systems, the bioeconomy and climate change mitigation. The extent to which natural carbon sequestration measures can be managed, measured and economically valued will be critically assessed.
- LCA Applications (5 ECTS) This module is based around using industry standard LCA software to create an LCA model for a bioresource system (renewable energy system; food system, environmental system, agricultural system).
- GHG Accounting (10 ECTS) This module introduces the principles, methods and application of Greenhouse Gases (GHG) inventory methods for assessing organisations in line with International Standards
- Industry Project (30 ECTS) You will identify, with the assistance of the module coordinator, a topic for a major project to be conducted under the supervision of a member of staff of UCD School of Biosystems and Food Engineering or another expert identified as most appropriate.
Entry Requirements
Level 8 Honours degree or at least 5 years relevant work experience
The diploma is aimed at scientists and engineers working in any sector who have or plan having, responsibility associated with environmental impact, climate, carbon, and GHG accounting, typically as part of the team under a chief sustainability officer or similar senior manager.
Course Information
NFQ: Level 9
CREDITS: 60
AWARD TYPE: Graduate Diploma
LOCATION: Online
DURATION: This programme will be delivered online part-time from September 2024 to June 2025.
COST: Fees do not apply to applicants who meet the Springboard+ initiative funding criteria. For employed applicants the HEA will pay 90% of the programme fee, the remaining 10% – €895 will be payable before registration. For applicants who do not meet the Springboard+ eligibility criteria the fee is €8,950.
NonEU applicants can apply, the fee is €13,780.
Applications Closed for 2024
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Katie O’Neill, Marketing Manager
Phone: +353 (0)1 7161781
