Environmental Sustainability MSc

Our world faces significant and complex challenges, from rising inequality to environmental issues. Global climate change is now affecting everyone on the planet.

Ensuring environmental sustainability and achieving it is one of the most significant challenges facing humanity in the 21st century.

• What is sustainability?
• What are the debates and challenges surrounding different models of sustainable development?
• How can economic and energy systems be restructured to combat climate change?
• What policies foster sustainability? What are the challenges and implications of implementing these in the ‘Global South’ and the ‘Global North’?

At this critical moment, more organisations are working to promote sustainable development, reduce human impacts on the environment, and achieve economic equity. These initiatives include the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

With the MSc Environmental Sustainability, you can explore these questions and other significant challenges affecting our world today and in the future.

What will I learn?

You will be encouraged to think across different disciplines and consider scientific, socio-economic, and policy perspectives to better understand sustainability and how it can be achieved in different geographical contexts.

You can explore critical social and global issues and ways to address these to benefit individuals, communities, societies and nature.

Our programme gives you an international perspective, focusing on regions in both the ‘Global South’ and ‘Global North’.

Edinburgh is a hub for organisations seeking to influence national and international environmental sustainability debates, giving you access to exciting case studies and opportunities for networking.

We also have excellent relationships with a variety of organisations, providing access to potential employers and opportunities to collaborate on dissertation projects that provide valuable real-world experience.

Edinburgh Climate Change Institute

This degree is associated with the Edinburgh Climate Change Institute (ECCI).

The ECCI brings together consultancy, law, business, social science, technology, and policy experts to help develop a low-carbon society.

Through ECCI, you will have the opportunity to work and network alongside professionals and potential employers within this high-demand field.

• Visit the Edinburgh Climate Change Institute website

What is it really like to study with us?

No one knows what it is like to study here better than the students themselves.

Our students are sharing their experiences - from studying to living in Edinburgh and everything in between.

Get social with us:

• Student experience blog
• School of GeoSciences Instagram
• School of GeoSciences Tiktok

When to apply

Please note: Due to high demand for this programme, we operate on a series of early application deadlines.

We strongly recommend you apply as early as possible. For dates and details, please refer to 'Application Deadlines' on the right panel of this page.

You should also avoid applying to more than one degree. Applicants who can demonstrate their understanding and commitment to a specific programme are preferred.

If you plan to apply to more than one programme, you should discuss your choices with us before you submit your application.

Where possible, we may make an alternative programme offer if you have been unsuccessful in your chosen programme.

These entry requirements are for the 2025/26 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2026/27 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2025.

A UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in a biological, environmental or physical science, geography, social science or other relevant subject. Due to the focus of this programme, business-related degrees are not suitable for entry.

Students from China

This degree is Band B.

• Postgraduate entry requirements for students from China

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

• Entry requirements by country

English language requirements

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency which will enable you to succeed in your studies.

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

• IELTS Academic: total 7.0 with at least 6.0 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
• TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 100 with at least 20 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
• C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 185 with at least 169 in each component.
• Trinity ISE: ISE III with passes in all four components.
• PTE Academic: total 73 with at least 59 in each component. We do not accept PTE Academic Online.
• Oxford ELLT: 8 overall with at least 6 in each component.

Unless you are a national of a majority English speaking country, your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start of the month in which the programme you are applying to study begins. If you are using an IELTS, PTE Academic, TOEFL, Trinity ISE, or Oxford ELLT test, it must be no more than two years old on the first of the month in which the programme begins, regardless of your nationality. (Revised 14 January 2025 to include Oxford ELLT.)

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:

• UKVI list of majority English speaking countries

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries (non-MESC).

• Approved universities in non-MESC

If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old at the beginning of your programme of study.

Find out more about our language requirements:

• English language requirements

The MSc Environmental Sustainability will prepare you for a wide range of roles within:

• environmental consultancy
• national and local government
• non-government organisations (NGOs)
• non-profit organisations
• environmental agencies
• education or research at community, national or international levels

You can apply critical thinking, policy analysis and interdisciplinary environmental skills in diverse sectors such as transport, renewable energy, ecosystem planning and management, community development, technology innovation and beyond.

There is diversity within the programme as you can tailor your option courses and dissertation to support your intended career path.

Our graduates

Recent graduates have been employed in sustainability-related roles in organisations such as:

• Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
• Carnegie Wave Energy
• E.ON
• Friends of the Earth
• German Council for Sustainable Development
• Global Justice Now
• Institute for European Environmental Policy
• International Energy Agency
• London Borough of Camden
• Marine Conservation Society
• Northumbrian Water Group
• Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
• John Muir Trust
• The Scottish Government
• Transport for London
• United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC secretariat)
• World Resources Institute
• Zero Waste Scotland

Networks

Through this MSc, you will meet a range of practitioners who offer their perspectives on taught courses, or through dedicated postgraduate career activities, and potentially through collaborations during your own dissertation research.

We have a host of guest speakers throughout the year, and they often have dissertation project ideas that you can undertake. Previously, this has led to further employment opportunities for our students.

We also organise career events and encourage dissertations conducted in partnership with external organisations.

Careers Service

Our award-winning Careers Service plays an essential part in your wider student experience at the University, providing:

• tailored advice
• individual guidance and personal assistance
• internships and networking opportunities (with employers from local organisations to top multinationals)
• access to the experience of our worldwide alumni network

We invest in your future beyond the end of your degree.

Studying at the University of Edinburgh will lay the foundations for your future success, whatever shape that takes.

• Careers Service