Future Infrastructure, Sustainability and Climate Change MSc, PgDip (ICL), PgCert

An interdisciplinary degree with Edinburgh Futures Institute

The climate emergency brings an urgent awareness of the inter-relationships between both our existing and future infrastructure and the societal, economic and environmental needs of people and planet. Planning and forecasting for resilience and adaptation is paramount for many countries. Over the next 30 years over $100 trillion will be invested globally in infrastructure as the pace of change and impacts from climate change accelerate, and the annual number of billion-dollar climate impact events increase and affect our futures.

The Future Infrastructure, Climate Change and Sustainability MSc programme combines an interdisciplinary approach to one of the most complex and challenging issues of our time. With leading experts from the University of Edinburgh and guest speakers from industry and public sector who are tackling future global challenges for infrastructure and society.

This programme is suitable for recent graduates and for professionals at early or mid-career stage, coming from a wide variety of backgrounds in the public, private, and third sectors.

The programme focuses on the:

• climate change infrastructure challenges ahead
• role of policy and innovation
• significance of transport, energy and society, planning and development for net zero
• infrastructure futures
• diverse place-based approaches

This programme equips you with the understanding and skills to influence and shape future infrastructure needs, policy, investments, planning, societal and environmental benefits. As part of Edinburgh Futures Institute’s (EFI) distinctive portfolio, the programme is built around:

• interdisciplinary thinking
• development of creative and critical approaches to actively building the future
• understanding of the data skills needed to address complex social challenges
• the application of knowledge to live, vital projects

Postgraduate study at the Edinburgh Futures Institute

This programme is part of an interconnected portfolio of postgraduate study opportunities at Edinburgh Futures Institute (EFI).

The Futures Institute supports interdisciplinary teaching, learning and research that is focused on complex global and social challenges. Our programmes are taught by academic experts from many different subject areas.

As a Futures Institute student, you should be proactive and motivated. You will be supported to develop creative, critical, and data-informed thinking that cuts across traditional disciplinary boundaries. You will have the space to think deeply about questions linked to your own passions and professional goals and will develop a project based on an issue that you care about.

As well as knowledge specific to your area of study, studying at Edinburgh Futures Institute will give you the skills and understanding you need to become a creative, confident, and critical citizen in a fast-changing world.

These skills include:

• core data skills
• data ethics
• the ability to interrogate issues of global scope using perspectives from across disciplines
• creative and analytic approaches to knowledge

You can join us regardless of whether you already have experience or practical skills in the use and application of digital data.

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 any discipline.

We will also consider your application if you have other professional qualifications or experience; please contact us to check before you apply.

Students from China

This degree is Band C.

• 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 6.5 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 23 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 176 in each component.
• Trinity ISE: ISE III with passes in all four components.
• PTE Academic: total 73 with at least 65 in each component. We do not accept PTE Academic Online.
• Oxford ELLT: 8 overall with at least 7 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

Global and national activities to deliver more sustainable infrastructure and address climate change challenges are creating exciting career opportunities in industry (local to multi-national), local and regional government, NGOs and international bodies and organisations.

The core elements of the programme address the data and higher-order skills we know are important for the future of work, confident and critical citizenship, and a thriving, just society. The multidisciplinary nature of the learning and core courses of this MSc mean graduates have a wide range of skills to address the challenges of the modern world and our rapidly changing environment.

Graduates with essential skills from this MSc will be well equipped to enter the job market and meet the needs of this growing and vital area. Careers may include roles in areas such as:

• policy
• innovation
• consultancy
• legal
• banking and investment
• economic development
• planning, delivery, and critical infrastructure