Management of Bioeconomy, Innovation and Governance MSc

This programme responds to the rapid growth in the global bioeconomy by providing the core knowledge and skills needed to compete in a rapidly evolving, highly skilled workforce.

The Masters in Management of Bioeconomy, Innovation and Governance (MSc MBIG) is an innovative and dynamic postgraduate qualification designed to meet the increasing demand for skilled people in the growing global bioeconomy.

The MSc MBIG programme responds to a number of key challenges:

• developing innovations in life science responsibly
• identifying and exploiting value throughout innovation ecosystems
• bringing new technologies to existing and emerging markets

To meet these modern challenges, MSc MBIG provides you with a dynamic set of competencies, and knowledge about life science innovation, as highly desired by prospective employers in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors.

MSc MBIG enables its graduates to take an active role in the workforce, contributing to development of the bioeconomy in industry, policy, regulatory, not-for-profit or academic capacities. You learn how to respond to globally important challenges by contributing to innovative developments in, for example:

• healthcare
• agriculture and other land uses
• energy
• industrial biotechnology and environmental remediation in developed and developing economies.

Our programme takes a qualitative approach and teaches customised methods to deal with complex issues such as:

• foresight and innovation systems analysis
• strategic decision making in companies
• value chain analysis and business model development
• product and process regulation
• ensuring ‘responsibility’ in research and innovation

Areas covered by the programme

Areas covered by the programme include:

• agricultural biotechnology
• sustainable food and animal production
• synthetic biology
• pharmaceuticals and antimicrobial resistance
• stratified medicine
• industrial biotechnology
• genetic databases
• biofuels and energy-related developments

MSc MBIG graduates will excel in strategic thinking that brings globally contextualised solutions to practical problems relating to:

• innovation and firm strategy
• policy and regulation
• collaborative R&D models
• governance and intellectual property

You benefit from the programme's unique position within the University. MSc MBIG benefits from its strong association with the Innogen Institute - a research institute renowned for its interdisciplinary study of the life sciences, proximity to world-leading science and medicine, government, and key policymakers; and long-standing collaborations with commercial and not-for-profit sectors within the bioeconomy.

• Innogen Institute

The programme is delivered by the Science, Technology and Innovation Studies (STIS) subject group within the University of Edinburgh's School of Social and Political Science, allowing you to take full advantage of the vibrant community at one of Europe's leading centres for social science research.

More programme details

You can find more details about this programme, including student testimonials and suggested reading recommendations, on the programme webpage:

MSc Management of Bioeconomy, Innovation and Governance

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.

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 6.0 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

Basic scientific knowledge is no longer sufficient for building a successful career in the growing bioeconomy.

There is a high demand for trained professionals in this area, and this degree is an opportunity to impress prospective employers in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors with expertise in life science innovation.

You may also choose to continue your studies and pursue an academic career in this rapidly growing field.

The transferable skills you gain in areas such as communication and research will give you an edge in the employment market, whatever your eventual career.