About the degree programme

Understanding plant diversity and resources has never been more important. As we face the unprecedented challenges of climate change and environmental degradation, effective environmental surveillance and conservation depend on detailed knowledge of plants and their habitats. Understanding plant diversity also allows us to understand how best to use these incredible organisms for a more sustainable future.

This programme is run jointly by the University of Edinburgh and the world-renowned Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE). The RBGE is home to one of the world’s best living collections of plants (15,000 species across 4 sites, amounting to 5% of known world species), a herbarium of 3 million preserved specimens and one of the world’s most comprehensive botanical libraries. This diversity, coupled with the RBGE’s world-leading research, provides an unrivalled masters programme in plant biodiversity.

RBGE offers collections-based biodiversity research opportunities across a wide spectrum of organisms and geographical regions. Throughout the MSc programme, you will develop expertise across fungi, lichens, algae and plants, developing excellent identification and research skills. These skills are invaluable across a great many research areas from ecology to evolutionary genetics, and very much in demand in the commercial and education sectors.

Study options

This programme can be completed on a full-time or part-time basis.

The full-time programme is completed in one year and consists of two semesters of teaching including lectures, workshops and investigations, followed by a four-month research project.

Part-time study options

The programme can be taken on a part-time basis over two years.

Part-time students can choose one of the following study options:

  •  MSc Biodiversity and Taxonomy of Plants (60/120 credits) - 2 Years (Part-time): Take 60 credits of taught courses in the first year of study, followed by the remaining 60 credits of taught courses and the four-month research project in the second year of study
  • MSc Biodiversity and Taxonomy of Plants (120/60 credits) - 2 Years (Part-time): Take all taught courses in the first year, followed by the four-month research project in the second year of study

If you are interested in part-time study but unsure which option to apply for, you are encouraged to contact the Programme Director to discuss both options prior to submitting an application. It is possible to transfer between part-time routes prior to the commencement of study.

Please note that tuition fees due in each year of the part time programme will vary depending on the number of credits taken per year.

Programme rankings

  • 5th in the UK and 23rd in the world for Biological Sciences in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025
  • 4th in the UK and top-ranked in Scotland for research power by Times Higher Education (based on the 2021 Research Excellence Framework)
  • 90.6% overall student satisfaction in Biological Sciences in the latest Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey (response rate 45%)

Programme benefits

  • Study in one of the world’s best botanical gardens, immersed in plant collections at the heart of active research programmes
  • Learn with research experts across the whole span of plant and fungal diversity
  • Become part of a lifelong global community of botanical researchers

Tuition fees

Graduate discount

If you are a University of Edinburgh graduate, you will be eligible for a 10% discount on your tuition fees for this programme. You may also be eligible if you were a visiting undergraduate student.

Find out how to receive your graduate discount

Deposit

You do not have to pay a deposit to secure your place on this programme.

Costs

Accommodation and living costs

You need to cover your accommodation and living costs for the duration of your programme.

We estimate that you might spend £1,167 to £2,330 per month if you are a single student.

Living costs include:

  • food
  • utility bills
  • travel, clothes, books and stationery
  • recreational costs (for example, TV subscriptions and social events)

Living costs

Accommodation costs depend on where you live while studying and the type of accommodation you choose.

University postgraduate accommodation options and costs

Funding opportunities

These entry requirements are for the 2026-27 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2027-28 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2026.

Qualifications

A UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in biological, horticultural, or environmental science.

Relevant work experience is desirable (for example, any prior activities that would prepare you for the programme, such as: attending workshops or short courses, collecting trips, plant-related previous jobs, publication of papers etc).

Other degrees will be considered on an individual basis, provided that a keen interest in plants can be demonstrated.

Your personal statement should include information that shows how your background and aspirations for the future link together to make a good fit with this programme. Please include the following along with anything else you would like to tell us about in your personal statement:

  • Your motivations for doing this degree rather than others in biology
  • Your passion for plants

Please contact the teaching team at RBGE to discuss the personal statement requirement further:

studentsupport@rbge.org.uk

International qualifications

To find international equivalent qualifications, select where you studied from the country or region list.

English language requirements

You must prove that your English language abilities are at a high enough level to study this degree programme.

This is the case for all applicants, including UK nationals.

You can meet our English language requirements with one of the following:

  • an English language test
  • a degree that was taught and assessed in English
  • certain professional qualifications

English language tests we accept

We accept any of the following English language tests, at the specified grade or higher:

  • 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.
  • Oxford ELLT: total 8 with at least 6 in each component.
  • Oxford Test of English Advanced: total 155 with at least 135 in each component.
How old your English language tests can be
Tests no more than two years old

The following English language tests must be no more than two years old on the 1st of the month in which your programme starts, regardless of your nationality:

  • IELTS Academic
  • TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition)
  • Trinity ISE
  • Oxford ELLT
  • Oxford Test of English Advanced
Tests no more than three and a half years old

All other English language tests must be no more than three and a half years old on the 1st of the month in which your programme starts, regardless of your nationality.   

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We 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

How old your degree can be

If you are not a national of a majority English-speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old on the 1st of the month in which your programme starts.

This time limit does not apply to your degree if you are a national of a majority English-speaking country.

Find out more about our English language requirements

Find out about other English language qualifications we accept, including professional qualifications.

English language requirements

What you will study

The full-time programme consists of two semesters of lectures, workshops and investigations, followed by a four-month research project.

Your research project will be chosen in consultation with your supervisor, and will link directly with active research programmes at RBGE or other research institutions.

Find courses for this programme

Find out what courses you can study on this programme and how each of them are taught and assessed.

The courses on offer may change from year to year, but the course information will give you an idea of what to expect on this programme.

Full-time
Part-time

We link to the latest information available. This may be for a previous academic year and should be considered indicative.

Disclaimer

A series of changes to the programme are planned for 2026 entry:

  • combining several courses to provide six 20-credit courses
  • introducing a new course which acts as a valuable lead-in to your final project, enhancing your research and communications skills

The overall content of the programme will remain very similar to the existing programme structure.

If you have any questions about these changes, you can contact the teaching team via email:

studentsupport@rbge.org.uk

Field trips

The programme includes a range of field study trips:

  • an orientation trip to the Scottish Borders, usually for two nights during the first week of teaching, introduces you to course topics and gives you the chance to get to know some of the staff and your fellow students.
  • several local one-day field trips will be organised with a focus on cryptogams - ferns, lichens and bryophytes - and also fossils
  • a 2-week tropical field trip 
Tropical field trip

As part of the Diversity of Angiosperms course, you can go on a two-week tropical field trip. Previous trips have been to Belize and more recently to Colombia, and are usually planned to take place in January. It is a superb opportunity to experience tropical fieldwork, to hone your plant identification, plant collecting, and wider fieldwork skills. The trip incorporates assessment in the form of a field ID assessment and learning diary.

If travel is not permitted or you are unable to join the field trip, you can complete the required coursework using RBGE’s glasshouse collections.

Placements

Formal placements are not a part of the programme, but you will be based in a working botanical garden with opportunities for volunteering if time allows. There may also be opportunities to help with herbarium curation projects.

Teaching and assessment

Teaching

Teaching includes a wide range of approaches and provides opportunities to learn with active RBGE research staff and a range of experts from other institutions.

There is an emphasis on practical work. Looking closely at plants and allied organisms is a core part of the programme and consolidates skills in microscopy. Practical sessions are supported by lectures and tutorials.

For the genetics, analytical and conservation aspects of the programme, teaching will involve seminars, lectures and practical sessions. These cover data-handling and analysis.

You will get specific technical training tailored to your final research project. Depending on your area of study, this may involve training in molecular lab skills, bioinformatics, microscopy or other appropriate skills.

Assessment

Assessment incorporates a range of essays, short reports, funding proposals and practical laboratory exercises. Among these are in-class assessments that test your identification and interpretation of plants and allied groups. 

The assessments are designed to reflect the types of exercises you would likely encounter in a career in research or policy.

Learning outcomes

During this programme, you will:

  • develop an understanding of the biodiversity and taxonomy of land plants, algae and fungi
  • learn skills to identify important groups of land plants, algae and fungi
  • cultivate an understanding and experience of the biodiversity analysis methods which underpin our knowledge of plants and fungi
  • acquire and nurture an understanding of the diversity of plants through time and space, and how this influences real-life conservation decisions
  • increase and hone strong skills in scientific writing and research through a diverse selection of in-course assessments and a final thesis project.

Support for your studies

You will have access to a range of support services if you need them throughout your degree.

We will assign you to a student adviser, and this should be the first person to contact if you need help. They can guide you to other University service teams depending on what support you need.  

How we support you

You will also have a mentor at RBGE.

Where you will study

Study location

The programme is delivered mainly at RBGE but also at the University’s King’s Buildings campus.

Career opportunities

Our graduates can continue their research at PhD level, or may pursue a career in a range of biological areas including:

  • botany
  • taxonomy
  • ecology
  • conservation
  • education
  • policy

Past students have entered a wide variety of jobs at research institutions such as universities, conservation and government agencies and consultancies, or in industry.

Further study

After completing this programme, you may wish to consider applying for a PhD or other research programme.

Applying for research degrees

Moving on to a PhD (advice from the University's Careers Service)

Careers Service

Our Careers Service can help you to fully develop your potential and achieve your future goals. 

The Careers Service supports you not only while you are studying at the University, but also for up to two years after you finish your studies. 

With the Careers Service, you can: 

  • access digital resources to help you understand your skills and strengths
  • try different types of experiences and reflect on how and what you develop
  • get help finding work, including part-time jobs, vacation work, internships and graduate jobs
  • attend careers events and practice interviews
  • get information and advice to help you make informed decisions 

How to apply

You apply online for this programme. After you read the application guidance, select your preferred programme, then choose 'Start your application' to begin.

If you are considering applying to more than one programme, you should be aware that we cannot consider more than 3 applications from the same applicant.

When to apply

Programme start date Application deadline
14 September 2026 30 August 2026

We encourage you to apply at least one month prior to entry so that we have enough time to process your application. If you are also applying for funding or will require a visa then we strongly recommend you apply as early as possible.

When to submit your supporting documents

You must submit all supporting documents by the application deadline, or we will be unable to consider your application. Regardless of when you apply, you have 28 days from submitting your application to supply any supporting documents through the Application Hub, after which we will automatically reject your application.

Application fee

There is no fee to apply to this programme.

What you need to apply

As part of your online application, you will need to provide: 

You will also need to submit some or all of the following supporting documents:

When you start your application, you will be able to see the full list of documents you need to provide.

References

You must submit one reference with your application.

Apply

Select the award, duration and delivery mode you want to study. Then select the start date you want to apply for.

After you apply

Once you have applied for this programme, you will be able to track the progress of your application and accept or decline any offers.

Checking the status of your application

We will notify you by email once we have made a decision. Due to the large number of applications we receive, it might take a while until you hear from us.

Receiving our decision

What to do if you receive an offer:

Accommodation

We guarantee an offer of University accommodation for all new, single postgraduate taught students from outside the UK and new, single postgraduate research (typically PhD) students who:

  • apply for accommodation by 31 July in the year when you start your programme
  • accept an unconditional firm offer to study at the University by 31 July
  • study at the University for the whole of the academic year starting in September

University accommodation website

Accommodation guarantee criteria

We also offer accommodation options for couples and families.

Accommodation for couples and families

If you prefer to live elsewhere, we can offer you advice on finding accommodation in Edinburgh.

Accommodation information from the Edinburgh University Students' Association Advice Place

Please note that as this is a 12-month programme, you will need to be in Edinburgh from the start of your studies through to the end of the following August, when you will submit your research project/dissertation.

Societies and clubs

Our societies and sports clubs will help you develop your interests, meet like-minded people, find a new hobby or simply socialise.

Societies

Sport Clubs

The city of Edinburgh

Scotland's inspiring capital will form the background to your studies — a city with an irresistible blend of history, natural beauty and modern city life. 

Find out more about living in Edinburgh

Health and wellbeing support

You will have access to free health and wellbeing services throughout your time at university if you need them.

The support services we offer include: 

  • a student counselling service
  • a health centre (doctor's surgery)
  • support if you're living in University accommodation
  • dedicated help and support if you have a disability or need adjustments

Health and wellbeing support services 

Disability and Learning Support