Fire Engineering Science MSc Level: Postgraduate taught Subject: Engineering Year of entry: 2026 Study options Mode of study On campus Key facts School School of Engineering College College of Science and Engineering Study location King's Buildings campus Accreditation Available Apply now 19 to 21 November 2025: Postgraduate Virtual Open Days Join us live to explore postgraduate taught and research study at Edinburgh and gain key insights before you apply. Register now Overview About the degree programme Our 1-year MSc programme in Fire Engineering Science will provide you with a deep understanding of the fundamental physical processes of fire behaviour, and their application in engineering.New technologies and climate change are increasingly introducing new and complex fire hazards into environments that were previously considered low risk. As such a knowledge of fire science and its engineering application is critical for societies across the globe to manage, control and prevent the causes of fire.On this programme, you will learn how fires burn (fire dynamics), how regulators control fire risks, and how our environment can be changed to mitigate fire risks. You will also benefit from many practical opportunities to learn about how to measure and study fire phenomena through our fire laboratory class.As part of the dissertation, you will investigate a real-world fire engineering problem. This gives you the opportunity to contribute to enhancing fire prevention and mitigation methods of the future.United Nations' Sustainable Development GoalsBased on our compulsory course material, this degree aligns with many of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the top two being:SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and InfrastructureSDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities Programme rankings The School of Engineering is consistently ranked in the UK's top 10 universities for engineering (Times Higher Education rankings by subject 2025 and QS World University rankings by subject 2025)The School of Engineering’s joint submission with Heriot-Watt University in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework (REF) was ranked 1st in Scotland and 3rd in the UK by Times Higher Education, based on the quality and breadth of our combined researchThe University of Edinburgh is ranked 7th in the world and 2nd in the UK for sustainability, recognising our leadership in creating a more sustainable world (2025 QS World University Rankings) Fees, costs and funding Tuition fees Tuition fees by award and duration Tuition fees for full-time and part-time options are listed for one academic year. 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 If you receive an offer of admission you will need to pay a deposit to secure your place:£1,500 (this contributes towards your tuition fees)How and when to pay the deposit Costs Additional programme costs You may wish to consider purchasing your own laptop, however you can also make use of our laptop and internet loan services for free while studying with us.IT Requirements and Support 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:foodutility billstravel, clothes, books and stationeryrecreational costs (for example, TV subscriptions and social events)Living costsAccommodation costs depend on where you live while studying and the type of accommodation you choose.University postgraduate accommodation options and costs Funding opportunities Funding for postgraduate study is different to undergraduate study, and many students need to combine funding sources to pay for their studies.Most students use a combination of the following funding to pay their tuition fees and living costs:borrowing moneytaking out a loanfamily supportpersonal savingsincome from workemployer sponsorshipscholarshipsExplore sources of funding for postgraduate study Drysdale Scholarships To support the pipeline of graduates into this field, the University of Edinburgh is offering five full scholarships for home fees students, and two full scholarships for international students. View details: Learn more about the Drysdale Scholarship Search for other funding opportunities You can find scholarships, bursaries and other funding you might be eligible for on our Scholarships and Student Funding site.Postgraduate funding opportunities Entry requirements 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 mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, civil engineering, safety engineering, building engineering, architecture, urbanism, spatial planning, or applied physics. Examples of relevant courses include, but are not limited to, fluid dynamics, thermodynamics, structural analysis, engineering/building design project, and the analysis of risk. We may also consider your application if you have other qualifications or experience, or a background in another field; please contact us to check before you apply. International qualifications To find international equivalent qualifications, select where you studied from the country or region list. Where you studied - Select a country or region -AfghanistanAlbaniaAngolaArgentinaArmeniaAustraliaAustriaAzerbaijanBahamasBahrainBangladeshBelarusBelgiumBelizeBeninBoliviaBosnia and HerzegovinaBotswanaBrazilBulgariaBurkina FasoBurundiCambodiaCameroonCanadaChileChinaColombiaCosta RicaCôte d'IvoireCroatiaCubaCyprusCzech RepublicDemocratic Republic of CongoDenmarkDominican RepublicEcuadorEgyptEl SalvadorEritreaEstoniaEswatiniEthiopiaFinlandFranceGabonThe GambiaGeorgiaGermanyGhanaGreeceGuatemalaGuineaHaitiHondurasHong Kong-SAR ChinaHungaryIcelandIndiaIndonesiaIranIraqIrelandIsraelItalyJamaicaJapanJordanKazakhstanKenyaKorea, Republic ofKuwaitLatviaLebanonLesothoLiberiaLibyaLithuaniaLuxembourgMacau-SAR ChinaMadagascarMalawiMalaysiaMaldivesMaliMaltaMauritiusMexicoMoldovaMongoliaMontenegroMoroccoMozambiqueMyanmarNamibiaNepalNetherlands, TheNew ZealandNicaraguaNigeriaNorth MacedoniaNorwayOmanPacific IslandsPakistanPalestinian TerritoriesPanamaParaguayPeruPhilippinesPolandPortugalQatarRomaniaRussiaRwandaSaudi ArabiaSenegalSerbiaSierra LeoneSingaporeSlovakiaSloveniaSomaliaSouth AfricaSouth SudanSpainSri LankaSudanSwedenSwitzerlandSyriaTajikistanTaiwanTanzaniaThailandTogoTrinidad and TobagoTurkeyTurkmenistanUgandaUkraineUnited Arab EmiratesUnited States of AmericaUruguayUzbekistanVenezuelaVietnamWest Indies and CaribbeanZambiaZimbabweMy country or region is not listed 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 testa degree that was taught and assessed in Englishcertain 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 6.5 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 92 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 176 with at least 169 in each component. Trinity ISE: ISE II with distinctions in all four components. Oxford ELLT: total 7 with at least 6 in each component. Oxford Test of English Advanced: total 145 with at least 135 in each component. How old your English language tests can be Tests no more than two years oldThe 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 AcademicTOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition)Trinity ISEOxford ELLTOxford Test of English AdvancedTests no more than three and a half years oldAll 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 countriesWe 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-MESCHow old your degree can beIf 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 Programme details What you will study The programme runs over 12 months. You will take two semesters of taught courses, followed by a research project during the summer months, leading to the submission of your masters dissertation.The courses correspond to 120 credits of taught material, plus 60 credits for the dissertation, for a total of 180 credits for the year.Research project and dissertationAfter the completion of your taught courses, you will focus exclusively on a research project and dissertation over the summer, under the supervision of an academic member of staff. For this individual research project, you will be able to further your own interests and select from a wide range of topics, which reflects the breadth and depth of our expertise in the field of fire engineering.Some recent dissertation topics include:Fire safety of timber buildingsAnalysis of smoke in large atriaHeat transfer processes during flame spreadModelling of burning timberFlammability of different fuels in wildfireSustainabilityCompulsory course material on this programme reflects the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), primarily:SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and InfrastructureSDG 11: Sustainable Cities and CommunitiesFurther your knowledge of sustainability with our free training and resourcesSocial and civic responsibility is a key focus of the University.Learn more about our focus on social and civic responsibility in our Climate Strategy Teaching and assessment Teaching You will learn through a combination of:lectures with academic stafftutorials where you can deepen your problem-solving ability by directly interacting with staff and researchers from the Edinburgh Fire Research Centrelaboratory classes which offer the opportunity to get hands-on with the fire science diagnostic equipment and learn from leading researchers in fire safety science Learning outcomes On this programme, you will deepen your knowledge through opportunities to:learn from leading experts who are at the forefront of Fire Engineering and whose research informs your teachingbenefit from the wide-ranging backgrounds of our staff and students, from Engineering, Chemistry to Applied Physicsgain experience in using industry-standard resources and equipment in our dedicated fire lab and software packagesinteract with industry through extra-curricular activitiesOn successful completion of the programme, you will be able to:create, identify and evaluate possible fire safety engineering options in order to solve complex (multiparameter) problems.analyse experimental evidence and design situations and apply creative thinking to develop the appropriate solutions within the context of fire safety.conduct research and enquiry into fire safety science and engineering issues through research design, the collection and analysis of quantitative and qualitative data, synthesising and reporting.have an understanding of the complexity and multidisciplinary nature of many fire safety challenges and handle the complexity associated with ambiguity.evaluate fire safety information thoroughly; identifying assumptions, detecting false logic or reasoning and defining terms accurately in order to make an informed judgement about appropriate actions. 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 Careers and further study Accreditation The degree is accredited as an MSc programme for Further Learning by the Joint Board of Moderators for registration as a Chartered Engineer (CEng) with the Engineering Council. Career opportunities Internationally, there is great demand for graduates in this field. Expertise in fire safety engineering is particularly relevant as new technologies continue to change the fire hazards presented to people and the environment.Our previous graduates are in relevant employment, with the majority working in fire teams at engineering consultancies, and others working at research institutions, or pursuing further study. Further study After completing this programme, you may wish to consider applying for a PhD or other research programme.Applying for research degreesMoving 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 strengthstry different types of experiences and reflect on how and what you developget help finding work, including part-time jobs, vacation work, internships and graduate jobsattend careers events and practice interviewsget information and advice to help you make informed decisions Visit the Careers Service website Applying 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 There is no EUCLID data available for this programme. 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 documentsYou 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: a personal statementdetails of relevant knowledge/training skillsYou will also need to submit some or all of the following supporting documents:copies of your degree certificates and academic transcripts that confirm your current or final marksreferencesevidence you meet the English language requirementscertified translations if your original documents are not in EnglishWhen you start your application, you will be able to see the full list of documents you need to provide. ReferencesYou must submit one reference with your application. 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 applicationWe 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 decisionWhat to do if you receive an offer:Receiving an offerAccepting an offerSubmitting supporting documents Life at Edinburgh 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 programmeaccept an unconditional firm offer to study at the University by 31 Julystudy at the University for the whole of the academic year starting in SeptemberUniversity accommodation websiteAccommodation guarantee criteriaWe also offer accommodation options for couples and families.Accommodation for couples and familiesIf 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 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.SocietiesSport 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 Exercise, leisure and support facilities Outside of your studies, we offer a range of facilities that you might find useful day-to-day, including:sport and exercise facilitiesUniversity cafes and cateringEdinburgh University Students' Association (EUSA) venues and shopsa multi-faith chaplaincy for all faiths and nonea University nursery (based at King’s Buildings campus) 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 adjustmentsHealth and wellbeing support services Disability and Learning Support Contact General enquiries Phone line is open Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm. futurestudents@ed.ac.uk Phone:+44 (0)131 650 5737 Academic contact Dr Angus Law Programme Director Contact details Email: Angus.Law@ed.ac.uk
