Environment, Culture and Society MSc

Level: Postgraduate taught

Subject: Geography

Year of entry: 2026

Study options

Mode of study

On campus

Full-time
  • MSc | 1 year | Start date: September 2026

Key facts

School

School of GeoSciences

College

College of Science and Engineering

Study location

Central Area

Accreditation

Not available

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About the degree programme

Our MSc Environment, Culture and Society provides up-to-date knowledge of the contemporary issues and debates on the relationships between the environment, nature, culture and society.

Taught by world-leading experts, the programme draws on expertise from across the University, especially from:

  • geography
  • social and political studies
  • landscape architecture
  • literature
  • archaeology
  • philosophy
  • theology
  • science and technology studies
  • development studies

It provides you with a unique, critical and creative perspective on current environmental issues and possible futures.

During this programme, you will learn to think critically across disciplinary divides, engage creatively and generate new knowledge related to the environment. In addition, you will be able to use this knowledge effectively to address urgent environmental challenges across a range of specialities such as:

  • policy
  • conservation
  • education
  • public consultation
  • the arts

Welcoming students from a variety of backgrounds, this exciting MSc will explore the core perspectives, concepts, and practices from the arts, humanities and social sciences needed to imagine and enact sustainable environmental futures.

Video: Study an MSc in Environment, Culture and Society

Study an MSc in Environment, Culture and Society.

Programme benefits

  • This MSc allows you to understand the roots of our current environmental emergency and the possibilities for a better future from a humanities perspective.
  • The programme's interdisciplinary nature is ideal if you have a background in environmental humanities, social sciences, or creative arts.
  • There is a lot of flexibility in the programme, enabling you to customise your learning in areas you are most passionate about.
  • You will be able to benefit from research collaborations and networks spanning multiple areas of the University, such as the Edinburgh Environmental Humanities Network.

The MSc Environment, Culture, and Society was exactly what I was looking for in a masters degree. The programme blended the practical, the philosophical, and the political components surrounding environmental change and helped provide a rounded understanding of the issues facing us today. The curriculum was both challenging and rewarding, while also fostering a curiosity to explore. The professors were caring, engaged, and genuinely invested in not only my education but my development as a person.

Jake Glenshaw MSc Environment, Culture and Society, graduated 2025
Jake Glenshaw, MSc Environment, Culture and Society graduate

Tuition fees

Tuition fees by award and duration

Tuition fees for full-time and part-time options are listed for one academic year.

Full-time

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)

Find out more about tuition fee deposits

Costs

Additional programme costs

Field trips and field courses

Your programme fees will cover the costs of travel, accommodation and subsistence on compulsory field trips or field courses. However, you must pay for incidental or personal expenses. You may wish to budget approximately £100 to £150 for suitable outdoor clothing and footwear for compulsory field work.

Depending on the location of the fieldwork, you may need to pay for any visa costs. However, this cost will be reimbursed.

Dissertation costs

The School of GeoSciences operates a fund to support you with activity related to your dissertation project, such as specialist software licenses or travel expenses for site visits. 

On the rare occasion that costs exceed the funding amount, you may be required to cover additional costs. This is not common, and the University is typically able to provide any resources required to undertake your dissertation project.

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

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 money
    • taking out a loan
    • family support
  • personal savings
  • income from work
  • employer sponsorship
  • scholarships

Explore sources of funding for postgraduate study

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

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. 
 
We may also consider a UK 2:2 honours degree, or its international equivalent, with relevant industry experience.

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

This MSc programme (total 180 credits) comprises:

  • compulsory and option courses (total 120 credits)
  • dissertation (60 credits)

Compulsory courses

You will study 60 credits of taught courses.

Compulsory taught courses currently include:

  • Values and the Environment
  • Political Ecology
  • Creativity and the Environment
Topics

Examples of possible topics to explore in this MSc include:

  • different ways to value the environment beyond profit
  • the role of the arts in engaging audiences about climate change
  • humanities-based approaches to the ocean (Blue Humanities)
  • how nature is produced in different settings and contexts
  • the role of social movements
Dissertation

You will also complete an independent research project called a dissertation. This is your opportunity to explore, in-depth, a topic of your choice in relation to the programme. You can use the dissertation to demonstrate your work to potential employers.

This is worth 60 credits and typically consists of producing a written paper of 10,000 to 15,000 words. You may also be required to write a project proposal, or present on the findings from your dissertation.

Your project is mostly completed over a period of several months between April and August. However, the teaching team will work with you throughout the programme to help you prepare for the dissertation project.

Examples of previous dissertation titles include:

  • Growing Together: How seeds and the people who save them shape each other and the world
  • Neoliberalizing and commodifying nature: Safari Park in Phu Quoc, Vietnam
  • Indigenous-led Conservation: An eco-cultural response to Pacific salmon decline in British Columbia, Canada
  • Hostility as slow violence: a geographical analysis of the everyday experiences of practitioners working in the UK asylum system
  • Folklore and rewilding forests: Looking at the use of Scottish folklore narratives on rewilding initiatives within the Highlands
  • Diving deep: an ethnographic study of dumpster diving practices
  • Can board games save our planet?
  • To what extent is the British countryside the “terrain of whiteness”: A case of the National Trust
Dissertation with external partners

You may also have the option to complete a dissertation project in partnership with an external organisation. We work with our wide network to find opportunities for these projects, enhancing the real-world relevance of your degree and your impact outside of academia. 

This option is not guaranteed and may require an interview, depending on the popularity and competitiveness of the project offered by the external organisation.

Option courses

You will study 60 credits of option courses. 

You can use these to specialise and align with your personal interests and career goals. You will be able to choose from a wide selection of courses from across areas such as the School of GeoSciences, School of Social and Political Science, and School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures.

Although we try to provide a wide range of option courses to choose from, these can be subject to change or cancellation at short notice. Places on option courses can be limited due to course capacity and timetabling constraints. It may not be possible to guarantee every offer holder their top choice of option courses.

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

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

Disclaimer

Future programme changes

This programme is undergoing changes which will impact this MSc programme from September 2027 onwards. Details of new programmes can be expected in Autumn 2026. 

These upcoming changes are not expected to impact you if you are applying for entry in September 2026.

Fieldwork course review

The School of GeoSciences is undergoing a review of its fieldwork courses. This review focuses on improving the inclusivity and accessibility of fieldwork, whilst delivering sustainable and low-carbon experiences, and maintaining pedagogical excellence.

As a result, field course locations may vary year to year, but will always align with course learning outcomes.

Field trips

Our compulsory field trips or field courses are free, including travel.

This programme provides several day trips and workshop opportunities across Scotland. Previous locations have included the Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh, Jupiter Artland and Fala Moor.

Accessibility on field trips

We are committed to making our degree as accessible and inclusive as possible. In the event that you cannot attend a fieldwork trip, we will provide alternatives with comparable learning outcomes where necessary.

Teaching and assessment

Teaching

You will experience a range of learning styles, depending on the subject matter and courses you are taking. 

Teaching for this programme will typically involve a mix of:

  • lectures
  • discussion and reading groups
  • flipped-classroom teaching
  • workshops
  • learning outside the classroom

Assessment

You will be assessed in a variety of ways, such as:

  • book reviews
  • creative essays
  • poetry
  • zines
  • course papers
  • presentations

Learning outcomes

On completing the MSc Environment, Culture and Society, you will be able to:

  • Understand the importance of ideas in historical, contemporary and future approaches to the environment.
  • Demonstrate knowledge of key concepts in the environmental literature.
  • Critically assess a range of philosophical and conceptual approaches to the environment from across the humanities, arts and social sciences.
  • Think about environmental problems across disciplinary boundaries.
  • Use concepts, ideas and methods from the environmental literature to address urgent environmental challenges across a range of specialities such as policy, conservation, education, public consultation and the arts.
  • Create and generate new knowledge about the environment through a range of media, including academic and creative forms of text and image.

Support for your studies

Student Experience Team

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 within the School's Student Experience Team, 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

Cohort activities

You will also have access to a range of cohort activities. These are a mix of social and academic support events. 

Social events are often student-led. Previous programme cohorts have organised activities such as:

  • film nights
  • local day trips
  • going to poetry open mics at the Scottish Poetry Library 

Academic events often include sessions such as dissertation support workshops.

The most rewarding part of the programme was the people I completed it with. Taking MSc Environment, Culture and Society has immersed me amongst interesting and talented minds from around the world. Studying amongst them was a wonderful privilege, and I am so thankful for the year I spent learning with them. The programme has done a fantastic job of curating a student body that is engaged, diverse, and multifaceted in their approaches and understandings of the world. Learning with them is a key part of what made my experience at the University of Edinburgh so rewarding.

Jake Glenshaw MSc Environment, Culture and Society, graduated 2025

Our academic staff

Courses are delivered by staff who are active researchers in each field. Their expertise is supplemented by selected guest speakers, generally from external organisations or other research organisations, as well as creative practitioners in art, music and creative writing.

Where you will study

Study location

The majority of your teaching will take place at the Central campus. Depending on your choice of option courses, you may need to travel to our King's Buildings campus.

Academic facilities

You will have access to the University's facilities across all University sites.

For example:

  • libraries
  • study spaces (some of which are open 24 hours)
  • laboratories
  • computing facilities
  • social spaces
  • leisure facilities

You will also have access to the Masters Hub, located in the ECCI building at the Central campus.

Visit the ECCI website

Career opportunities

Our graduates have been successful in pursuing a variety of careers, including:

  • environmental policy
  • conservation
  • animal welfare
  • corporate social responsibility
  • education
  • business communications
  • theatre technician and production
  • research

Due to the diversity of the topics within the programme, you can work in a range of sectors. This includes:

  • government
  • non-governmental organisations (NGOs), such as environmental charities and development organisations
  • private sector
  • academia

Graduate destinations

Examples of the organisations in which our graduates have gained employment include:

  • Conservation International
  • National Forestry Commission
  • Scottish Natural Heritage
  • The Climate Group
  • The Conservation Volunteers
  • UNESCO World Heritage Centre
  • Provincial Ministry of Environmental and Climate Change (Canada)
  • KPMG Sustainability (Japan)
  • Environmental Law Institute (USA)
  • Barcelona Lab for Urban Environmental Justice and Sustainability
  • American Sportfishing Association (USA)
  • Clean Up Australia

Professional links

Networks

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

Previous examples of external practitioners include Creative Carbon Scotland, as well as creative practitioners in art, music and creative writing.

Research networks

You can also access and benefit from research collaborations and networks spanning multiple parts of the University of Edinburgh:

  • School of GeoSciences Cultural and Historical Geography Research Group
  • School of GeoSciences Geographies of Social Justice Research Group
  • Edinburgh Environmental Humanities Network

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)

Graduate profiles

Hear from our alumni about their experiences during, and after, postgraduate study

School of GeoSciences postgraduate alumni profiles

Video: Our student Kylie, on studying the MSc

Our student Kylie on studying an MSc in Environment, Culture and Society (graduated 2022).

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

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.

You should avoid applying to more than one degree within the School of GeoSciences. Applicants who can demonstrate their understanding and commitment to a specific programme are preferred.

If you plan to apply to more than one programme within the School, 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.

School of GeoSciences deadlines

When to apply

Due to high demand, the school operates a number of selection deadlines.

We strongly recommend you apply as early as possible. Applications may close earlier than the published deadlines if there is exceptionally high demand.

We may make a small number of offers to the most outstanding candidates on an ongoing basis. However, the majority of applications will be held until the advertised deadline.

We aim to make the majority of decisions within eight weeks of the selection deadline.

If we have not made you an offer by a specific selection deadline this means one of two things:

  • your application has been unsuccessful, in which case we will contact you to let you know
  • your application is still being considered, it will be carried forward for consideration in the next selection deadline, and we will be in touch once a decision is made

The final deadline may be extended if any places remain on the programme.

If the final deadline is extended, 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.

Selection deadlines

RoundApplication deadlineDecisions made or applications rolled to the next deadline
115 December1 March
231 March31 May
331 May31 July

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.

For this programme, you will need to submit a CV/Resume with your application.

Find out more about applications and CVs for further study

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:

What our students say

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:

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

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

General enquiries

Admissions

Lines open Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm.

College of Science and Engineering Admissions Enquiries
Phone:+44 (0)131 650 5737

Academic contact

For programme-specific enquiries, please get in touch with the Programme Director.

Dr Rachel Hunt

Programme Director

Contact details

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