Ecological Economics

Entry requirements

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 appropriate work experience.

Applicants from a wide variety of backgrounds are welcome to apply, but all students will be expected to engage critically with economic and environmental concepts, and will also be asked to engage in both quantitative and qualitative analysis. Students whose undergraduate degrees have not addressed one or more these areas should highlight in their applications their abilities to learn and to engage with these subject areas.

English language requirements

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency at a level that 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.
• 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 70 with at least 59 in each component.

Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS, TOEFL, Trinity ISE or PTE, in which case it must be no more than two years old.

Months of entry

September

Course content

This postgraduate course focuses on using the application of economic principles to make sustainability and environmental management work in practice.

Designed to have a real-world focus, the course addresses genuine topical issues and ensures practical application of your knowledge as well the opportunity to experience Ecological Economics first hand.

A major part of that practical application is delivered through a study tour, usually to East Africa.

On completion of the course you'll be able to appreciate the systematic interaction between ecology, social systems and economics, vital for finding solutions to contemporary environmental problems. You'll also be well-equipped to examine and criticise how environmental and social policy is formulated and implemented in developed and developing world economies.

You'll have developed skills linked to your own specific areas of interest in specialist topics of your choosing, as well as some that appear in the top 15 ‘most wanted’ for the environmental sector, like multidisciplinarity, sustainability science and planning, and risk and uncertainty analysis.

The MSc Ecological Economics is awarded by the University of Edinburgh.