Why study Climate Change Management at Edinburgh?
- This MSc was the first of its kind when it launched 15 years ago, and it continues to teach students how to confront the challenges of the global climate crisis
- If you want a career where you can be part of the solution to one of the world's greatest and most complex challenges, this programme is for you.
- We welcome a diverse range of graduates from the natural, environmental and social sciences, as well as from business, economics, management studies and other related degrees who are passionate about combatting climate change.
- We have a wide network to find opportunities for dissertation projects with external organisations, enhancing the real-world relevance of your degree.
- The MSc Climate Change Management course is associated with the Edinburgh Climate Change Institute (ECCI), bringing together consultancy, law, business, social science, technology, and policy experts to help develop a low-carbon society.
- This programme has excellent relationships with relevant employers and an exclusive alumni network on LinkedIn, with over 450 members covering more than 30 nations.
Online Information Session
Watch the recording of our online Information Session (19th Feb), hosted by Programme Director Dr Adam Hejnowicz.
Back to the applicant website
Pre-arrival reading list
Your courses
This MSc programme comprises:
- compulsory and option courses
- dissertation
Guest experts from government, industries, and non-government organisations (NGOs) from around the world will often be giving lectures. In addition, we offer several opportunities to network with these experts in person and live online.
You can find out more about compulsory and optional courses on the Degree Programme Tables (DPTs). This programme is undergoing structural changes as it transitions from MSc Carbon Management to MSc Climate Change Management. We link to the latest information available for this programme, which refers to the current MSc Carbon Management programme (24/25). Please note that this should be considered indicative. The DPTs for academic year 2025-26 will be published in April 2025.
Read more about selecting optional courses on the applicant website.
Your dissertation
A Dissertation Partnership programme has been running for 6 years. Many of the same companies and other organisations have maintained their engagement with us over that time because it is a win-win: the hosting organisation benefits from highly motivated and competent students working with them for 3 months while the student benefits from gaining access to a real-world problem to tackle and to a real-world working context that can help career decisions. Many students who have undertaken dissertations in partnership have gone on to be offered employment with the hosting organisation.
Previous examples of topics have included:
- A systematic review of carbon colonialism perpetuated by forest carbon offsetting in East Africa
- Industry perspectives on decarbonising Norwegian shipping industry
- Developing a carbon impact tool for flood damage to residential buildings
- Potential of a circular food system as framework to meet Net Zero Targets: Barriers for UK arable agriculture sector
- Can low-middle-income countries use the adaptation pathways approach to adapt traditional water resources management to climate change
- How to attract private capital for renewable energy investments in South Africa: An independent power producer perspective
- Energy policy for low carbon development in Cambodia: A LEAP Model Application
Study an MSc in Climate Change Management
Where will you be taught?
For this MSc Climate Change Management programme, the majority of teaching will be carried out at the Edinburgh Climate Change Institute (ECCI).
Depending on the option courses you choose, you may study at various campus locations in Edinburgh.
Our student Coby on studying the MSc
Scholarships
School of GeoSciences scholarships
Scholarships and student funding
You can find funding opportunities, tuition fees and costs of living for prospective UK and international postgraduate students on the University website.
You are also encouraged to undertake your own research into the range of potential scholarships and other funding outside the University for which you may be eligible.
Careers
In the climate change field, our graduates are employed by hundreds of organisations around the world.
Some examples include:
- Bloomberg New Energy Finance
- Carbon Sense
- Mott MacDonald
- Costain Group
- PwC
- John Wood Group
You can find a comprehensive list on the degree finder under 'Career opportunities'.
Alumni
We have a thriving global network of alumni living and working around the world.
As well as individual MSc programme networks, the School of GeoSciences has a large alumni network, which you can join after graduation.
You'll have the opportunity to engage with and learn from like minded individuals who can offer advice about shaping your career path.
You can read our alumni profiles to find out more about our graduates experiences throughout their studies and beyond on our website.
If you prefer to watch a video, you can watch our alumni interviews on YouTube:
Your programme director and cohort lead.
Find out more about your programme director and cohort lead.
Dr. Adam Hejnowicz
The programme director and cohort lead for this MSc is Adam Hejnowicz. Adam's research interests include: climate change adaptation; climate resilience; natures values; co-production and participatory mapping and futures approaches; community livelihoods; landscape; water-energy-food nexus; coastal deltas; ecosystem services; transformational change; systems thinking; sustainable development; environmental governance; public policy and evaluation; rural-urban continuum; religion and ecology.
Future of your subject
The climate emergency affects us all. Given the ongoing global impacts of the crisis, this area of study has never been more important. We need more people like you that want to work on climate crisis issues in all areas in society.
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