Why study Ecological Economics at Edinburgh?

Why study Ecological Economics at Edinburgh?

  • Our innovative programme has been running for over 30 years, aiming to equip students with a new way of seeing the world.
  • You will learn about “wicked” sustainability problems that involve complex interrelationships between economies, societies, and the environment: the core focus of Ecological Economics.
  • We will empower you to analyse how the economy and economic decisions affect our progress towards a more just and sustainable future.
  • We will teach you how to be a confident Ecological Economist, by employing flipped-classroom designs, team-based learning, and problem-based learning methods. 
  • You will benefit from the interdisciplinary nature of Ecological Economics, as we welcome students from a variety of academic backgrounds, including the natural and social sciences, as well as the arts and humanities.

Online events

Online events

We're running a series of online events for applicants and offer holders.

These events will give you a unique opportunity to ask questions and find out more about studying with us at Edinburgh.

Information on how to book will be placed here once our next event is confirmed.

Back to the applicant website

Your courses

This MSc programme comprises: 

  • 80-credits of compulsory courses 
  • 40-credits of optional courses 
  • Independent research project (i.e. a dissertation) 

The four, 20-credit compulsory courses are: 

These courses focus on the development of conceptual understanding, as well as on technical, methodological, and transferable skill development. This training supports students moving into a wide range of career paths, including interdisciplinary postgraduate research programmes. The programme makes use of a number of teaching approaches that facilitate hands-on, experiential learning. This means that students graduate having had the opportunity to engage in some of the practice of being an Ecological Economist.  

You can find out more about compulsory and optional courses on the Degree Programme Tables (DPTs). Please note that the information on the current DPTs is for academic year 2024-25 and is subject to change in future years. 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

The dissertation is the capstone of the MSc experience. It will be your opportunity to explore a question of your choosing, using a method of your choosing and it will allow you to demonstrate your ability to lead a small project related to Ecological Economics from start to finish (i.e. from the design stage through to the reporting and dissemination stage). Although you will get to be in the “driver’s seat”, you will have support and mentorship from your supervisor and the wider programme.  

You will build up to completing your dissertation throughout the academic year. The skills and competencies that you need to successfully complete a dissertation related to Ecological Economics are practiced in the compulsory courses. This is by design, and helps to ensure that you are ready to complete a dissertation, even if you have never undertaken one before. 

The programme will also help to connect you with potential topics and supervisors, and will remain a source of guidance and advise throughout the process. A list of past titles is available upon request.

Future of your subject

It has never been clearer that the world needs more people who are able not only to analyse how the current economic systems affect sustainability, but also who can envision more just and sustainable alternatives for the future. 

Pre-arrival reading list

Where will you be taught?

The compulsory courses for the MSc in Ecological Economics are taught at various campuses and buildings, including the King’s Buildings campus, ECCI, and the Central Campus.

The rooms assigned change from year-to-year and are generally available in August prior to the start of each new academic year. 

Similarly, depending on the option courses you choose, you may study at various campus locations in Edinburgh.

Scotland's Rural College (SRUC)

The MSc Ecological Economics is delivered in collaboration with Scotland's Rural College (SRUC). You will benefit from being a fully enrolled student at the University of Edinburgh, as well as access to all of the complementary staff, expertise, and resources at SRUC. 

Upon successful completion of your MSc, you will be awarded your degree by the University of Edinburgh.

Field trips/excursions

Field trips/excursions

The most significant trip is the residential study tour associated with the compulsory course “Ecological Economics: Field Methods in Research and Practice”. It functions as the culmination of this course, and also as the bridge between the taught component of the MSc programme and the dissertation. It will involve primary data collection, analysis and communication with stakeholders. You will also gain valuable experience in project design, data collection and analysis. Throughout this process, you will work in teams and be mentored closely by our expert staff.  

Currently, we travel to Spain for this study tour, though the location of the trip is subject to change. We will be guided in terms of what we focus on by the needs of the local community that hosts us. Previous years have carried out projects that explored: 

  • Perceptions of a just energy transition 
  • Women’s perspectives of rural change 
  • Envisioning conceptions of a good quality of life 
  • Attitudes to conservation and environmental management 

You may also experience shorter field trips at other points in the year, either through Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) or the courses you are taking. Our compulsory field trips or field courses are free, including travel and accommodation. 

Scholarships

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.

Scotland's Rural College (SRUC) alumni discount

The SRUC alumni discount aims to encourage SRUC graduates to take up opportunities to study taught masters (MSc). SRUC may provide a financial contribution towards tuition fees for eligible applicants for SRUC programmes delivered in conjunction with the University of Edinburgh.

Careers

Careers

We are proud of our graduates, and many have gone on to jobs in government, NGOs, industry and academia around the world. 

Some examples include:

  • New Economics Foundation
  • UN Environment World Conservation Monitoring Centre
  • Centre for European Policy Studies
  • Delta Energy and the Environment
  • Living Wage Foundation
  • Octopus Energy
  • Energise
  • LTS International

You can find a comprehensive list on the degree finder under 'Career opportunities'.

Alumni

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 directors

Find out more about your programme directors.

Corinne Baulcomb

Corinne Baulcomb

The programme director for our MSc in Ecological Economics is Corinne Baulcomb. Corinne is an Ecological Economist who specialises in the application of Ecological Economics methods and concepts to coastal and marine systems. Corinne's interests centre around analysing complex socio-ecological systems, and more specifically, the way humans affect the sustainability and resilience of these systems. She is currently the course organiser for several courses in the programme (‘Foundations in Ecological Economics’, ‘Ecological Economics: Field Methods in Research and Practice’, and ‘Advanced Topics in Ecological Economics’). Outside the MSc, you may find Corinne cycling around Edinburgh/Midlothian or swimming/paddleboarding/pack-rafting in the sea.

Why Edinburgh?

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Dr. Seb O'Connor

Dr. Seb O'Connor

The deputy programme director for the programme is Seb O'Connor. Seb is an interdisciplinary Ecological Economist with a particular interest in environmental philosophy and ethics. As a result, he is interested in the ethical framings of human-nature relationships, and how institutions can better support non-extractive and more reciprocal human-nature dynamics. He explores this through understanding and working with human-nature values to facilitate more democratic and participatory decision-making. This focus on working with plural values lends itself to more qualitative research approaches such as using deliberative, arts-based, participatory and collaborative research methods.   

Seb will be co-organising the Foundations in Ecological Economics course as well as making several appearances over the Environmental Valuation course. He also organises the Centering Racial Justice in Sustainability Transformations course and co-organises the Participation in Policy and Planning course. He will also be the dissertation course organiser for the programme.   

In his spare time, Seb is a keen composter and gardener. He is often swimming (well splashing around) in the sea as well as being a football fan (both playing and watching). He is also trying to get better at surfing when he can, visiting the many beautiful beaches around the East Lothian coastline. 

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