Global Environmental Change and Policy

MSc Global Environmental Change and Policy equips those of you with a bachelor-level graduate degree in earth and environmental science, or related degree, with the multidisciplinary skills necessary to be able to understand and tackle complex global issues associated with climate change, societal challenges, and policy development. You’ll gain the highly integrated level of fundamental, applied, and communication-based knowledge needed to identify, characterise, and effectively find solutions to a range of challenges related to climate change.

You’ll understand the principles of environmental and earth system science, including a detailed knowledge of the earth system, and be able to make informed decisions on the future. You’ll also consider strategic environmental assessment, policy, legal, ethical and health and safety issues of concern in the marine environment.

This career-focused master’s programme will develop your technical, scientific, and managerial abilities, relevant for a marine science career in academia, industry, government and non-governmental organisations.

Our Expertise

Your learning will be informed by experts in earth and marine sciences from our Institute of Life and Earth Sciences (ILES), part of Heriot-Watt’s School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society. The School is one of the United Kingdom’s leading institutions for multidisciplinary research and teaching in areas critical to economic development and societal equity.

You’ll also benefit from teaching and research at the Lyell Centre, a leading centre in earth, marine and ecosystem sciences, and a collaboration between the British Geological Survey and Heriot-Watt University.

The research relevance of this postgraduate programme ensures your studies remain innovative and industry focused.

Industry

You will learn at our Edinburgh campus and benefit from teaching and research at the Lyell Centre, a leading centre in earth, marine and ecosystem sciences, and a collaboration between the British Geological Survey and Heriot-Watt University.

We work closely with industry to ensure our course content is up-to-date and reflects the current and emerging needs of industry and employers. You’ll gain the right blend of knowledge, practical skills, and soft skills to set you up for life after graduation.

The Earth Sciences project is often undertaken in collaboration, through co-supervision, with one of several world-leading research-based organisations within Edinburgh including:
- British Geological Survey

- Scottish Environmental Protection Agency

- Scottish Parliament Information Centre

- Edinburgh’s Dynamic Earth

- Natural Museum of Scotland

- Scottish Natural Heritage

- Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh