Rural Surveying & Rural Property Management

Land Economy (Rural Surveying/Rural Property Management) is concerned with the management of land and its resources, rural businesses and their associated activities and interests. This is the only masters programme of its kind in Scotland, accredited by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), and allows graduates to proceed to the Assessment of Professional Competence and full professional membership of the RICS.

This programme provides a range of knowledge and skills e.g. land management, public policy, law, planning, economics, and valuation, integrated to meet the future challenges facing landowners and land managers. As a rural land and business manager the student/graduate is concerned not only with practical land management but also with the financial, legal, planning, and policy contexts within which decisions are made and business interests managed.

Understanding of traditional land management (agriculture, forestry, sporting) and emerging and topical issues (environmental and conservation activities, tourism projects, countryside access, diversification and renewable energy initiatives) is combined with an understanding of the business skills necessary for successful decision-making and rural business management. Graduates will be ideally suited to contribute to driving energy transitions relating to land management, in particular wind, water, biomass and geothermal.