Outdoor and Environmental Education MSc

This programme consists of 180 credits in total.

You will complete:

• a range of compulsory courses
• a professional development programme
• a final dissertation or applied project

Taught courses take place in Edinburgh and at bases across Scotland, where you will live and learn in the outdoors.

Teaching methods include:

• lectures
• seminars
• group discussions
• student presentations
• field courses
• residential courses
• self-study
• work experience or practicum

Compulsory courses

You will take compulsory courses, including:

• Foundations of Outdoor and Environmental Education
• Outdoor Environmental Education: Concept-Based Practice
• Place-Based Education and Outdoor Learning in the City
• Education for Environmental Citizenship
• Outdoor and Environmental Education Praxis
• Ecology and Field Studies

Dissertation or applied project

As a master's student, you will complete a dissertation or applied project that allows you to demonstrate your ability to reflect on and apply the knowledge you have gained throughout the programme.

Professional Development Programme

The Professional Development Programme (PDP) combines the theory and practice of outdoor and environmental education in residential, journeying and workplace situations. It also offers unique opportunities to live and learn in Scotland’s land and seascapes.

Core elements may include:

• canoeing
• summer hill-walking
• winter hill-walking
• sea kayaking
• placement (20-day)
• rock climbing
• Firbush Outdoor Centre
• first aid

To facilitate and broaden direct experience of teaching outdoors, you will complete a 4-week (20 day) professional placement.

Placements take place at a stage in the programme when you can effectively contribute to the agencies you choose to work with, relating your experience to the theoretical material covered in class.

You may work with:

• environmental education organisations
• inner-city projects
• special needs organisations
• management training
• outdoor education centres

This programme emphasises:

• developing knowledge, understanding and judgement for facilitating meaningful outdoor learning
• exploring a range of connected subject areas and the particular demands of teaching in a variety of settings
• developing your intellectual skills through critical assessment of theoretical, professional, and academic issues
• transferable skills such as environmental literacy and oral communication
• expanding your understanding and personal practice of outdoor education through a range of professional development activities

Students who complete this MSc degree can continue onto advanced research (PhD) and a possible academic career.

You will also develop highly transferable skills, such as communication and project management, which can be applied in any field.

Graduates are employed worldwide in areas such as:

• residential outdoor education centres
• wilderness expeditions
• environmental education programmes
• school, college and university outdoor education programmes

Examples of recent graduate roles include:

• conservation work (public and charitable organisations)
• education and environmental policy development
• non-profit organisations focused on environmental and/or personal and social development
• organisations working with marginalised young people
• therapeutic work with young people and adults
• self-employed in guiding, interpretation and education
• summer camp organisations
• National Outdoor Leadership School
• Outward Bound
• management development

Courses take place at our Edinburgh campus and multiple bases in the Scottish Highland. From these locations, you will journey by boat or on foot to live and learn in the outdoors.

These entry requirements are for the 2025/26 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2026/27 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2025.

A UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent.

We may also consider your application if you have relevant employment or experience; please contact us to check before you apply.

Students from China

This degree is Band C.

• Postgraduate entry requirements for students from China

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

• Entry requirements by country

English language requirements

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency which 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 6.5 in writing, and 6.0 in all other components. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
• TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 100 with at least 23 in writing, and 20 in all other components. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements
• C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 185 with at least 176 in writing, and 169 in all other components.
• Trinity ISE: ISE III with passes in all four components.
• PTE Academic: total 73 with at least 65 in writing, and 59 in all other components. We do not accept PTE Academic Online.
• Oxford ELLT: 8 overall with at least 7 in writing, and 6 in all other components.

Unless you are a national of a majority English speaking country, your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start of the month in which the programme you are applying to study begins. If you are using an IELTS, PTE Academic, TOEFL, Trinity ISE, or Oxford ELLT test, it must be no more than two years old on the first of the month in which the programme begins, regardless of your nationality. (Revised 11 February 2025 to correct requirements from IELTS Academic: total 7.0 with at least 6.5 in all components.)

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:

• UKVI list of majority English speaking countries

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries (non-MESC).

• Approved universities in non-MESC

If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old at the beginning of your programme of study.

Find out more about our language requirements:

• English language requirements

Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:

• Search for funding