About the programme
Carbon management is now at the heart of tackling climate change and has rapidly become a central part of the global business environment.
In this landmark collaboration between the world-renowned Schools of Geosciences, Economics and the Business School at the University of Edinburgh, the MSc in Carbon Management provides high-level knowledge, skills and training in the business, economics, policy, and science of carbon management.
The programme is designed for graduates who want an advanced academic qualification as a launch pad for a career in carbon and climate change management by business, industry and government.
The interdisciplinary nature of the course will give you a detailed understanding of climate science and economics and provides a broad and integrated understanding of carbon management.
You can devise study programmes suited to your own personal interests and career goals, through your choice of optional courses and individual research projects.
The MSc in Carbon Management has gone from strength to strength in the three years since its launch. It attracts students around 50 students each year, drawn from from over 25 nations and with a wide-range of backgrounds. Their common thread is a passion for using their expertise to tackle the challenges of global climate change.
Its students have given evidence on climate change to the Holyrood Parliament, received a standing ovation for their presentations at the Copenhagen climate conference, and have worked with a multitude of business and government partners on their research.
Our graduates have also been very successful in securing employment in the carbon and climate change sector, with graduate carbon masters being employed in roles ranging from government advisors and NGO researchers, to renewable energy project developers and commercial carbon management consultants.
Programme objectives
- Integration of economics and business research expertise with that in global carbon cycling, climate change impacts, adaptation and mitigation, to provide graduates with a holistic understanding of carbon management.
- Development of conceptual and analytical skills, to enable critical evaluation of the projected impact of climate change on businesses and consumers.
- Assessment of the policies - at international, national and local level - that have been devised to address the impacts of climate change, either through adaptation or mitigation.
- Development of key professional skills and expertise in carbon markets and international climate change mitigation mechanisms.
- To be a ground-breaking, vital and in-demand course, with students drawn from both EU and non-EU countries, with strong ties to industry and big business, and excellent graduate employment prospects.
Teaching and Assessment
MSc teaching is executed through a range of teaching and assessment modes all of which are designed to prepare the student the for the master's dissertation and employment outside of academia.
Teaching modes vary with courses but may include:
- formal lectures on targeted topics and case studies from around the world
- informal lectures with questions and group discussion
- reading lists from key peer-reviewed social and natural science literature
- practical classes including computer and decision tree modelling on some courses
- verbal feedback on previous practical work
- a chance to question lecturers on their expert topics
Assessment modes vary with courses but may include:
- short written responses and reviews of key readings and literature
- formal essays demonstrating critical thinking and analytic of complex topics;
- essay based exams on key content of courses
- group and individual visual and verbal presentations on case study topics
- group and individual poster session materials on case study topics
In 2010 the MSc in Carbon Management won the Price Waterhouse Coopers Award for ‘Teaching Employable Skills’. A central aim of our programme is to combine the teaching of high level theory and knowledge with the development of applied and work-place expertise.
As part of the programme, we provide bespoke training on carbon audits (in collaboration with the Carbon Trust), to give students hands-on experience of working with businesses on their carbon management. We also provide intensive training on climate change impact assessment and the development of adaptation strategies for business, local authorities, and governments.
Please feel free to get in touch if you have any queries.
This article was published on Feb 25, 2011