Profiles
Environment, Culture and Society students give their opinions of the programme.
Brian D. Williams 2009-10
(...) extremely beneficial to my current work in resource management and invasive species mitigation for the State of Wyoming's Game and Fish Department.
Brian D. Williams
2010 Graduate
The Environment, Culture, and Society (ECS) program is unique and distinct from other programs in the School of Geosciences. Its multidiscipline approach allowed for a significant amount of personal input on the direction of my studies and the material taught in the core-courses found application in every other course I took. Rather than teaching about environment, culture, and society, the courses provided a lens through which we can examine these topics.
This lens is extremely beneficial to my current work in resource management and invasive species mitigation for the State of Wyoming's Game and Fish Department. When setting goals and strategies, I am better able to account for and appeal to the range of values the public places on our natural resources and wild spaces.
Prospective students should consider how they want to address the program: As an academic subject that stands on its own? Or as an approach to apply to other fields? Both will find ECS beneficial but knowing what you want from the program will help you decide which classes to take and to create a research topic. The diverse faculty at the Institute of Geography was extremely helpful as I focused my research topic.
Amitangshu Acharya - 2010-2011
Studying the MSc Environment, Culture and Society programme at the University of Edinburgh has possibly been one of the best decisions of my life till now. As a development analyst working on water management projects in India, I often felt the need to develop a deeper understanding of the complex relationship between nature and society. Hence, discovering this course was serendipitous, to say the least. This course has a) widened my understanding of how environment, culture and society interact and shape each other and b) clarified basic questions that often vex practitioners, namely why and how to conserve nature? The MSc, Environment, Culture and Society programme is interdisciplinary, contemporary and incredibly flexible. It’s these three qualities coupled with an excellent academic unit that anchors this programme that makes it one of the most unique courses available. It not only helps development practitioners to fine tune their perspective of nature-society issues for re-engagement but also grooms them for a future academic career. Life beyond classrooms has been equally enriching, as Edinburgh has a rich intellectual ambience and European history and culture will be accessible in museums, street corners, parks, pubs and patisseries. It took me two years of struggle to get a scholarship to study this programme and as I near completion I realize that it was worth every bit of that effort.
Andrew Ormston - 2010-2011
I am a part time student using the course to explore a new career direction that builds on my professional background as a senior culture manager in the public sector, and latterly as a management consultant. The interdisciplinary nature of the programme has been helpful in exploring and defining areas of professional and personal interest. The University itself is a treasure trove for the mature student returning to education. My one word of caution would be that anyone interested in an academic career should 'bite the bullet' and do the course full time.
Aikaterini Pantazi, graduated 2009
The MSc Environment, Culture and Society programme is varied and exceptionally interesting
Aikaterini Pantazi
2009 graduate
The MSc Environment, Culture and Society programme is varied and exceptionally interesting, as it allows for a vital flexibility in optional courses and so has given me an excellent opportunity to cover a good range of material in my particular scientific interests.
The Human Geography seminar series was also of great interest as a basic platform for productive dialogue.
Along with studying, the University offered opportunities to develop my personal skills and the city of Edinburgh has been an overarching inspiration to develop my hobbies and creativity.
Overall, I found the programme to be particularly fulfilling. The creative input from the course organisers and lecturers has been really valuable.
Graeme Ferguson, graduated 2009
Edinburgh [has] a good arts and culture scene and fantastic access to the surrounding landscapes.
Graeme Ferguson
2009 graduate
My motivations for applying to the MSc in Environment, Culture & Society stemmed from the ways in which the programme bridged aspects of my academic and personal interests, in a way that my previous studies had been unable to do.
The taught element of the programme provides you the opportunity to combine a range of courses from a variety of schools and departments. This includes both vocational and practical modules and more abstract, conceptual elements.
The written dissertation at the end of the year enables you to focus on a subject of your choosing and develop a more complex understanding of your own research interests - something that can be pushed as far as you want.
The postgraduate community in particular is welcoming and mixed, and the staff and research groups both within Geosciences and across neighbouring departments provide a wealth of expertise and experience to draw upon.
Of course, studying at Edinburgh was a major attraction, not least because of the reputation of the university. Edinburgh as a city is very liveable, with a good arts and culture scene and fantastic access to the surrounding landscapes.
This article was published on Dec 8, 2011