Cultural Landscapes MSc

This programme is structured around three compulsory courses, two thematic courses, one option course, and either a supervised dissertation of 15,000 words, or a 10,000-word project proposal with an associated research portfolio.

The range of thematic pathways and option courses available is determined by key areas of staff research in the College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences and is designed to change according to course availability each year.

Find out more about compulsory and optional courses

We link to the latest information available. Please note that this may be for a previous academic year and should be considered indicative.

The MSc in Cultural Landscapes seeks to provide the following core learning outcomes:

• Critical understandings of historic, contemporary as well as emerging debates and practices around the theme of cultural landscape.
• Advanced methodological training in cultural landscape research.
• Acquisition of rigorous research skills and practices.
• In-depth knowledge of a sub-field of landscape history and theory.
• Ability to apply landscape research to multiple areas of inquiry.

This programme is designed to provide the necessary preparation for a doctoral degree, or enhance your theoretical knowledge of cultural landscapes for a professional career outside academia.

It can provide you with the required skills and qualifications to find employment in the public, voluntary and private sectors related to cultural landscapes studies – for example, in areas of heritage, conservation, public art curation, arts and cultural management and landscape research. It can also deepen historical, theoretical and methodological engagement with landscape for those with established site-specific and public art practices.

Conducting postgraduate work in ECA fosters many vital skills and may give you a head start in the job market.

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

Your personal statement should address the following questions:

• Why are you interested in studying Cultural Landscapes?
• What do you think you will gain by studying Cultural Landscapes?

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

• Entry requirements by country

English language requirements

You must demonstrate a level of English language competency at a level that will enable you to succeed in your studies, regardless of your nationality or country of residence.

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

• IELTS: total 6.5 (at least 6.0 in each module)

• TOEFL-iBT: total 92 (at least 20 in each module)

• PTE Academic: total 61 (at least 56 in each of the "Communicative Skills" sections)

• CAE and CPE: total 176 (at least 169 in each module)

• Trinity ISE: ISE II with distinctions in all four components

Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS, TOEFL, PTE Academic or Trinity ISE, in which case it must be no more than two years old.

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.

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

Find out more about our language requirements:

• English language requirements

Featured funding

• Edinburgh College of Art scholarships

UK government postgraduate loans

If you live in the UK, you may be able to apply for a postgraduate loan from one of the UK’s governments. The type and amount of financial support you are eligible for will depend on your programme, the duration of your studies, and your residency status. (Programmes studied on a part-time intermittent basis are not eligible.)

• UK government and other external funding

Other funding opportunities

Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:

• Search for funding