THE UNIVERSITY of EDINBURGH
DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2025/2026
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Degree Programme Specification
MSc Finance
 

MSc Climate Change Finance and Investment
To give you an idea of what to expect from this programme, we publish the latest available information. This information is created when new programmes are established and is only updated periodically as programmes are formally reviewed. It is therefore only accurate on the date of last revision.
Awarding institution: The University of Edinburgh
Teaching institution: The University of Edinburgh (Business School)
Programme accredited by: N/A
Final award: MSc / PG Diploma
Programme title: MSc Climate Change Finance and Investment
UCAS code: N/A
Relevant QAA subject benchmarking group(s): N/A
Postholder with overall responsibility for QA: Dr Inger Seiferheld
Date of production/revision: March 2021
Further Information: View the prospectus entry for this programme

External summary
Responding and adapting to climate change will drive trillions of dollars of new investment over the coming decades, with major transformations required across the economy, in sectors such as energy production and energy efficiency, industry, buildings, transport, infrastructure, forests and agriculture. These investments will be driven by complex combinations of government mandates, regulation, incentives, and carbon pricing mechanisms (e.g. carbon markets and taxes). In addition, financial actors of all types are integrating climate change into decision making around project finance, asset allocation strategies and broader portfolio management. Understanding the interactions between climate change goals, investments and financial flows is an essential part of seizing the opportunities and managing the risks associated with society???s response to climate change.

This programme offers a powerful combination of practitioner and academic input to the syllabus, which provides both a solid grounding in the subject matter, and an opportunity to specialise via individual and group assignments, electives and dissertations. It explores the connections between science, policy and finance to provide the conceptual and analytical frameworks for change markers in the field of climate change finance and investment. Bridging cutting-edge academic research and professional practice, a particular feature is the 10-week Carbon and Environmental Consulting Project, where groups of students work with partner organisations on a real-world project relating to climate change finance.

One of the first of its kind, the programme is a leading provider of climate change finance education internationally, with strong ties to business and excellent employment prospects for its graduates both in and outside of the UK.

Educational aims of programme
The MSc in Climate Change Finance and Investment is a ground-breaking postgraduate programme specifically designed to equip business, economics, and social and physical science graduates with the knowledge and skills required to enter professional roles at the intersection of climate change and the financial sector. Typical career paths for graduates include international climate finance, carbon consulting, ESG or sustainable finance, asset management, low carbon project finance, carbon entrepreneurship, climate change policy, and carbon accounting.

The MSc in Climate Change Finance and Investment leverages the strengths of the UoE Business School to offer a specialized, finance- and market-oriented programme designed to give its graduates the skills and key competencies to drive change. To do this, the programme:
  • Brings together scientific, policy, finance and accounting perspectives on climate change to provide students with a strong conceptual and analytical framework to underpin professional roles in climate change finance and investment;
  • Combines a theoretical understanding of climate change finance and investment with the development of practical skills, drawing on a high degree of up-to-date practitioner input and work-based learner experiences;
  • Creates a vital, high-quality, in-demand programme for students drawn from both EU and non-EU countries, with strong ties to business and excellent employment prospects for its graduates.

Programme outcomes: Knowledge and understanding
By the end of the programme, students will be able to:
  • Explain and evaluate the current state of climate change science and key climate change policy initiatives;
  • Understand how to incorporate environmental and climate issues in project finance in the energy sector;
  • Describe and critically evaluate the structure and dynamics of the major global, regional and national-level carbon markets;
  • Explain and apply practices and procedures of carbon accounting;
  • Critically evaluate how governments provide and catalyse national and international climate finance.
  • Understand and apply methods for assessing climate risk and alignment with climate goals.

Programme outcomes: Graduate attributes - Skills and abilities in research and enquiry
By the end of the programme, students will be able to:
  • Identify, define and analyse problems and identify or create processes to solve them.
  • Exercise critical judgement in creating new understanding;
  • Critically assess existing understanding and recognise the need to regularly challenge all knowledge.

Programme outcomes: Graduate attributes - Skills and abilities in personal and intellectual autonomy
By the end of the programme, students will be able to:
  • Show application of new ideas, methods and ways of thinking;
  • Respond effectively to unfamiliar problems in unfamiliar contexts.

Programme outcomes: Graduate attributes - Skills and abilities in communication
By the end of the programme, students will be able to:
  • Advance reasoned and factually supported arguments effectively in written work and oral presentation.

Programme outcomes: Graduate attributes - Skills and abilities in personal effectiveness
By the end of the programme, students will be able to:
  • Work effectively with others, capitalising on their different thinking, experience and skills;
  • Identify and evaluate social, cultural, global, ethical and environmental responsibilities and issues;
  • Demonstrate skills in time management.

Programme outcomes: Technical/practical skills

These skills are covered under the headings above.

Programme structure and features

Degree Criteria

MSc full-time (12 months). It consists of 180 SQCF credit points, of which 120 constitutes the

taught portion of the programme with the remaining 60 devoted to the dissertation component of

the degree.

 

Degree Programme Table and Modes of Study:

The Degree Programme Table can be viewed at:

http://www.drps.ed.ac.uk/21-22/dpt/drps_bus.htm

 

Progression and Exit Awards

The programme conforms to the University's taught Assessment Regulations.

https://www.ed.ac.uk/academic-services/policies-regulations/regulations/assessment

Teaching and learning methods and strategies

The Business School's strategy in learning and teaching is to deliver a dynamic, engaged, classroom experience that exposes our students to both practical and theoretical perspectives on business issues in ways that stretch and challenge them.


The learning outcomes of the programme are achieved by a mixture of formal lectures, tutorials, problem-based case studies, computer laboratory classes, student presentations, guest speakers, research assignments, and the research dissertation. Delivery of the taught element of the programme is primarily via lectures, which often include case studies or discussion. These are supplemented by tutorials and computer lab sessions. At MSc level a substantial amount of independent study and pre-reading for lectures is also required of students. The research dissertation primarily involves independent study and research, supported by regular interactions on a one-to-one basis with their assigned academic advisor, providing feedback throughout the process, from concept development through to completion.

Assessment methods and strategies

Courses employ a range of assessment types, for example team presentations and reports, individual essays and formal degree exams. Written feedback is provided on individual essays or presentations, as well as more general feedback on exams.

Career opportunities
Our graduates secure roles in green investment banks, UN agencies, international NGOs, ratings agencies, asset management companies, environmental consultancies, government ministries, and academia. Employers include the Green Investment Group, EY, Frankfurt School of Finance & Management, S&P Global, FTSE Russel, United Nations Development Programme, World Resources Institute, Climate Bonds Initiative, the Asian Development Bank, and the National Centre for Climate Change Strategy & International Cooperation (China).

Other items
View the prospectus entry for this programme
View the study overview for this programme

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