University of the Highlands and Islands
MSc in Sustainability and Rural Regeneration
Online
MSc
DURATION
6 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time, Part time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2026
TUITION FEES
EUR 9,990 / per year *
STUDY FORMAT
Distance Learning
* Scottish: £5,256 | Rest of UK: £7,020 | International: £9,990
Fast-track counseling
By contacting the school, you'll get access to free priority counselling for any study and application questions.
Key Summary
What is special about this course?
If you want to progress into a managerial role in rural development and sustainability fields, this MSc Sustainability and Rural Regeneration is for you.
You will study social, environmental, economic development professional development, and community engagement issues in the context of managing rural development.
The MSc Sustainability and Rural Regeneration can be studied online from anywhere in the world.
Special features
- Gain key theoretical knowledge in understanding current rural development and sustainability issues and how this may be applied to work effectively with communities and associated organisations
- Develop key research and policy skills to enable you to progress your career to become an expert in rural sustainability issues
- Study individual modules for personal or professional development, or work towards the PgCert, PgDip or full masters degree
- Opportunity to specialise in working with Gaelic communities and exit after three modules with the pathway PgCert Sustainability and Regeneration: Gaelic Communities
- Study online, full time or part time when and where it suits you, within the UK and internationally
PgCert
Core modules are:
- Communities, nature and sustainability (S1)
- The economics of community wealth building (S2)
- Working with communities (S2)
PgDip
Option modules, from which you must choose three, include:
- Agroecology: regenerative food systems (S2)
- Biodiversity management (S2)
- Environmental impact assessment (S1)
- Extreme weather (S2)
- Geographic information systems (S2)
- Global mountain geographies (S1)
- Measuring greenhouse gas emissions & carbon footprinting (S2)
- Net zero society (S2)
- Qualitative inquiry (S2)
- Quantitative research and data analysis (S1)
- Sustainable deer management (S2)
- Sustainable land use (S1)
- Understanding sustainability discourses (S2)
- Understanding the policy environment (S1)
- Water resources in a changing climate (S1)
- An elective may also be taken from any of the university's masters programmes, e.g. other research skills, or modules such as Qualitative inquiry or Quantitative research and data management
MSc
To achieve the award of MSc Sustainability and Rural Regeneration you must complete a research dissertation.
Start date
- September
- January
How will I study my course?
- Full-time
- Part-time (structured)
- Part-time (unstructured)
- You will study through supported online learning using the university's virtual learning environment (VLE)
- A fully online induction web resource is available to all new students and you are encouraged to refer to this during your first term in particular. An optional, two-day, live, online induction event is also available for all students
How long will my course last?
- Full-time: 2 years @ 40 hours per week
- Part-time (structured): 3-4 years @ 12 hours per week per module
- Part-time (unstructured): 6 years (maximum) @ 6 hours per week per module
The number of hours per week indicates the total number of hours you should dedicate to the course, which includes time spent studying the learning resources provided and your own time spent on individual study and research.
On-campus study - live and learn in Scotland
Courses in health, sustainability, engineering, history, outdoors and more with the University of the Highlands and Islands:
- #3 in the UK and #1 in Scotland for postgraduate student satisfaction
- Top 10 most affordable UK universities
- Specialist subjects with links to industry
Browse all of the on-campus undergraduate and postgraduate programmes that we offer for international students.
Online study - achieve a UK degree without moving abroad
Courses in health, sustainability, engineering, history, outdoors and more with the University of the Highlands and Islands:
- Flexible study options to fit with your life
- Top 10 most affordable UK universities
- Decades of online teaching experience
Browse all of the online undergraduate and postgraduate programmes that we offer for international students.
What can I do on completion of my course?
On successful completion of the course, you will be equipped to take up management positions, both at home and abroad, in:
- The public sector (e.g. local authorities, public utilities etc)
- Non-governmental development organisations
- International development agencies
- Community trusts and community development organisations
- Conservation agencies
- Environmental consultants
- Tourism heritage attractions
- National parks and countryside parks
- Secondary school teaching on completion of a PGDE
- Research and development