Postgraduate Taught Degrees

We provide teaching as part of several on-campus taught master (MSc) programmes.

  • Biotechnology, Synthetic Biology & Biotechnology
  • Biodiversity and Taxonomy of Plants – run jointly with the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh.

Biodiversity and Taxonomy of Plants MSc

The underlying focus of this world-renowned full-time, 12-month MSc programme on Plants and Taxonomy distinguishes it from other Masters programmes focussed on Conservation and Management.

The twin threats of climate change and environmental degradation, pose unprecedented challenges to human existence and quality of life.

Because of the fundamental importance of plants in agriculture and as the basis for most food chains, monitoring and understanding plant communities and access to information about plants are vital.

The aims of this world-renowned full-time, 12-month MSc programme are to equip biologists, conservationists and ecologists for careers in:

  • plant taxonomy
  • plant conservation
  • investigation and management of plant biodiversity
  • curation of plant collections and plant biodiversity databases

Ten courses giving a balanced, up-to-date account of

  • the diversity and taxonomy of plants, algae and fungi
  • methods of pure and applied taxonomy
  • fully recognizing the contributions of molecular methods in phylogeny reconstruction and population biology

The Programme consists of formal instruction, practical work, essays, research projects and tutorials.

It includes a highly-popular and successful two-week tropical field course in Belize and a 4-month individual research project and dissertation.


MSc Biodiversity and Taxonomy of Plants

Details on applying and entry requirements can be found via the University course and degree finder.

University course and degree finder


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