The world is facing interconnected crises, from climate change and biodiversity loss to global health emergencies and widening inequality.
These challenges are driven by how we use resources and prioritise growth. Addressing them requires new ways of thinking that connect human health with the health of our planet.
On this programme, students drew on expertise from across medicine, social science, and science and engineering to develop the critical thinking and data skills to understand and design solutions for global crises.
Dr Rowan Jackson is a Lecturer in Planetary Health and Food Systems at the Global Academy of Agriculture and Food Systems, University of Edinburgh.
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Professor Liz Grant is an Assistant Principal (Global Health) and Director of the Global Health Academy at the University of Edinburgh.
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“The future of human health and wellbeing is profoundly connected to the health of the natural world. Students on the Planetary Health MSc will explore the challenges facing human health and develop the knowledge and skills required to protect human and natural systems for future generations.”
Professor Liz Grant and Dr. Rowan Jackson, Programme Co-Directors, MSc Planetary Health, Edinburgh Futures Institute
This programme was part of our interconnected postgraduate study options, focused on complex global and social challenges.
Students learned from academic experts from different subject areas, developing creative, critical and data-informed thinking that cut across traditional academic boundaries. Students had the space to think deeply about questions linked to their own passions and professional goals, and to develop a final project based on an issue they cared about.
This programme was designed for proactive and motivated students passionate about tackling real-world issues. Students graduated equipped to work on complex problems that require critical thinking, novel approaches, teamwork, and collaboration. This programme was for recent graduates and career professionals from a diverse range of backgrounds, areas of study and skill sets.
Core elements
- Data skills: collecting, managing, using and analysing data ethically and critically.
- Critical concepts, methods and principles: developing a robust understanding of planetary health concepts, to analyse and explain the extent of global health challenges in different geopolitical or socioeconomic contexts.
- Creative and collaborative professional skills: working efficiently on complex projects centred on innovative, sustainable, and context-sensitive solutions to planetary health challenges, together with teams that are diverse and values-driven.
- Data literacy and confidence: using relevant data in diverse contexts while maintaining a critical stance on data production and use.
- Creative problem solving and specialist skills: innovative, collaborative, data-led approaches to understand, explore and apply solutions that are socially, economically and environmentally empathetic.
- Cross-disciplinary insight and analysis: addressing challenges and issues around health from multiple perspectives, viewpoints, and sources when analysing challenges and designing solutions.
Programme highlights
The programme included a range of compulsory and optional courses, along with a final project, to complete 180 credits.
An interdisciplinary programme can help your career and future employability.
Graduates were equipped to tackle the complex links between environmental change and human health.
The programme equipped students for diverse careers, from public health and policy to climate and environmental work, research, NGOs, international development, corporate sustainability, data science, and science communication.
