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Restorative Land Management and Rural Surveying, MSc

Restorative Land Management and Rural Surveying, MSc

Introduction

Societal and political developments increasingly require professionals with expert knowledge in land and nature restoration. We equip graduates with the skills and expertise to navigate competing interests and identify options for the optimal use of our limited land resource.

The MSc Restorative Land Management and Rural Surveying (formerly MLE Rural Surveying and Rural Property Management) is the only Masters programme of its kind in Scotland and is accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).

Study Information

At a Glance

Learning Mode
On Campus Learning
Degree Qualification
MSc
Duration
12 months or 24 months
Study Mode
Full Time or Part Time
Start Month
September

Knowing how to restore and manage our limited land-based resources in a socially just and economically viable manner is essential for us, as a society, to address the triple crises of climate change, food security, and biodiversity decline.

This degree gives you a comprehensive understanding of the drivers of the current land crunch (the competition for limited land resources); approaches to restoring land, soil, habitats and ecosystems; and supporting sustainable futures for rural communities. It will also teach you the skills needed to manage the inevitable trade-offs as not every outcome can be delivered from the same piece of land.

You will gain a solid grounding in different land use sectors such as agriculture and food production, forestry and game management, renewable energy and tourism, and conservation and rewilding. You will also develop an understanding of social, economic, and regulatory mechanisms underpinning behaviour change, equipping you to negotiate with a diverse range of stakeholders to achieve desired outcomes.

Graduates will be ideally suited to contribute to driving energy transitions relating to land management, in particular the deployment of wind, water, biomass and geothermal technologies. Learn more about job opportunities here.

While studying this programme you will:

  • Critically examine examples of restorative land management in uplands (especially peatland), regenerative farming and changed management regimes in overgrazed pasture, reforestation in degraded landscapes, wetlands and river restoration
  • Study the impact of species re-introduction, learn practical ecosystem restoration techniques, and learn how to go about restoration in a manner sensitive to the livelihoods and economic activities of place-based communities
  • Gain skills in the valuation of assets (land, natural capital, infrastructure), the financing of restoration work, the planning and management of rural businesses, and incentives and barriers in the policy context

What You'll Study

Students studying full time will take four courses per semester for the first two semesters.

Students studying part time will take two courses per semester.

Both study routes will include a project/dissertation.

Note for part-time students: This route will take place over two years. Choose two courses out of the four available at each stage. The dissertation will be chosen during the second year.

Compulsory Courses

Students must take the following courses:

  • PD5006 Getting Started at the University of Aberdeen (0 credit points)
  • GG5047 Forestry and Game Management (15 credit points)
  • GG5048 Agricultural Principles and Practice (15 credit points)
  • GG5056 Contemporary Environmental Challenges (15 credit points)
  • BU50xx Valuation for Surveyors (15 credit points)

We will endeavour to make all course options available. However, these may be subject to change - see our Student Terms and Conditions page. In exceptional circumstances there may be additional fees associated with specialist courses, for example field trips.

Fee information
Fee category Cost
EU / International students £22,000
Tuition Fees for 2025/26 Academic Year
Self-funded international students commencing eligible postgraduate programmes in 2025/26 will receive a £8,000 tuition waiver - See full terms and conditions
UK £10,000
Tuition Fees for 2025/26 Academic Year Graduates of the University of Aberdeen are eligible for the Alumni Postgraduate Scholarship, which reduces the tuition fee to £7,000, in line with the current tuition fee loan amount offered by the Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS). Please see the following for full terms and conditions: https://www.abdn.ac.uk/study/funding/653

Funding Opportunities

Scholarships

All eligible self-funded international Postgraduate Masters students starting in September 2025 will receive an £8,000 scholarship. Learn more about this Aberdeen Global Scholarship here.

To see our full range of scholarships, visit our Funding Database.

Related Programmes

You may also be interested in the following related postgraduate degree programmes.

Related Information

How You'll Study

Highly qualified and motivated teaching staff will help you learn, including experts with considerable practical experience and leading practitioners in the field. A variety of teaching and assessment methods are used.

All courses involve lectures, seminars and project work although the relative balance varies as you progress through the programme. Courses typically involve two hours of lectures each week, supplemented with tutorials or workshops.

There are half-day and whole day field trips to farms, forests and estates, as well as a 5-day residential field visit to the Highlands during which students visit examples of innovative land management in practice and complete assessments similar to those likely to be undertaken in professional practice.

Learning Methods

  • Field Trips
  • Field Work
  • Group Projects
  • Individual Projects
  • Lectures
  • Research
  • Tutorials

Assessment Methods

Courses are assessed via coursework and formal examinations. There are two dates of examinations: December and May, normally four courses examined at each time. As you progress greater emphasis is placed on the application of knowledge and skills, project work increases and examinations are fewer. Projects focus on local estates, rural businesses, and farms and are designed to incorporate the types of task expected in the workplace.

Why Study Restorative Land Management and Rural Surveying?

  • This is the only RICS-accredited Masters programme of its kind in Scotland, providing assurance of quality and relevance in the industry.
  • Sponsorship available from companies for students who hold the right to work in the UK.  Contact programme director Katrin Prager at katrin.prager@abdn.ac.uk for details of employers with current sponsorship opportunities.
    • 12-month tuition funded post with one day work with Blackhall & Powis Chartered Surveyors (preferably in Inverness office).  For more information and to apply, please contact info@blackhallpowis.com
  • Graduates are highly sought after: In the past 5 years over 75% of our students were offered a job contract less than 6 months into the programme, including employment with all the main national rural surveying firms. By the end of the programme, 100% of graduates who applied for job had secured a position.
  • Connect with leading land agency firms: Graduates in Rural Surveying are particularly highly sought-after by leading land agency firms throughout the UK.  Many of these firms visit the Department as part of their annual recruitment strategy.
  • Learn from excellent teaching staff with a range of backgrounds, from internationally recognised academics to experienced rural practitioners and professionals (e.g. former president of the Central Association of Agricultural Valuers, CAAV).
  • First hand insights and practical knowledge: The programme includes field visits to a wide range of Highland and Lowland estates and associated practical work. You meet the land managers and get first hand insights into current challenges and opportunities. Employers want graduates with the right practical skills and knowledge and we believe ‘taking your learning out into the field’ is one of the best ways to achieve this.
  • Part-time study is available to suit the needs of those already working.

Interested in this programme?

Email study@abdn.ac.uk Enquire Now Using an online form Next Steps Find out how to apply

Entry Requirements

Motivation and understanding of this degree is an important factor in securing admission. Your personal statement/statement of purpose should focus on providing answers to the following questions:

  • What practical experience/ background do you have in rural land management and rural surveying?
  • What specific aspects of land and nature restoration are you interested in?
  • Why do you want to study at the University of Aberdeen?
  • How do you see a qualification in Restorative Land Management and Rural Surveying helping your future career aspirations?
  • Where would you like to work?

Qualifications

The information below is provided as a guide only and does not guarantee entry to the University of Aberdeen.

2:2 (lower second class) UK Honours degree, or an Honours degree from a non-UK institution which is judged by the University to be of equivalent worth.

Those who do not meet the academic requirement but have a minimum of 5 years relevant work experience will also be considered.

Please enter your country or territory to view relevant entry requirements.

Aberdeen Global Scholarship

Eligible self-funded Postgraduate Taught (PGT) students will receive the Aberdeen Global Scholarship. Eligibility details and further information are available on our dedicated page.

Aberdeen Global Scholarship

English Language Requirements

To study for a Postgraduate Taught degree at the University of Aberdeen it is essential that you can speak, understand, read, and write English fluently. The minimum requirements for this degree are as follows:

IELTS Academic:

OVERALL - 6.5 with: Listening - 5.5; Reading - 5.5; Speaking - 5.5; Writing - 6.0

TOEFL iBT:

OVERALL - 90 with: Listening - 17; Reading - 18; Speaking - 20; Writing - 21

PTE Academic:

OVERALL - 62 with: Listening - 59; Reading - 59; Speaking - 59; Writing - 59

Cambridge English B2 First, C1 Advanced, C2 Proficiency:

OVERALL - 176 with: Listening - 162; Reading - 162; Speaking - 162; Writing - 169

Read more about specific English Language requirements here.

Document Requirements

You will be required to supply the following documentation with your application as proof you meet the entry requirements of this degree programme. If you have not yet completed your current programme of study, then you can still apply and you can provide your Degree Certificate at a later date.

CV
an up-to-date CV/Resumé
Degree Certificate
a degree certificate showing your qualifications
Degree Transcript
a full transcript showing all the subjects you studied and the marks you have achieved in your degree(s) (original & official English translation)
Personal Statement
a detailed personal statement explaining your motivation for this particular programme

International Applicants

Additional details for international applicants, including information specific to your country or territory, are available here..

Careers

The programme is designed for graduates from any discipline and is the only Masters programme of its kind in Scotland, accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). It allows graduates to proceed to the Assessment of Professional Competence and full professional membership of the RICS.

Career options include areas such as land agency, estate management, countryside and wildlife management, rural policy and business development. Graduates in Rural Surveying are particularly highly sought-after by the leading land agency firms throughout the UK. Recent graduates are employed by, for example, Galbraith, Savills, Bidwells, Strutt and Parker, and Bell Ingram.

Other graduates have secured employment with utility companies, renewable energy companies, landed estates (Buccleuch Estates, Moray Estates, Strathmore Estates, Dunecht Estates), conservation bodies (NatureScot, RSPB, wildlife trusts) and public authorities (National Parks, Local Authorities).

The Grow Your Future website provides information about the profession of rural surveying, including different job roles, and information on salaries and benefits.

Career Opportunities

  • Commercial Surveyor
  • Environmental Surveyor
  • Graduate Land Manager
  • Graduate Surveyor
  • Rural Surveyor

Accreditation

This degree holds accreditation from

What our Alumni Say

Frances Mills

Frances Mills

Frances Mills

Job Details
Head of Marketing and Media, Highlands Rewilding Ltd
Graduated 2022

I wanted to get a good grounding in how Scotland's land and coastline is managed, as well as into the emerging natural capital markets and rural surveying techniques...though this course is particularly suited to those looking for a career in Rural Surveying, I found the breadth of topics studied, alongside the informative site visits and expert speaker programme to be very valuable in grounding me in Scotland's land management. This has set me up well for a career within this broad sector.

Find out more

Our Experts

Programme Coordinator
Dr Katrin Prager

Information About Staff Changes

You will be taught by a range of experts including professors, lecturers, teaching fellows and postgraduate tutors. However, these may be subject to change - see our Student Terms and Conditions page.

Features

Image for Master of Land Economy Field Trips
Master of Land Economy Field Trips

Master of Land Economy Field Trips

The programme includes visits to a wide range of highland and lowland estates for field visits and practical work. It includes a 5-day residential visit to the Scottish Highlands.

Sponsorship

A number of companies offer sponsorship to cover the tuition fee, and arrangements may include part-time paid work for the company alongside completing the programme. Certain eligibility requirements apply.

Get in Touch

Contact Details

Address
Student Recruitment & Admissions
University of Aberdeen
University Office
Regent Walk
Aberdeen
AB24 3FX
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