Key information
- Level
- Postgraduate Taught
- Delivery type
- Full Time, Part Time
- Degree qualification
- MSc
- Mode of delivery
- On-Campus
- Duration
- 1 year
- Location
- Edinburgh
- Start date
- September
Our MSc in Advanced Sustainability for Brewing and Distilling allows you to apply design, manufacture and characterisation techniques to develop new insights and responses to current issues in biomedical engineering. You will also get to explore sustainability issues involved in the beverage industry, including within raw materials, explore specific business case studies, and propose sustainable solutions to combat the increasing issues faced by industry.
This programme is aimed at graduates or those already in the industry the opportunity to delve into sustainability problems and solutions relevant to the malting, brewing, distilling and allied industries.
Learning in Heriot-Watt will be informed by the expertise of our research-active brewing and distilling scientists and academics, whose work specialises in raw materials, malting, process improvement, sustainability, biochemistry and microbiology.
Reasons to study:
- Comprehensive, customisable curriculum: Provides opportunity to specialise in several area through three optional courses including economics of renewable energy, carbon solutions, process intensification, future foods, and management in the food and beverage industries.
- Expert faculty: Learning informed by the expertise of research-active brewing and distilling scientists and academics, whose work specialises in raw materials, malting, process improvement, sustainability, biochemistry and microbiology.
- Applied learning: Opportunity to gain hands-on experience by undertaking either a lab or desk based research project, which can include the use of our on-site brewery, distillery, or rectification laboratory, allowing students to apply scientific learning in a practical setting and develop the skills and expertise valued across brewing, distilling, and allied industries.
- Supported learning: Delivered through a combination of lectures, tutorials, industry-facing workshops and guest lectures and be assessed by coursework, and your dissertation while receiving support and feedback throughout the programme. Gain access to specialist equipment, software and laboratories used by industry, including our on-site nano-brewery (2 HL), distillery, and rectification laboratory.
The Future Shapers scholarship
The Future Shapers scholarship is looking for students who want to use research to create solutions to solve major global challenges. This has been established for 2026 by one of our generous donors and is a testament to the talent and world-shaping potential of our University's students and researchers. We are offering 12 scholarships across our 4 research areas, worth 50%, 75% and 100% of your tuition fee respectively.
Apply nowYour student experience
Your learning will be informed by the expertise of our research-active brewing and distilling scientists and academics. Teaching in Brewing and Distilling at Heriot-Watt began in 1903, which led to the establishment of the highly reputable International Centre for Brewing and Distilling (ICBD) in 1989. The ICBD has established itself as an excellent research centre, with close ties with the professional and industrial world of science, engineering, and technology.
The International Centre for Brewing and Distilling is a unique teaching and research facility which meets the needs of the brewing, distilling and malting industries worldwide. You will learn directly from academics involved in this world leading research, whose work focuses on promoting excellence across five main research themes across the brewing and distilling industries:
- Raw materials
- Malting
- Process improvement
- Sustainability
- Biochemistry and microbiology
The research relevance of this postgraduate programme ensures your studies remain innovative and industry focused.
Course content
September Intake - Edinburgh
Year 1
Mandatory September
- Beverage Process Sustainability
- Principles of Sustainability Criteria
Optional September
- Economics of Renewable Energy
- Process Intensification
- Future Foods
Mandatory January
- Research and Professional Practice
- Beverage Industry Sustainability
- Raw Materials Sustainability for Brewing and Distilling
Optional January
- Carbon Solutions
- Management in the Food and Beverage Industries
Mandatory May
- MSc Research Project in Bioscience
Disclaimer
The courses mentioned above may change between now and the time that you study. For more information, please view our Terms and Conditions.
Programme Video
Brewing and Distilling at Heriot-Watt
Fees and funding
| Status | Full Time | Part Time |
|---|---|---|
| UK | £12,744 | £6,372 |
| International | £28,952 | £14,476 |
- Status: Your residency status is usually defined as the country where you have been ordinarily resident for the three years before the start of your course.
- International: 'International' includes applicants from European Union countries who do not hold Pre-Settled or Settled status in UK. (This does not include students from the Republic of Ireland - see above).
Scholarships and bursaries
Postgraduate scholarships and bursaries
We aim to encourage well-qualified, ambitious students to study with us and we offer a wide variety of scholarships and bursaries to achieve this. Over £6 million worth of opportunities are available in fee and stipend scholarships, and more than 400 students benefit from this support.
Entry requirements
We have standard entry requirements for all of our courses that you will have to meet.
Year 1
Candidates must hold a First or Second Class Honours degree, or equivalent qualification from a British or overseas university, in a science or engineering subject (for example, Biological Sciences, Chemistry or Chemical/Mechanical Engineering).
Where candidates hold a first degree from a discipline based outside of those described but have a professional qualification (e.g. Chartered Institute of Brewers and Distillers (formerly Institute of Brewing & Distilling) or substantial work experience within the brewing, distilling or allied industries, these applications will be considered on a case by case basis.
English language requirements
If your first language is not English, we'll need to see evidence of your English language ability.
The minimum English language requirement for entry to this programme is IELTS 6.0 (or equivalent) with no score lower than 5.5.
If you do not have IELTS 6.0, we offer a range of English language courses to help you meet the English language requirement for this programme prior to commencing your studies.
Please see our detailed English language requirements.
Why Heriot-Watt
We have been producing career-ready graduates since 1821. With our roots as the world’s first Mechanics Institute, Heriot-Watt is a pioneering university with a global reach.
At Heriot-Watt, learning goes beyond the lecture theatre. We tackle real world challenges through extraordinary research – from climate change to protecting our oceans, to advancing life-saving medical breakthroughs and shaping the next generation of AI. We are also committed to developing forward-thinking design and sustainable business practices that impact industries worldwide. On our campuses you’ll find some of the world’s most advanced facilities, while our strong industry links set you up for career success. This is why almost 90% of our graduates are in employment or further education (Graduate Outcomes Survey 2024).
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