Masters Degrees in Dundee, United Kingdom

Dundee is a small city on the east coast of Scotland, around an hour north of Edinburgh by train. The first place in the UK to be named a UNESCO City of Design, Dundee has a proud background in the arts and culture. It’s home to two universities: the University of Dundee and Abertay University.

What’s it like to study a Masters in Dundee?

Dundee underwent rapid growth during the Industrial Revolution, eventually becoming famous for the three Js: jute, jam and journalism. Jute is a kind of vegetable fibre used for twine, sacking and rope, while the world’s first commercial marmalade jam producer was based in Dundee. DC Thomson, publisher of comics like The Beano and The Dandy, was established in the city in 1905, and still maintains its headquarters in Dundee today.

Present-day Dundee continues to enjoy a reputation for creativity. The design-oriented V&A Dundee museum was opened on the city’s waterfront to great fanfare in 2018 – the first V&A institution outside of London. Dundee Contemporary Arts (DCA) is a popular arts centre that combines galleries, cinema screens and a print studio.

Dundee is blessed with an excellent location on the banks of the Tay estuary, taking in sweeping views of the Firth of Tay and its two bridges. This strategic position means that Dundee has long been an important maritime hub. Perhaps most significantly, the city was where the RRS Discovery was built, a wooden ship that was used for Captain Scott’s expedition to the Antarctic between 1901 and 1904. Today, visitors can board the original ship, which is a popular museum that chronicles the fascinating story of Scott’s first trip to the Antarctic.

It’s safe to say that postgraduates don’t come to Scotland for scorching weather. However, Dundee does hold the distinction of being Scotland’s sunniest city! Student accommodation in Dundee is typically a combination of university-owned halls of residence and private lets.

Universities in Dundee

There are two universities in Dundee, which means that the city is home to the highest proportion of students in Scotland (around one in six of the town’s population). Established in 1967, the University of Dundee is a public research university that has more than 17,000 students.

Abertay University is also based in Dundee, offering Masters programmes in a range of disciplines.

Careers in Dundee

As Scotland’s fourth largest city, Dundee is an important employment centre. Although it’s no longer the world capital of jute and jam, Dundee has a vibrant reputation for business and industry.

Several games development studios are located in the city. DMA Design – the company behind the blockbuster Grand Theft Auto series – was founded in Dundee, but is now based in Edinburgh under the name Rockstar North. Biotechnology and biomedicine are also significant presences in Dundee.

Media organisation DC Thomson’s head office is in Dundee, publishing children’s comic The Beano along with other national magazines and local newspapers.