University of St Andrews - Online
MSc / PGDip / PGCert in Health Professions Education - OnlineOnline United Kingdom
DURATION
1 up to 5 Years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Part time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
01 Sep 2025
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2025
TUITION FEES
GBP 15,800 *
STUDY FORMAT
Distance Learning
* for MSc part-time | GBP 10,530 - for PGDip part-time | GBP 5,270 - for PGCert part-time
Introduction
Advance your career in healthcare education with an online MSc which focuses on innovative teaching methods, curriculum design, and assessment strategies tailored for health professionals.
This online programme is for those interested in developing themselves in a health professions educational role, and offers the flexibility of learning to suit those currently employed.
Why study this course?
This interactive programme will cultivate teaching practice which instils the principles and values of interprofessional education to support the development of the future and current healthcare workforce.
Increasing pressures on healthcare systems require flexible, accessible, creative and relevant learning opportunities, particularly for educators who are also clinically active. On the Health Professions Education programme, you will examine the principles and values of a range of educational approaches.
- A fully online part-time programme which offers flexibility of learning to suit those currently employed in a healthcare or academic setting
- As an interprofessional and interdisciplinary programme, it provides opportunities to learn collaboratively about a range of educational contexts and teaching practices
- Experiential and immersive learning opportunities mean learners undertaking the modules can have a real-time interactive experience of the concepts being taught
- An award-winning learning technology infrastructure and support provides innovative, interactive and flexible learning and supports the student learning journey
- Staff from a variety of disciplines and healthcare backgrounds with expertise and experience in educating healthcare professionals
- Membership of the Academy of Medical Educators through our accredited PGCert
The Health Professions Education programme will inspire scholarship, research and leadership in health professions education. This programme will help to develop inquisitive educators who are equipped to deliver high-quality learning opportunities for health professionals.
The programme content will cover a range of approaches and methods of teaching, learning and assessment where learners will engage in independent and group study. Aspects of the programme will be interprofessional and interdisciplinary, enabling learners to reflect on and share their own teaching and learning practices. The programme will provide the opportunity to learn with, from and about each other’s educational contexts. Action learning sets will be utilised to bring a challenging or complex issue to discuss and share ideas for resolution. Learners will be able to develop a toolkit that will enhance their problem-solving abilities, critical thinking skills, and teaching strategies.
Applicants will be able to apply for the following:
- Option 1 - Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert)
- Option 2 - Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) (starting at Year 1 or direct entry into Year 2)
- Option 3 - Master of Health Professions Education (MSc) (starting at Year 1 or direct entry to Year 2)
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Ideal Students
The University's global reputation makes its graduates highly valued by employers. The Health Professions Education programme is aimed at individuals who wish to develop their health professions educational role, follow an academic career in health professions education or healthcare education research, or pursue a PhD or MD.
Admissions
Scholarships and Funding
We are committed to supporting you through your studies, regardless of your financial circumstances.
- St Leonard's funding opportunities
- Graduate discount (15% off tuition fees)
NHS Staff Discount
The University of St Andrews offers a 10% discount to NHS-funded staff who wish to undertake the programme.
Curriculum
The taught modules are taken over two semesters – September to December (Semester 1) and January to May (Semester 2). The period from June to August is used to complete summative assessments.
Each taught module will use teaching and learning methods appropriate to its aims and learning outcomes, which may include lectures, seminars, facilitated workshops, and tutorials.
The programme will be delivered online with a mixture of some real-time, scheduled teaching and some independent study, providing the flexibility of accessing learning materials at a time convenient to your own circumstances. All scheduled teaching will take place in GMT/BST when online attendance is required.
Year 1 (PGCert)
Learners will normally be required to complete two core modules.
Semester 1
Fundamentals of Designing and Facilitating Learning
Explores the fundamentals and theoretical underpinnings of designing and facilitating learning for health professions education. You will consider different methods of learning, reflect and apply their critical understanding of learning to their own academic and or health or social care environment.
Semester 2
Impact of Learning
Focuses on the key principles of assessment, evaluation and feedback and how these can be used to determine impact on learning. You will learn how quality can be achieved, measured and maintained in education.
Year 2 (PGDip)
Learners will normally be required to complete the core module, along with two optional modules. Optional modules allow you to shape the degree around your personal and professional interests.
Semester 1
Optional modules are expected to be offered in the following areas:
Leading and Designing Teaching Programmes in Health Professions Education
Focuses on considerations for designing, developing, implementing and evaluating an undergraduate or postgraduate credited short programme or course of study targeted at health professionals.
Contemporary Global Issues in Health Professions Education
Explores the drivers of debate and change, applying theoretical models for understanding complex and wicked problems within health professions education.
Interprofessional Education: Design, Delivery and Assessment
Focuses on design, delivery and assessment and examines the in-depth evidence base for interprofessional education in a variety of contexts.
Health Humanities Approaches within Health Professions Education
Focuses on how health and medical humanities can be integrated within health professions education, exploring a range of arts and humanities approaches that can help to optimise, broaden and deepen learning outcomes.
Semester 2
Research Methods in Education
Covers the fundamentals of research methods for health professions education. You will be provided the opportunity to critique, appraise and plan a research proposal.
MSc (Year 3) - Degree project
The final part of the MSc programme is the end-of-degree project. This takes the form of a period of supervised research where you will undertake an in-depth investigation into a chosen topic in health professions education.
Through the project, you will show your ability to undertake sustained critical analysis, develop and improve your research skills, and produce an extended piece of written work that demonstrates a high level of understanding of your area of study. A flexible approach will be offered to suit the learner with respect to project options.
All options available will develop research skills to help with future intentions to study at the higher level of PhD or MD.
- Option 1: an empirical piece of research
- Option 2: a systematic review
- Option 3: an extended research proposal (including ethics application)
Program Outcome
In addition to broadening your subject knowledge and applying established techniques of research and enquiry, you will develop and demonstrate essential skills such as:
- critical thinking and creativity
- analysis and appraisal
- problem solving and decision making
- personal leadership and project management
- interpersonal communication and teamwork
Program Tuition Fee
Why study at University of St Andrews - Online
Wherever you are, you can take St Andrews with you. Online Master's at the University of St Andrews combine all the benefits of studying at one of the world's oldest and best universities, with all the advantages of flexible, personalised learning.
Academic staff in the School of Medicine provide expertise from a variety of disciplines and healthcare backgrounds. There is a wide range of experience in educating health professionals in the community and acute care settings, interprofessional education, and educational research. The School of Medicine has institutional memberships of the Association for the Study of Medical Education (ASME) and the UK Centre for the Advancement of Interprofessional Education (CAIPE).
Program delivery
Teaching
May include lectures, seminars, facilitated workshops, and tutorials.
Delivery
Online with a mixture of some real-time, scheduled teaching and some independent study.
Schedule
Access learning materials at a time convenient to you. All scheduled teaching will take place in GMT or BST when online attendance is required.