The University of Edinburgh – College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine
Clinical Education (Online Learning) MSc, PgCert, PgDip, PgProfDev
Online
MSc
DURATION
3 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Part time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
21 Aug 2026
EARLIEST START DATE
14 Sep 2026
TUITION FEES
GBP 5,700 / per year *
STUDY FORMAT
Distance Learning
* estimated annual fee for clinical education MSc/PgCert/PgDip
Key Summary
Our online Clinical Education programme takes advantage of our world-renowned expertise to support your professional development in this dynamically developing area.
The Postgraduate Certificate (PgCert) is designed to enhance your abilities to teach and assess students in a clinical environment by preparing you to make evidence-informed decisions relevant to your individual context.
As you progress to the Postgraduate Diploma (PgDip) and Master of Science (MSc) levels, the programme enables you to build deeper subject matter expertise, plan and implement educational innovations, and carry out your own research projects. These advanced stages empower you to take a leadership role in clinical education and contribute to the advancement of your field.
This is an ideal programme for those with an educational role in relation to healthcare professionals and veterinary practitioners, including:
- doctors
- nurses
- dental practitioners
- physiotherapists
- pharmacists
- clinical psychologists
- occupational therapists
- those involved with veterinary education
- associated scientists (biomedical or social)
- and representatives of other professions involved in different aspects of clinical education
What will I learn?
Our aim is to help you reflect upon, and share thoughts about, your practice, while increasing your understanding of how to apply educational theories and evidence from the literature. As a result, you will learn the knowledge and skills you need to deliver, develop and research high-quality clinical education in your own discipline.
Programme benefits
- The University of Edinburgh has been delivering online degrees since 2005, with more than 11,000 graduates from over 180 countries
- The Clinical Education programme has a great reputation as one of the longest-running online programmes, with an expert team and a strong philosophy underlying it
- We offer a holistic approach to student support, giving you a dedicated advisor
- Our flexibility allows you to choose what you study; in the third year, you can choose between a fully taught year, a quality improvement project with taught components, or a dissertation based on a research project
- Our student intake is diverse, allowing networking with people from different professions, disciplines and countries
Accreditation
This programme is affiliated with NHS Education for Scotland and the University's Global Health Academy.
Upon completion of the Postgraduate Certificate, and by meeting qualifying criteria, you will be eligible to apply for fellowship of AdvanceHE (FHEA).
We are members of the Academy of Medical Educators and on completion of the Postgraduate Certificate and by meeting their qualifying criteria, you can apply for membership through the shortened route.
After completing the MSc in Clinical Education, graduates will understand how to:
- Plan, deliver and evaluate teaching for undergraduate and postgraduate students at programme level, course and individual sessions, using methods appropriate to the situation (including online).
- Assess students formatively and summatively (including written, practical, oral, and electronic formats).
- Critically evaluate their own teaching practice and appraise others.
- Access and critically evaluate the educational literature.
Graduates will be also be able to:
- Describe and discuss contemporary theories and issues in clinical education, at a national and international level (such as academic conferences).
- Recognise, evaluate and make an appropriate response to policy associated with clinical education.
- Critically appraise situations and circumstances pertaining to clinical education with reference to appropriate theories and literature.
- Recognise, reflect upon and respond to their own educational needs and the needs of others.
- Take a lead responsibility for clinical education within their professional area.
Graduates of the online Clinical Education programme have a wide range of career opportunities open to them.
Many go on to become clinical educators or tutors, teaching and supporting students and trainees within healthcare settings. Others take up roles as educational supervisors, mentoring and overseeing the professional development of medical or healthcare trainees.
Some graduates become course or curriculum developers, designing and updating educational materials and curricula for clinical training programmes, while others move into roles as programme directors or coordinators, leading and managing clinical education programmes at universities, hospitals, or professional bodies.
Academic positions, such as university lecturers, are also common.
Those with an interest in research can pursue careers as education researchers, conducting and publishing work that advances the field of clinical education. Graduates may also take up quality assurance roles, ensuring that healthcare education programmes meet the required standards and regulations.
Finally, the programme provides preparation for leadership positions in healthcare education across diverse settings, including:
- universities
- NHS trusts (and their international counterparts)
- professional bodies
- medical schools
- hospitals
- government or policy organisations
Further study
After completing this programme, you may wish to consider applying for a PhD or other research programme.
The Master of Science/Postgraduate Diploma/Postgraduate Certificate in Clinical Education is an online taught postgraduate programme, run by the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine.
The programme has been divided into a sequence of interrelated components, or ‘courses’.
Postgraduate Certificate
To qualify for the Postgraduate Certificate, you must complete three 20-credit compulsory courses, which allows you to become recognised as Fellows of Advanced HE:
- Principles of Teaching and Learning
- The Curriculum
- Assessment, Examinations and Standard Setting
Postgraduate Diploma
Continuing to the Postgraduate Diploma, you must complete three additional 20-credit courses from the selection offered in Year 2.
Masters
You must complete another 60 credits in Year 3 to achieve the MSc.
There are three choices of pathway in Year 3, and you can choose to complete taught courses or a dissertation research project.
Postgraduate Professional Development (PPD)
Postgraduate Professional Development (PPD) is aimed at working professionals who want to advance their knowledge through a postgraduate-level course(s), without the time or financial commitment of a full Masters, Postgraduate Diploma or Postgraduate Certificate.
You may take a maximum of 50 credits' worth of courses over two years through our PPD scheme. These lead to a University of Edinburgh postgraduate award of academic credit.
Alternatively, after one year of taking courses you can choose to transfer your credits and continue on to studying towards a higher award on a Masters, Postgraduate Diploma or Postgraduate Certificate programme.
Any time spent studying PPD will be deducted from the amount of time you will have left to complete a Masters, Postgraduate Diploma or Postgraduate Certificate programme.
Please contact the programme team for more information about available courses and course start dates.
Funding for postgraduate study is different to undergraduate study, and many students need to combine funding sources to pay for their studies.
Most students use a combination of the following funding to pay their tuition fees and living costs:
- Borrowing money
- Taking out a loan
- Family support
- Personal savings
- Income from work
- Employer sponsorship
UK government postgraduate loans
If you live in the UK, you may be eligible for a postgraduate loan for online study from one of the UK’s governments.
If you intend to apply for a UK government loan you should apply for the 3-year Masters option.
Study options
The programmes are part-time, flexible, online learning to allow you to work full-time and study at the same time. For most students, the usual route of study is:
- Postgraduate Certificate, 60 credits = 1 year of study
Postgraduate Diploma, 120 credits = 2 years of study
Masters degree, 180 credits = 3 years of study
For the intermittent study, you will have:
- up to 2 years for the Postgraduate Certificate
- up to 4 years to complete the Postgraduate Diploma
- up to 6 years to complete the Master's degree
Online learning
Online programmes are delivered through the University's Virtual Learning Environment, LEARN. Our award-winning, online learning technology is fully interactive, and enables you to communicate with our highly qualified teaching staff from the comfort of your own home or workplace.
Our online students not only have access to the University of Edinburgh’s excellent resources, but also become part of a supportive online community, bringing together students and tutors from around the world.
Time commitment
Our programme is fully online. You will be expected to use self-directed learning, peer-discussion boards, live conversations, peer presentations and other similar e-learning activities to help engage with and get the most from the course materials.
During term time, you should be prepared to spend an average of 15-20 hours per week engaged in study, with study time intensifying prior to submission of your assignments.