Epidemiology (Online Learning) MSc, PgCert, PgDip
Online
DURATION
1 up to 3 Years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Part time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
22 Aug 2025
EARLIEST START DATE
08 Sep 2025
TUITION FEES
GBP 6,370 / per year *
STUDY FORMAT
Distance Learning
* estimated tuition for epidemiology MSc I PgCert I PgDip I PgProfDev
Introduction
Transform your passion for population health into actionable expertise with the University of Edinburgh's MSc Epidemiology programme.
This programme is designed to give you the foundational knowledge and analytical skills necessary for a career in epidemiology. Through learning and applying epidemiological concepts, along with practical statistical training, including the use of R software, this programme prepares the epidemiological leaders of tomorrow.
Whether you aim to conduct ground-breaking research, enhance clinical outcomes, or influence public health policy and practice, our programme provides the knowledge and tools to tackle contemporary population health challenges and propel your career forward.
Why choose this programme?
- Global perspective, local impact: Gain insights from international health experts and apply them in your setting, enhancing your ability to address population health issues.
- Career advancement: Elevate your professional profile with a qualification from one of the world's top universities, opening doors to leadership roles in academia, government health organizations, industry and NGOs.
- Flexible learning: Balance your studies with professional commitments through our fully online programme, designed to fit the lives of busy professionals without compromising on the quality and depth of learning.
Awards: MSc, PgCert, PgDip, PgProfDev
Program Outcome
You will gain:
- A critical understanding of the principles and practice of epidemiology
- Research and enquiry skills
- The ability and skills to critically evaluate epidemiological evidence
- The ability to convey complex information to a range of audiences
- Skills for working in teams and leading where appropriate
The skills developed by this programme are key for most types of health science research, focusing strongly as they do on different types of enquiry.
Many aspects of this programme involve problem solving, critical thinking and evaluation, thus developing research skills and personal and intellectual autonomy. A key aim of the programme is to contribute to your ability to conceive and execute epidemiological research.
On completing the programme, you will:
- Have developed an understanding of the principles and practice of epidemiology
- Be able to design research projects and collect data
- Be able to evaluate and interpret epidemiological evidence and communicate this evidence to a range of audiences
- Have acquired skills for working in teams and groups
- Be equipped to move into a range of health science research or allied careers, or progress to further doctoral-level training
Career Opportunities
Graduating from the MSc Epidemiology programme at the University of Edinburgh opens doors to a wide range of career paths in both public and private sectors.
Sectors and roles
- Research and academia: Engage in cutting-edge research or teach at universities and research institutions, contributing to the academic community and guiding future public health professionals.
- Public health agencies: Take on roles such as epidemiologist, public health analyst, or infection control officer, where you can directly influence disease prevention and health promotion strategies.
- Government and policy-making: Shape health policies by working with government bodies or international health organizations, translating epidemiological data into actionable policies.
- Industry: Join pharmaceutical companies or health consultancy firms as an epidemiologist, where you can impact health outcomes on a large scale through research and development.
- Non-governmental organizations: Work on global health challenges with international organizations, focusing on outbreak response and health improvement initiatives worldwide.
Support for career advancement
The University of Edinburgh's Careers Service offers extensive support, from CV workshops to personalized career advice, ensuring you are fully equipped to make an impact in your chosen field.
Curriculum
The MSc Epidemiology programme at the University of Edinburgh is structured to provide a comprehensive understanding of the field, blending core competencies with specialized elective options.
This part-time, fully online programme is spread over three years, and you can exit the programme after:
- Year 1 with a Postgraduate Certificate
- Year 2 with a Postgraduate Diploma
- Year 3 with a Master of Science degree
Course content
- Year 1: You will take five courses, covering epidemiology, statistics and data analysis using R.
- Year 2: Focus on research design and the epidemiology of infectious diseases and choose four elective courses to tailor your learning. Options include:
- Data visualization
- Genetic and molecular epidemiology
- Big data analytics
- Data visualization
- Genetic and molecular epidemiology
- Big data analytics
- Year 3: Engage in a substantive research project that allows you to explore in-depth a topic of your choice within the field of epidemiology, under the guidance of experienced researchers.
Admissions
Scholarships and Funding
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
- Taking out a loan
- Family support
- Personal savings
- Income from work
- Employer sponsorship
- Scholarships
Online Learning Scholarships
Scholarships will be awarded to outstanding candidates who are citizens of and residents in low- and middle-income countries and will be applied toward tuition fees. Successful applicants will benefit from the University’s Global Academy network.
- Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarships
- Edinburgh Global Online Learning Masters Scholarship
- Glenmore Postgraduate Scholarship
The University of Edinburgh offers a small number of scholarships to outstanding candidates. These are very competitive. We publish data on the success rate for scholarship applications to help you understand the level of demand.
UK government postgraduate loans
If you live in the UK, you may be able to apply for a postgraduate loan from one of the UK’s governments.
The type and amount of financial support you are eligible for will depend on:
- Your programme
- The duration of your studies
- Your tuition fee status.
Programmes studied on a part-time intermittent basis are not eligible.
Program delivery
Online learning
How online learning works
- Interactive learning environment: Engage with our interactive and user-friendly online platform, where you can access course materials, discussion forums and assessment activities 24/7.
- Global community: Learn from and with other professionals working across the world, enhancing your learning and giving you new perspectives.
Teaching and assessment
- Teaching: Learn through a mix of online course content, reading lists and interactive discussions with your peers.
- Assessment: Demonstrate your understanding and skills through a mix of essays, projects, blog posts and other pieces of written work.
Time commitment
The programme is part-time, requiring a commitment of around 15 hours per week. This allows you to manage your studies alongside your professional and personal responsibilities effectively.
Technical requirements
- Equipment: A reliable computer with internet access and an updated web browser.
- Software: All necessary learning platforms and tools are provided online by the University. It is also desirable for you to be able to install new open-source software packages on your machine.
Support for online students
Our dedicated support teams are available to assist you throughout your studies. You will have access to the University of Edinburgh's extensive online library, 24/7 technical support, and support from the programme team for academic or administrative queries.
Program Admission Requirements
Show your commitment and readiness for Grad school by taking the GRE - the most broadly accepted exam for graduate programs internationally.