Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) (Online Learning) PgCert (ICL)

Level: Postgraduate taught

Subject: Psychology

Year of entry: 2026

Study options

Mode of study

Online learning

Part-time intermittent study
  • PgCert (ICL) | 3 years | Start date: September 2026

Key facts

School

School of Health in Social Science

College

College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

Accreditation

Not available

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About the degree programme

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) refers to the physical, emotional and developmental effects of alcohol exposure during pregnancy.

Neurodevelopmental disorders are known to be caused by prenatal alcohol exposure. Health services worldwide are struggling to measure and address the issue.

In March 2022 the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published UK-wide guidance for assessing and diagnosing FASD, building on guidance published in 2019 by the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidance Network (SIGN 156).

FASD is a public health issue, affecting roughly 3.25-5% of the general population. FASD is also thought to be overrepresented in justice and corrections, out-of-home care, and homelessness, mental health, and addictions services (Popova et al., 2019).

Few health professionals are familiar with the disorder and even fewer are confident in providing an assessment. In many countries, FASD remains underdiagnosed, therefore, a greater diagnostic capacity is needed to meet demand (Clarren et al., 2011).

This programme will provide you with the skills and understanding to:

  • recognise potential cases of FASD
  • conduct a diagnostic assessment with a wider multi-disciplinary team
  • develop clinical formulations of presenting difficulties
  • provide care and treatment recommendations

You will be guided in this practice by an understanding of the context in which prenatal alcohol exposure occurs so that you can conduct your work in a trauma-informed, non-judgemental manner, and work sensitively with families.

The programme addresses recent calls for training in FASD for Health, Education and Social Care professionals. 

As the first FASD-focused university course in the UK, and one of few worldwide, this programme is designed to meet the needs of practising health and social care professionals by being accessible online and part-time.

Study options

This programme will offer you a flexible postgraduate degree designed for professionals. It consists of three 20-credit courses offered part-time with the option of intermittent study.

The programme can be completed within 18 months, but you have up to 3 years to take all three required courses; you must take at least 20 credits of courses each year.

If you would like to start the PgCert in January this can be arranged. Please contact us directly to discuss this.

Contact us

Tuition fees

Tuition fees by award and duration

Tuition fees for full-time and part-time options are listed for one academic year.

Part-time intermittent study

Graduate discount

If you are a University of Edinburgh graduate, you will be eligible for a 10% discount on your tuition fees for this programme. You may also be eligible if you were a visiting undergraduate student.

Find out how to receive your graduate discount

Deposit

You do not have to pay a deposit to secure your place on this programme.

Funding opportunities

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
  • scholarships

Explore sources of funding for postgraduate study

Search for other funding opportunities

You can find scholarships, bursaries and other funding you might be eligible for on our Scholarships and Student Funding site.

Postgraduate funding opportunities

These entry requirements are for the 2026-27 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2027-28 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2026.

Qualifications

A UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, or a subsequent Masters or Doctoral qualification, in psychology, health or a related discipline.  

If you do not meet the academic entry requirements, we may consider your application on the basis of your relevant professional qualifications.

The programme is designed for those directly involved in the assessment and diagnosis of FASD specifically; Medical professionals, Clinical or Educational Psychologists, Nurses, Occupational Therapists, Speech and Language Therapists, Clinical Associates in Applied Psychology and Social Workers. Other professionals will also find the content relevant to their work including; Midwives, Health visitors and teachers working with special educational needs. The course is also relevant for those working in public health, including management, and policy makers.

You should be in possession of a current registration with an appropriate accrediting professional body or national organisation.  

You should also have a rudimentary knowledge of standardised assessments which involve scoring and analysis, e.g., use of percentiles, scaled or standard scores.

Please contact us if require further information before submitting your application. 

International qualifications

To find international equivalent qualifications, select where you studied from the country or region list.

English language requirements

You must prove that your English language abilities are at a high enough level to study this degree programme.

This is the case for all applicants, including UK nationals.

You can meet our English language requirements with one of the following:

  • an English language test
  • a degree that was taught and assessed in English
  • certain professional qualifications

English language tests we accept

We accept any of the following English language tests, at the specified grade or higher:

  • IELTS Academic: total 7.0 with at least 6.5 in each component We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
  • TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 100 with at least 23 in each component We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
  • C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 185 with at least 176 in each component.
  • Trinity ISE: ISE III with passes in all four components.
  • Oxford ELLT: total 8 with at least 7 in each component.
  • Oxford Test of English Advanced: total 155 with at least 145 in each component.
How old your English language tests can be
Tests no more than two years old

The following English language tests must be no more than two years old on the 1st of the month in which your programme starts, regardless of your nationality:

  • IELTS Academic
  • TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition)
  • Trinity ISE
  • Oxford ELLT
  • Oxford Test of English Advanced
Tests no more than three and a half years old

All other English language tests must be no more than three and a half years old on the 1st of the month in which your programme starts, regardless of your nationality.   

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English-speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration.

UKVI list of majority English speaking countries

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English-speaking countries (non-MESC).

Approved universities in non-MESC

How old your degree can be

If you are not a national of a majority English-speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old on the 1st of the month in which your programme starts.

This time limit does not apply to your degree if you are a national of a majority English-speaking country.

Find out more about our English language requirements

Find out about other English language qualifications we accept, including professional qualifications.

English language requirements

What you will study

Compulsory courses

To achieve the aims of the programme, you will complete three courses.

We place a strong emphasis on including individuals with lived experience, and in each course, you will hear directly from families raising children with FASD and individuals with FASD themselves.

Courses
Understanding Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD): Context, Contributors & Clinical Presentation

This course focuses on providing the ability to describe, explain, and evaluate the condition. This includes its epidemiology, causes and presentation in children and adults, demonstrating an understanding of the complexities of FASD.

The assessment and diagnosis of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)

The learning aims of this course include the achievement of in-depth knowledge and skills emphasising the evaluation of assessment results to inform intervention recommendations. Further learning outcomes cover the need to communicate sensitively on this topic taking a person-centred, trauma-informed approach.

Advanced Practice in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)

In this course, you will expand your knowledge of assessment and diagnosis through consideration of complex cases. These will address issues such as difficulties in determining pre-natal alcohol exposure, borderline cases, differential diagnosis and how best to work with families. This course will also enhance your skills in making intervention recommendations.

A multidisciplinary approach

It is important to understand that completion of this programme will not qualify you to unilaterally undertake diagnostic assessments in the absence of a multidisciplinary team.

Because of the complexity of the outcomes related to prenatal alcohol exposure, international guidelines specify a multidisciplinary team is essential for an accurate and comprehensive assessment and subsequent management recommendations.

Find courses for this programme

Find out what courses you can study on this programme and how each of them are taught and assessed.

The courses on offer may change from year to year, but the course information will give you an idea of what to expect on this programme.

Part-time intermittent study

We link to the latest information available. This may be for a previous academic year and should be considered indicative.

Teaching and assessment

Teaching

Your teachers will be experts in FASD with experience in the diagnosis, assessment and support of individuals with the condition.

Assessment

Assessment is through:

  • an exam made up of multiple choice and short answer questions (Course 1)
  • coursework on example clinical cases (Courses 2 and 3)

You can also assess your progress with weekly multiple-choice questions that do not contribute to your final grade.

Learning outcomes

On completion of the programme, you will have:

  • a comprehensive understanding of the presentation, causes, epidemiology, and diagnosis of FASD
  • a critical understanding of the importance of trauma-informed, person-centred language when communicating with families, clients, and colleagues on FASD-related topics
  • the ability to coordinate and conduct assessments relevant to your professional background

After finishing this programme, you will be able to:

  • apply your skills in assessment and diagnosis to FASD
  • diagnose FASD and write case formulations following local guidelines
  • if applicable to your role, measure the sentinel facial features related to FASD using physical measurements, or digital photograph analysis software.
  • sensitively undertake a developmental history, including asking questions about alcohol use during pregnancy
  • understand the assessments made by all members of a multi-disciplinary team
  • develop your practice in communicating an FASD diagnosis to stakeholders (for example, individuals with FASD, families, and professionals).

Support for your studies

You will have access to a range of support services if you need them throughout your degree.

We will assign you to a student adviser, and this should be the first person to contact if you need help. They can guide you to other University service teams depending on what support you need.  

How we support you

How online learning works

The programme is delivered in an online environment that provides a dynamic and collaborative learning experience.

Our flexible online learning environment allows you to access materials and learn when and where is most convenient for you. This allows you to work around your professional commitments while developing your expertise in FASD.

FASD experts from the Fetal Alcohol Advisory Support and Training (FAAST) Team at the University of Edinburgh, NHS Scotland, and clinical academics from universities in the UK and abroad, help deliver our programme. This programme also includes opportunities to learn from individuals with lived experience of FASD.

The programme uses different methods to create a dynamic and collaborative learning environment, including:

  • pre-recorded and live lectures
  • live small-group seminars
  • asynchronous group discussions

The content will mostly be accessed flexibly; however, some interactive live content will require engagement at specific times.

This degree programme is taught entirely online. There is no need to come to the city or University campus. 

All learning and teaching takes place within our virtual learning environment (VLE). Through the VLE, you can: 

  • access all your learning materials and study resources, including e-books and library resources
  • interact with your tutors and classmates 

An online degree from the University of Edinburgh is academically equivalent to an on-campus postgraduate degree and involves the same level of work overall. The qualification you get is of equal value. Your degree certificate will not mention that you studied the programme online.

Watch our video to see how online learning works.

Time commitment

This programme is designed to be fully flexible to fit around your schedule. You can study in your own time and access all your learning resources, such as reading lists, discussion forms and slides from anywhere in the world.  

If there are live online sessions, you can watch a recording later in the virtual learning environment at a time convenient to you.    

Typically, you will need to dedicate around 10 to 20 hours per week to your programme although managing this is up to you. This may also vary from course to course, and the time commitment may increase when assignments are due.  

See 'Find courses' in Programme details for more information about study time commitment

Equipment and software needs

To study this online programme, you will need access to:   

  • a computer or laptop  
  • the internet  
  • the latest version of a web browser  

As an online student, you will have access to a range of software you can download to help you complete your coursework, including Microsoft Office 365. 

IT support is available if you have technical difficulties.  

IT and computing help

Support for online students

Career opportunities

Graduates of the programme will be able to take important roles in both child and adult services, leading the coordination and interpretation of multidisciplinary assessments of FASD.

Further study

After completing this programme, you may wish to consider applying for a PhD or other research programme.

Applying for research degrees

Moving on to a PhD (advice from the University's Careers Service)

Careers Service

Our Careers Service can help you to fully develop your potential and achieve your future goals. 

The Careers Service supports you not only while you are studying at the University, but also for up to two years after you finish your studies. 

With the Careers Service, you can: 

  • access digital resources to help you understand your skills and strengths
  • try different types of experiences and reflect on how and what you develop
  • get help finding work, including part-time jobs, vacation work, internships and graduate jobs
  • attend careers events and practice interviews
  • get information and advice to help you make informed decisions 

Visit the Careers Service website 

How to apply

You apply online for this programme. After you read the application guidance, select your preferred programme, then choose 'Start your application' to begin.

If you are considering applying to more than one programme, you should be aware that we cannot consider more than 5 applications from the same applicant.

When to apply

Programme start date Application deadline
14 September 2026 30 July 2026

We encourage you to apply as soon as possible so that we have enough time to process your application. This is particularly important if you are also applying for funding. Applications may close earlier than published deadlines if there is exceptionally high demand.

For an application to be reviewed, it must be a complete application by the application deadline with all supporting documentation uploaded, including your transcripts.

If you already have evidence that you meet the English language entry requirements, such as via an approved English language test, please upload this evidence at the time of your application. If you have not already met your English language requirements, we will still review your application and issue a decision providing it is otherwise complete. 

Application fee

There is no fee to apply to this programme.

What you need to apply

As part of your online application, you will need to provide: 

You will also need to submit some or all of the following supporting documents:

When you start your application, you will be able to see the full list of documents you need to provide.

References

You must submit one reference with your application. This should be a professional reference from your line manager. 

Your suitability will be established through your application and reference. Your reference should provide evidence of your applied experience.

Apply

Select the award, duration and delivery mode you want to study. Then select the start date you want to apply for.

After you apply

Once you have applied for this programme, you will be able to track the progress of your application and accept or decline any offers.

Checking the status of your application

We will notify you by email once we have made a decision. Due to the large number of applications we receive, it might take a while until you hear from us.

Receiving our decision

What to do if you receive an offer:

General enquiries

Contact our project coordinator about your eligibility or how to apply.

Contact us
Phone:+44 (0)131 651 3969

Academic contact

Dr Suzanne O'Rourke

Senior Lecturer, Clinical Psychology

  • School of Health in Social Science
  • College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
  • University of Edinburgh

Contact details

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