Data-Driven Breeding and Genetics (Online Learning) MSc, PgDip, PgCert, PgProfDev

Level: Postgraduate taught

Subject: Veterinary Medicine

Year of entry: 2026

Study options

Mode of study

Online learning

Part-time intermittent study
  • PgProfDev | 2 years | Start date: multiple dates
  • MSc | 6 years | Start date: September 2026
  • PgCert (ICL) | 2 years | Start date: September 2026
  • PgDip (ICL) | 4 years | Start date: September 2026
Part-time
  • MSc | 3 years | Start date: September 2026

Key facts

School

Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies

College

College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine

Programme website
Accreditation

Not available

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About the degree programme

Improving global food security and shifting to sustainable agriculture with technological advances are key to achieving sustainable development.

Despite selective breeding tools being applied for thousands of years, their use now is more important than ever. They can help us address some of the biggest global challenges in the Anthropocene, especially food insecurity and resource depletion in a changing climate and environment.

Ensuring the resilience and sustainability of food, and food production systems, contribute towards the achievement of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. 

Sustainable Development Goals

The curriculum is led by academics from the Roslin Institute and the Division of Global Agriculture and Food Systems at the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies. There are also strong links with the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and the Centre for Tropical Livestock Genetics and Health (CTLGH). 

The wide network of partners brings a valuable breadth of perspectives and offers students the opportunity to build relationships that will enrich their future practice.

The programme contains a diverse range of global perspectives and representation of systems across the Global North and South.

You will gain the skills to:

  • apply practical, applied statistical and computational analysis
  • manage, analyse and interpret large, real-world data
  • address context-specific genetic challenges
  • develop specialised skills in genetics, data science, and underpinning technologies

You will learn to implement sustainable genetic improvement programmes for key aquacultural, agricultural animal, and plant species across:

  • global food systems
  • raw material
  • heat
  • power production

Study options

PhaseDurationCredits
Masters3-6 years180
Diploma2-4 years120
Certificate1-2 years60
Individual courses*up to 2 yearsup to a maximum of 50

The degree programme allows progression from individual courses to Certificate, Diploma and MSc phases. Students may also exit the programme on completion of each phase.

The programme is designed to be taken part-time at 20 hours per week, with the flexibility to complete in longer time frames if required.

*Individual courses are also referred to as Postgraduate Professional Development (PGProfDev).

Programme benefits

  • This degree draws on the expertise within the Roslin Institute
  • Build a personal portfolio of skills and knowledge
  • Mentoring and online discussion from teachers and researchers who are experts in their field
  • Access to high quality interactive online resources/e-journals and online textbooks
  • Develop and enhance transferrable technological skills in digital learning environments
  • The University of Edinburgh has been delivering online degrees since 2005, with more than 11,000 graduates from over 180 countries
  • We are experts in online learning and have a strong track record of providing the best experience possible, working closely with academic teams to design a fully online degree that works well for both the educators and our students.

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
Part-time

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

Payment for individual courses

It is possible to pay for the programme on a course-by-course basis.

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

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.

View details: UK government loans

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

Mastercard Foundation Scholarships are available for this programme. Applicants must be citizens of an African country and residents in an African country. Applications from refugees and displaced people who have left their African home country to live elsewhere on the continent are welcome. 

For more information on how and when to apply, please visit: 

Mastercard Foundation Postgraduate Scholarships 

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, in a life science, including any relevant agriculture, breeding, genetics, statistical or data-driven background.

We may also consider your application if your degree is in an unrelated discipline but you have 3-year relevant work experience; please contact us to check before you apply. You may be admitted to Certificate level only in the first instance.

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 6.5 with at least 6.0 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
  • TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 92 with at least 20 in each component We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
  • C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 176 with at least 169 in each component.
  • Trinity ISE: ISE II with distinctions in all four components.
  • Oxford ELLT: total 7 with at least 6 in each component.
  • Oxford Test of English Advanced: total 145 with at least 135 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

Structure

The full degree programme is a total of 180 credits, divided into:

  • 9 Core courses
  • 3 Elective courses
  • Dissertation 

Individual courses offer a mix of:

  • lectures
  • seminars
  • tutorials
  • practicals
  • guest speakers
  • recommended reading

Courses are asynchronous and pre-recorded to accommodate learning across time zones and work, caring or other commitments.

There is an emphasis on student engagement and real-life applied science.

Assessment throughout the programme is 100% based on coursework.

Time expectation

20 credit courses are delivered in two blocks of five weeks with one week of independent study and reflection time in between.

10 credit courses are delivered over one block of five weeks.

Each 10 credits of study represents 100 hours of study and a time commitment of 20 hours per week.

Compulsory courses

Core courses
Certificate phase
Breeding programmes and their modelling 
Genomics and phenomics in breeding
Population and quantitative genetics for breeding
Principles of genetic evaluation
Sustainable breeding and genetics
Diploma phase
Advanced modelling in genetic evaluation
Applications of data-driven breeding and genetics to real-life challenges
Future breeding and genetics
Research and professional skills for data-driven breeding and genetics
Masters phase
Dissertation - 60 credits, must be written within a 12-month period

Option courses

Elective courses
Certificate phase
An introduction to transboundary diseases and their impact on trade and wildlife populations
Data analysis with R
Introduction to applied conservation genetics - part 1
Population genetics for conservation breeding
Quality Management in wildlife forensic science
Diploma phase
Advanced statistics
Control of economically important parasites
Data visualisation: knowledge transfer
Engaging with digital research
Food policy
Genetic data analysis for conservation management and wildlife forensics
Introduction to wildlife forensics
New developments in epidemiology and the control of vector borne disease
Pastoralism and herd health
Project planning and decision support for animal disease control
Science communication and engagement for practice
Statistical modelling for epidemiology
The use and evolution of digital data analysis and collection tools
Individual courses

Postgraduate Professional Development (PGProfDev) is the study of individual courses from within a degree programme.

It is aimed at working professionals who want to upskill in a specific area but do not want to commit to a postgraduate qualification. 

You may take a maximum of 50 credits worth of courses from within this degree over two years. Credits can also be put towards further study, however any time spent taking courses will be deducted from the amount of time you have left to complete the higher award. 

Individual courses available within this programme

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.

Disclaimer

Optional, or elective, courses listed are a selection of popular choices of students on this programme.

Course availability is dependent on the number of students, and availability of places on non-programme owned courses. We cannot guarantee that all courses will be available to all students each year.

Teaching and assessment

Teaching

Courses are taught and completed entirely online. The varied teaching may include:

  • online lectures
  • specialist external lectures
  • discussion board exercises
  • case studies
  • data analysis computer practicals
  • problem-based learning scenarios
  • self-directed learning

Assessment

Assessment throughout is based entirely on coursework.

Learning outcomes

Beyond gaining factual knowledge of the immediate subject matter, programme participation is designed to achieve a series of key learning outcomes.

The programme aims to give you the ability to:

  • carry out independent research
  • produce reports to a professional standard
  • be competent in constructing logically sound arguments

By the end of the programme, you will be able to:

  • demonstrate a critical understanding of genetics concepts, principles, and theory relevant to designing sustainable animal and plant breeding programmes;
  • apply knowledge of data-driven genetics to design, or assess, breeding programmes;
  • address genetics challenges using specialised skills in genetics, data science, and related technologies;
  • develop critical analysis skills to review complex issues relating to breeding and genetics
  • formulate an original research problem and independently carry out the research needed to produce an appropriate solution in a range of scientific or policy contexts;
  • apply and enhance a range of communication, ICT and numeracy skills applicable to breeding and genetics
  • work individually or as part of a group, and make informed judgements about problems connected to breeding and genetics' challenges

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 University of Edinburgh has been delivering online postgraduate programmes since 2005 and is the largest provider of online programmes in the prestigious Russell Group of universities.

Online learning is aimed at people who want to study for a postgraduate qualification alongside ongoing personal and professional commitments. You can study at times most convenient to you and tailor the timeframe of studies to suit your needs. Most of our students continue in their employment while they study.

Courses are taught and completed entirely online. The varied teaching may include:

  • online lectures
  • specialist external lectures
  • discussion board exercises
  • case studies
  • data analysis computer practicals
  • problem-based learning scenarios
  • self-directed learning

Online students not only have access to Edinburgh's excellent resources, but also become part of a supportive online community, bringing together students and tutors from around the world.

Postgraduate online learning

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 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.  

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

Student support for online students is given as much emphasis as for our on-campus learners. The 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.

A dedicated e-Learning team ensures the programme runs smoothly and the programme is supported by an experienced team of academics and administrative staff. Each student is provided with a student adviser.

Career opportunities

From one of the world’s leading universities, this postgraduate degree is recognised as a valuable, hard-earned qualification.

This programme will equip graduates with the knowledge, skills and global networks necessary to become the next generation of breeders and geneticists. Graduates will be able to address the shortage of data scientists in the Agri-Tech sector globally and locally, strengthening the pipeline into:

  • industry research and development
  • academia
  • governmental organisations (GOs)
  • non-governmental organisations (NGOs)

Graduates will serve as advocates for the importance of coordinated international efforts in tackling global challenges equitably.

By bringing together animal and plant species, this programme opens-up career prospects. It also delivers key transferable skills valued by employers. These include communication skills to present knowledge professionally while considering the economic, social, and environmental context into which these are being delivered.

We do not offer internships or placements, but students taking the dissertation course may be able choose a project offered by industry or academic partners.

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.

When to apply

Programme start date Application deadline
14 September 2026 21 August 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 or will require a visa. 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 references and 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, please upload that evidence as soon as you have it.

Application fee

There is no fee to apply to this programme.

What you need to apply

You must submit one reference with your application.

Please upload a copy of your CV.

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:

Academic contact

Gordon Littlejohn

Programme Administrator

Contact details

Address

Division of Global Agriculture and Food Systems
The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies
Easter Bush Campus
Edinburgh
EH25 9RG

Related degree programmes

Other degrees in Veterinary Medicine

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